Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 4, verse 7 · Krishna
Bhagavad Gita 4.7 · Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत ।
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥
yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata |
abhyutthānamadharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham ||
Translation
Whenever there is a decline of dharma and a rise of adharma, Arjuna, then I manifest myself.
Explanation
The classic statement of the doctrine of avatara, the descent of the Divine into the world. With the next verse it is among the most recited lines in Hinduism.
Context
Spoken by Krishna in chapter 4, Jnana Karma Sannyasa Yoga — “The Yoga of Knowledge and the Renunciation of Action”, which has 42 verses.
Frequently asked questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 4.7 mean?
Whenever there is a decline of dharma and a rise of adharma, Arjuna, then I manifest myself.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 4.7?
Krishna, speaking to Arjuna, in chapter 4, Jnana Karma Sannyasa Yoga (The Yoga of Knowledge and the Renunciation of Action).
Sanskrit text: traditional, public domain. Translation and explanation are our own.