BG 4.7

Bhagavad Gītā 4.7 is one of the most quoted verses in all of Hindu philosophy. It occurs in the Jñāna-Karma-Sannyāsa Yoga (Chapter 4).

Here is the verse in Sanskrit (Devanagari):

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत ।

अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदाऽऽत्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥ ४.७ ॥

Transliteration:

Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati Bhārata,

abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham.

Meaning

• “Whenever there is a decline of dharma (righteousness), O Bhārata (Arjuna), and a rise of adharma (unrighteousness), at that time I manifest Myself.”

Context

• Krishna is explaining the principle of divine incarnation (avatāra).
• Whenever the balance of the world tilts toward chaos and immorality, God descends in some form to restore harmony.

Connection to Next Verse (4.8)

• 4.7 sets the stage, and 4.8 explains why God descends:
  
• “To protect the good, destroy the wicked, and re-establish dharma.”

This verse is the philosophical basis for the doctrine of Avatāra in Hinduism — the idea that God intervenes in history when humanity needs it most.

👉 Would you like me to show how different traditions (Advaita, Vishishtadvaita, Dvaita) interpret this verse differently?