Gita : Ch-3. Slo-24.

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita :


Chapter-3. ( Karma-yogam )


Slokam-24. ( What would happen then? Lord Krishna states that the world would degenerate and decay due to the absence of prescribed Vedic activities and that He would be the cause of the pollution of traditional values of the masses and the destruction of society.)



Utsideyurime lokah na kuryam karmacedaham,



samkarasya ca karta syam upahanyamimah prajah.




aham karma na kuryam ceda = if  I do not perform karma;

ime lokah utsideyuh = this universe will be destroyed;

samkarasya karta syam = (and) will be the creator of  unwanted population (impure);

ima prajah upahanyah ca = (thereafter) cause to destruction of  all these living things.



It is proper that people who follow the example of Lord Krishna are correct in their actions as He is omniscient and the creator of all. But because He is the Lord of all what would be wrong if He was not to engage Himself in actions. Explaining this Lord Krishna uses the words ime lokah utsideyuh meaning the inhabitants of all the worlds will be destroyed. If Lord Krishna, the Supreme Lord and foremost on the path in knowledge of yoga or the uniting of the individual consciousness with the ultimate consciousness; if He would refrain from performing prescribed Vedic activities, people would follow

His example and refrain from performing such actions also and they would deviate from their duty and deviate from dharma or righteousness. Then Lord Krishna would be to blame as by the example of renouncing actions is not inspiring and beneficial for the worlds. When the duties of society are ommitted there is confusion in society and such confusion leads to a lax in moral standards resulting in the mixture of different castes and unwanted children. The purport is that great harm would be caused to the people and socitey if Lord Krishna were to refrain from actions and so He always performs responsible actions for the welfare and benefit of the world.

If Lord Krishna of infallible will, the Supreme Lord of all, and in whose control the entire phenomenal display of the total material creation is created, maintained and preserved by His inconceivable potency; if He were not to conduct Himself seriously and omit to perform prescribed Vedic activities for the benefit of all the worlds then others seeing Lord Krishna's indifference would also conduct themselves indifferently following His example.

When Lord Krishna took birth, seemingly as a human being, as the son of the great righteous King Vasudeva, he conducted Himself in all ways and manners as appropriate for his position in society as a prince of the royal ksatriya or warrior class. If Lord Krishna acted otherwise all mankind would begin to imitate Him thinking that such actions were virtuous, the worthy actions, of a worthy son from a worthy father, the righteous King Vasudeva.

In this way Lord Krishna is explaining that if He failed to perform Vedic activities mankind following His example would be led in a negative way into a hellish perdition unable to purify themselves enough so they could achieve atma-tattva or soul realisation. This would be considered as a very serious offence and Lord Krishna would be at fault. By not setting the example of what is righteous and by not following the traditions and customs established by performing the activities prescribed in the Vedic scriptures then all humanity would deviate from righteousness and become totally lost.

If Lord Krishna failed to respect the injunctions and prohibitions of the Vedic scriptures then all the world would take that to be the standard of righteousness and the final verdict. There would soon ensue the mixing of classes and a mixture of moral and immoral standards in the class of pure and righteous people, leading to the complete degradation of society. Lord Krishna is stating that if He failed to follow and perform the Vedic injunctions then it would be the cause of the destruction of society.

This is the purport. Also if Arjuna who was world famous for never having been defeated in battle and who was the brother of King Yudhisthira famed for his righteousness; if Arjuna refused to fight and protect dharma or righteousness then many other worthy and noble ksatriya's who were protectors of dharma might folow his example and also renounce their prescribed duties and refuse to protect righteousness then this would bring destruction to the world balance and ruination to the welfare of the people. Thus it can be understood that for specially qualified people prescribed Vedic activities must be performed for the benefit of the entire human race and the welfare of the world.

To be continued  ....