Chapter 3 Overview
Verse 3.24
उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम्। सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः।।3.24।।
utsīdeyur ime lokā na kuryāṁ karma ched aham sankarasya cha kartā syām upahanyām imāḥ prajāḥ
Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 3, Verse 24
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Scripture Translation Room
Sanskrit to English Translation
Translator:
These worlds would perish if I did not perform action; I would be the author of confusion of castes and destruction of these beings.
A Reading - Rantideb
Why: these worlds would perish without continued action, cosmic order itself is framed as depending on ongoing engagement, not passive existence.
In life: systems, families, teams, communities, don't sustain themselves automatically, they require ongoing maintenance from someone.
Teaching: identify what in your life is quietly depending on your continued effort, and don't assume it runs fine without you just because it has so far.
utsīdeyuḥwould perish
imeall these
lokāḥworlds
nanot
kuryāmI perform
karmaprescribed duties
chetif
ahamI
sankarasyaof uncultured population
chaand
kartāresponsible
syāmwould be
upahanyāmwould destroy
imāḥall these
prajāḥliving entities
Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)
Author:
3.24 उत्सीदेयुः would perish? इमे these? लोकाः worlds? न not? कुर्याम् would do? कर्म action? चेत् if? अहम् I? सङ्करस्य of confusion of castes? च and? कर्ता author? स्याम् would be? उपहन्याम् would destroy? इमाःthese? प्रजाः beings.Commentary If I did not engage in action? people would also be inactive. They would not do their duties according to the Varnasrama Dharma (code of morals governing their own order and stage of life). Hence confusion of castes would arise. I would have to destroy these beings.