Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verse 8 (4.8)

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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verse 8 (4.8)

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परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् । धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे | | ४-८ | |

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśhāya cha duṣhkṛitām dharmasaṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge

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Word-by-word guide:

Line 1:

• परित्राणाय (paritranaya) — रक्षा के लिए(for protecting the good)
• साधूनाम् (sadhunam) — सज्जनों की(for protecting the good)
• विनाशाय (vinashaya) — विनाश के लिए(and for destroying harmful actions or wrongdoers)
• च (cha) — दुष्कर्मियों के विनाश के लिए(and for destroying harmful actions or wrongdoers)
• दुष्कृताम् (dushkritam) — दुष्कर्मियों का(and for destroying harmful actions or wrongdoers)

Line 2:

• धर्म (dharma) — धर्म(righteousness/duty)
• san joined in dharmasaṁsthāpanārthāya
• अस्ति (asti) — है(is)
• अपि (api) — भी(also)
• a joined in dharmasaṁsthāpanārthāya
• न (na) — नहीं(not)
• rta joined in dharmasaṁsthāpanārthāya
• यः (yah) — जो(who)
• सम्भवामि (sambhavami) — मैं प्रकट होता हूं(I appear)
• युगे (yuge) — युग में(age after age)
• युगे (yuge) — युग में(age after age)

English: To protect the righteous, to destroy the harmful and to establish the kingdom of God, I am reborn from age to age.

💡 Commentary Note

Krishna states the purpose of divine manifestation: to protect the righteous, restrain destructive forces, and re-establish dharma. The focus is restoration of balance, not display of power.

The verse gives hope that dharma is not abandoned when adharma grows. Divine action supports the preservation of moral order.

Learnings from Shloka 8:

• God appears when Dharma declines:: Krishna says He manifests when right action weakens and Adharma rises.
• Dharma is restored, not merely discussed:: The purpose is protection of the good, removal of harmful forces, and re-establishment of Dharma.
• Good and evil can also be internal:: These verses can be read as cosmic history, but also as inner guidance: protect the good qualities within you and remove the habits that pull you away from Dharma.
• Change is cyclic:: Krishna says He appears again and again. We should not expect the world, or our own mind, to remain good without steady effort.
• Divine action has purpose:: Krishna does not appear for display. He appears to restore balance.

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 4.8 with their Hindi and English meanings.

Practice vocabulary

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