Chapter 3The Eternal Duties of a Human BeingsVerse 24

Chapters

Sanskrit Vocal

Transliteration

Anvaya

Translation



Audio
Hindi
Bengali
English
Dutch
German
Greek
Chinese
Japanese
French
Spanish
Italian
Portuguese
Hebrew
Arabic
Serbian
Russian


Commentaries of the Four Authorized Vaisnava Sampradayas

as confirmed in the Garga Samhita Canto 10, Chapter 61, Verses 23, 24, 25, 26
Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Visnuswami

Sridhara Swami's Commentary

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.

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Madhvacarya
There is no commentary for this verse.

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Ramanuja

Ramanuja's Commentary

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.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Nimbaditya

Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary

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.

Thus ends commentaries of chapter 3, verse 24 of the Srimad Bhagavad-Gita.

Verse 24


Copyright © Bhagavad-Gita Trust 1998-2015