Verses
Whenever righteousness declines and unrighteousness prevails, O Arjuna, I manifest myself at that time.
Worship Guidelines & Chanting Benefits (Phalashruti)
PhalashrutiWednesday (Budhwar), Thursday (Guruwar) & Ekadashi
Early Morning (Brahma Muhurta) or Sandhya (Twilight)
Tulsi leaves, Butter (Makhan), Mishri, Yellow flowers & Chandan
- Awakening of pure divine love (Prema Bhakti), mental joy, and freedom from anxiety
Background
This verse is from the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu scripture within the epic Mahabharata. It is traditionally recited in devotional contexts, especially during discourses on the concept of divine incarnation (avatara). The verse is often used to inspire faith in divine protection and the cyclical restoration of dharma (righteousness).
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Source and Context
This verse is from the Bhagavad Gita, chapter 4, verse 7. It is spoken by Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, forming part of a discourse on the nature of divine incarnation and the cosmic purpose of preserving righteousness.
Meaning of the Opening Phrase
The repeated 'yada yada' (whenever, whenever) emphasizes the cyclical nature of divine intervention. It signals that the descent of the divine is not a single historical event but a recurring response to the moral and spiritual decline of the world.
The Term 'Srijami' (I create)
Krishna uses the verb 'srijami', meaning 'I create' or 'I manifest'. This indicates that his appearance in the world is an act of deliberate, compassionate creation, not a birth in the ordinary sense. In Hindu theology, this is the basis for the concept of avatar — a voluntary descent of the divine into the material realm.
Addressing Arjuna as 'Bharata'
Krishna calls Arjuna 'Bharata', a patronymic meaning 'descendant of Bharata'. This is both a formal address and a reminder of Arjuna's noble lineage and duty. It personalizes the universal teaching, grounding it in the specific context of the Mahabharata war.
The Pairing with the Next Verse
This verse is almost always followed by verse 8, where Krishna explains the purpose of his descent: to protect the virtuous, destroy evil, and reestablish dharma. Together, they form the classic scriptural foundation for the doctrine of divine incarnation in Hinduism.
Krishna
Khatu Shyam Chalisa: 39 chaupai couplets between two dohas, naming Shyam (Barbarik) as Krishna's form and the saviour of devotees in Kali Yuga.
A forty-verse hymn glorifying Krishna's divine pastimes, recited by devotees seeking his protection, love, and liberation.
Eight verses and a closing benefit verse call on Vishnu by many names, each verse ending with a plea to Shripati to calm all sorrow.
Eight verses and a closing benefit verse that honor Vishnu as Krishna and Rama by listing his divine names, chanted for blessings and protection.
More from Hinduism
See allA joyful devotional song (bhajan) in Hindi that calls upon Lord Krishna by many of his beloved names, celebrating his beauty, playful childhood, and divine nature.
A joyful Janmashtami bhajan celebrating Nanda's household at Krishna's birth, with the refrain 'Jai Kanhaiya Lal ki'.
A joyful bhajan inviting the Lord to come as Ram, Shyam, Shiva, Vishnu or Ganesha, each with consort and emblem.
The Krishna Ashtottara Shatanamavali: 108 names of Lord Krishna, from his Gokula childhood to the Gita, chanted on Janmashtami and in daily Vaishnava worship.
A guided devotional chant that takes the listener on a mental pilgrimage through Braj, repeating the name of Radha.
Sant Bahinabai's abhanga on the Varkari temple: Dnyaneshwar laid its foundation, Namdev extended it, Eknath raised a pillar, Tukaram became its golden crest.
Connected Teachings
The same teaching, echoed across traditions