Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3, Verse 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

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Word Meanings

utsīdeyuḥ—would perish

ime—all these

lokāḥ—worlds

na—not

kuryām—I perform

karma—prescribed duties

chet—if

aham—I

sankarasya—of uncultured population

cha—and

kartā—responsible

syām—would be

upahanyām—would destroy

imāḥ—all these

prajāḥ—living entities

•••

Translation

These worlds would perish if I did not perform action; I would be the author of confusion of castes and destruction of these beings.

•••

Commentary

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.

24 of 43 verses