Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 7 (BG 4.7) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

Whenever dharma declines and adharma flourishes, the Divine takes birth upon this earth. In the opening discourse of the Gita's first chapter, the meaning of dharma has been expounded at length. Dharma is a sacred truth, and only through its observance can society be sustained and preserved. When the majority of people abandon dharma, the world falls into the grip of those who walk as beasts in human form. In such times, families bound by mutual care and joy become invisible; the noble and elevated life that adorns humanity vanishes from sight. In these dark ages of history, a great soul appears in society, striving to elevate the moral and spiritual condition of human life. This work cannot be accomplished merely by advancing existing moral values—the destruction of wickedness must also occur. For this sacred purpose, the infinite Supreme Being sometimes assumes the limitations of body and form, manifesting upon the earth. Like a great lord of wealth who occasionally inspects his vast estate and sets it in order, taking up weapons and tools, standing among laborers toiling in the sun—yet never forgetting his sovereignty—so too does the Lord of all creation, the Bhagavan, assume a mortal form. Dwelling among unrighteous humanity, remaining untouched by their transgressions, He labors ceaselessly to draw them from adharma and guide them toward the path of dharma. In this divine descent, one truth is made clear: though the Bhagavan assumes a body, He does not lose His freedom and sovereignty. Though He dwells within limitations, He does not become enslaved by them. For what purpose...