Bhagavad Gita BG 4.8
Chapter 4, Verse 8 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् । धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥
paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam dharma-samsthapanartha ya sambhavami yuge yuge
Meaning
For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked, for the firm establishment of dharma — I come into being age after age.
Understanding
Three purposes of the avatara: paritrana of sadhus (protection/deliverance of the good — those who strive for the good), vinasha of duskrtas (destruction of evil-doers — not their souls, but their capacity to harm), and dharma-samsthapana (the firm re-establishment of dharma). And the frequency: yuge yuge — age after age, cycle after cycle. The universe is not abandoned; divine care is a recurring cosmic principle.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| परित्राणाय | paritranaya | for the protection, deliverance |
| साधूनाम् | sadhunam | of the good ones, the virtuous |
| विनाशाय | vinasaya | for the destruction |
| दुष्कृताम् | duskrtam | of evil-doers, wrong-doers |
| युगे युगे | yuge yuge | age after age, cycle after cycle |
| च | ca | and (conjunction) |
| धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय | dharma-saṃsthāpanārthāya | for establishing righteousness / for the purpose of restoring dharma |
| सम्भवामि | sambhavāmi | I manifest / I appear / I take birth |