Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 1, Verse 40

कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः । धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत

kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ | dharme naṣṭe kulaṃ kṛtsnamadharmo'bhibhavatyuta

Translation

On the extinction of a family, the immemorial dharmas of that family disappear. When the dharmas disappear, impiety (adharma) overtakes the whole family.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

kulakṣaye

of a family, in the destruction

praṇaśyanti

perish

kuladharmāḥ

of the family, the duties

sanātanāḥ

immemorial

dharme

in the (state of) duty

naṣṭe

being destroyed

kulam

the family

kṛtsnam

the whole

adharmaḥ

lawlessness

abhibhavati

overcomes

uta

indeed