Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Verse 7

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत । अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम्

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata | abhyutthānamadharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham

Translation

Whenever there is a decay of religion, O Bhārata, and an ascendency of irreligion, then I manifest Myself.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

yadā

when

yadā

when

hi

indeed

dharmasya

of duty

glāniḥ

decay

bhavati

is

bhārata

O Bhārata

abhyutthānam

rising up

adharmasya

of sin

tadā

then

ātmānam

myself

sṛjāmi

send forth

aham

I

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

Religion: Dharma as embodied in the institution of castes (varṇa) and religious orders (āśrama) which are the means of attaining worldly prosperity and salvation. Whenever there is a decay of religion (Dharma), I manifest Myself through Māyā.