March 28 – Bhagavadgita Chapter 4; Verses 4.8 (Day 88) Karma Yoga

 March 28 – Day 88

Verse 4.08

परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् ।

धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥ ४-८॥ 

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśhāya cha duṣhkṛitām
dharma-sansthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge (4.08) 

ப¹ரித்¹ராணாய ஸாதூ⁴னாம் வினாஶாய ச¹ து³ஷ்க்¹ருதா¹ம் |
த⁴ர்மஸம்ஸ்தா²ப¹னார்தா²ய ஸம்ப⁴வாமி யுகே³ யுகே³ ||4.08|| 

8. For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age. 

Commentary: Sadhunam: The good who lead a life of righteousness, who utilize their bodies in the service of humanity, who are free from selfishness, lust and greed, and who devote their lives to divine contemplation.

Dushkritam: Evil-doers who lead a life of unrighteousness, who break the laws of the society, who are vain and are dishonest and greedy, who injure others, who take possession of the property of others by force, and who commit atrocious crimes of various sorts. 

Commentary by Swami Venkatesananda: 

What does God do when he manifests himself? He protects the good, destroys the evil and establishes righteousness. Please note that ‘the good’ need not be confined to ‘good people’. ‘Protection of the good and destruction of the evil...’ (Fill up the blanks, as you like!) Even good and evil tendencies may be brought within the meaning of this verse. Only the good are protected: not a privileged community. Hence, ‘be good; do good’ if you want God’s protection!

There is no real destruction even of wicked people – they have to be purified and redeemed. Only the evil nature or tendencies have to be destroyed. Hence even the good people whom Rāma and Kṛṣṇa protected, died, and the wicked ones whom they killed went to heaven (because their evil nature had been removed).

This is the only definition of the purpose of avatāra. The criterion that determines who is an avatāra is not supernatural birth or deeds, not supernatural appearance or disappearance, but the power to establish righteousness. Hence we regard the human Rāma as an avatāra and not the powerful and ‘superhuman’ Rāvana. In this light, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, Buddha, Zarathustra, Moses, Jesus, Mohammed and Mahāvīra, are all avatārā of God.

We admit that the son of God is even as God; the son of a lion is lion. We admit that the Prophet of Islam, too, is an avatāra; the messenger sent by light is light only. When a candle gives birth to another, it is also a candle – not son of the candle or the messenger of the candle.

Since this avatāra effectively veils himself with his own māyā, he may behave as God or man, he may proclaim his divinity or hide it – if he upholds righteousness, he is God. 

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