No fixed time schedule has been mandated for Lord Krishna to manifest Himself in His avatar forms or authorised incarnations but he declares beginning with yada yada which means that:

whenever or wherever dharma or righteousness as ordained by the Vedic scriptures under varṇāśrama or the four stages and position in Vedic culture become degraded and unrighteousness increases and becomes dominant at that time Lord Krishna or any of His authorised incarnations descends and becomes manifest.

It should be noted that all the names of His avatars or incarnations are recorded in the Bhāgavat Purāṇa and in the Vedic scriptures with additional details so that it can be proven when His divine incarnation has manifested.

“न तर्ह्यनदिभपवान् इत्यत आह – अजोऽपि इति । अव्यय आत्मा देहोऽपीतव्ययात्मा । अनन्तं विश्वतोमुखम् इति हि रूपविशेषेणमुत्तरत्र । एतन्नावतरणां निधानं बीजमव्ययम् ॥ इति च । जगृहे इति तु व्यक्तिः । युक्तयुत्काः । अमानादित्वं तु सर्वसमम् । कथमनादिनित्यस्य जनिः? प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय । प्रकृत्या जातेषु वसुदेवादिषु । तथैव तेषां जात इव प्रतीयत इत्यर्थः । न तु स्वतन्त्रयाधिष्ठाय इत्यत आह – स्वाम् इति । दव्यं कर्म च इति इति ह्युक्तम् । सा हि ततोक्ता । ततः सर्वमुष्टेः । आत्ममायया आत्मज्ञानेन । प्रकृतेः पृथगभिधानात् । केतुः केतश्चित्तश्चित्तं मतिः कर्तुर्मनीषा माया । इति ह्यभिधानम् ॥ मुष्टिकाराया तेषां शरीरादि मुष्ट्वा विमोहिकयाऽजात एव जात इव प्रतीयते ॥” - If Sri Krishna is eternal then can his body also be eternal? Thus Arjuna inquires. To this question, the answer is given in this verse - I am unborn. In this verse अव्यय आत्मा means the immutable body (of the Lord). ‘with universal manifestation’ as said later speaking about his multi-facet forms. And also “for His many descents, the eternal seed (Sriman Narayana) is the basis,” as mentioned in Bhagavat Puraana, जगृहे means took the human form. This is possible. The same has been explained earlier that self is without beginning and eternal in all times.

How come he is born, if he is without beginning and eternal one? Because his divine essence becoming established through Prakriti. Prakriti being the projection of Vasudeva, he establishes himself in Prakriti. Through him, in him is born, the created form of himself. This is the meaning. Not that he independently takes birth. Therefore, He says स्वाम् i.e. through one’s own wealth and actions, thus is spoken. Even so, सा हि even they (Vasudeva-Devaki) are referred. In the same manner the entire creation. आत्ममायया through one’s own power of Wisdom. केतु, केतः, चितिः, चित्तं, मतिः, क्तु, मनीषा, माया – for all these words, the meaning in dictionary has been as प्रज्ञा, consciousness. Or having caused them through creation, having further created body etc. by the power of his Wisdom, he appears for them as though born, though in fact he is not born in the normal sense.

उक्तं च - महदादेस्तु माता या श्रीर्भूमिरिति कल्पित्वा । विमोहिका च दुर्गारूपा ताभिर्विष्णुराजोऽपि हि । जातवत् प्रथते ह्यात्मचिद्वलान्मुद्वेतसाम् ॥ इति । ईश्वरः ईशेभ्योऽपि वरः । तच्चोक्तम् । ईशेभ्यो नक्षत्रदृशीशेषादिभ्यो यतो भवान् । वरोऽत ईश्वराख्या ते मुख्या नान्यस्य कस्यचित् ॥ इति ब्रह्मैवर्ते । समर्थ ईश इत्युक्तस्तद्वस्तत्वमीश्वरः । इति च ॥ - It has been further said: “महत् and other principles are called as माता, श्री, भू etc. For the deluded, the illusory attribute of Sri Vishnu is known as Durga. They appear to having been born even though they are not born as such”. ईश्वर means greater than ईशेभ्योऽपि वर - the great Since you are superior to those who are ईश greater than Brahma, Rudra, Shree, Shesha and others, you are known as ईश्वर and none other. Further he who is self-established is called as ईश. Further You who are superior to them is ईश्वर, thus, in Brahma Vaivarta Puraana.

“आत्ममायया आत्मेच्छया । प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय स्वभावम् । देवस्यैष स्वभावोऽयम् इत्यादिश्रुतेश्च । अत एव स्व शब्देन विशेषेणम् - प्रकृतिं स्वामष्टभ्य इत्यादिषु । मयाध्यक्षेण प्रकृतिः इत्यादिषु तु न स्वशब्दः । प्रकृतिं विद्धि ते पराम् इत्यादिषु सम्बन्धितेन प्रतीतैरन्या । अत्र तु स्वशब्दः स्वरूपवाची । स्वभाव इत्यत्रापि स्वाख्यो भावः स्वभावः । भावशब्दस्तु सम्बन्धाशङ्कानिवृत्तये । स्वस्वभाव इति तु स्वस्वरूपमितिवदुपचारत्वाशङ्कां निवर्तयति ॥ मष्टत्वात् स्वभावत्वात्स्वेच्छाया विष्णुरव्ययः । मुष्ट्यादिकः करोरुयद्धा स्वयं च बहुधा भवेत् ॥ इति नारायणश्रुतिः ॥” — आत्ममायया means by one's own self Will, establishing oneself in Nature is becoming inclined to one's own character temperament, which is divine, luminous, thus scriptures having declared. स्व denotes one's special luminous attribute, therefore establishing in one's own inclination. तु suggests one's special intimate relationship with one's inclination. स्वभावः denotes one's natural attribute. Through creation according to one's attributes and one's will the immutable Vishnu manifests as creation himself or in many ways, thus in Narayana scripture.

7 "For, whensoever there ensues a languishing of Dharma (righteousness), O Descendant of Bharata, and upheaval of Adharma (unrighteousness), then do I create myself. (49)

It is in accordance with the primeval order of things that the spiritual structure of the world should be protected by me from age to age. Thus my uncreate essence I lay aside and bid farewell to my unmanifest Being, when evil seems to vanquish and imperil the good.

'Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata abhyutthānamadharmasya'—When righteous, innocent, weak, pious and spiritual people, are exploited by unrighteous, cruel, strong, wicked and mundane people, and when moral values are lost and immorality prevails—that state, is the state of a decline of righteousness, and upsurge of unrighteousness.

The terms 'Yadā yadā' (whenever) show, that God manifests Himself, whenever there is need for His manifestation. Example—when the seas were churned, God in the form of unconquered Lord Viṣṇu, churned the seas as a divine Tortoise, held Mandarācala (mountain), pressed it hard, as a being with a thousand arms, and as a bewitching woman distributed the nectar among the gods. Thus, God manifested Himself, in different forms, at the same time.

The root, of the decline of righteousness and the rise of unrighteousness, is its attraction towards the perishable. As the body of a child, is inherited from the parents' bodies, so, is the universe created, by nature (prakṛti) and God. Out of these, (nature and its evolute), the world ever-undergo modifications, while God and His fragment, the soul, ever remain uniform, without the least modification. When a man, has a desire to derive pleasure out of mundane objects, he starts having a fall.

The more he is attached to worldly pleasures and prosperity, the more increase there is, in unrighteousness. The more this unrighteousness rises, the more vices, such as sins, strifes and riots etc., prevail, in the society.

There is a decline of righteousness through the Satya age, to Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali ages, respectively. In the Satya age righteousness flourishes. In Tretā, the decline begins, in Dvāpara there is a rapid decline and in Kali age, unrighteousness prevails. Then, God manifests Himself, for the establishment of righteousness.

**'Tadātmānaṁ srjāmyaham'**—Whenever, there is a decline of righteousness and rise of unrighteousness, then the Lord manifests Himself for the destruction of unrighteousness and for the establishment of righteousness.

When there is a decline of righteousness and increase in unrighteousness, people are inclined to unrighteousness, which leads them to a downfall. The Lord, is the disinterested friend of all beings, so He manifests Himself, in order to check their fall.

When actions are performed with a selfish motive i.e., for reward, there is a decline of righteousness; and when a man, having deviated from his duty performs forbidden actions, there is rise of unrighteousness. It is desire, which is the root of all unrighteousness, sins and injustice etc., (Gītā 3/37). Therefore, God manifests Himself, in order to root out this desire and propagate the principle of the performance of actions, without expectation of any reward.

Here, a doubt may arise why at the present, in the wretched Kali age, God does not manifest Himself, when there is such a decline of righteousness and rise of unrighteousness. The clarification is, that the time is not yet ripe. During the Tretā age, the demons having killed many sages, piled up their bones. But, at present righteous persons are leading a pious and peaceful life, and nobody kills them. Secondly, when there is decline of

righteousness and rise of unrighteousness, by God's direction saints come to earth or true strivers reveal themselves; these establish righteousness. Sometimes, the liberated souls living in divine abode also come to earth, to help the people to attain salvation, as representatives of God. Where, there are such strivers and saints, there is, neither so much decline of righteousness, nor so much increase in unrighteousness, as at other places where there are, neither strivers nor saints.

When people do not follow the teachings of strivers and saints, but start to kill them, and when there are left, only a few righteous persons to propagate righteousness, and there is a decline in righteousness, then God manifests Himself.

*Link:—Having described the occasion of His manifestation, in the preceding verse, the Lord now reveals, the aim of His manifestation, in the next verse.*

वह जन्म कब और किसलिये होता है? सो कहते हैं—

हे भारत! वर्णाश्रम आदि जिसके लक्षण हैं एवं प्राणियोंकी उन्नति और परम कल्याणका जो साधन है, उस धर्मकी जब-जब हानि होती है और अधर्मका अभ्युत्थान अर्थात् उन्नति होती है, तब-तब ही मैं मायासे अपने स्वरूपको रचता हूँ

ते वेळी आपुल्याचेनि कैवारें । मी साकारु होऊनि अवतरें । मग अज्ञानाचें आंधारें । गिळूनि घालीं ॥ ४९ ॥

अधर्माचि अवधी तोडीं । दोषांचीं लिहिलीं फाडीं । सज्जनांकरवी गुढी । सुखाची उभवीं ॥ ५० ॥

संगति— अगले दो श्लोक में वे अपने अवतरित होने के हेतु बतलाते हैं—

भावार्थ— भारत! जब-जब धर्म का ह्रास होता है और अधर्म की वृद्धि होती है तब-तब मैं देह धारण करता हूँ।

‘यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ... अभ्युत्थान-मधर्मस्य’—धर्मकी हानि और अधर्मकी वृद्धि का स्वरूप है—भगवत्प्रेमी, धर्मात्मा, सदाचारी, निरपराध और निर्बल मनुष्योंपर नास्तिक, पापी, दुराचारी और बलवान् मनुष्योंका अत्याचार बढ़ जाना तथा लोगोंमें सद्गुण-सदाचारोंकी अत्यधिक कमी और दुर्गुण-दुराचारोंकी अत्यधिक वृद्धि हो जाना।

**‘यदा यदा’** पदोंका तात्पर्य है कि जब-जब आवश्यकता पड़ती है, तब-तब भगवान् अवतार लेते हैं। एक युगमें भी जितनी बार आवश्यकता और अवसर प्राप्त हो जाय, उतनी बार अवतार ले सकते हैं। उदाहरणार्थ, समुद्र-मन्थनके समय भगवान्ने अजितरूपसे समुद्र-मन्थन किया, कच्छपरूपसे मन्दराचलको धारण किया तथा सहस्रबाहुरूपसे मन्दराचलको ऊपरसे दबाकर रखा। फिर देवताओंको अमृत बाँटनेके लिये मोहिनी-रूप धारण किया। इस प्रकार भगवान्ने एक साथ अनेक रूप धारण किये।

अधर्मकी वृद्धि और धर्मका हास होनेका मुख्य कारण है—नाशवान् पदार्थोंकी ओर आकर्षण। जैसे माता और पितासे शरीर बनता है, ऐसे ही प्रकृति और परमात्मासे सृष्टि बनती है। इसमें प्रकृति और उसका कार्य संसार तो प्रतिक्षण बदलता रहता है, कभी क्षणमात्र भी एकरूप नहीं रहता और परमात्मा तथा उनका अंश जीवात्मा—दोनों सम्पूर्ण देश, काल आदिमें नित्य-निरन्तर रहते हैं, इनमें कभी किंचिन्मात्र भी परिवर्तन नहीं होता। जब जीव अनित्य, उत्पत्ति-विनाशशील प्राकृत पदार्थोंसे सुख पानेकी इच्छा करने लगता है और उनकी प्राप्तिमें सुख मानने लगता है, तब उसका पतन होने लगता है। लोगोंकी सांसारिक भोग और संग्रहमें ज्यों-ज्यों आसक्ति बढ़ती है, त्यों-ही-त्यों समाजमें अधर्म बढ़ता है और ज्यों-ज्यों अधर्म बढ़ता है, त्यों-ही-त्यों समाजमें पापाचरण, कलह, विद्रोह आदि दोष बढ़ते हैं।

सत्ययुग, त्रेतायुग, द्वापरयुग और कलियुग—इन चारों युगोंकी ओर देखा जाय तो इनमें भी क्रमशः धर्मका हास होता है। सत्ययुगमें धर्मके चारों चरण रहते हैं, त्रेतायुगमें धर्मके तीन चरण रहते हैं, द्वापरयुगमें धर्मके दो चरण रहते हैं और कलियुगमें धर्मका केवल एक चरण शेष रहता है। जब युगकी मर्यादासे भी अधिक धर्मका हास हो जाता है, तब भगवान् धर्मकी पुनः स्थापना करनेके लिये अवतार

लेते हैं।

**‘तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम्’**—जब-जब धर्मकी हानि और अधर्मकी वृद्धि होती है, तब-तब भगवान् अवतार ग्रहण करते हैं। अतः भगवान्के अवतार लेनेका मुख्य प्रयोजन है—धर्मकी स्थापना करना और अधर्मका नाश करना।

धर्मकी हानि और अधर्मकी वृद्धि होनेपर लोगोंकी प्रवृत्ति अधर्ममें हो जाती है। अधर्ममें प्रवृत्ति होनेसे स्वाभाविक पतन होता है। भगवान् प्राणिमात्रके परम सुहृद हैं। इसलिये लोगोंको पतनमें जानेसे रोकनेके लिये वे स्वयं अवतार लेते हैं।

कर्मोंमें सकामभाव उत्पन्न होना ही धर्मकी हानि है और अपने-अपने कर्तव्यसे च्युत होकर निषिद्ध आचरण करना ही अधर्मका अभ्युत्थान है! ‘काम’ अर्थात् कामनासे ही सब-के-सब अधर्म, पाप, अन्याय आदि होते हैं (गीता— तीसरे अध्यायका सैंतीसवाँ श्लोक)। अतः इस ‘काम’का नाश करनेके लिये तथा निष्कामभावका प्रसार करनेके लिये भगवान् अवतार लेते हैं।

यहाँ शंका हो सकती है कि वर्तमान समयमें धर्मका हास और अधर्मकी वृद्धि बहुत हो रही है, फिर भगवान् अवतार क्यों नहीं लेते? इसका समाधान यह है कि युगको देखते हुए अभी वैसा समय नहीं आया है, जिससे भगवान् अवतार लें। त्रेतायुगमें राक्षसोंने ऋषि-मुनियोंको मारकर उनकी हड्डियोंके ढेर लगा दिये थे। यह तो त्रेतायुगसे भी गया-बीता कलियुग है, पर अभी धर्मात्मा पुरुष जी रहे हैं, उनका कोई नाश नहीं करता। दूसरी एक बात और है। जब धर्मका हास और अधर्मकी वृद्धि होती है, तब भगवान्की आज्ञासे संत इस पृथ्वीपर आते हैं अथवा यहाँसे विशेष साधक पुरुष प्रकट हो जाते हैं और धर्मकी स्थापना करते हैं। कभी-कभी परमात्माको प्राप्त हुए कारक महापुरुष भी संसारका उद्धार करनेके लिये आते हैं। साधक और सन्त पुरुष जिस देशमें रहते हैं, उस देशमें अधर्मकी वैसी वृद्धि नहीं होती और धर्मकी स्थापना होती है।

जब साधकों और सन्त-महात्माओंसे भी लोग नहीं मानते, प्रत्युत उनका विनाश करना आरम्भ कर देते हैं और जब धर्मका प्रचार करनेवाले बहुत कम रहते हैं तथा जिस युगमें जैसा धर्म होना चाहिये, उसकी अपेक्षा भी बहुत अधिक धर्मका हास हो जाता है, तब भगवान् स्वयं आते हैं।

सम्बन्ध—पूर्वश्लोकमें अपने अवतारके अवसरका वर्णन करके अब भगवान् अपने अवतारका प्रयोजन बताते हैं।