🌍 If I Don’t Act, the World Collapses | Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Shloka 24 Explained

📜 श्लोक (Sanskrit)

उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् ।
सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः ॥ 24 ॥

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🔤 IAST Transliteration

utsīdeyur ime lokā na kuryāṁ karma ced aham
saṅkarasya ca kartā syām upahanyām imāḥ prajāḥ ॥ 24 ॥

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🇮🇳 हिन्दी अनुवाद (Hindi Translation)

यदि मैं कर्म न करूँ, तो ये समस्त लोक विनष्ट हो जाएँ। मैं वर्णसंकर का कारण बनूँगा और इन समस्त प्रजाओं का विनाश कर बैठूँगा।

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🌐 English Translation

If I did not perform prescribed duties, all these worlds would perish. I would be the cause of chaos and the destruction of all living beings.

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🧠 व्याख्या (Detailed Explanation in Hindi)

इस श्लोक में श्रीकृष्ण कर्म के सामाजिक और सृष्टि-स्तरीय प्रभाव को स्पष्ट करते हैं।

• "उत्सीदेयुः इमे लोकाः" — यदि मैं कर्म न करूँ तो ये सभी लोक नष्ट हो जाएँ।

• "सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्याम्" — मैं वर्ण व्यवस्था (धार्मिक-सामाजिक संतुलन) में गड़बड़ी लाने वाला बन जाऊँगा।

• "उपहन्याम् इमाः प्रजाः" — और इन प्रजाओं का विनाश कर बैठूँगा।

👉 यह श्लोक स्पष्ट करता है कि श्रेष्ठ पुरुष के कर्म का प्रभाव केवल व्यक्तिगत नहीं, बल्कि समग्र समाज और लोकों तक फैलता है।

वर्णसंकर का अर्थ है सामाजिक व्यवस्था का बिखराव—जब धर्म, कर्तव्य और मूल्यों का पालन न हो, और अनाचार फैल जाए।

श्रीकृष्ण यह कहते हैं कि यदि मैं स्वयं निष्क्रिय हो जाऊँ, तो धर्म की रीढ़ टूट जाएगी, और समाज अराजकता में डूब जाएगा।

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📖 Detailed Explanation in English

Krishna here gives a strong warning about the consequences of inaction, even from someone as self-sufficient as Himself.

• “If I do not act…” – then the very functioning of the world would break down.

• “These worlds would perish” – meaning both material and moral collapse.

• “I would become the cause of disorder (saṅkarasya)” – disrupting social harmony and dharma.

• “And destroy these beings” – by neglecting duty, even unintentionally.

Krishna emphasizes that even the Supreme Being has to maintain cosmic balance by active participation in dharma. His actions are what uphold society, order, and life itself.

This verse powerfully teaches that:

Even inaction can be a form of harm, especially when responsibility is avoided.

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💡 Life Lessons / Practical Takeaways

• 🔥 Neglecting your duty can cause harm—even unintentionally.

• 🧩 Your actions help maintain social and cosmic order.

• 🧘 True spiritual life includes responsibility, not escape.

• 🕊️ Inaction in leadership leads to confusion and collapse.

• 🌱 When you serve dharma, you serve the world’s balance.

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🔚 Conclusion

Krishna's message is clear:

Duty is sacred—not just for results, but to preserve the world itself.

Even the divine must act—not for gain, but for upholding dharma and setting the standard.

When leaders act responsibly, the world stays in harmony. When they don't, chaos follows.

In the next shloka, Krishna will explain how the wise act without attachment, purely for the benefit of guiding others.