Shloka 12
यदा धर्मों ग्लाति वंशे सुराणां तदा कृष्णो जायते मानुषेषु । धर्मे स्थित्वा स तु वै भावितात्मा परांक्ष लोकानपरांश्ष पाति
yadā dharmo glāti vaṁśe surāṇāṁ tadā kṛṣṇo jāyate mānuṣeṣu | dharme sthitvā sa tu vai bhāvitātmā parāṁś ca lokān aparāṁś ca pāti ||
Bhishma sprach: Wenn die Rechtschaffenheit in den Geschlechtern der Götter schwindet, dann wird Krishna unter den Menschen geboren. Fest im Dharma gegründet und mit geläutertem, gereiftem Inneren lebt er selbst nach diesem Dharma, richtet ihn wieder auf und schützt sowohl die höheren als auch die niederen Welten.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that when dharma declines, a divinely guided figure like Krishna manifests among humans, personally embodies dharma, restores it through conduct and guidance, and thereby safeguards the moral-cosmic balance across all realms.
In Bhishma’s instruction (Anushasana Parva), he explains Krishna’s role as a restorer of dharma: Krishna takes birth in the human sphere at times of moral decline, lives rooted in righteousness, and acts to protect both higher and lower worlds.