Shloka 56
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य क्षयो वृद्धिश्च पाप्मन: । तदा तु भगवानीश आत्मानं सृजते हरि: ॥ ५६ ॥
yadā yadā hi dharmasya kṣayo vṛddhiś ca pāpmanaḥ tadā tu bhagavān īśa ātmānaṁ sṛjate hariḥ
Whenever dharma declines and sin and irreligion rise, then the Supreme Controller, Bhagavān Śrī Hari, manifests Himself by His own will.
The principles by which an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends upon earth are explained in this verse. The same principles are also explained in Bhagavad-gītā (4.7) by the Lord Himself:
FAQs
This verse states that whenever dharma diminishes and sin increases, Lord Hari manifests Himself to protect righteousness and re-establish divine order.
Śukadeva emphasizes that the Lord’s avatāras are not forced by karma; the Supreme Controller freely manifests His own transcendental form for the world’s protection.
When society or one’s own life drifts toward adharma, a devotee should take shelter of Hari through bhakti—hearing, chanting, and living ethically—trusting that the Lord supports the restoration of dharma.