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 ||
यदा धर्मो ग्लायति सुराणां वंशेषु तदा कृष्णो मानुषेषु जायते। धर्मे स्थितः स वै भावितात्मा स्वयमेव तं धर्मं चरन् संस्थापयति, परांश्चापरांश्च लोकान् पाति॥
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.