For if I ever stopped acting with care, people would follow my path in every way, Arjuna.
— Krishna
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Bhagavad Gita · 3.23
Hindi · हिन्दी
हे पार्थ अगर मैं किसी समय सावधान होकर कर्तव्यकर्म न करूँ तो बड़ी हानि हो जाय क्योंकि मनुष्य सब प्रकारसे मेरे ही मार्गका अनुसरण करते हैं । यदि मैं कर्म न करूँ, तो ये सब मनुष्य नष्टभ्रष्ट हो जायँ और मैं वर्णसंकरताको करनेवाला होऊँ तथा इस समस्त प्रजाको नष्ट करनेवाला बनूँ ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.
यदिifहिindeedअहंIनnotवर्तेयंwere to actजातुeverकर्मणिin actionअतन्द्रितःwithout negligenceममmyवर्त्मन्pathअनुवर्तन्तेfollowमनुष्याःpeopleपार्थArjunaसर्वशःin every way
Read literallyif · indeed · I · not · were to act · ever · in action · without negligence · my · path · follow · people · Arjuna · in every way
Understanding the verse
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It shifts attention from private freedom to public responsibility: your conduct becomes a model others unconsciously follow.
Krishna says that if he stopped doing his duty carefully, people would copy that neglect and society would suffer.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
On the Kurukshetra field, Krishna is explaining to Arjuna why even the highest being keeps acting. If he became careless and stopped fulfilling duty, ordinary people would imitate that failure, and the social order would collapse.
03
In your life
Why this verse still matters
A parent says, “Do your homework,” while scrolling on a phone all evening. The child learns the real lesson from the behavior, not the lecture.
The takeaway
“Your example teaches more loudly than your advice.”
It shifts attention from private freedom to public responsibility: your conduct becomes a model others unconsciously follow.
What this verse means
Krishna says that if he stopped doing his duty carefully, people would copy that neglect and society would suffer.
Context & commentary
On the Kurukshetra field, Krishna is explaining to Arjuna why even the highest being keeps acting. If he became careless and stopped fulfilling duty, ordinary people would imitate that failure, and the social order would collapse.
Why this verse still matters
A parent says, “Do your homework,” while scrolling on a phone all evening. The child learns the real lesson from the behavior, not the lecture.
“Your example teaches more loudly than your advice.”
Explore related themes: karma yoga (55 verses), duty (13 verses)