SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
‘Whensoever and wheresoever, Bhārata[2. Descendent of Bharata=Arjuna (see Geneological Tree at end of Lecture I).]!, virtue wanes and vice waxes, then (and there) do I create Myself.’
No fixed periods are appointed for My Avatāras. Whensoever dharma (righteousness etc.,) as is ordained to be practised by the four varṇas[3. The four varṇas are Brāhmaṇa, Kshatriya, Vaiśya and Śūdra.] and the four āśramās[4. The four aśramas are Brahmacharya (bachelor and student), Gārhastya (married life), Vānaprastha (retired forest life) and Sanyāsa (monastic or ascetic life).] decline, and wheresoever its opposite adharma increases, then do I manifest Myself in Incarnations, of My own free will, in the manner explained already (verse 7, ante).
The purpose of the Avatāras is now stated:—
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