Week 35: Bhagavad Gītā 4.7 and 6.5

This week is designed as a 60-minute self-study lesson. Read aloud first, then translate.

Aim of the Week

Read Bhagavad Gītā 4.7 and 6.5, focusing on relative-correlative structure and instrumental forms.

Verse 1: Bhagavad Gītā 4.7

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत ।
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata |
abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmy aham ||

Verse 2: Bhagavad Gītā 6.5

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥uddhared ātmanātmānaṃ nātmānam avasādayet |
ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ ||

Pattern	Meaning
यदा ... तदा	when ... then
धर्मस्य / अधर्मस्य	of dharma / of adharma
आत्मना आत्मानम्	the self by the self
न अवसादयेत्	one should not lower/degrade
बन्धुः / रिपुः	friend / enemy

Verse Analysis Practice

यदा धर्मस्य ग्लानिः भवति।
yadā dharmasya glāniḥ bhavati.
तदा अहम् आत्मानं सृजामि।
tadā aham ātmānaṃ sṛjāmi.
आत्मना आत्मानम् उद्धरेत्।
ātmanā ātmānam uddharet.
आत्मा एव आत्मनः बन्धुः।
ātmā eva ātmanaḥ bandhuḥ.

Answer key

When there is decline of dharma.
Then I manifest myself.
One should raise the self by the self.
The self alone is the friend of the self.

Recitation Guidance

In 4.7, keep the pair yadā ... tadā in mind. In 6.5, slow down at each form of ātman.

Vocabulary

Devanāgarī	IAST	Meaning
यदा	yadā	when
तदा	tadā	then
ग्लानिः	glāniḥ	decline
उद्धरेत्	uddharet	should raise
बन्धुः	bandhuḥ	friend