Verse 3.24

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 3.24:

उत्सीदेयुर् इमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेद् अहम् ।
सङ्करस्य च कर्ता स्याम् उपहन्याम् इमाः प्रजाः ॥ २४ ॥

utsīdeyur ime lokā na kuryāṃ karma ced aham |
saṅkarasya ca kartā syām upahanyām imāḥ prajāḥ || 24 ||

utsīdeyuḥ–would become degra1ded; ime–all these; lokāḥ–people; na kuryām–I do not perform; karma–prescribed duties; cet–if; aham–I; saṅkarasya–of unwanted population; ca–and; kartā–the instigator; syām–would be; upahanyām–I would destroy; imāḥ–all these; prajāḥ–people.

If I did not perform My duty, then all people would become degraded, and indirectly, I would become the cause of generating unwanted progeny. In this way, I would be instrumental in the destruction of the entire human populace.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

Utsīdeyuḥ means ‘they will become degraded’. Śrī Bhagavān says, “By following My example and not engaging in their prescribed duties, common people would become fallen. Consequently, I would be the cause of unwanted progeny (varṇa-saṅkara). By making humanity impure, I would be its destroyer.”

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Śrī Bhagavān is saying, “If I did not perform duties as prescribed in the Vedas, people would see this and imitate Me. In this way, I would be the cause of their deviating from the path of religion and going to hell.” Therefore, it is appropriate for the leaders of society to engage in that karma which is prescribed in the Vedas and which promotes the people’s welfare. At the present time, most of the so-called religious, social, national and world leaders have fallen from the path of religiosity, and consequently, common men are also deviating from the proper path. The root problem of immorality, violence, envy and so forth is present everywhere. The only solution is the chanting of harināma and the cultivation of bhakti in the association of genuine saints.