यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः।
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः।।3.23।।
3.23 For, O Partha, if at any time I do not continue [Ast. and A.A. read varteya instead of varteyam.-Tr.] vigilantly in action, men will follow My path in ever way.
3.23 For, should I not ever engage Myself in action, unwearied, men would in every way follow My path, O Arjuna.
3.23. For, if I were ever not at work unwearied, all men would follow My path, O son of Prtha !
3.23 यदि if? हि surely? अहम् I? न not? वर्तेयम् engage Myself in action? जातु ever? कर्मणि in action? अतन्द्रितः unwearied? मम My? वर्त्म path? अनुवर्तन्ते follow? मनुष्याः men? पार्थ O Partha? सर्वशः in every way.Commentary If I remain inactive? people also will imitate Me and keep iet. They will all become Tamasic and pass into a state of inertia.
3.23 Again, O Partha, yadi, if; jatu, at any time; aham, I; an, do not; varteyam, continue; atandritah, vigilantly, untiringly; karmani, in action; manusyah, men: anuvartante, willl follow; mama, My; vartma, path; sarvasah, in every way, I being the Highest. And if that be so, what is the harm? In reply the Lord says: [Ast. omits this sentence completely.-Tr.]
3.23 See Comment under 3.25
3.23 If I, the Lord of all, whose will is always true, whose sport consists in creation, sustentation and dissolution of universe at My will, even though I am born at My pleasure as a man to help the world - if, I thus incarnating in the family of Vasudeva who is the foremost among virtuous men, did not contine to work unwearied at all times suitable to that family, then, these men with incomplete knowledge would follow My path, thinking that the way adopted by the son of virtuous Vasudeva alone is the real way. And in place of winning the self, they would go to Naraka because of their failure to do what ought to be done and also because of the sin arising from non-performance of duty.
Anuvartante (they do follow) is used with the meaning anuvarteran (they would follow).
This verse continues the theme of the previous verse that if Lord Krishna did not perform prescribed Vedic actions with vigilance and attention when the need arose then lesser great personalities would follow His example and it would bring ruin to the world.
There is no commentary for this verse.
There is no commentary for this verse.
Lord Krishna appeared as the son of King Vasudeva from the Vrishni dynasty, the foremost of the righteous. If Lord Krishna was to fail to perform prescribed Vedic activities then so many lesser personalities would follow in His footsteps thinking that is the standard. Lord Krishna is stating that He would be at fault for leading them falsely in the wrong way.
Yadi hyaham na varteyam jaatu karmanyatandritah; Mama vartmaanuvartante manushyaah paartha sarvashah.
yadi—if; hi—certainly; aham—I; na—not; varteyam—thus engage; jātu—ever; karmaṇi—in the performance of prescribed duties; atandritaḥ—carefully; mama—my; vartma—path; anuvartante—follow; manuṣhyāḥ—all men; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; sarvaśhaḥ—in all respects
