यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः।
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः।।3.23।।
।।3.23 3.24।।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 संकरताको करनेवाला तथा इस समस्त प्रजाको नष्ट करनेवाला बनूँ।
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.
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