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The Gita in 18 days · Lesson 4 of 18

Why goodness always comes back

In chapter 4, Krishna tells Arjuna something surprising. He says he has taught this same wisdom long ago, to kings of the past. Then it was forgotten, so now he is teaching it again.

Then he makes a promise. Whenever goodness fades and wrong things take over the world, he comes back to set things right.

In Hindu tradition, this is why God is said to come to earth in different forms, called avatars. Rama and Krishna are two of the best known.

This promise matters on hard days. When the news is full of bad things, or a group of friends turns mean, it can feel like goodness has lost. The Gita says it never loses for good. It always returns.

There is a second lesson here too. Goodness often comes back through people. A kid who sticks up for someone being teased, or a neighbor who checks on an elderly friend, is part of that return.

You don't have to be a hero to help. Small, steady kindness is how goodness comes back into a room.

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत। अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदाऽऽत्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛijāmyaham

Whenever there is decay of righteousness, O Bhârata, and there is exaltation of unrighteousness, then I Myself come forth;

In plain words: Krishna says that whenever goodness weakens and wrongdoing grows strong in the world, he comes into the world himself.

Bhagavad Gita 4.7

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