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Chapter 4 · Transcendental Knowledge · 42 verses

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Krishna’s natureChapter 4 · Transcendental Knowledge
4.74.9

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 4.8

Divine descent, Krishna’s nature and refuge

परित्राणाय साधुनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् ।

धर्मसंस्थानार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥ ८ ॥

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ

vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām

dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya

sambhavāmi yuge yuge

Translation

To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Why Kṛṣṇa Appears

  1. 1Kṛṣṇa appears millennium after millennium to deliver the pious, destroy wrongdoers, and restore the principles of religion.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa’s main purpose in appearing is to comfort and satisfy His pure devotees.
  3. 3Value full devotion to Kṛṣṇa, not merely education or outward appearance, as the mark of a holy person.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 4, Transcendental Knowledge: divine descent, krishna’s nature and refuge.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Recognize Kṛṣṇa as the source of all.

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Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: bhagavān, vibhūti.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 4.8 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to krishna’s nature?

Practice

Notice something excellent and see it as His opulence.

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The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 4 ›
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Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 4.5Divine descent, Krishna’s nature and refugeBG 4.6Divine descent, Krishna’s nature and refugeBG 11.32Krishna reveals Himself as timeBG 11.51Composure returns in Krishna’s personal presence

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Ask about BG 4.8 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.