Bhagavad Gita · 1.40
॥
Devanāgarī
कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः ।
धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ |
dharme naṣṭe kulaṁ kṛtsnam adharmo 'bhibhavaty uta ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
कुलक्षयेkula-kṣayewith the destruction of the family.
प्रणश्यन्तिpraṇaśyantiare destroyed, perish.
कुलधर्माःkula-dharmāḥthe family traditions, the laws of the dynasty.
सनातनाःsanātanāḥeternal, age-old, everlasting.
धर्मेdharmewhen the law (tradition).
नष्टेnaṣṭeis destroyed.
कुलम्kulamthe family, the household.
कृत्स्नम्kṛtsnamthe whole, entire.
अधर्मःadharmaḥlawlessness, unrighteousness, sin.
अभिभवतिabhibhavatioverwhelms, overtakes, seizes.
उतutatruly, surely.
Translation
“With the destruction of the family, the age-old family traditions are destroyed. And when the traditions are destroyed, lawlessness surely overwhelms the whole family.”
Version
cd0e8f52b2e9 · published Jul 2, 2026, 12:00:00 PM UTC
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