BG 1.40
कुलक्षये प्रणश्यन्ति कुलधर्माः सनातनाः ।
धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ॥
धर्मे नष्टे कुलं कृत्स्नमधर्मोऽभिभवत्युत ॥
kula-kṣaye praṇaśyanti kula-dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ
dharme naṣṭe kulaṁ kṛtsnam adharmo ’bhibhavaty uta
dharme naṣṭe kulaṁ kṛtsnam adharmo ’bhibhavaty uta
Word-for-word meanings
kula-kṣaye — on the destruction of the family; sanātanāḥ — the ancient; kula-dharmāḥ — family traditions; praṇaśyanti — are lost; uta — and; naṣṭe — on the destruction; dharme — of family traditions; adharmaḥ — irreligiosity; abhibhavati — overwhelms; kṛtsnam — the entire; kulam — family.
Translation
When the family is destroyed, the ancient family traditions are lost, and from the loss of family traditions, irreligiosity (adharma)* overwhelms the entire family.
Notes
* Adharma is the opposite of dharma, which means prescribed duty, or the sphere of action and behavior — in consonance with individual nature — that one is meant to enact to be in perfect harmony with the complete whole.