Bhagavad Gita · 3.35
॥
Devanāgarī
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
śreyān svadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmāt svanuṣṭhitāt |
svadharme nidhanaṁ śreyaḥ paradharmo bhayāvahaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
श्रेयान्śreyānbetter, preferable.
स्वधर्मःsvadharmaḥone’s own dharma (one’s own duty, one’s own nature).
विगुणःviguṇaḥeven [performed] with faults, imperfectly.
परधर्मात्para-dharmātthan another’s dharma.
स्वनुष्ठितात्sv-anuṣṭhitāt[even] performed perfectly.
स्वधर्मेsvadharmein [performing] one’s own dharma.
निधनम्nidhanamdeath.
श्रेयःśreyaḥbetter, a good.
परधर्मःpara-dharmaḥanother’s dharma.
भयावहःbhaya-āvahaḥbrings (āvaha) fear (bhaya), is dangerous.
Translation
“It is far better to perform one’s own dharma, even imperfectly, than to perform another’s dharma perfectly. It is better to die performing one’s own dharma; another’s dharma carries danger.”
Version
997b0a677667 · published Jul 2, 2026, 12:00:00 PM UTC
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