Bhagavad Gita · 18.47
॥
Devanāgarī
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वभाव नियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣṭhitāt |
svabhāva-niyataṁ karma kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
श्रेयान्śreyānbetter.
स्वधर्मःsva-dharmaḥone’s own dharma.
विगुणःviguṇaḥeven performed imperfectly.
परधर्मात्para-dharmātthan another’s (para) dharma.
स्वनुष्ठितात्su-anuṣṭhitātperformed perfectly (su-anuṣṭhitāt).
स्वभावनियतम्svabhāva-niyatamprescribed (niyatam) by one’s own nature (svabhāva).
कर्मkarmaactivity.
कुर्वन्kurvanperforming.
न आप्नोतिna āpnotihe does not incur.
किल्बिषम्kilbiṣamsin.
Translation
“It is far better to perform one’s own dharma, even imperfectly, than to perform another’s perfectly. By performing the activity prescribed by his own nature, a person incurs no sin.”
Version
6177ced13d48 · published Jul 2, 2026, 12:00:00 PM UTC
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