Svadharma — One’s own duty

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ॥

śreyānsvadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmātsvanuṣṭhitāt / svadharme nidhanaṁ śreyaḥ paradharmo bhayāvahaḥ

Shri Bhagavan

Better one’s own duty, however flawed.

Your own svadharma, even carried out imperfectly, is better than another’s dharma done well. It is better to die in your own dharma; another’s brings danger.

हिंदी · अपना स्वधर्म, चाहे अधूरा ही निभे, दूसरे के धर्म से श्रेष्ठ है जो भले ही अच्छी तरह निभाया गया हो। अपने धर्म में मरना भी अच्छा है; पराया धर्म भय लाता है।

The Trust’s reading · Your own duty, even done imperfectly, is better than another’s duty done well. It is better even to die in one’s own dharma; another’s dharma brings fear.

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥

śreyānsvadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmātsvanuṣṭhitāt / svabhāvaniyataṁ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam

Shri Bhagavan

Work born of your nature brings no sin.

Better is one’s own duty, though imperfectly done, than another’s duty well carried out. Doing the work appointed by one’s own nature, a person incurs no fault.

हिंदी · दूसरे के भली भाँति किए हुए धर्म से अपना गुणरहित धर्म भी श्रेष्ठ है। अपने स्वभाव से नियत कर्म को करता हुआ मनुष्य पाप को प्राप्त नहीं होता।

The Trust’s reading · The Gita repeats the teaching near its end and adds: doing the work laid down by one’s own nature, a person incurs no fault.

सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत् ।
सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः ॥

sahajaṁ karma kaunteya sadoṣamapi na tyajet / sarvārambhā hi doṣeṇa dhūmenāgnirivāvṛtāḥ

Shri Bhagavan

As fire is covered by smoke.

One should not give up the work born with him, O son of Kunti, even when it carries some flaw; for every undertaking is wrapped in a flaw, as fire is wrapped in smoke.

हिंदी · हे कुंतीपुत्र! दोषयुक्त होने पर भी सहज कर्म को नहीं छोड़ना चाहिए, क्योंकि सभी कर्म किसी न किसी दोष से वैसे ही ढके रहते हैं जैसे अग्नि धुएँ से।

The Trust’s reading · Do not give up the work natural to you because it has faults. Every undertaking is covered by some fault, as fire is covered by smoke.

स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि ।
धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ॥

svadharmamapi cāvekṣya na vikampitumarhasi / dharmyāddhi yuddhācchreyo’nyatkṣatriyasya na vidyate

Shri Bhagavan

Look to your own duty, and do not waver.

Look also to your own duty, and do not waver. For one born to protect, there is nothing better than a fight that is right.

हिंदी · अपने स्वधर्म को देखकर भी तुम्हें विचलित नहीं होना चाहिए। क्षत्रिय के लिए धर्मयुक्त युद्ध से बढ़कर और कुछ नहीं।

The Trust’s reading · Consider the work that is actually yours to do, and let that steady you rather than shake you. For one born to protect, there is nothing higher than standing up for what is right.

यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ।
स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः ॥

yataḥ pravṛttirbhūtānāṁ yena sarvamidaṁ tatam / svakarmaṇā tamabhyarcya siddhiṁ vindati mānavaḥ

Shri Bhagavan

Worship through your own work.

He from whom all beings arise and by whom all this is pervaded — worshipping Him through one’s own work, a person finds perfection.

हिंदी · जिससे सब प्राणियों की उत्पत्ति होती है और जिससे यह संपूर्ण जगत् व्याप्त है, उसी की अपने कर्म के द्वारा पूजा करके मनुष्य सिद्धि प्राप्त करता है।

The Trust’s reading · By doing one’s own work as worship of the One from whom all beings arise and by whom all this is pervaded, a person attains fulfilment.