18.47 श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्।स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम्
śreyān
Word meanings
śhreyān—better;swa-dharmaḥ—one’s own prescribed occupational duty;viguṇaḥ—imperfectly done;para-dharmāt—than another’s dharma;su-anuṣhṭhitāt—perfectly done;svabhāva-niyatam—according to one’s innate nature;karma—duty;kurvan—by performing;na āpnoti—does not incur;kilbiṣham—sin
Verse audio
Divine Verses of the Bhagavad Gita • Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Translation stream
Better is one's own prescribed duties, born of one's nature, even though it is devoid of excellence, than another's duty well executed; the doer of duty, dependent on one's own nature, does not incur sin.
It is better to do one's own duty, however defective it may be, than to follow the duty of another, however well one may perform it. He who does his duty as his own nature reveals it, never sins.
Better is one's own duty, though ill done, than the duty of another, though well-performed৷৷৷৷৷৷ When one does the duty ordained by his own nature, he incurs no stain.
One's own duty, (though) defective, is superior to another's duty well performed. By performing a duty as dictated by one's own nature, one does not incur sin.
Better is one’s own duty (though) destitute of merits, than the duty of another well performed. He who does the duty ordained by his own nature incurs no sin.
18.49 असक्तबुद्धिः सर्वत्र जितात्मा विगतस्पृहः।नैष्कर्म्यसिद्धिं परमां संन्यासेनाधिगच्छति
asakta
Word meanings
asakta-buddhiḥ—those whose intellect is unattached;sarvatra—everywhere;jita-ātmā—who have mastered their mind;vigata-spṛihaḥ—free from desires;naiṣhkarmya-siddhim—state of actionlessness;paramām—highest;sanyāsena—by the practice of renunciation;adhigachchhati—attain
Verse audio
Divine Verses of the Bhagavad Gita • Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Translation stream
He, whose mind entertains no attachment to anything, who is self-controlled and is free from craving—he attains, by means of renunciation, the supreme success of actionlessness.
He whose mind is entirely detached, who has conquered himself, whose desires have vanished, by his renunciation reaches that stage of perfect freedom where action completes itself and leaves no seed.
He whose understanding is on all sides unattached, whose self is conquered, who is free from desires - he attains by renunciation the supreme perfection transcending all activity.
He whose intellect remains unattached to everything, who has conquered his internal organs and is desireless, attains through monasticism the supreme perfection consisting in the state of one free from duties.
He whose intellect is unattached everywhere, who has subdued his self, from whom desire has fled,–he by renunciation attains the supreme state of freedom from action.
Verse
मोक्षसंन्यासयोग
Chapter 18: Free Yourself Through Renunciation
mokṣasaṃnyāsayoga
Chapters
Verses
18.48 सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत्।सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः
|
Word meanings
saha-jam—born of one’s nature;karma—duty;kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti;sa-doṣham—with defects;api—even if;na tyajet—one should not abandon;sarva-ārambhāḥ—all endeavors;hi—indeed;doṣheṇa—with evil;dhūmena—with smoke;agniḥ—fire;iva—as;āvṛitāḥ—veiled
Verse audio
Divine Verses of the Bhagavad Gita • Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Translation stream
O son of Kunti! One should not give up their nature-born duty, even if it appears to be defective. For, all beginnings are enveloped by harm, just as fire is by smoke.
The duty that of itself falls to one's lot should not be abandoned, though it may have its defects. All acts are marred by defects, as fire is obscured by smoke.
One should not relinquish one's works, O Arjuna, though it may be imperfect; for, all enterprises are enveloped by imperfections as fire by smoke.
O son of Kunti, one should not give up the duty to which one is born, even though it be faulty. For all undertakings are surrounded with evil, as fire is with smoke.
One should not abandon, O Arjuna, the duty to which one is born, though faulty; for, all undertakings are enveloped by evil, as fire by smoke!
