Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 3, verse 35 · Krishna
Bhagavad Gita 3.35 · Shreyan Svadharmo Vigunah
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ॥
śreyānsvadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmātsvanuṣṭhitāt |
svadharme nidhanaṃ śreyaḥ paradharmo bhayāvahaḥ ||
Translation
Better is one’s own duty, even imperfectly done, than the duty of another well performed. Better is death in one’s own duty; the duty of another is fraught with danger.
Explanation
Svadharma — the duty that fits one’s own nature and situation — is a key idea of the Gita. Imitating someone else’s path, however impressive, leads away from one’s own growth.
Context
Spoken by Krishna in chapter 3, Karma Yoga — “The Yoga of Action”, which has 43 verses.
Frequently asked questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 3.35 mean?
Better is one’s own duty, even imperfectly done, than the duty of another well performed. Better is death in one’s own duty; the duty of another is fraught with danger.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 3.35?
Krishna, speaking to Arjuna, in chapter 3, Karma Yoga (The Yoga of Action).
Sanskrit text: traditional, public domain. Translation and explanation are our own.