श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्।
स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम्।।18.47।।
18.47 Ones own duty, (though) defective, is superior to anothers duty well performed. By performing a duty as dictated by ones own nature, one does not incur sin.
18.47 Better is ones 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.
18.47. Better is ones own prescribed duties, [born of ones nature, even though] it is devoid of ality, than anothers duty well executed; the doer of duty, dependent on (or prescribed according to) ones own nature, does not incur sin.
18.47 श्रेयान् better? स्वधर्मः ones own duty? विगुणः (though) destitute of merits? परधर्मात् that the duty of another? स्वनुष्ठितात् (than) well performed? स्वभावनियतम् ordained by his own nature? कर्म action? कुर्वन् doing? न not? आप्नोति (he) incurs? किल्बिषम् sin.Commentary Just as a poisonous substance does not harm the worm born in that substance? so he who does his Svadharma (the duty ordained according to his own nature) does not incur any sin.What is poison to the whole world is sweet to a worm and yet sugarcane juice that is sweet causes its death. So a mans appointed duty which frees him from bondage must? therefore? be practised however difficult it may seem to be. If you try to do the duty of another it will bring,danger. He who has no knowledge of the Self cannot remain even for a moment without doing action. (Cf.III.35)
18.47 Svadharmah, ones own duty; though vigunah, defective-the word though has to be supplied-; is sreyan, superior to, more praiseworthy than; paradharmat, anothers duty; su-anusthitat, well performed. Kurvan, by performing; karma, a duty; svabhavaniyatam, as dictated by ones own nature-this phrase means the same as svabhavajam (born from Nature) which has been stated earlier-; na apnoti, one does not incur; kilbisam, sin. As poison is not harmful to a worm born it it, so one does not incur sin by performing a duty dictated by ones own nature. It has been siad that, as in the case of a worm born in poison, a person does not incur sin while performing his duties which have been dictated by his own nature; and that someone elses duty is fraught with fear; also that, one who does not have the knoweldge of the Self, (he) surely cannot remain even for a moment without doing work (cf. 3.5). Hence-
18.47 See Comment under 18.60
18.47 Ones proper Dharma is that which is suitable for performance by oneself, in the form of worshipping Myself, relinishing agency etc., as has been taught. For, Karma Yoga, consisting in the activities of sense organs, is easy to perform by one in association with Prakrti. Thus, Karma Yoga, even if it is defective in some respects, is better than the Dharma of another, i.e., than Jnana-yoga, even for a person capable of controlling his senses, which is an attainment liable to negligence, because it consists of control over all sense-organs; for, though this may be well performed occasionaly, one is always liable to deflection from it. He explains the same: As Karma consists of the activities of the sense-organs, it is ordained by Nature for one who is conjoined with Prakrti, i.e., the body. So by performing Karma Yoga one does not incur any stain. But Jnana Yoga is liable to negligence, because it reires the control of the senses from the very beginning for its performance. One intent on it is likely to incur stain from negligence. [Thus we are reminded about what was mentioned in the third chapter - that Karma Yoga alone is greater.]
Looking at one’s own rajasic duties with various actions, and not having a taste for them, one should not perform sattvika duties. It is better to do one’s own duties, inferior though they may be, though done imperfectly (viguna), than doing another’s duty (para dharmat), though it may be preferred because it can be executed easily (su anusthitat). You should not give up your own work of fighting because its fault of killing friends, and instead performing another’s dharma in the form of wandering around begging.
The reason Lord Krishna emphasises its better to perform ones own duty imperfectly then anothers duty perfectly is because the defective performance of ones own duty is superior in merit to the performance of anothers duty perfectly executed. This is to reinforce in Arjuna the futility of concocting any notions that living on alms as a mendicant beggar which is the duty of Brahmins is superior then his duty of fighting. Begging is not the path for him to take as it is inferior in terms of merit then fighting in battle and dispatching the enemy which is Arjunas natural duty. By following ones own natural path no sin is incurred.
There is no commentary for this verse.
To adhere to ones own natural path of dharma or righteousness is what is being emphasised by Lord Krishna here. It is not as if one must follow the path of another. Everyone is entitled to perform those activities that are appropriate for their rank and station in life in constituting their propitiation to the Supreme Lord; but one must eliminate all sense of doership and desire for rewards. Such karma yoga or actions facilitating communion with the Supreme absolute expressed in visible activities which conform to the inherent nature of the individual manifest easily and naturally. Thus karma yoga performed in this manner is factually ones own path of dharma albeit destitute of merit. By anothers dharma is meant jnana yoga or facilitating communion with the Supreme absolute by knowledge which depending on time and circumstance may or may not be helpful. Perfection in jnana yoga demands the consistent ability to completely control the mind and conquer the senses which is a lifetime endeavour and fraught with danger of lapses in constancy. So karma yoga is more fortuitous as the risks are minimal and chances for succeeding are greater even though jnana yoga is on a superior platform. A jiva or embodied being ensconced in a physical body with an appropriate mind and senses finds it normal to act in accordance with the natural impulses instigated by the senses. This is karma yoga and fulfilling activities in this manner if they do not contradict the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures or disregard the prohibitions thereof incur no sin, for actions speak for themselves. Whereas in jnana yoga once control of the mind and mastery of the senses has been achieved they must be kept controlled and mastered otherwise one will fall down from their position and subjected again to mundane desires and the influence of objects the senses which propels one to sin and locks one in samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death. So by clearly elucidating the fact that karma yoga is indeed safer and more sure of success, Lord Krishna further corroborates what He previously had promulgated in chapter three.
To adhere to ones own natural path of dharma or righteousness is what is being emphasised by Lord Krishna here. It is not as if one must follow the path of another. Everyone is entitled to perform those activities that are appropriate for their rank and station in life in constituting their propitiation to the Supreme Lord; but one must eliminate all sense of doership and desire for rewards. Such karma yoga or actions facilitating communion with the Supreme absolute expressed in visible activities which conform to the inherent nature of the individual manifest easily and naturally. Thus karma yoga performed in this manner is factually ones own path of dharma albeit destitute of merit. By anothers dharma is meant jnana yoga or facilitating communion with the Supreme absolute by knowledge which depending on time and circumstance may or may not be helpful. Perfection in jnana yoga demands the consistent ability to completely control the mind and conquer the senses which is a lifetime endeavour and fraught with danger of lapses in constancy. So karma yoga is more fortuitous as the risks are minimal and chances for succeeding are greater even though jnana yoga is on a superior platform. A jiva or embodied being ensconced in a physical body with an appropriate mind and senses finds it normal to act in accordance with the natural impulses instigated by the senses. This is karma yoga and fulfilling activities in this manner if they do not contradict the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures or disregard the prohibitions thereof incur no sin, for actions speak for themselves. Whereas in jnana yoga once control of the mind and mastery of the senses has been achieved they must be kept controlled and mastered otherwise one will fall down from their position and subjected again to mundane desires and the influence of objects the senses which propels one to sin and locks one in samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death. So by clearly elucidating the fact that karma yoga is indeed safer and more sure of success, Lord Krishna further corroborates what He previously had promulgated in chapter three.
Shreyaanswadharmo vigunah paradharmaat swanushthitaat; Swabhaavaniyatam karma kurvannaapnoti kilbisham.
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
