Verse-35
Chapter 3 — Karma Yoga
Verse 35
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
sreyānsvadharmo vigunah paradharmatsvanuṣṭhitat
svadharme nidhanam sreyah paradharmo bhayavahah
🕉 English Translation
📜 Translation
English
Absolutely excellent is ones own duty even it is devoid of merit than anothers duty well performed. There is welfare if one gives up ones life for ones own duty while the duty of another is fraught with fear.
The word dharma stands for duty. In whatever sphere of activity we are, we should understand our duty in that context, according to the station of life. Arjun belongs to the warrior class kshatriya. Right now, his duty is to fight because the war had become the need of the hour. The arrogance of Duryodhan and other Kauravas had crossed all limits and had spread like a poisonous creeper in the entire society. It was imperative to separate this poisonous creeper so that the entire environment might not become poisonous. The Lord has blessed us with a human birth. What is our duty, destination and attainable goal? The conduct befitting the human nature is the glory of life.