Preparing your translation...
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते
You have the right to act...
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते
You have the right to act...
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते
You have the right to act...
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् |
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ||३-३५||
śreyānsvadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmātsvanuṣṭhitāt . svadharme nidhanaṃ śreyaḥ paradharmo bhayāvahaḥ ||3-35||
Better is one's own duty, though devoid of merit than the duty of another well discharged. Better is death in one's own duty; the duty of another is fraught with fear (is productive of danger).
In simple words
Krishna tells Arjuna a truth that applies to every person: "It is better to do your own work imperfectly than to do someone else's work perfectly. It is better to fail at your own path than to succeed at someone else's — because following another's path is dangerous."
to save your reflections on each verse.
Want to explore this verse deeper?
Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.
This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.