Chapter 18 Verse 47

Chapter 18 Verse 47

Shreyaan, swadharmH, vigunH, pardharmaat, swanushthitaat,
Swabhaavniyatam, karm, kurvan, na, aapnoti, kilbisham ||47||

Translation: (VigunH) devoid of qualities (swanushthitaat) arbitrary i.e. properly performed opposite to the injunctions of scriptures (pardharmaat) compared to another’s dharm i.e. religious practice (swadharmH) one’s own dharm i.e. religious practice in accordance with the injunctions of scriptures (shreyaan) is superior (swabhaavniyatam) natural of one’s varna/caste i.e. in whatever varna – Kshatriya, Vaishya, Brahmin and Shudra one is born (karm) actions and acts of bhakti (kurvan) while performing (kilbisham) sin (na aapnoti) does not incur. (47)

Translation

One’s own dharm i.e. religious practice which is in accordance with the injunctions of scriptures is superior to another’s dharm i.e. religious practice which is devoid of any qualities and is arbitrarily performed i.e. is properly performed opposite to the injunctions of scriptures. One does not incur sin while performing one’s natural actions and acts of bhakti of one’s varna/caste i.e. in whatever varna - Kshatriya, Vaishya, Brahmin and Shudra, one is born.


श्रेयान्, स्वधर्मः, विगुणः, परधर्मात्, स्वनुष्ठितात्,
स्वभावनियतम्, कर्म, कुर्वन्, न, आप्नोति, किल्बिषम्।।47।।

अनुवाद: (विगुणः) गुण रहित (स्वनुष्ठितात्) स्वयं मनमाना अर्थात् शास्त्रा विधि रहित अच्छी प्रकार आचरण किए हुए (परधर्मात्) दूसरेके धर्म अर्थात् धार्मिक पूजा से (स्वधर्मः) अपना धर्म अर्थात् शास्त्रा विधि अनुसार धार्मिक पूजा (श्रेयान्) श्रेष्ठ है (स्वभावनियतम्) अपने वर्ण के स्वभाविक अर्थात् जो भी जिस क्षत्राी, वैश्य, ब्राह्मण व शुद्र वर्ण में उत्पन्न है (कर्म) कर्म तथा भक्ति कर्म (कुर्वन्) करता हुआ (किल्बिषम्) पापको (न आप्नोति) प्राप्त नहीं होता। (47)