Chapter 3 · Verse 35 · Karma Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 3.35
Sanskrit
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्। स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः।।3.35।।
Transliteration
śhreyān swa-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣhṭhitāt swa-dharme nidhanaṁ śhreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ
Word by Word
Krishna teaches here a truth that cuts through the ego's constant comparison with others: your own dharma, even imperfectly lived, is infinitely superior to another's dharma perfectly executed. This is not about mediocrity—it is about the sacred alignment between your soul's nature and your actions in this lifetime.
When you abandon your true duty to chase someone else's path, you fracture yourself and invite the fear that comes from inauthenticity. In our modern world of endless role models and comparison, this verse is a liberation: stop measuring yourself against others' achievements and instead pour your whole being into the work that belongs to you alone.
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Bhagavad Gita 3.35 — BG 3.35
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