Bhagavad Gita · 18.45 · Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender·45 of 78
स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः।स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु ॥
sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ sansiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ
sva-karma-nirataḥ siddhiṁ yathā vindati tach chhṛiṇu
Sanskrit recitation
Honor your own dharma · 18.41–18.48 · Teaching
Translation
Each person devoted to their own duty attains perfection. How they attain perfection while being engaged in their own duty, hear now.
Meaning
This is the division of labour for which each caste is fitted according to its own nature. The duty prescribed is your sole support, and the highest service you can render to the Supreme is to carry it out wholeheartedly, without expectation of fruits, with the attitutde of dedication to the Lord. This will surely lead you to the Supreme. All the impurities of the mind will be washed away by the performance of ones own duty and you will be fit for Selfknowledge.Sve sve karmani Each devoted to his own duty in accordance with his nature (Guna) or caste. It is impossible to attain Moksha by works alone but works purify the heart and prepare the aspirant for receiving the divine light.The attitude of worshipfulness is prescribed for work
After Swami Sivananda
Honor your own dharma· 18.41–18.48→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 18.41Of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras, O Arjuna, the duties are distributed according to the qualities born of their own nature.
- 18.42Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness, and uprightness, as well as knowledge, realization, and belief in God, are the duties of Brahmanas, born of their own nature.
- 18.43Prowess, splendor, firmness, dexterity, and not fleeing from battle, generosity, and lordliness are the duties of the Kshatriyas, born of their own nature.
- 18.44Agriculture, cattle-rearing, and trade are the duties of the Vaisya (merchant), born of their own nature; and service is the duty of the Sudra (servant-class), born of their own nature.
18.45Each person devoted to their own duty attains perfection. How they attain perfection while being engaged in their own duty, hear now.
- 18.46He from whom all the beings have evolved and by whom all this is pervaded, worshipping Him with his own duty, one attains perfection.
- 18.47Better is one's own duty, even if it is destitute of merits, than the duty of another well performed. He who does the duty ordained by his own nature incurs no sin.
- 18.48One should not, O Arjuna, abandon the duty to which one is born, though it may be faulty; for, all undertakings are enveloped by evil, just as fire is by smoke.
Word-by-word→
- sve sve
- respectively
- karmaṇi
- work
- abhirataḥ
- fulfilling
- sansiddhim
- perfection
- labhate
- achieve
- naraḥ
- a person
- sva-karma
- to one’s own prescribed duty
- nirataḥ
- engaged
- siddhim
- perfection
- yathā
- as
- vindati
- attains
- tat
- that
- śhṛiṇu
- hear
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