Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 47 Meaning
Better 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.
BG 18.47
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्।स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम्
śhreyān swa-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣhṭhitāt svabhāva-niyataṁ karma kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣham
Meaning
Better 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.
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Explanation & Life Application
This verse from Chapter 18 of the Bhagavad Gita highlights a practical insight: Better is one's own duty, even if it is destitute of merits, than the duty of another well performed.
In The Yoga of Liberation (Moksha Sanyasa Yoga), Krishna explains The conclusion of the Gita, summarizing all paths and encouraging Arjuna to surrender to God.
— Explained by the Nitya Team
Chapter Context
The conclusion of the Gita, summarizing all paths and encouraging Arjuna to surrender to God.
Key themes in this chapter include Liberation, Surrender, Duty, Grace.
When to Apply This Verse
- •When you need steadiness while dealing with liberation
- •When practicing surrender amid uncertainty
- •When applying duty to real-life choices
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Related Verses
BG 18.2
The Blessed Lord said, "The sages understand sannyasa to be the renunciation of action with desire; the wise declare the abandonment of the fruits of all actions to be tyaga."
BG 18.5
Acts of sacrifice, gift, and austerity should not be abandoned, but should be performed; for sacrifice, gift, and austerity are the purifiers of the wise.
BG 1.1
Dhritarashtra said, "What did my people and the sons of Pandu do when they had assembled together, eager for battle, on the holy plain of Kurukshetra, O Sanjaya?"
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