Illustration for Bhagavad Gita chapter 18 verse 47
Chapter 18 · Moksha Sanyasa Yoga

Your Imperfect Path · Worth More Than Imitation

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् । स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥

śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣṭhitāt svabhāva-niyataṁ karma kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam

Meaning

"Better is one's own duty, though imperfectly performed, than another's duty well performed; doing the work prescribed by one's own nature, one incurs no sin."

Explanation

This is a comforting piece of wisdom in a comparison-driven world — your own imperfect, genuine path is worth more than a polished imitation of someone else's.

Today's Life Lesson

Stop comparing your imperfect, genuine path to someone else's polished one today — yours is worth more precisely because it's truly yours.

More verses to reflect on