BG - 3.35

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्। स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः।।3.35।।

śhreyān swa-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣhṭhitāt swa-dharme nidhanaṁ śhreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ

• śhreyān - better
• swa-dharmaḥ - personal duty
• viguṇaḥ - tinged with faults
• para-dharmāt - than another’s prescribed duties
• su-anuṣhṭhitāt - perfectly done
• swa-dharme - in one’s personal duties
• nidhanam - death
• śhreyaḥ - better
• para-dharmaḥ - duties prescribed for others
• bhaya-āvahaḥ - fraught with fear

Translation

Better is one's own duty, though devoid of merit, than the duty of another well discharged. Better is death in one's own duty; the duty of another is fraught with fear.

Commentary