Dharma and Karma: Nature and Work

Bhagavad-Gita Third Chapter

The Meaning of Sacrifice

by Michael Dolan/B.V. Mahayogi

Follow your own path

Kṛṣṇa told Arjuna:

"The envious and ignorant disregard these teachings. They are not interested in any sacrifice. Such selfish souls are doomed to ignorance and bondage. Pay attention, Arjuna: you cannot act against your nature. Inaction does not suit you. You are a man of action and you cannot avoid your nature. Even the enlightened must according nature; for everyone follows his nature. You cannot repress your nature. Even so, do not fall under the control of senses and sense objects because they are stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization. Don’t be guided by attraction and repulsion to the sense objects.

Better do your duty, even imperfectly, than try to do someone else’s work. In fact, it is better to die, doing your own work according to your nature than to try to do someone else’s duties. Imitation is suicide; it is dangerous to leave your path to follow another's trail.

ये त्व् एतद् अभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम्

सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस् तान् विद्धि नष्टान् अचेतसः ३.३२
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर् ज्ञानवान् अपि
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति ३.३३
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ
तयोर् न वशम् आगच्छ्हेत् तौ ह्य् अस्य परिपन्थिनौ ३.३४
श्रेयान् स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात् स्वनुष्ठितात्
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ३.३५

ye tv etad abhyasūyanto nānutiṣṭhanti me matam

sarvajñānavimūḍhāṃs tān viddhi naṣṭān acetasaḥ 3.32

sadṛśaṃ ceṣṭate svasyāḥ prakṛter jñānavān api

prakṛtiṃ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṃ kariṣyati 3.33

indriyasyendriyasyārthe rāgadveṣau vyavasthitau

tayor na vaśam āgacchhet tau hy asya paripanthinau 3.34

śreyān svadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmāt svanuṣṭhitāt

svadharme nidhanaṃ śreyaḥ paradharmo bhayāvahaḥ 3.35