श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् । स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥ १८-४७॥ śreyānsvadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmātsvanuṣṭhitāt svabhāvaniyataṃ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam Better is one’s own duty (though) destitute of merits, than the duty of another well-performed. He who does the duty ordained by his own nature incurs no sin. śreyān = better; svadharmaḥ = one’s own occupation; viguṇaḥ = imperfectly performed; paradharmāt = than another’s occupation; svanuṣṭhitāt = perfectly done; svabhāvaniyataṃ = prescribed according to one’s nature; karma = work; kurvan = performing; na = never; āpnoti = achieves; kilbiśaṃ = sinful reactions.;