偈颂 18.4718.118.218.318.418.518.618.718.818.918.1018.1118.1218.1318.1418.1518.1618.1718.1818.1918.2018.2118.2218.2318.2418.2518.2618.2718.2818.2918.3018.3118.3218.3318.3418.3518.3618.3718.3818.3918.4018.4118.4218.4318.4418.4518.4618.4718.4818.4918.5018.5118.5218.5318.5418.5518.5618.5718.5818.5918.6018.6118.6218.6318.6418.6518.6618.6718.6818.6918.7018.7118.7218.7318.7418.7518.7618.7718.78

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.

Better one's own dharma, though imperfect, than another's dharma well performed. Doing the work set by one's own nature, one incurs no fault.

Krishna repeats a teaching from earlier in the dialogue: one's own dharma (svadharma), even if imperfectly done, is better than another's dharma done well. Acting according to one's nature, one incurs no fault. For Arjuna this is pointed. He had thought of leaving the warrior's path for a renunciant's life. Krishna tells him that following a path that fits his own nature, even with its difficulties, is better than imitating another's.