श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् | स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ||
śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣṭhitāt svabhāva-niyataṁ karma kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam
Translation
Better is one's own dharma, though imperfectly performed, than the dharma of another well performed. One who does the duty prescribed by one's own nature incurs no sin.
Interpretation
The famous teaching on svadharma: one's own authentic path, imperfectly walked, is superior to another's path perfectly imitated. This is not a teaching of mediocrity but of authenticity. The soul grows through its own genuine encounter with its own truth, even when stumbling. Imitation of another's dharma — however impressive it appears — is spiritual bypassing of one's own journey. And crucially: 'one who performs the duty ordained by one's own nature incurs no sin' — genuine, authentic action in alignment with one's true nature is self-justifying.