श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् | स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ||३५||
śhreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣhṭhitāt sva-dharme nidhanaṁ śhreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ
Translation
It is far better to discharge one's prescribed duties, even though faultily, than another's duties perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one's own duty is better, and to imitate another's duty is dangerous.
Interpretation
One of the most important principles in the Gita: sva-dharma (one's own nature-based duty) is always superior to para-dharma (someone else's duty), even if performed imperfectly. Authentic expression of one's own nature, even if flawed, is better than an imitation of someone else's perfection. Death in one's own dharma is liberation; living another's dharma is dangerous imitation.