Devanagari
प्राय: स्वभावविहितो नृणां धर्मो युगे युगे ।
वेददृग्भि: स्मृतो राजन्प्रेत्य चेह च शर्मकृत् ॥ ३१ ॥
Verse text
prāyaḥ sva-bhāva-vihito
nṛṇāṁ dharmo yuge yuge
veda-dṛgbhiḥ smṛto rājan
pretya ceha ca śarma-kṛt
Synonyms
prāyaḥ
—
generally
;
sva
—
bhāva — vihitaḥ — prescribed, according to one’s material modes of nature
;
nṛṇām
—
of human society
;
dharmaḥ
—
the occupational duty
;
yuge yuge
—
in every age
;
veda
—
dṛgbhiḥ — by brāhmaṇas well conversant in the Vedic knowledge
;
smṛtaḥ
—
recognized
;
rājan
—
O King
;
pretya
—
after death
;
ca
—
and
;
iha
—
here (in this body)
;
ca
—
also
;
śarma
—
kṛt — auspicious .
Translation
My dear King, brāhmaṇas well conversant in Vedic knowledge have given their verdict that in every age [yuga] the conduct of different sections of people according to their material modes of nature is auspicious both in this life and after death.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
O King! Those in knowledge of the Vedas say that in every age an occupation according to one’s nature generally brings happiness in this life and after death.
It is better to perform one’s own occupation, though inferior, than the occupation of a superior varṇa. This is the conclusion of the knowers of the Veda. It is the cause of happiness (śarma-kṛt). The Lord says:
śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣṭhitāt |
sva-dharme nidhanaṁ śreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ ||
It is better to perform ones own duties even if in a faulty way, than to perform others’ duties albeit very well. Destruction in the course one’s duties is beneficial. Performing others’ duties is full of danger. BG 3.35
This is a general principle (prāyaḥ) because giving up bad conduct found in the lower groups does not bring unhappiness.
Purport
In
Bhagavad-gītā
(3.35)
it is said,
śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt svanuṣṭhitāt:
“It is far better to discharge one’s prescribed duties, even though they may be faulty, than another’s duties.” The
antyajas,
the men of the lower classes, are accustomed to stealing, drinking and illicit sex, but that is not considered sinful. For example, if a tiger kills a man, this is not sinful but if a man kills another man, this is considered sinful, and the killer is hanged. What is a daily affair among the animals is a sinful act in human society. Thus according to the symptoms of higher and lower sections of society, there are different varieties of occupational duties. According to the experts in Vedic knowledge, these duties are prescribed in terms of the age concerned.