Dharma

Start here: question, responsibility, nature

Learning goal: explain what each passage contributes to the discussion of duty. You do not need a separate book: all three verses and their English translations are below. The source links are optional for checking the wording or reading further.

Read in this order: 2.7 — asking for guidance; 3.35 — one’s own duty and another’s; 18.47 — duty and one’s nature. Then try the learning check.

A few words to recognize

• Dharma: rendered as “duty” in these readings; this is a contextual starting point, not an exhaustive definition.
• Sva-dharma: one’s own dharma, contrasted with another’s in 3.35 and 18.47.
• Para-dharma: another’s dharma in that contrast.
• Svabhāva: one’s own nature, part of the discussion in 18.47.

The older translation uses “thee” and “thy” for “you” and “your,” and “doeth” for “does.” Its wording is preserved in the quotations; the explanations below use modern language.

Bhagavad Gītā 2.7 — Arjuna asks for guidance

Context: Arjuna speaks to Kṛṣṇa. In the preceding verses (2.4–6), he questions fighting revered teachers and whether victory would be better than defeat. That is the immediate setting of his request.

English translation — Swami Swarupananda

With my nature overpowered by weak commiseration, with a mind in confusion about duty, I supplicate Thee. Say decidedly what is good for me. I am Thy disciple. Instruct me who have taken refuge in Thee.

Bhagavad Gītā 2.7; Swami Swarupananda, Advaita Ashrama edition (1909). Footnote markers omitted; verse wording retained. Read the complete chapter and source notes →

In plain language — handbook explanation

Arjuna admits that he cannot see clearly what he should do and asks to be taught. The important movement is from uncertainty to seeking instruction. The older phrase “weak commiseration” belongs to the translation; it should not become a label for a reader’s grief or confusion.

Notice as you read: What does Arjuna ask for, rather than claim to possess?

Bhagavad Gītā 3.35 — One’s own duty and another’s

Context: Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Nearby verses 3.33–34 discuss nature and the attraction and aversion associated with the senses. The passage belongs to a larger teaching about action.

English translation — Swami Swarupananda

Better is one’s own Dharma, (though) imperfect, than the Dharma of another well-performed. Better is death in one’s own Dharma: the Dharma of another is fraught with fear.

Bhagavad Gītā 3.35; Swami Swarupananda, Advaita Ashrama edition (1909). Footnote markers omitted; verse wording retained. Read the complete chapter and source notes →

In plain language — handbook explanation

The verse compares responsibilities as one’s own or another’s, not simply as easy or impressive. Its second sentence speaks of death and danger; that difficult wording is part of the passage and is not omitted here. Read it within the Gītā’s dialogue, rather than using it as a command to remain in a harmful situation or a slogan that decides every career choice.

Notice as you read: What is being compared, and which difficult sentence needs contextual attention?

Bhagavad Gītā 18.47 — Duty and one’s nature

Context: Kṛṣṇa is speaking. The surrounding section (18.41–46) discusses duties associated with brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra categories, qualities, nature and worship through one’s work. That social and spiritual context matters.

English translation — Swami Swarupananda

Better is one’s own Dharma, (though) imperfect than the Dharma of another well-performed. He who does the duty ordained by his own nature incurs no evil.

Bhagavad Gītā 18.47; Swami Swarupananda, Advaita Ashrama edition (1909). Footnote markers omitted; verse wording retained. Read the complete chapter and source notes →

In plain language — handbook explanation

The opening resembles 3.35, while the second sentence connects action with one’s nature. The verse makes a religious claim about sin; it does not give this handbook a method for assigning a modern reader an occupation or social category. Comparing how translators understand “duty,” “nature” and “sin” is a useful next step.

Notice as you read: How does the second sentence differ from 3.35?

What the three passages contribute

• 2.7 begins with a question: Arjuna recognizes uncertainty and seeks instruction.
• 3.35 introduces a contrast: one’s own duty and another’s are not treated as interchangeable.
• 18.47 connects duty and nature: read that connection alongside the surrounding discussion of social roles and worship through work.

This is a reading sequence, not a formula that settles every dilemma. The explanations are the handbook’s orientation; the quoted English is Swarupananda’s translation. Keeping those layers visible lets you examine the actual passage before accepting an interpretation.

Reflect on responsibilities without claiming a verdict

This is a handbook reflection exercise, not a rule for deciding someone’s dharma. Choose an ordinary situation in which responsibilities seem to compete: a work commitment and a promise to help a family member, for example. Describe both responsibilities before deciding which seems more urgent.

• What have I actually promised, and to whom?
• Who depends on each commitment?
• Which facts or expectations am I assuming?
• Can I explain the conflict and arrange help or a different time?
• What guidance would help, and what question should I ask?

Keep the example separate from Arjuna’s situation. The exercise organizes questions; it does not establish that a modern work or family choice is equivalent to the Gītā’s setting. If you discuss a private family example, record only what the people involved agree to share.

Common questions

Is dharma just a job?

The 18.47 passage above discusses duty and one’s nature. The 2.7 passage begins with uncertainty about duty. These selected passages should not become a claim that every occurrence of dharma means employment. Wider meanings and other textual settings require additional study.

Is dharma the same as karma?

Keep the guides’ questions distinct: this page examines duty and its context; the Karma guide examines action, results and inaction in selected Gītā passages. Reading them together helps explore their relationship without making the terms interchangeable.

Does a verse identify my proper occupation or social role?

This handbook does not assign a reader an occupation, caste or obligation from a verse. The source and commentary need contextual study; contemporary family expectations and personal decisions need their own careful discussion.

What if two duties appear to conflict?

Begin by describing the conflict and the people affected. The reflection questions above can help you ask for informed guidance. They are not a complete religious decision procedure, and this page cannot settle every conflict.

Check your understanding

Without looking back, which new passage presents Arjuna’s request for instruction: 2.7 or 3.35? Which compares one’s own duty with another’s? Which parts of this page are the translator’s words, and which are handbook explanations?

Optional later review: tomorrow, explain the difference between a question about duty and a teaching about one’s own duty before reopening the passages.

Sources and optional comparison

The three English translations above are from Swami Swarupananda’s Śrīmad-Bhagavad-Gītā, Advaita Ashrama edition (1909), preserved by the Digital Library of India and Internet Archive. This historical translation is public domain in the United States. Original Sanskrit is identified separately by its Gītā verse number; 2.7, 3.35 and 18.47 can be checked in VedaBase. The historical English translation and modern commentary remain distinct.

For an optional comparison, read A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda’s Bhagavad-gītā As It Is versions of 2.7, 3.35 and 18.47. VedaBase labels his Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava commentary “Purport.” It is a further interpretation, distinct from the verse translation. You can complete this page’s exercise using the verses printed here.

Continue with karma, ahiṃsā, sevā or the Gītā reading guide. Sources checked October 8, 2026. Wider meanings of dharma and specialist Sanskrit, translation and philosophical review remain pending.