BG 3.35
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ॥
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ॥
śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣṭhitāt
sva-dharme nidhanaṁ śreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ
sva-dharme nidhanaṁ śreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ
Word-for-word meanings
sva-dharmaḥ — the performance of one’s “own duty; ” viguṇaḥ — [even if] deficient; śreyān — [is] superior; para-dharmāt — to taking up another’s duty; su-anuṣṭhitāt — [even if] performed well; nidhanam — [even] death; sva-dharme — [while discharging] one’s own duty; śreyaḥ — [is] superior; para-dharmaḥ — [since] the execution of another’s duty; bhaya-āvahaḥ — is perilous.
Translation
The performance of one’s “own duty,” even if somehow deficient, is superior to taking up another’s duty, even if performed well. Even death occurring in the discharge of one’s own duty is superior to the execution of another’s duty, since the latter path is perilous.