Better is one's own duty, though imperfectly done, than the duty of another well performed. Doing the work ordained by one's own nature, one incurs no fault.
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् | स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ||१८-४७||
The Bhagavad Gita, translated and commentated by S. Radhakrishnan, is one of the most scholarly and accessible English renderings of Hinduism's most beloved scripture — the dialogue between Arjuna and Lord Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Radhakrishnan, philosopher and statesman, brings both rigorous intellectual insight and genuine spiritual depth to his translation and notes. This edition is treasured for its ability to illuminate the Gita's universal spiritual teaching across cultural and philosophical boundaries.
Considering your own duty as well, you should not waver; for there is nothing better for a warrior than a righteous war.
स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि | धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छ्रेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ||२-३१||
We should not be content with just this; instead, we should not rest until this message of truth reaches every home.
However, the timeless part of you is aware of the timelessness of life. It knows that yesterday is just a memory of today and tomorrow is just a dream of today.
The man who abides in God’s love must be dead to himself and all created things, and regard himself as a mere unit among a thousand million.
A new reflection each day, your saved quotes, and the full library of every tradition — now on your phone, on iOS and Android.