Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 18/Verse 47

चेतसा सर्वकर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः ।

बुद्धियोगमुपाश्रित्य मच्चित्तः सततं भव ॥१८- ५७॥

śreyānsvadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmātsvanuṣṭhitāt ।

svabhāvaniyataṃ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam ॥18- 47॥

Better one's own imperfect dharma than another's dharma well done. Acting as prescribed by one's own nature one does not incur sin. 


śreyān (comparative, masculine, nominative, singular) = better 

svadharmas (masculine, nominative, singular) = one's own dharma

viguṇas (masculine, nominative, singular) = imperfect

paradharmāt (masculine, ablative, singular) = than another's dharma

svanuṣṭhitāt (masculine, ablative, singular) = well done 


svabhāvaniyatam (svabhāva + niyatam) (neuter, nominative, singular) = prescribed by one's own nature 

karma (neuter, accusative, singular) = action

kurvan (present participle, neuter, nominative, singular) = acting 

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not 

āpnoti (present tense, 3rd person, singular) = one incurs  

kilbiṣam (neuter, accusative, singular) = sin