Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 3 · Verse 35
BG 3.35
Better is your own dharma, imperfectly performed, than the dharma of another performed well. Death in one's own dharma is better; another's dharma is full of fear.
śreyas svadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmāt svanuṣṭhitāt | svadharme nidhanaṃ śreyaḥ paradharmo bhayāvahaḥ ||
Sanskrit / Transliteration
TRANSLATION
It is far better to perform one's natural prescribed duty, though tinged with faults, than to perform the prescribed duty of another, even though perfectly. In fact, it is preferable to die in the discharge of one's own duty than to follow the path of another, which is fraught with danger.
EXPLANATION
The definitive verse on svadharma — your unique calling. Society may push you toward another's path (more prestigious, more profitable). The Gita says: resist. An imperfect life aligned with your nature is better than a perfect performance of someone else's role. This is the foundation of authentic living.