para-dharmo
bhayāvahaḥ
SYNONYMS
śreyān
— far better; sva-dharmaḥ
— one's prescribed duties; viguṇaḥ — even faulty; para-dharmāt
— than duties mentioned for others; su-anuṣṭhitāt
— perfectly done; sva-dharme
— in
one's prescribed duties; nidhanam — destruction; śreyaḥ
— better; para-dharmaḥ
— duties prescribed for others; bhaya-āvahaḥ — dangerous.
TRANSLATION
It
is far better to discharge one's prescribed duties, even though faultily, than
another's duties perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one's own
duty is better than engaging in another's duties, for to follow another's path
is dangerous.
PURPORT
One
should therefore discharge his prescribed duties in full Kṛṣṇa
consciousness rather than those prescribed for others. Materially, prescribed
duties are duties enjoined according to one's psychophysical condition, under
the spell of the modes of material nature. Spiritual duties are as ordered by
the spiritual master for the transcendental service of Kṛṣṇa.
But whether material or spiritual, one should stick to his prescribed duties
even up to death, rather than imitate another's prescribed duties. Duties on
the spiritual platform and duties on the material platform may be different,
but the principle of following the authorized direction is always good for the
performer. When one is under the spell of the modes of material nature, one
should follow the prescribed rules for his particular situation and should not
imitate others. For example, a brāhmaṇa, who is in the mode of goodness,
is nonviolent, whereas a kṣatriya, who is in the mode of passion,
is allowed to be violent. As such, for a kṣatriya
it is better to be vanquished following the rules of violence than to imitate a
brāhmaṇa
who follows the principles of nonviolence. Everyone has to cleanse his heart by
a gradual process, not abruptly. However, when one transcends the modes of
material nature and is fully situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can perform
anything and everything under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master. In
that complete stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the kṣatriya
may act as a brāhmaṇa,
or a brāhmaṇa
may act as a kṣatriya.
In the transcendental stage, the distinctions of the material world do not
apply. For example, Viśvāmitra was originally a kṣatriya,
but later on he acted as a brāhmaṇa, whereas Paraśurāma
was a brāhmaṇa
but later on he acted as a kṣatriya. Being transcendentally situated,
they could do so; but as long as one is on the material platform, he must
perform his duties according to the modes of material nature. At the same time,
he must have a full sense of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
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