महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-6, chapter-40, verse-47

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥४७॥

47. śreyānsvadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmātsvanuṣṭhitāt ,
svabhāvaniyataṁ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam.

47. śreyān svadharmaḥ viguṇaḥ paradharmāt svanuṣṭhitāt
svabhāva-niyatam karma kurvan na āpnoti kilbiṣam

47. viguṇaḥ svadharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitāt paradharmāt śreyān.
svabhāva-niyatam karma kurvan kilbiṣam na āpnoti.

47. One's own intrinsic nature (dharma), even if flawed (viguṇaḥ), is superior to the intrinsic nature (dharma) of another, even if well-practiced. By performing action (karma) that is regulated by one's own inherent disposition (svabhāva), one does not incur any fault or sin.

Words meanings summery:

• श्रेयान् (śreyān) - better, superior, more excellent

• स्वधर्मः (svadharmaḥ) - one's own intrinsic nature (dharma), one's own prescribed duty

• विगुणः (viguṇaḥ) - imperfect, faulty, flawed, deficient in qualities

• परधर्मात् (paradharmāt) - than another's intrinsic nature (dharma), than another's duty

• स्वनुष्ठितात् (svanuṣṭhitāt) - than well-performed, than well-practiced

• स्वभाव-नियतम् (svabhāva-niyatam) - regulated by one's own inherent disposition (svabhāva), inherent

• कर्म (karma) - action (karma), duty, work

• कुर्वन् (kurvan) - performing, doing

• न (na) - not

• आप्नोति (āpnoti) - incurs, obtains, reaches

• किल्बिषम् (kilbiṣam) - sin, fault, impurity, transgression

Words meanings and morphology

श्रेयान् (śreyān) - better, superior, more excellent

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śreyas

śreyas - better, superior, more excellent, welfare, merit

Comparative form derived from 'praśasya' (praiseworthy).

स्वधर्मः (svadharmaḥ) - one's own intrinsic nature (dharma), one's own prescribed duty

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of svadharma

svadharma - one's own intrinsic nature (dharma), one's own duty, self-law

Compound type : shashṭhī-tatpuruṣa (sva+dharma)

• sva – one's own, self, own
  pronoun
• dharma – constitution (dharma), natural law (dharma), intrinsic nature (dharma), duty, righteousness, virtue, religion
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)

विगुणः (viguṇaḥ) - imperfect, faulty, flawed, deficient in qualities

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of viguṇa

viguṇa - devoid of good qualities, faulty, imperfect, bad

From 'vi' (without, separation) + 'guṇa' (quality).

Compound type : prādisamāsa (vi+guṇa)

• vi – away, apart, without, indicating privation or opposition
  indeclinable
• guṇa – quality, attribute, excellence, strand (of a rope), component of nature
  noun (masculine)

परधर्मात् (paradharmāt) - than another's intrinsic nature (dharma), than another's duty

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, singular of paradharma

paradharma - another's intrinsic nature (dharma), another's duty or law

Compound type : shashṭhī-tatpuruṣa (para+dharma)

• para – other, another, supreme, distant
  pronoun
• dharma – constitution (dharma), natural law (dharma), intrinsic nature (dharma), duty, righteousness, virtue, religion
  noun (masculine)
  Root: dhṛ (class 1)

स्वनुष्ठितात् (svanuṣṭhitāt) - than well-performed, than well-practiced

(adjective)

Ablative, masculine, singular of svanuṣṭhita

svanuṣṭhita - well-performed, well-executed, properly discharged

Compound of 'su' (well) and 'anuṣṭhita' (performed, practiced).

Compound type : prādisamāsa (su+anuṣṭhita)

• su – well, good, excellent, easily
  indeclinable
• anuṣṭhita – performed, executed, practiced, observed
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from the root 'sthā' (to stand, perform) with the preverb 'anu' (after, according to).
  Prefix: anu
  Root: sthā (class 1)

Note: Qualifies 'paradharmāt'.

स्वभाव-नियतम् (svabhāva-niyatam) - regulated by one's own inherent disposition (svabhāva), inherent

(adjective)

Accusative, neuter, singular of svabhāva-niyata

svabhāva-niyata - regulated by one's own nature (svabhāva), naturally determined

Compound type : tṛtīyā-tatpuruṣa (svabhāva+niyata)

• svabhāva – one's own inherent disposition (svabhāva), natural state, essence, temperament
  noun (masculine)
• niyata – regulated, fixed, determined, restrained, certain
  adjective
  Past Passive Participle
  Derived from the root 'yam' (to restrain, control) with the preverb 'ni' (down, in).
  Prefix: ni
  Root: yam (class 1)

कर्म (karma) - action (karma), duty, work

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of karman

karman - action (karma), deed, work, duty, fate, ritual

Root: kṛ (class 8)

कुर्वन् (kurvan) - performing, doing

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kurvat

kurvat - doing, performing, making

Present Active Participle

Derived from the root 'kṛ' (to do, make).

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Modifies an implied subject like 'he' or 'a person'.

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

आप्नोति (āpnoti) - incurs, obtains, reaches

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of āp

Prefix: ā

Root: āp (class 5)

किल्बिषम् (kilbiṣam) - sin, fault, impurity, transgression

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of kilbiṣa

kilbiṣa - sin, fault, impurity, transgression, guilt