स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः।स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु।।18.45।।
यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम्।स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः।।18.46।।
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्।स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम्।।18.47।।
सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत्।सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः।।18.48।।
Being devoted to his own duty, one attains complete success. Hear how one devoted to their own duty achieves success.
A human being achieves success by adoring, through his own duties, Him from whom is the origin of creatures and by whom all this is pervaded.
One’s own duty, though defective, is superior to another’s duty well performed. By performing a duty according to one’s own nature, one does not incur sin.
O son of Kunti, one should not give up the duty to which one is born, even though it be imperfect. For all undertakings are surrounded by evil, as fire is with smoke.
Osho’s Commentary
By being devoted to your own natural work, you attain perfection. And how? By worshipping the supreme Lord through your own work. Your work itself becomes your prayer, your sacrifice. It is better to be yourself, imperfectly, than to be a perfect imitation of someone else. Your own dharma, your own intrinsic nature, is your path. To follow another’s path, however glamorous it may seem, is to invite danger. And do not abandon your natural work, even if it has flaws. For all actions are enveloped by defects, just as fire is enveloped by smoke. The path is not to seek a perfect action, but to bring a perfect consciousness to your imperfect action. Whatever your work is, pour your whole being into it, as an offering to the divine. And in that offering, you will find your perfection.