स्वे स्वे कर्मण्य् अभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः । स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच् छृणु ॥
sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ saṃsiddhiṃ labhate naraḥ | sva-karma-nirataḥ siddhiṃ yathā vindati tac chṛṇu ||
Devoted each to his own duty, a person attains complete perfection — hear how one so devoted finds siddhi.
Word by word (3)
- sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ saṃsiddhiṃ labhate naraḥ
- — delighting/devoted (abhirataḥ = from abhi + ram = thoroughly-delighting-in) in his own own (sve sve = emphatic reduplicated 'in one's very own') karma (duty/action), a person (naraḥ) attains (labhate) complete perfection (saṃsiddhi = full-siddhi, total-perfection) — the universal promise: ANY person devoted to their OWN dharma attains full siddhi
- sva-karma-nirataḥ siddhiṃ yathā vindati tac chṛṇu
- — hear (śṛṇu) how (yathā = as/how) one devoted to (nirataḥ = engaged in, from ni + ram = deeply delighting) one's own karma (sva-karma) attains (vindati = finds/obtains) perfection (siddhim) — and that hear — V45 announces, V46 will explain the HOW
- sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ
- — delighting in one's very own duty; sve sve is emphatic reduplication — not merely doing one's own karma but being genuinely drawn to it (abhirata = delighting), finding authentic joy in it; this is the karmic resonance between svabhāva and svadharma — when these align, the work becomes a source of deep engagement rather than mere obligation; this is the sāttvic relationship between a person and their dharma
Devoted to his own duty, each person attains complete perfection. How one devoted to his own duty attains perfection — that hear.
A modern analogy
V45 is the universal promise and the setup for V46. Having established the four svadharmas (V42-44), Krishna announces: any person genuinely devoted (abhirata — not reluctantly complying but actually delighting) in their own dharma attains complete perfection. The 'how' follows in V46: by worshiping the source of all beings through one's own action.
V45 is the pivot verse — it closes the enumeration (V41-44) and opens the teaching on HOW svadharma leads to siddhi (V46 onwards). The promise of saṃsiddhiṃ labhate naraḥ (the person attains complete perfection) through svadharma is universal — it applies to all four varṇas equally. The verse is structured as an announcement: the what (saṃsiddhi through svadharma) + the setup for the how (V46: svakarmaṇā tam abhyarcya — worshiping the Source through one's own action).
Abhirata (delighting-in) rather than merely 'performing' is the key quality of the right relationship with svadharma. The Gita consistently uses the language of joy and delight for appropriate dharmic engagement: niyata (ordained) in V23, abhirata here. Svadharma done joyfully (because it aligns with svabhāva) naturally becomes an offering to the Divine — which is the mechanism V46 will explain. Forced, reluctant svadharma produces action but not the saṃsiddhi Krishna promises.
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
Devoted each to his own duty, man attains perfection; how one, devoted to one's own duty, attains success, that do thou hear. [1]
Devoted each to his own duty, man attains the highest perfection. How engaged in his own duty, he attains perfection, that hear. [4]
MISSING from index. [9]
Every man, engaged in his own duties, attains to perfection. Hear now how one obtains perfection by application to his duties. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
By bhakti one truly knows what and who I am; then knowing Me truly, one enters into Me immediately.
Those whose sin has ended — virtuous in deed, freed from dvandva-delusion — worship Me with firm resolve.
Do My work, hold Me supreme, be My devotee, attachment-free, without enmity toward all — such a one comes to Me!
Brāhmaṇa dharma: śama, dama, tapas, purity, forbearance, uprightness, knowledge, wisdom, faith — born of svabhāva.
Kṣatriya dharma: bravery, vigor, fortitude, skill, not-fleeing-battle, generosity, lordly bearing — born of svabhāva.
The unattached-minded, self-conquered, desire-free one attains supreme naiskarmya-siddhi through sannyāsa.