Shloka 31
Varṇāśrama-Dharma and the Thirty Qualities of a Human Being
प्राय: स्वभावविहितो नृणां धर्मो युगे युगे । वेददृग्भि: स्मृतो राजन्प्रेत्य चेह च शर्मकृत् ॥ ३१ ॥
prāyaḥ sva-bhāva-vihito nṛṇāṁ dharmo yuge yuge veda-dṛgbhiḥ smṛto rājan pretya ceha ca śarma-kṛt
Ô Roi, les brāhmaṇas pénétrés de la vision védique ont statué que, dans chaque yuga, le dharma des hommes est le plus souvent la conduite conforme à leur nature; cela est propice ici-bas comme après la mort.
In Bhagavad-gītā (3.35) it is said, śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt svanuṣṭhitāt: “It is far better to discharge one’s prescribed duties, even though they may be faulty, than another’s duties.” The antyajas, the men of the lower classes, are accustomed to stealing, drinking and illicit sex, but that is not considered sinful. For example, if a tiger kills a man, this is not sinful but if a man kills another man, this is considered sinful, and the killer is hanged. What is a daily affair among the animals is a sinful act in human society. Thus according to the symptoms of higher and lower sections of society, there are different varieties of occupational duties. According to the experts in Vedic knowledge, these duties are prescribed in terms of the age concerned.
FAQs
This verse explains that, in every age, a person’s dharma is generally shaped by one’s natural disposition, and the Veda-knowing sages describe such dharma as beneficial both here and after death.
In Canto 7, Chapter 11, Prahlada instructs Yudhisthira on social and spiritual order (dharma). He clarifies that true duty aligns with one’s nature and is validated by Vedic insight as bringing lasting welfare.
Choose responsibilities and spiritual practices that fit your temperament and abilities, while keeping them aligned with genuine ethical and devotional principles—so your work supports inner peace now and long-term spiritual progress.