Text 31
prāyaḥ sva-bhāva-vihito
nṛṇāṁ dharmo yuge yuge
veda-dṛgbhiḥ smṛto rājan
pretya ceha ca śarma-kṛt
prāyaḥ — generally; sva-bhāva-vihitaḥ — prescribed, according to one’s material modes of nature; nṛṇām — of human society; dharmaḥ — the occupational duty; yuge yuge — in every age; veda-dṛgbhiḥ — by brāhmaṇas well conversant in the Vedic knowledge; smṛtaḥ — recognized; rājan — O King; pretya — after death; ca — and; iha — here (in this body); ca — also; śarma-kṛt — auspicious.
My dear King, brāhmaṇas well conversant in Vedic knowledge have given their verdict that in every age [yuga] the conduct of different sections of people according to their material modes of nature is auspicious both in this life and after death.
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.