Quiz · 18.41–18.48
One's own work
Cover the answer. Read the Devanagari of the verse before you open it.
1
In 18.47, what case is paradharmāt (परधर्मात्), and what comparison does that case make?
Answer
Ablative. It answers "than." śreyān (श्रेयान्), "better," sets one's own dharma, sva-dharmaḥ (स्व-धर्मः), even when viguṇaḥ (विगुणः), faulty, against para-dharmāt (पर-धर्मात्), another's dharma. su-anuṣṭhitāt (सु-अनुष्ठितात्) agrees with that ablative: than one well performed.
2
In 18.45, tat (तत्) stands before śṛṇu (शृणु). What is recited, and which sandhi makes it?
Answer
tac chṛṇu (तच्छृणु). t (त्) before ś (श्) becomes c (च्), and the ś (श्) stays, so the meeting is च्छ cch. The word under it is still śṛṇu (शृणु), "hear."
3
Say what 18.46 means, in one sentence.
Answer
By worshipping, through his own action, the one from whom the activity of beings comes and by whom all this is spread, a man finds success.
4
Where does 18.41–18.48 sit in the talk between Arjuna (अर्जुन) and Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण)?
Answer
Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण) names the four works. They arise from the guṇa (गुण) of one's own nature: the brahmin's, the kṣatriya (क्षत्रिय)'s, the vaiśya (वैश्य)'s, and the śūdra (शूद्र)'s. A man engaged in his own work obtains success. The way is 18.46: by worshipping, through his own action, the one from whom beings come, a man finds success. One's own dharma, even with a fault, is better than another's well performed. The inborn work, even with a fault, is not to be abandoned. Every undertaking is covered by fault, as fire by smoke.
5
Say one's own dharma and the other's, as 18.47 has them. Which word fails the sitting if the faulty one is thrown out?
Answer
śreyān sva-dharmaḥ viguṇaḥ (श्रेयान् स्व-धर्मः विगुणः), better than para-dharmāt su-anuṣṭhitāt (पर-धर्मात् सु-अनुष्ठितात्). If viguṇaḥ (विगुणः) drops and only the well-performed other dharma remains, stay.