Text 3] Kapila’s Instructions on Devotional Service 1175
TRANSLATION

One should execute his prescribed duties to the best of his ability and
avoid performing duties which are not allotted to him. One should be
satisfied with as much gain as he achieves by the grace of the Lord, and one
should worship the lotus feet of a spiritual master.

PURPORT

In this verse there are many important words which could be very
elaborately explained, but we shall briefly discuss the important aspects of
each. The final statement is dtmavic-carandrcanam. Atma-vit means a self-
realized soul or bona fide spiritual master. Unless one is self-realized and
knows what his relationship with the Supersoul is, he cannot be a bona
fide spiritual master. Here it is recommended that one should seek out a
bona fide spiritual master and (arcanam) surrender unto him, for by inquir-
ing from and worshiping him one can learn spiritual activities.

The first recommendation is sva-dharmacarapam. As long as we have this
material body there are various duties prescribed for us. Such duties are
divided by a system of four social orders: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and
siidra. These particular duties are mentioned in the sastra, and particularly
in Bhagavad-gita. Sva-dharmacarapam means that one must discharge the
prescribed duties of his particular division of society faithfully and to the
best of one’s ability. One should not accept another’s duty. If one is born
in a particular society or community, he should perform the prescribed
duties for that particular division. If, however, one is fortunate enough to
transcend the designation of birth in a particular society or community by
being elevated to the standard of spiritual identity, then his sva-dharma, or
duty, is solely that of serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The
actual duty of one who is advanced in Krsna consciousness is to serve the
Lord. As long as one remains in the bodily concept of life, he may act
according to the duties of social convention, but if one is elevated to the
spiritual platform, he must simply serve the Supreme Lord; that is the real
execution of sva-dharma.

TEXT 3
arenrifrate = atyniefaera |
frrnered = gafafaweadaryz tl 3 I
gramya-dharma-nivrttis ca
moksa-dharma-ratis tatha
