Question 1
What principle does Krishna give in verse 18.41 for understanding different kinds of work? A Duties arise from swabhava, one’s natural temperament shaped by the gunas. B Duties are spiritually meaningful only when they are copied from someone more admired. C Duties are assigned by wealth alone, regardless of temperament, skill, or character. D Duties become unnecessary once a person knows the names of the gunas.
Krishna links work to inner nature. The point is not external prestige, but aligning action with one’s qualities, capacity, and temperament.
Retry Question
Question 2
Which qualities does verse 18.42 associate with the teacher or contemplative role? A Serenity, self-restraint, discipline, purity, forgiveness, uprightness, knowledge, wisdom, and faith. B Aggression, greed, public display, and attachment to quick reward. C Trade, production, farming, and market exchange as the central qualities. D Avoiding responsibility, delaying tasks, and refusing steady discipline.
The verse defines this role by inward steadiness and ethical intelligence, not merely by status or information.
Retry Question
Question 3
What qualities mark the protective or leadership role in verse 18.43? A Courage, vigor, firmness, skill, not fleeing from battle, generosity, and leadership capacity. B Withdrawal from every conflict, even when protection and order are needed. C Only scriptural study, silence, and contemplative restraint. D Careless action that ignores loss, harm, and one’s own capacity.
Krishna describes leadership as active strength governed by courage, skill, generosity, and responsibility.
Retry Question
Question 4
How does verse 18.44 describe economic and support-oriented work? A Agriculture, cow protection, and trade are listed for the producer-merchant role, while service and support are listed as another natural form of work. B Economic work is rejected as spiritually useless because only meditation can become an offering. C Service work is treated as unnecessary because society needs only teachers and rulers. D Trade and service are praised only when they are done for personal fame and superiority.
The section treats production, exchange, and service as real contributions. The Gita’s focus is work aligned with nature and offered rightly.
Retry Question
Question 5
What does Krishna teach about perfection in verse 18.45? A A person attains perfection by being devoted to their own work. B A person attains perfection by abandoning all ordinary responsibilities. C A person attains perfection only by changing into a more impressive outer role. D A person attains perfection by judging other people’s duties instead of doing their own.
Krishna keeps the path practical. One’s own work can become a path of siddhi when performed with sincerity and steadiness.
Retry Question
Question 6
How does verse 18.46 turn daily work into worship? A By offering one’s own work to the all-pervading Divine from whom all beings arise. B By doing work only when it brings public recognition and visible religious status. C By separating spiritual life from ordinary duties so work remains only worldly. D By refusing imperfect work until an action can be completely free from defects.
The verse sanctifies work without changing its outer category. Ordinary duty becomes worship when offered to the Divine who pervades everything.
Retry Question
Question 7
Why does Krishna say one’s own duty is better in verse 18.47? A One’s own duty, even imperfectly done, is better than another’s duty well performed because it is aligned with one’s nature. B Another person’s duty is always easier, so copying it prevents all struggle. C One’s own duty matters only if it is socially admired and completely flawless. D Duty becomes pure only when it avoids every risk, defect, and responsibility.
The verse protects authenticity. Spiritual growth comes through the path fitted to one’s nature, not through imitation.
Retry Question
Question 8
What does the “fire covered by smoke” image teach in verse 18.48? A Natural duty should not be abandoned merely because it has defects, since all undertakings carry some imperfection. B Any work with a defect is spiritually useless and must be avoided completely. C Only other people’s duties have defects; one’s own duty is always flawless. D Imperfection proves that action is outside the reach of Dharma.
Krishna is realistic about action. The presence of defect does not cancel duty, just as smoke does not mean there is no fire.
Retry Question
