Sva-dharma is interpreted in many ways. Traditionally it is interpreted as being aligned to one’s own varna dharma or profession. Some would like to interpret it as one’s own dharma.
Here is my understanding of sva-dharma from Bhagavad Gita.
Chapter 3 Text 25-35
The non-experts work clinging to their actions. The experts perform without clinging to their actions, wishing to hold/grasp the people. It simply means non-experts do not change. Experts learn from their experience and change their actions, wishing to lead the people.
People not breaking the brains, remain attached to their actions ignorantly. People who wish/like be all all-acting (doing everything), perform in association with the learned
The Atma filled with ‘I’ (ego) simplistically thinks I am doing this. But all things happen due to the ‘gunas’ acting on the original nature (prakrti).
O mighty armed, one who knows the principles of guna-karma distribution, combination/interplay of different gunas, having known, does not allow their gunas to be affixed on their actions.
Those all slow learners affix their gunas on their actions due to gunas simplistically acting on their original nature. Such people are of unsteady nature as all their actions carry the foot-print of their ‘gunas’. But who know all are steady.
Those human beings who follow always this thought of mine, devotedly without envy, they become free of their (binding with) actions.
Those out of envy do not follow this thought, confuse all knowledge, their ruin is set in motion unconsciously.
Behavior resembling/similar their self is the prakrti (original nature) of the learned even. All beings go their original nature. What can restraint of original nature do..?
Senses, sensory objects cling/adhere to the Color of hate/dislike do not come under control become the blockers
Superior is the Sva-dharma devoid of guNas than following a para dharma. Superiority resides in the sva-dharma. In the para-dharma it is fear.
Summary
As one could understand here, Krishna is talking about the original nature, Prakrti. But this prakrti or original nature present in every person.
The Gunas acquired through our senses and sensory objects colored by dislikes/hates corrupt the prakrti or our original nature.
Slow-learners/fools affix such Gunas (acquired) on all their actions. But people who know the guna-karma distribution, the interplay of gunas do not allow their gunas to be affixed on their actions.
Non-experts, affixing their gunas on their actions, cling to their actions. Experts who do not allow their gunas to be affixed in their actions, do not cling to their actions, instead holding to people or leading the people. So people who wish to do/achieve everything have experts associated with them.
Those who think of the Supreme consciousness, gives up to Him all their actions. Krishna is exhorting Arjuna to fight without laziness, without desire and without ‘mama’ or ‘I’.
Such people will get the ability to get rid of their gunas, perform with their original nature and won’t cling to their actions. (This can be best understood with Arjuna’s sva-dharma).
The learned has behavior adhering to their original nature. All beings go by their original nature. Restraint of original nature yields nothing.
In this context Krishna talks of Sva-dharma.
Sva-dharma means the dharma of the Self. Dharma are the Universal laws that change never. Sva-dharma are our own laws that we lay for ourselves. Para-dharma are the laws that others have defined for themselves.
These laws that we lay for ourselves are the best when they are not afflicted by the Gunas which are acquired by sensory perceptions colored by hates/dislikes and aligned to our original nature.
Hence Krishna says Superior is the sva-dharma devoid of gunas.
Arjuna’s Sva-dharma
What is the Sva-dharma or law that Arjuna has laid for himself..?
Arjuna’s sva-dharma is to fight against the opponents and defend his people in a war. He has exhibited it many times before.
When Arjuna was Brihannala in Virata and the Virata Kingdom was attacked by Kauravas, Arjuna revealed his true form to Uttara Kumara. He defended his friends and fought his opponents. That’s the law he defined for himself. That’s his sva-dharma which is aligned with his inner original nature, prakrti.
But now Arjuna is trying to follow some other dharma which is not akin to his nature, as his nature got colored by the Gunas caused through sensory perceptions in the battlefield. If Arjuna follows this other dharma and run away from battlefield, it will conflict with his inner nature and torment him in future.
If Arjuna runs away his running away action would have got stamped/affixed with the tamasic guna that he acquired. He would have have cling on to this action for ever in all future battlefields in similar situations. He can never come out of it.
Hence Krishna exhorts him to move away from following a nature not his own, but follow his own nature, follow his own laws, his sva-dharma.
At first look, Sva-dharma seems to be referring to Arjuna’s Varna dharma, which is how it is traditionally interpreted. But Krishna does not talk of Varna at all in these slokas.
Krishna talks of Prakrti (original nature), sensory perceptions and acquired Gunas. Krishna talks of our actions being un-affected by our acquired Gunas. In that context Krishna specifically says sva-dharma un-affected by Gunas is superior.
Even people of same Varna may have different sva-dharmas. Dharma’s sva-dharma is not the same as Arjuna’s sva-dharma. Arjuna and Bhima were always ready to fight for their friends and against their opponents.
Yudishtra was more accommodating. Yudhistra was more pliant to Kurus. He recommended cautious response when Susharma attacked and seized Virata, his host, while Bhima argued for war. When draupadi was molested by Kichaka, he tried to console her. That was Yudishtra’s sva-dharma.
When Kurus attacked Virata’s kingdom in his absence, Arjuna decided to fight the Kurus come what may. That was Arjuna’s sva-dharma.
Yudishtra should not be following Arjuna’s sva-dharma. It is Yudhistra’s role to counsel caution and provide sagely guidance, though he is a Kshatriya like Arjuna. If Yudhistra follows Arjuna’s sva-dharma, he will be a failure.
Arjuna should not be following Yudishtra’s sva-dharma. It is Arjuna’s role to fight against opponents and for his friends. If Arjuna follows Yudhistra’s sva-dharma he will be a failure.
One has to discover/define their sva-dharma in tune with their original nature unaffected the acquired Gunas.
Superior Sva-dharma
Thus Sva- dharma are the rules/laws that we define/discover for ourselves. It is superior when they are are devoid of all gunas that we acquire due to sensory perceptions. It has to be aligned to one’s own original nature.
Following such a sva-dharma is superior, as it is aligned with original nature. Copying the dharma of others causes fear as it conflicts with our nature and torments us.
-TBT
Here is my understanding of sva-dharma from Bhagavad Gita.
Chapter 3 Text 25-35
saktah karmany avidvamsoyatha kurvanti bharatakuryad vidvams tathasaktascikirsur loka-sangraham
The non-experts work clinging to their actions. The experts perform without clinging to their actions, wishing to hold/grasp the people. It simply means non-experts do not change. Experts learn from their experience and change their actions, wishing to lead the people.
na buddhi-bhedam janayedajnanam karma-sanginamjosayet sarva-karmani vidvan yuktah samacaran
People not breaking the brains, remain attached to their actions ignorantly. People who wish/like be all all-acting (doing everything), perform in association with the learned
prakrteh kriyamananigunaih karmani sarvasahahankara-vimudhatmakartaham iti manyate
The Atma filled with ‘I’ (ego) simplistically thinks I am doing this. But all things happen due to the ‘gunas’ acting on the original nature (prakrti).
tattva-vit tu maha-bahoguna-karma-vibhagayohguna gunesu vartantaiti matva na sajjate
O mighty armed, one who knows the principles of guna-karma distribution, combination/interplay of different gunas, having known, does not allow their gunas to be affixed on their actions.
prakrter guna-sammudhahsajjante guna-karmasutan akrtsna-vido mandankrtsna-vin na vicalayet
Those all slow learners affix their gunas on their actions due to gunas simplistically acting on their original nature. Such people are of unsteady nature as all their actions carry the foot-print of their ‘gunas’. But who know all are steady.
mayi sarvani karmanisannyas adhyatma-cetasanirasir nirmamo bhutvayudhyasva vigata-jvarah
One who meditates/thinks on the Surpeme consciousness, gives up to me all actions. Without desire, without the ‘self’, (Oh Arjuna) fight without laziness.ye me matam idam nityamanutisthanti manavahsraddhavanto 'nasuyantomucyante te 'pi karmabhih
Those human beings who follow always this thought of mine, devotedly without envy, they become free of their (binding with) actions.
ye tv etad abhyasuyantona anutisthanti me matamsarva-jnana-vimudhams tanviddhi nastan acetasah
Those out of envy do not follow this thought, confuse all knowledge, their ruin is set in motion unconsciously.
sadrsam cestate svasyahprakrter jnanavan apiprakrtim yanti bhutaninigrahah kim karisyati
Behavior resembling/similar their self is the prakrti (original nature) of the learned even. All beings go their original nature. What can restraint of original nature do..?
indriyasya indriyasya artheraga-dvesau vyavasthitautayor na vasam agacchettau hy asya paripanthinau
Senses, sensory objects cling/adhere to the Color of hate/dislike do not come under control become the blockers
sreyan sva-dharmo vigunahpara-dharmat sv-anusthitatsva-dharme nidhanam sreyahpara-dharmo bhayavahah
Superior is the Sva-dharma devoid of guNas than following a para dharma. Superiority resides in the sva-dharma. In the para-dharma it is fear.
Summary
As one could understand here, Krishna is talking about the original nature, Prakrti. But this prakrti or original nature present in every person.
The Gunas acquired through our senses and sensory objects colored by dislikes/hates corrupt the prakrti or our original nature.
Slow-learners/fools affix such Gunas (acquired) on all their actions. But people who know the guna-karma distribution, the interplay of gunas do not allow their gunas to be affixed on their actions.
Non-experts, affixing their gunas on their actions, cling to their actions. Experts who do not allow their gunas to be affixed in their actions, do not cling to their actions, instead holding to people or leading the people. So people who wish to do/achieve everything have experts associated with them.
Those who think of the Supreme consciousness, gives up to Him all their actions. Krishna is exhorting Arjuna to fight without laziness, without desire and without ‘mama’ or ‘I’.
Such people will get the ability to get rid of their gunas, perform with their original nature and won’t cling to their actions. (This can be best understood with Arjuna’s sva-dharma).
The learned has behavior adhering to their original nature. All beings go by their original nature. Restraint of original nature yields nothing.
In this context Krishna talks of Sva-dharma.
Sva-dharma means the dharma of the Self. Dharma are the Universal laws that change never. Sva-dharma are our own laws that we lay for ourselves. Para-dharma are the laws that others have defined for themselves.
These laws that we lay for ourselves are the best when they are not afflicted by the Gunas which are acquired by sensory perceptions colored by hates/dislikes and aligned to our original nature.
Hence Krishna says Superior is the sva-dharma devoid of gunas.
Arjuna’s Sva-dharma
What is the Sva-dharma or law that Arjuna has laid for himself..?
Arjuna’s sva-dharma is to fight against the opponents and defend his people in a war. He has exhibited it many times before.
When Arjuna was Brihannala in Virata and the Virata Kingdom was attacked by Kauravas, Arjuna revealed his true form to Uttara Kumara. He defended his friends and fought his opponents. That’s the law he defined for himself. That’s his sva-dharma which is aligned with his inner original nature, prakrti.
But now Arjuna is trying to follow some other dharma which is not akin to his nature, as his nature got colored by the Gunas caused through sensory perceptions in the battlefield. If Arjuna follows this other dharma and run away from battlefield, it will conflict with his inner nature and torment him in future.
If Arjuna runs away his running away action would have got stamped/affixed with the tamasic guna that he acquired. He would have have cling on to this action for ever in all future battlefields in similar situations. He can never come out of it.
Hence Krishna exhorts him to move away from following a nature not his own, but follow his own nature, follow his own laws, his sva-dharma.
At first look, Sva-dharma seems to be referring to Arjuna’s Varna dharma, which is how it is traditionally interpreted. But Krishna does not talk of Varna at all in these slokas.
Krishna talks of Prakrti (original nature), sensory perceptions and acquired Gunas. Krishna talks of our actions being un-affected by our acquired Gunas. In that context Krishna specifically says sva-dharma un-affected by Gunas is superior.
Even people of same Varna may have different sva-dharmas. Dharma’s sva-dharma is not the same as Arjuna’s sva-dharma. Arjuna and Bhima were always ready to fight for their friends and against their opponents.
Yudishtra was more accommodating. Yudhistra was more pliant to Kurus. He recommended cautious response when Susharma attacked and seized Virata, his host, while Bhima argued for war. When draupadi was molested by Kichaka, he tried to console her. That was Yudishtra’s sva-dharma.
When Kurus attacked Virata’s kingdom in his absence, Arjuna decided to fight the Kurus come what may. That was Arjuna’s sva-dharma.
Yudishtra should not be following Arjuna’s sva-dharma. It is Yudhistra’s role to counsel caution and provide sagely guidance, though he is a Kshatriya like Arjuna. If Yudhistra follows Arjuna’s sva-dharma, he will be a failure.
Arjuna should not be following Yudishtra’s sva-dharma. It is Arjuna’s role to fight against opponents and for his friends. If Arjuna follows Yudhistra’s sva-dharma he will be a failure.
One has to discover/define their sva-dharma in tune with their original nature unaffected the acquired Gunas.
Superior Sva-dharma
Thus Sva- dharma are the rules/laws that we define/discover for ourselves. It is superior when they are are devoid of all gunas that we acquire due to sensory perceptions. It has to be aligned to one’s own original nature.
Following such a sva-dharma is superior, as it is aligned with original nature. Copying the dharma of others causes fear as it conflicts with our nature and torments us.
-TBT
Last edited:
