Glossary · Philosophy
Svadharma
स्वधर्म
What does Svadharma mean?
The prefix 'sva' means 'one's own'. Svadharma is dharma made personal: the work and conduct that fit your nature, abilities, and station in life. Arjuna's svadharma was to fight for justice; abandoning it, however compassionate it felt, would have been a failure of duty.
Verse 3.35 is the classic teaching: 'Better one's own dharma, though imperfect, than another's dharma well performed. Better to die doing one's own duty; another's duty brings fear.'