Swa- the 'self'

 

As Krishna talks about ‘swa-dharma’, I would say first, one should make efforts in understanding the ’swa’ and then dharma could be figured out.

Swa is self—the way we perceive it. In a lifetime, a person carries various roles and identities that label the ‘self’ for example,

One may be a son, brother, husband, a professional, a traveler, and many other things. And as one shall perform his righteous duties, the swa-dharma…the duties or actions will depend on what role a person is assuming…and in that also if one shall do it without expecting/thinking of the outcome then he is performing it with complete detachment (just what Krishna says)—by being in the present moment and not thinking about the future.

Like,

When one is walking on a path….they are padachari (the walker).

When one is talking…they are vakta (the speaker)

When one is listening…they are shrota (the listener)

When one is dealing with relations, they are father/mother/son/daughter, etc.

Doing that what feels is right—for the sense of right and wrong is an inherent discretion. Also, I would say, even if one does not know at the moment or in a situation what is right or wrong—they can always acknowledge their limitation of resources, knowledge, and understanding and can always in their humbleness do what feels is right and can surrender the outcome to the divine.

And this labeling may reach a point when one encounters their truth where all the labels drop out and one becomes aware of the real self that he/she is that is, the atman. and that is where the definition of dharma might be different.

p.s. I ponder a little over the mantra-- chidanand roopah shivohm shivohm -- where the yogi assumes his identity as an eternal being and that changes the definition of dharma when real yoga is attained.