Dharma
The Path of Duty and Righteousness
Dharma is the foundation of the Bhagavad Gita's teachings. It represents your sacred duty, moral obligations, and the righteous path aligned with your true nature. The entire dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna centers on understanding and fulfilling one's dharma.
Krishna teaches that dharma is not a rigid set of rules, but a dynamic principle that considers your position, abilities, and circumstances. Your swadharma (own duty) is better than another's dharma perfectly performed, because it aligns with your authentic self and cosmic order.
Core Principles
Swadharma
Your unique duty based on your nature, position, and stage of life. Better to perform your own dharma imperfectly than another's perfectly.
Cosmic Order
Dharma maintains the harmony of the universe. When individuals fulfill their dharma, society and cosmos function in balance.
Moral Duty
Dharma encompasses ethical behavior, truthfulness, non-violence when possible, and acting for the welfare of all beings.
Context Matters
Dharma is situational. What's right for a warrior may differ from a teacher, a student, or a renunciate. Context determines duty.
Arjuna's Dharma Dilemma
The Bhagavad Gita begins with Arjuna's dharmic crisis. As a warrior (kshatriya), his duty is to fight for justice. But facing his relatives and teachers on the battlefield, he's torn between his duty and his compassion.
Krishna doesn't dismiss Arjuna's concerns. Instead, he provides a profound teaching: true dharma considers the larger picture—the cosmic order, the welfare of society, and one's authentic nature. Arjuna's dharma as a warrior is to fight against injustice, even when personally painful.
This teaching applies universally: fulfill your authentic duty, not what seems comfortable. Your dharma might be as a parent, teacher, artist, or leader. Honor it, even when challenging.
All Dharma Verses (28)
Moral confusion before right action
I see only adverse omens, O Krishna, and I do not foresee any good from killing my own kinsmen in battle.
Moral confusion before right action
I see only adverse omens, O Krishna, and I do not foresee any good from killing my own kinsmen in battle.
Treat opposites with equanimity
Fight for the sake of duty, treating alike happiness and distress, loss and gain, victory and defeat. Fulfilling your responsibility in this way, you will never incur sin.
Focus on action, not outcomes
You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.
Duty must be performed
Perform your prescribed duty, for action is better than inaction. Even the maintenance of your physical body cannot be achieved without action.
Action is better than inaction
You should thus perform your prescribed Vedic duties, since action is superior to inaction. By ceasing activity, even your bodily maintenance will not be possible.
Action is better than inaction
You should thus perform your prescribed Vedic duties, since action is superior to inaction. By ceasing activity, even your bodily maintenance will not be possible.
Live in harmony with cosmic order
My dear Arjuna, one who does not follow the cycle of sacrifice lives in vain, who is sensual by nature, lives uselessly.
Self-realized have transcended duty
But those who rejoice in the self, who are illumined and fully satisfied in the self, for them there is no duty.
Consistent detached action leads to liberation
Therefore, without attachment, constantly perform action which is duty, for by performing action without attachment, one attains the Supreme.
Surrender all actions to the divine
Therefore, surrendering all your works unto Me, with mind intent on the self, free from desire and possessiveness, and cured of mental fever, fight.
Stay true to your own path
It is far better to discharge one's prescribed duties, even though faultily, than another's duties perfectly. Better to die performing one's own duty than adopt another's, for that is dangerous.
Divine intervention restores balance
Whenever there is a decline in righteousness and an increase in unrighteousness, O Arjuna, at that time I manifest myself on earth.
Divine protection for the righteous
To protect the righteous, to annihilate the wicked, and to reestablish the principles of dharma, I appear millennium after millennium.
Divine protection for the righteous
To protect the righteous, to annihilate the wicked, and to reestablish the principles of dharma, I appear millennium after millennium.
Constant remembrance amid action
Therefore, remember Me at all times and fight. With mind and intellect surrendered to Me, you will certainly attain Me.
Constant remembrance amid action
Therefore, remember Me at all times and fight. With mind and intellect surrendered to Me, you will certainly attain Me.
Following divine teachings faithfully
Those who follow this immortal dharma as I have declared, endowed with faith and considering Me as their supreme goal—such devotees are most dear to Me.
Following divine teachings faithfully
Those who follow this immortal dharma as I have declared, endowed with faith and considering Me as their supreme goal—such devotees are most dear to Me.
Scriptures guide right action
Therefore, let the scriptures be your authority in determining what should be done and what should not be done. Understanding the scriptural injunctions, you should perform your duties here.
Scriptures guide right action
Therefore, let the scriptures be your authority in determining what should be done and what should not be done. Understanding the scriptural injunctions, you should perform your duties here.
Sattvic sacrifice is dutiful
Sacrifice that is performed as a duty, without desire for reward, according to scriptural injunctions, with a concentrated mind—that is of the nature of goodness.
Qualities of spiritual leadership
Tranquility, self-control, austerity, purity, forgiveness, uprightness, knowledge, realization, and faith in God—these are the natural qualities of work for brahmins.
Qualities of spiritual leadership
Tranquility, self-control, austerity, purity, forgiveness, uprightness, knowledge, realization, and faith in God—these are the natural qualities of work for brahmins.
Accept imperfection in your path
One should not abandon one's natural work, even if it has some fault, O Arjuna. Indeed, all undertakings are enveloped by some fault, as fire is by smoke.
Accept imperfection in your path
One should not abandon one's natural work, even if it has some fault, O Arjuna. Indeed, all undertakings are enveloped by some fault, as fire is by smoke.
Divine grace removes confusion
Arjuna said: O infallible Krishna, my illusion is dispelled, and by Your grace I have regained memory. I am now firm and free from doubt, and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.
Divine grace removes confusion
Arjuna said: O infallible Krishna, my illusion is dispelled, and by Your grace I have regained memory. I am now firm and free from doubt, and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.