“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.” This popular saying captures a profound truth about the mismatch between nature and expectation.

Within Sanātana philosophy, this idea resonates deeply with the universal principle of Svadharma, the law of one’s own being. Just as fire burns and water flows, each being — human, animal, plant, or even an elemental force — has a way of existing that expresses its essence. To expect water to burn or a fish to climb a tree is to demand violation of cosmic design.

The essence of Svadharma is the alignment of a being’s intrinsic duty and path with:

• its inherent nature
• its distinct purpose
• its unique mode of excellence

The Bhagavad Gītā emphasises:

“Better is one’s own Dharma, even if imperfectly performed, than another’s Dharma well executed.” (Bhagavad Gītā 3.35)

The Cosmic Symphony

Like a symphony, the cosmic order functions seamlessly with harmony, balance, and interconnectedness.

Sanātana philosophy posits fundamental unity as the basis of the grand cosmic symphony. Despite diversity — differences in form, function, or nature — everything originates from a singular divine source. Therefore, every being is intrinsically divine, regardless of outward appearances or actions. This means:

• All beings have equal value at their core.
• Each unique expression is meant to play a distinct and essential role in Creation.
• Each being’s Dharma is sacred.

Just as an orchestra thrives through diverse instruments playing their natural parts, the universe thrives through beings living their Svadharma.

• A fish swimming is fulfilling divine will.
• A bird flying is fulfilling divine design.
• A human being who is true to their nature is fulfilling their soul’s divine purpose.

Perfection lies not in sameness but in authentic expression.

Sanātana Dharma does not envision the universe as a hierarchy of worth; rather, it sees Creation as a tapestry of interdependent functions, each valid, each sacred.

Svadharma In Human Beings

Svadharma is not a rigid assignment but the harmonious functioning of one’s psychological structure, shaped by Guṇa, Saṃskāra, Vāsanā, and Svabhāva. It reflects the deeper truth that fulfilment emerges from authenticity, not conformity.

1. Guṇa

The Guṇa are three fundamental qualities of Prakṛti (material nature). These three qualities — Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas — constitute the essential psychological fabric of the human personality.

The Gītā states:

“Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, these Guṇa, arising from Prakṛti, bind the embodied being.” (Bhagavad Gītā 14.5)

Distinct proportions of the Guṇa create unique personalities, influencing how one naturally thinks, feels, and acts. Thus, the Guṇa determine natural inclination of human beings:

• Some are drawn to knowledge (Sattva).
• Some to activity and achievement (Rajas).
• Some to stability, structure, or craftsmanship (Tamas).

To understand Svadharma is to recognise that one’s rightful action flows from the distinctive proportion of these Guṇa within oneself.

The Gītā alludes to this compulsive force of inner composition:

 “Indeed, no one can remain even for a moment without performing action; everyone is helplessly driven to act by the Guṇa born of Prakṛti.” (Bhagavad Gītā 3.5).

When viewed through this lens, Svadharma becomes the harmonious expression of one’s inner psychological constitution.

2. Saṃskāra

Saṃskāra are the deeply buried latent residues of past experiences. They accumulate not only over the course of a single life but also over many lifetimes, shaping an individual’s responses, preferences, and inclinations.

Saṃskāra create psychological pathways that influence what feels natural or forced. In the context of Svadharma, these impressions guide one toward duties that resonate with one’s deep conditioning and away from those that contradict.

Thus, Svadharma unfolds from the natural direction of one’s inherent disposition.

3. Vāsanā

Vāsanā are subtle desires and tendencies that arise in the present life from Saṃskāra accumulated over lifetimes.

Vāsanā create the impulses that energise human behaviour. They sit beneath conscious intention, continuously nudging a person towards certain aspirations and modes of living. In relation to Svadharma, Vāsanā supply the natural momentum that makes certain activities feel effortless and others burdensome.

Acknowledging one’s instinctive impulses allows one to recognise Svadharma, and act without internal conflict.

4. Svabhāva

Svabhāva is one’s innate nature, evolved over time as the integrated expression of Guṇa, Saṃskāra, and Vāsanā. It represents the spontaneous authenticity of a person, the way one naturally engages with life when unforced.

Acting in accordance with Svabhāva is the essence of Svadharma. The Gītā underscores this principle:

“One is bound to act according to one’s own nature, O Kaunteya.” (Bhagavad Gītā 18.60)

Thus, Svadharma is expressing one’s innate nature; it is aligning action with the truth of who one already is.

The Misalignment

Each being fulfils its role effortlessly because there is no confusion between identity and expectation. A bird does not envy a tiger; nor does a tree desire to walk. In this harmony lies spiritual meaning, natural order, and ecological balance.

Humans alone struggle with misalignment.

Unlike other beings, human beings possess a complex mind which is capable of imagination, comparison, ambition, and insecurity. While these qualities enable growth, they also sow the potential for deep confusion when life’s purpose is not anchored in Svabhāva.

A Sāttvika mind forced into aggressive competition will feel drained; a Rājasika person forced into withdrawal will feel suffocated. Thus, problems arise when a person tries to live by a Svabhāva that is not naturally theirs.

The Gītā advises against supressing one’s nature:

“Even the wise act according to their own nature; all beings follow their nature — what can suppression accomplish?” (Bhagavad Gītā 3.33).

To attempt a Dharma incongruent with one’s Svabhāva is to climb the metaphorical tree.

1. Measuring Life With The Wrong Scale

A major error humans make is comparing themselves with others. Humans often adopt metrics alien to their nature. Examples of this are:

• an artist comparing himself to an accountant
• an introvert trying to mimic an extrovert
• a contemplative mind forcing itself into perpetual activity
• a compassionate soul measuring worth in competition

This internal dissonance is precisely what the Gītā warns against:

“Another’s Dharma is fraught with danger.” (Bhagavad Gītā 3.35)

The danger is psychological, emotional, and spiritual: the danger of losing oneself. Comparison becomes the equivalent of the fish being judged for not climbing a tree.

2. Social Conditioning And Borrowed Identities

From childhood, individuals may be conditioned into roles contrary to their Svabhāva:

• A naturally reflective child is told to speak up more.
• A sensitive temperament is told to harden up.
• A creative mind is pushed into conventional success.
• A philosophical inclination is redirected to material pursuits.

Society’s standardised definitions of success can suffocate uniqueness. The Gītā warns of this:

“Better even to die in one’s own dharma.” (Bhagavad Gītā 3.35)

It is not because death is ideal, but because a life devoid of authenticity is a kind of living death.

3. The Psychological Cost

When humans ignore Svadharma, consequences manifest as:

• anxiety
• burnout
• loss of meaning
• chronic dissatisfaction
• fractured identity
• self-doubt

These arise not from lack of ability, but from misplaced ability. The fish does not suffer because it cannot climb, but because it is told that climbing is the definition of success.

Rediscovering Svadharma

Humans uniquely possess the capacity for conscious alignment. Svadharma reveals itself when one discovers one’s nature through introspection:

• What activities make you feel naturally alive?
  Identify those activities that evoke flow, where attention, joy, and ease converge without force. They feel like a return to one’s natural rhythm rather than an escape from life.

• What virtues arise spontaneously?
  Recognise the qualities that emerge effortlessly when you are unguarded — for instance, kindness, curiosity, and patience. They reveal the instinctive tendencies of your character before social conditioning takes over.

• What forms of work energise rather than drain?
  Distinguish between the tasks that align your skill with meaning and those that feel futile. Meaningful tasks create momentum instead of fatigue. They feel like contribution rather than obligation.

• What values come effortlessly?
  Recognise the principles that feel self-evident and require no justification — for instance, truth, compassion, freedom, or integrity. Let them guide your choices.

Harmony arises when we listen to our inner design instead of wrestling with it. Alignment begins by respecting the patterns already written within us.

Conclusion

Sanātana philosophy posits Svadharma as the natural alignment of an entity’s functioning with what it is created to be.

Each being has an inherent nature, purpose, and unique mode of excellence. The Bhagavad Gītā captures a profound truth about the mismatch between nature and expectation: Forcing another standard upon a being’s essence disrupts cosmic harmony.

While this principle applies universally across species, elements, and dimensions, it gains particular significance when examined through the human condition, where the capacity for confusion, imitation, and misalignment is unusually high. Comparison with others and social conditioning often force us to take up another’s role, leading to distress, disharmony, and disillusionment.

The truth of one’s own nature is discovered not just through external teachings, but through introspection and self-awareness. The path of Svadharma is personal and exclusive to each individual’s journey. Sanātana Dharma teaches:

• Genius lies in nature, not imitation.
• Dignity lies in authenticity, not conformity.
• Harmony emerges from diversity, not uniformity.
• Fulfilment arises from Svadharma, not borrowed Dharma.
• Every being, from the smallest ant to the greatest sage, has a sacred role.

To honour Svadharma is to honour the divine design within all beings. It is a philosophy not merely of living, but of allowing life to express itself as it is meant to be.

---

© Sujata Khanna. All rights reserved.

Sujata Khanna’s book, ‘The Eternal Law’, explores Sanātana Philosophy in its elemental form. Available on Amazon worldwide: India, USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Netherland, Poland, Sweden, Japan

#Mindfulness #Fulfilment #Nature #Svadharma #BhagavadGita #SanātanaDharma #AncientWisdom #TheEternalLaw #MustReadBook