17 October 2013 - QA 2

Gurudev, in Gita, Lord Krishna speaks about swadharma and paradharma, whereas in Mahabharata period, there was no religion other than Sanatana Dharma. Could you please explain this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Mat and Sampradaaya (sects) are different and Dharma is different. You are confusing the two. Sampradaaya means traditions. Dharma cannot not be translated into any other language. It is the nature of the individual. If one had to translated, the closest translation is one's righteous nature. So Dharma is your innate tendencies, your inborn qualities. So when Lord Krishna says, 'Swadharme nidhanam shreyah', he is saying, be with your inborn tendencies and inborn qualities and don't just imitating others. Being natural, being in your own nature is Swadharma.