Finding Ikigai & Swadharme Nidhanam Shreyah- Bhagavad Gita - 3.35

I was always intrigued by this shloka from Bhagavad Gita. How to find "Swadharma" was my unsettled question.

Chapter 3 Karmayoga Verse 35 Sri Krishna says that it is better to do things that define you as a person than do things that define others. 

śhreyān swa-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣhṭhitāt
swa-dharme nidhanaṁ śhreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ

ಶ್ರೇಯಾನ್ ಸ್ವಧರ್ಮೋ ವಿಗುಣಃ ಪರಧರ್ಮಾತ್ ಸ್ವನುಷ್ಠಿತಾತ್ ।
ಸ್ವಧರ್ಮೇ ನಿಧನಂ ಶ್ರೇಯಃ ಪರಧರ್ಮೋ ಭಯಾವಹಃ ॥೩೫॥

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुण: परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् |

स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेय: परधर्मो भयावह: || 35||

I got a beautiful explanation for this in the Gita Class. 

My Guru put it very well as saying it is the Aptitude that defines your Innate Dharma. We should get into a work that suits our Aptitude, which is enjoyable, gives us Happiness and while performing such work we feel Timelessness. We will get in a sense of Flow.

Though it may have some glitches, it is always better to be in your own path as the other's path which how much every  beneficial, proven, and faultless may create Fear in us.

The dharma a person follows gives Meaning and Purpose to Life

I could so well draw parallels with the recently popular concept Ikigai. 

Ikigai is a Japanese concept referring to having a direction or purpose in life, providing a sense of fulfillment and towards which the person may take actions, giving them satisfaction and a sense of meaning.

Ikigai is finding that sweet spot that intersects with 

What you are Good at 

What you Love

What you can be paid for

and

What the World Needs 

Here again, the important thing is you.. (Swadharma)! 

3.35 is one of my all time favourite Shloka..

क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप - Bhagavad Gita 2.3

The second Chapter is the starting point of the Life Transformation process for Arjuna. In reality, Arjuna is a representative of all humans. Hence it is a transformation journey for all of us. 

Arjuna laments and defends his decision of not fighting in the Kurukshetra war for multiple reasons and in about 18.5 verses.!

All through this Lord Krishna does not speak a word and listens to him as he is a great listener. After all this - Srikrishna with a firm voice says - Get up to fight Arjuna, don't show weakness!

क्लैब्यं मा स्म गम: पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते | 

क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप || 3||

klaibyaṁ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitat tvayyupapadyate

kṣhudraṁ hṛidaya-daurbalyaṁ tyaktvottiṣhṭha parantapa|| 3||

ಕ್ಲೈಬ್ಯಂ ಮಾಸ್ಮಗಮಃ ಪಾರ್ಥ ನೈತತ್ ತ್ವಯ್ಯುಪಪದ್ಯತೇ ।

ಕ್ಷುದ್ರಂ ಹೃದಯದೌರ್ಬಲ್ಯಂ ತ್ಯಕ್ತ್ವೋತ್ತಿಷ್ಠ ಪರಂತಪ ॥೩॥

This sounds similar to what Vivekananda said :

Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached!

Speaking to Ashish Vidyarthi

Yesterday morning at about 7 am I tuned into Club House and just got into a room.

The discussion was about "what is that you are grateful for in yourself" in his Club Nurturing Greatness. I felt I could add my points, raised my hand, and quickly got onto the stage.. in a couple of seconds Ashishji who was moderating the room called me and asked me to share my thoughts. 

I was thrilled and excited to speak in front of one of the best actors of our times and a great human being. I spoke for about 2 minutes and got appreciation from Ashishji!. That really made my day and felt elated! And that's how I started out at ClubHouse!!!

Then I realized I did not even take a screenshot of this..Duh!

Q&A - The Beauty of Bhagavad Gita

Bhagvat Gita can be called a Personality Development Program which gives us guidelines to Lead a Fulfilling Life and to reach Paripoornate(ಪರಿಪೂರ್ಣತೆ).

Gita also stands apart due to the format in which it's given to us:  Q&A - Question & Answer.

During training, presentations, and other sessions, I have experienced that if there is no Q&A, then the involvement from the listeners will reduce drastically. The takeaway will be really less. While if there are a couple of questions from the crowd and if there is a good response from the presenter, many more people from the crowd get involved and engaged.

I have also seen that if the sessions get more interesting based on the questions that are asked. Also, more ofter it is others questions than my own from which I have learned more!

In a similar way, Arjuna while in a session with Sri Krishna asks beautiful, interesting, leading, and probing questions. The answer to these questions forms Lord Krishna's words and the Bhagvat Gita in 575 Shlokas or verses.

Probing Question - Chapter 4, Verse 4 (4.4)

अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वत: |

कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति || 4||

aparaṁ bhavato janma paraṁ janma vivasvataḥ

katham etad vijānīyāṁ tvam ādau proktavān iti|| 4||

ಅಪರಂ ಭವತೋ ಜನ್ಮ ಪರಂ ಜನ್ಮ ವಿವಸ್ವತಃ ।

ಕಥಮೇತದ್ ವಿಜಾನೀಯಾಂ ತ್ವಮಾದೌ ಪ್ರೋಕ್ತವಾನಿತಿ ॥೪॥

In 4.4, Arjuna probes Sri Krisha who says that he had initiated Bhagwan Surya, Sun God with the yogic knowledge during the creation of the Universe. This makes Arjun ask - you are almost of my age, how should I know that you taught Sun?

Question for to understand more- Chapter 3, Verse 36 (3.36)

अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुष: |

अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजित: || 36||

atha kena prayukto ’yaṁ pāpaṁ charati pūruṣhaḥ

anichchhann api vārṣhṇeya balād iva niyojitaḥ|| 36||

ಅಥ ಕೇನ ಪ್ರಯುಕ್ತೋsಯಂ ಪಾಪಂ ಚರತಿ ಪೂರುಷಃ ।

ಅನಿಚ್ಛನ್ನಪಿ ವಾರ್ಷ್ಣೇಯ ಬಲಾದಿವ ನಿಯೋಜಿತಃ ॥೩೬॥

In 3.36 - Arjuna asks Lord Krishna why does a man make mistakes unwillingly when he knows it is not correct and he does anyway as if by force.  

Question for Clarity - Chapter 3, Verse 1 & 2 (3.1 & 3.2)

ಜ್ಯಾಯಸೀ ಚೇತ್ ಕರ್ಮಣಸ್ತೇ ಮತಾ ಬುದ್ಧಿರ್ಜನಾರ್ದನ ।

ತತ್ ಕಿಂ ಕರ್ಮಣಿ ಘೋರೇ ಮಾಂ ನಿಯೋಜಯಸಿ ಕೇಶವ ॥೧॥

ವ್ಯಾಮಿಶ್ರೇಣ್ಯೇವ ವಾಕ್ಯೇನ ಬುದ್ಧಿಂ ಮೋಹಯಸೀವ ಮೇ ।

ತದೇಕಂ ವದ ನಿಶ್ಚಿತ್ಯ ಯೇನ ಶ್ರೇಯೋsಹಮಾಪ್ನುಯಾಮ್ ॥೨॥

jyāyasī chet karmaṇas te matā buddhir janārdana

tat kiṁ karmaṇi ghore māṁ niyojayasi keśhava

vyāmiśhreṇeva vākyena buddhiṁ mohayasīva me

tad ekaṁ vada niśhchitya yena śhreyo ’ham āpnuyām

ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन |

तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव || 1||

व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे |

तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् || 2||

After Sankya Yoga, where Lord emphasizes the importance of Gnana Yoga but asks Arjuna to do his Action(Karma). Arjuna gets confused and says two ways are confusing and just give me one simple answer!