Swa-dharma
is one’s duty as an individual, in accordance with the Vedas. There are two kinds of
swa-dharmas
, or prescribed duties for the individual—
para dharma
, or spiritual duties, and
apara dharma
, or material duties. Considering oneself to be the soul, the prescribed duty is to love and serve God with devotion. This is called
para dharma
. However, since a vast majority of humankind does not possess this spiritual perspective, the Vedas also prescribe duties for those who see themselves as the body. These duties are defined according to one’s
āśhram
(station in life), and
varṇa
(occupation). They are called
apara dharma
, or mundane duties. This distinction between spiritual duties and material duties needs to be kept in mind while understanding the
Bhagavad Gita
and the Vedic philosophy at large.
By occupation, Arjun was a warrior, and so his occupational duty as a warrior was to fight for the protection of righteousness. Shree Krishna is calling this
swa-dharma
, or prescribed duty at the bodily level.