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or religion really intends to teach us. This is the essence of dharma.
Many thousands of years ago when Krishna was teaching Arjuna, there existed only the Vedic dharma. "3 Christianity, Islam, Jainism, Sikhism and the other religious paradigms had not yet emerged. There was only one dharma (religion) for all. There was not a question of “my dharma” as opposed to "your dharma” [here the word dharma is used in the sense of religion). Yet Krishna teaches to follow one's “own dharma.” Here the word dharma does not imply the term religion, but rather, is used to refer to one's own inherent tendencies, the inner nature. In reality, the dharma of our senses is not really our own dharma because following the cravings of the senses only satisfies the nature of the sensory organs. Our optimal dharma is to follow the dharma of the soul (atman) by turning inward and returning to the source. Krishna advises Arjuna to leave the dharma of the senses (following the sensory desires) and to seek instead the dharma of atman (following the inner desire of absolute tranquility and bliss which is beyond the scope of senses), which truly concerns our spiritual progress. Thereby, one becomes established in one's own nature (self).
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