In the Indian spiritual tradition, [[dharma]] is “the way,” (literally “law” or “duty”), and everything and everyone in existence has its own dharma — its essential way of being in the world — that is in harmony with the overriding dharma of nonviolence that applies to all life (ahimsa paramo dharma). Thus a person’s swadharma (swa=”own,” and dharma=”duty”) is his or her own unique role in life or way of being in the world, which it is his or her duty to realize and fulfill. It can be thought of not as a destiny (which would deny the reality of human choice) but rather as a set of capacities that allow us to take our place in the world when they are fully developed. The Gita warns strongly against attempting to live out the dharma of another; discovering ones own capacities and using them in selfless service could be described as the goal of human life.