स्वभाव svabhāv

Hindi is also shown in Latin characters, using an adapted form of ISO 15919 transliteration.

How to read the transliteration

This site uses transliteration based on ISO 15919, with a few adaptations to make reading easier: h is added after c, ś and ṣ, and i after the vowel r̥. These adaptations bring it closer to the Hunterian system used in India while retaining the distinctive marks of ISO 15919.

Adaptations used on this site
ISO 15919	On this site
c	ch
ś	śh
ṣ	ṣh
r̥	r̥i

A few reading pointers:

ā, ī, ū: the line above the letter indicates a long vowel.
ṭ, ḍ, ṇ: the dot below distinguishes retroflex consonants from t, d, n.
A tilde above a vowel indicates nasalisation.

sa · n. · m.

Documented definition

Usual or cultural meaning

The characteristic nature or property of a being or thing. For a person, temperament, character or habitual disposition, expressed in reactions and ways of acting; the word can also denote a habit.

BK meaning

In the murlis, the soul’s nature or habitual disposition, expressed in reactions, speech and relationships, often associated with sanskars. It can be transformed: the teaching encourages leaving harmful old traits behind and developing a sweet, peaceful nature like the Father’s. One passage also reinterprets स्वभाव as soul-conscious feelings towards oneself and everyone else.

Murli examples

An old disposition to transform

पुराना स्वभाव पुरुषार्थी जीवन में धोखा देता है .

Published translation
The old nature deceives you in your effort-making life.

Murli · daily · 2023-05-07 · hi103

A sweet and peaceful nature

बिल्कुल मीठे शान्त स्वभाव के हैं .

Published translation
They are absolutely sweet and have peaceful natures.

Murli · daily · 2023-04-22 · hi120

A habitual way of being: peacefulness

शान्त रहने का स्वभाव बहुत अच्छा है .

Published translation
The nature of being peaceful is very good.

Murli · daily · 2021-08-25 · hi40

The Father as the model for one’s nature

बाप का स्वभाव सो मेरा स्वभाव हो .

Published translation
The Father's nature has to be my nature.

Murli · daily · 2020-12-13 · hi118

Reinterpretation: soul-conscious feelings

तो स्वभाव अर्थात् स्व प्रति व सर्व प्रति आत्मिक भाव हो .

Published translation
So swabhav (nature) means to have soul-conscious feelings for yourself and for everyone else.

Murli · daily · 2023-02-05 · hi61

Usual translation

nature

Proposed translations

nature
character
temperament
habitual disposition
habit

Origin of the definition

स्वभाव svabhāva swabha:v (nm) nature; temperament, disposition; habit; ~ज/~जनित natural, innate; ~त: naturally, by nature; ~सिद्ध natural, innate.

स्वभाव sva-bhāv [S.], m. own state: 1. nature, character (of a person); temperament. 2. nature, property, properties (of a thing). 3. habit, way; custom, practice.