In Hinduism, the term for one’s duty in life, often connected with destiny, is dharma. The Sanskrit word has a broad meaning that includes duty, ethical conduct, social responsibility, law, and the principles that sustain the universe.
Dharma is not simply a fixed fate. Hindu traditions often describe it as the right way to live according to one’s circumstances, responsibilities, stage of life, and personal role. A person’s individual duty may be called svadharma, while duties associated with stages of life are discussed through varṇāśrama dharma.
Dharma is commonly confused with karma. Karma concerns actions and their consequences, whereas dharma concerns the responsibilities and conduct that help guide those actions. Samsara is the cycle of birth and rebirth, and moksha is liberation from that cycle. The related idea of destiny can appear in Hindu philosophy, but dharma itself is more accurately understood as rightful duty than unavoidable fate.