Recorded at the Vedanta Society of Western Washington on January 22, 2012.
In this talk, Swami Bhaskarananda examines the meaning of duty and explains why human beings naturally feel compelled to act and to improve themselves. He begins by noting that no one is satisfied with limitation—whether in power, knowledge, or enjoyment—and connects this restlessness to the innate drive to manifest the divinity present within. From this standpoint, duty is closely related to action, yet not every action qualifies as duty. Duty, he says, is action that is justifiable in light of time, place, and the people involved, requiring discernment rather than rigid rules.
He explores how ideas of “good” and “bad” are often shaped by self-interest, and then shows that survival at every level depends on self-sacrifice: within the individual, the family, the community, the nation, and ultimately all humanity. As selfishness expands to include others, it becomes diluted and is transformed into unselfishness, which he describes as essential for sustaining society and for spiritual growth.
Swami Bhaskarananda links this to the Hindu concept of dharma—what sustains one’s nature and existence. For human beings, dharma ultimately points to the divine reality at the core of life, and duty becomes those actions that support well-being and help reveal that inner divinity. He concludes by contrasting the individual’s sense of duty with the transcendental nature of God, who, beyond time and causation, has no duty at all.
