"Nineteenth Spiritual Instruction" by Swami Chidananda

Do Your Duty

Remember that death is awaiting you at every moment. Never fail to fulfil your duties. Have pure conduct (Sadachara).

Remember that death is death is awaiting you at every moment. Never fail to fulfil your duties. Have pure conduct (sadachara) because the law of action and reaction governs life.

In the book Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda, Gurudev says that you should not expect any reward for your service. The human mind is so framed that it does not allow you to render any service to anybody without your expecting a reward, an expression of gratitude, a smile or a ‘thanks’. Even if you are unjustifiably criticised, even if you are scolded by the very person whom you serve you should go on rendering your service with atma bhava. Do not hanker after praise or approbation. “Let us do our duty”—should be your motto. Love for love’s sake. Work for work’s sake.

Privilege And Duty

Man is most anxious about his privileges.
He fights for them in courts.
He goes to the High Courts and the Supreme Court.
But forgets all about his duties.
If you do your duties honestly,
The privileges will come by themselves.
Man does his duty in the office for one year.
He gets one month’s privilege leave.
He works for 25 years.
He gets his privilege of pension.
If you perform your Varnashrama Dharma.
If you do your duty of daily Sadhana,
The privilege of Moksha will come by itself.
Your highest duty is Self-realisation.
All other duties are secondary.

[TWENTY IMPORTANT SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS, A Series of talks on Swami Sivananda's Twenty Important Spiritual Instructions.]