Should I Abandon My Duties To Practice Spirituality?

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Each one of us has relationships and duties assigned to us. You may be someone’s husband, someone’s son, or someone’s brother. We may be someone’s friend, have some position in the world, or have some role in practical matters. Leaving aside the ego of all these, God is the only one present in all forms. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says, “man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru”, by which He means that I am present in everyone’s heart, behave and act while keeping me in mind, seeing me in all. If we perform our duties with this in mind, we will be considered servants of God.

Understanding Renunciation

What is our duty towards our family? We are God’s servants. God has come in the form of a wife or a son. God has given me a position to serve the society. My God is in the form of the Father. This sentiment has to be seen. We should first understand our Dharma (duty). First, we should remove unrighteous conduct. God instructs in Bhagavad Gita to let go of the emotion that you are the doer of action and take refuge in me. You behave like my devotee. “Vasudeva Sarvam” see God everywhere. This will free you from all your sins, and you will attain Me. There is no one else in the world except God. In the verse below, Lord Krishna says, O Dhananjay, no object, person, or place is empty of me; I am the only one who remains.

mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat
kiñcid asti dhanañ-jaya

Bhagvad Gita 7.7

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

Bhagvad Gita 18.66

God has come in my father’s, wife’s, and son’s forms. I will worship this God while performing my duty. If you act like this, then God will destroy all your past accumulated karma; he promises this in the Bhagavad Gita. Surrender these dharma to the feet of the Lord. “Sarva-dharmān parityajya”. Parityaja does not mean to renounce but to surrender to the Lord. If there is a mistake in doing karma, I will destroy that mistake and give you the strength to endure the destiny (prarabdh), and you will attain me, he further assures. It is not that you renounce everything & run away. Refuge at the feet of god means seeing your Lord in everything, doing all the work (karma) for the Lord and always remembering God.

Developing Tolerance Through Adversity

If someone is not performing his/her duties properly, he cannot understand this dharma. What should we speak of, the Supreme Dharma and love of God? If the wife becomes a little unfavourable, the husband misbehaves and vice versa. If the parents are unfavourable, should we misbehave? Favourability is not Dharma. One who does not care about favourability & adversity and follows the Dharma (duty) with devotion is called a supreme soul (Dharmatama).

Engage in the highest devotion (bhakti). God exists in all forms: parents, brothers, wives, sons, families, relatives, and the world. Misbehavior, misdoing, unrighteous conduct, violence, and hatred toward anyone should not happen. If someone does this to you, endure it. Do not retaliate because you are looking at God. If you do this, you will become a devotee of God. You will attain God. Hear Satsang (spiritual discourses) regularly; you will receive these teachings automatically.

“dharmaṃ bhajasva satataṃ tyaja bhūtahiṃsāṃ sevasva sādhupuruṣānjahi kāmaśatrum” 

Padma Purana – Srimad Bhagvat Mahatmya

If one engages in the company of the Saints and listens to Satsang, then desires and cravings are renounced. By renouncing worldly dharma, one attains Bhagwat Dharma.

“anyasya doṣaguṇakīrtanamāśu hitvā satyaṃ vadārcaya hariṃ vraja devalokam”

Padma Purana – Srimad Bhagvat Mahatmya

Consider the entire society as the form of God & conduct yourself with everyone as prescribed. Chant the name of God; then, in the company of a saint, you will get the love for God, attain true knowledge & attain supreme dharma.