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Duty is an oft repeated word. As any standard dictionary will tell, it means something which one does because it is part of the job or because one feels it is the right thing to do. In both cases it reflects being conscientious; it reflects being aware of what has to be done. And this can extend from a soldier defending the borders of the country against a hostile enemy to a BBMP functionary cleaning the roads of the city to make it worthy of a garden city .In each of these cases it is critical that the person understands her role. Epictetus the Greek philosopher it is, who while delineating the concept of duty, emphasised the need to first understand one’s role.
This is something which very few appreciate. What is one’s role as, a member of the family, community, society, citizen of a nation? And if the duty of the soldier is to protect the integrity of the land, the duty of a civic functionary to keep the city clean, what is our duty as citizens? If each of us do our duty would we not be strengthening their hands in doing their duty more efficiently ? And that is how we can establish a chain -where ultimately duty gets done as something given, not as a chore , because each of us have made it easier for the other to do their duty. And it is important to acknowledge as Helen Keller has observed that while we all want to accomplish great and noble acts, it is our duty to carry out even small tasks as if they were great and noble. In the absence of understanding one’s role, there is confusion and duty is performed perfunctorily. The failure in such cases is also of the organization for failing to spell out what is expected. For it is with recognition of role, comes responsibility and accountability. Which brings us to the realisation that in this regard there can be no better guide than our sacred texts which lay down their expectations from their followers unambiguously - as also the consequences for failure to follow them. The Quran as well as the Bible prescribe duties. As does the Guru Granth Sahib with its emphasis on Sewa, service. The Bhagwat Gita is almost a treatise on duty; the celebrated verse at 2:47 highlighting that “You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions”. Once you recognise that performing one’s duty is Dharma, a sacred task, it takes a spiritual overtone. You do what is expected of you. And with this clarity of understanding, you, just may also do more than what is expected. And when that happens the world would certainly a better place.