If you do your duty diligently towards your soul ...

There are four main duties. The first and the main duty is towards the self, i.e. the soul, which we actually are, though we, invariably, identify ourselves as material bodies. Our second duty is towards the body, which is so dear to us. The third duty is towards the mind, where we do all our thinking. Last comes intelligence, which is even more valuable than the mind.

Now let us understand attending to the soul helps in performing our other duties well. Taking up the body first, as mentioned earlier, there are clear instructions given by God for the proper maintenance of the body in bona fide scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita. Not only that, God helps through others. These are family members, friends and well meaning persons.

In case of the mind, the connection is more direct. There can be no lasting peace, as is our experience also, without being connected to God. Consequently, there cannot be much happiness in our lives.

Our minds without the active assistance of God are controlled by ‘maya’ —the material energy of God. This maya bemuses us by its allure such as monetary or sexual desire. Only a person linked to God can overcome these temptations. Only he or she can be peaceful, happy and find fulfilment .

Real intelligence comes from the omniscient God only. With our limited knowledge, we lack the ability to judge what is good, true, etc. It is no wonder that we make so many mistakes in our lives. When we are connected to God, our intelligence becomes steady or discriminating.

Can we now agree that by doing our duty towards the self — the soul helps us in doing our duties well?