Dharma is the virtuous life that upholds the world and enables us to go on, evolve and progress.
In order to evolve morally and spiritually certain important duties must be performed in the right manner. An aspirant must live according to the laws of God and know his duties. The duties which apply at a given time or stage in his growth are called swadharma. The aspirant can make progress in life only by knowing and performing his swadharma diligently.
People have duties to their parents and other family members, to society and the country. They have a duty to their own self and, lastly, to God. They must fulfil these duties in life in order to progress and enjoy peace of mind. It is a duty to serve one’s parents with great faith and divine feeling. They should be worshipped as visible forms of God on earth. Many modern children do not pay attention to this duty.
People have to serve society according to their capacity, taste and nature. This helps not only in purifying the mind but also in ensuring the healthy growth and progress of society. They should serve with a selfless attitude, as honorary members, without expecting any reward for such service. Service of the country is service of mother Kali, it is pure Mother worship.
Anything done under compulsion or with expectation is not duty. Slavery should not be mistaken for duty; it is just self-created drudgery. The person who fears his boss every moment cannot pray for one second and has no time to read a single verse of the Bhagavad Gita. However, if swadharma is performed properly, it will take one towards God, which is the main purpose of this human birth. The foremost duty in life is to realize God, and anything that takes one away from God cannot be a duty.