My parents live alone in India while I work abroad — what is my duty to them?

care for them actively from afar — regular contact, health and safety arrangements, visits — and involve them in your life.

The Taittirīya Upaniṣad tells the graduating student “mātṛdevo bhava, pitṛdevo bhava” — treat your mother and father as God. Serving parents in old age is one of the clearest duties a Hindu child has, and distance changes the method, not the duty.

Practically, call or video-call at a fixed time, so they can look forward to it. Make sure they have a trusted local contact, a doctor, emergency numbers, help with banking and medicines, and someone to check on them if they live alone. Visit as often as you can, and consider bringing them to stay for a season.

Include them in your spiritual life too: do a pūjā together on video, ask them to teach your children prayers and family customs, and seek their blessings before important decisions. Feeling needed is often as precious to elderly parents as being cared for.

Source: Taittirīya Upaniṣad 1.11 — “mātṛdevo bhava, pitṛdevo bhava”

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