Capt Purushottam Sharma
“Hands that serve are holier than the lips that pray’’
Our Jawans (Soldiers) and Kisans (Tillers) are held in high esteem in the society for their commendable services of defence and raising food. These two are the best occupations which assure us safety, security, honor and sustenance. Fortunately, most of our jawans are primarily kisans and vice versa.
The most popular slogan of our time “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’’ coined by one of our Prime Ministers of India Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1965 when India was facing food crisis and a forced conflict by one of our neighbours awakened and inspired the nation and worked wonders in facing the situation. His call infused unity and spirit of service in the people and they earnestly responded to his advice. Sewa (selfless service) is ‘sadhna’ (austerity) . Sewa is ‘bhakti’’ (devotion). Sewa is ‘pooja’ (worship).
Sewa makes us to realize in us both might and majesty. Selfless service draws one to the circle of God’s grace. Sewa (Service Extended With Adoration)exalts our vision. Service and love move together.
All existence in this universe is engaged in service in one way or the other.
“To serve others, trees bear fruits
To serve others, rivers provide water
To serve others, cows yield their milk
To serve others, human body is meant
This is primary injunction of nature’’.
Barring man, others are being guided by nature and are serving in their own prescribed way. Therefore, our true nature is to serve. We are embodiments of love (Premaswaroopa ). Selfless service lovingly given brings purity, peace, prosperity and bliss, a Royal Road to Self -Realization. It makes our behaviour graceful and brings feeling of universal fellowship. Those with virtues of truth, non-violence, devotion, compassion, self sacrifice, altruism, non-storage, contentment, and humbleness can only serve.
Humbles are the beloved of God.
“Sarve Bhavanthu Sukhina Sarve Santu Niramaya
Sarve Bhadrani Pashyanthu Ma Kashchad Dukh Bhag Bhavet’’
‘Let all be happy. Let all be free from disease. Let all be good and noble. Let none face the sufferings’.
This can be achieved only if we give selfless service to our fellow beings.
“Gyanrattan Ka Mole Hai Seva Shradha Bhakti
Sewa Bin Mit-Thi Nahin Man Ki Vishya Asakthi’’ (Swami Gaibananda Ji Maharaj)
‘The price of Divine Wisdom is self-less service, faith and devotion. The fickleness of mind cannot be removed without self-less service.
Millions of those worked/ are working in the Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charities serving to alleviate the sufferings of hundreds of thousands of leprosy victims, orphans, widows, unwanted abandoned children, hungry and dying destitute are the true servants of ‘manav’ (man) and ‘madhav’ (God).
Think of the most laudable services of Dr C Subramaniam (Bharat Rattna) and Dr Swaminathan who brought Green Revolution in India to keep away the starvation.
Man should also be grateful to animals and birds who serve us in several ways and some of them are bread winners. We should be merciful to them. Gandhi Ji and Swami Vivekananda spoke in one voice- “Serve and be free, for God is best pleased through loving service of His creatures’’.
Through self-less service alone can be attained ‘Vishav Aatam Ekya Bhava’ (An Eexperience of belonging to all and all belonging to onself). This is the sign of elevated soul.
“Paro Upkar Punnya Yae Papayee Par Peednam’ (To serve others is merit, to hurt others is sin). Gandhi Ji’s favourite daily prayer song was –
“Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiya Je Peed Parai Jaane Re
Par Dukhe Upkaar Kare Toye Man Abhiman Na Aane Re’’ (Verses from devotional song by revered saint Narsi Mehta)-He is true devotee of Lord Vishnu who realizes the pains of others. He serves the afflicted with no grain of ego in himself.’’
It was the daily routine of Sant Maluk Dass Ji Maharaj to sweep away the pebbles and thorns from the paths so that pedestrians did not hurt their feet. Hundreds of thousands of people are given shelter and fed in our places of worship and charitable institutions. There are thousands of such charitable homes and medical missions engaged in the service of millions of suffering destitute, handicapped, blinds, widows, orphans and the diseased. Behind all these benevolent acts are the noble hearted souls who are truly spiritual striving to remove the pains of those less fortunate: caring to comforting them. Salutations to such noble persons who finance these philanthropic acts and to those who physically engage themselves in the welfare of humanity. Such people who make contributions to the good causes are the benefactors of mankind and source of inspiration for others to emulate.
They are the true servants of God for they dedicatedly serve His creation with love, compassion and kindness. It is, however, most unfortunate and sad to find that most of so called public servants treat the public their servants and indulge in all types of corrupt practices, selfishness and cruelty instead of taking to honesty, selflessness, compassion and implementation of all public selfare schemes earnestly. All our acts of self-less service for the good of others reach the Owner of the Universe and immensely please Him. The reward is spiritual elevation and eternal bliss.
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