Seva (Selfless Service)

The life of a householder is not about indulging in lust and loose living. Instead, it's a life of selfless service, focused on Dharma, charity, goodness, kindness, and self-help, which benefits all of humanity.

Yogic practices alone are not enough; purification of the heart is essential. Self-reflection is necessary to eliminate faults and bad habits. Correct your flaws, such as selfishness, pride, jealousy, and hatred. Cultivate your heart by sharing with others and engaging in selfless service, which will lead to a pure mind.

Worship God by serving humanity in their suffering

Serving God is not possible without serving humanity. Serving humanity is equivalent to serving God.

True religion teaches us to come together, rise above all kinds of discrimination, and treat all beings as children of the same Supreme Father, serving and loving them selflessly and genuinely.

Upakosala Kamalayana lived as a student of sacred knowledge with Satyakama Jabala, and for twelve years he tended his fires. Satyakama allowed his other pupils to return home, but him he did not allow to depart.

Then the bull addressed him, "Satyakama!" "Sir!" he answered. "Dear boy, we have reached a thousand; take us to the teacher's house."

Then the fires said among themselves, "This student has practised austerity and has tended us well; come, let us teach him." They said to him, "Breath is Brahman, ka (joy) is Brahman, kha (space) is Brahman."

He who demands the price of his service is not a disciple. A disciple always serves without any self-interest. Service is not something that you choose to do; service is what is accepted or recognised, what has been done on order.

His wife said to him, "This student has practised austerity and tended the fires well; teach him, lest the fires reproach you." But without teaching him, Satyakama went away on a journey.

Serve with humility, taking on a spirit of meekness. Otherwise a person develops such a sense of doership over even the smallest favour he does in the world that the pride and conceit of it devours him, and he remains intoxicated by it. But the true mark is the spirit of non-doership and selflessness. For this reason the devotees serve without any sense of doership, with humility, and never let the pride or ego of their service enter the mind.

Service is the foundation of spirituality. Through service, all kinds of sorrows are destroyed of themselves. Therefore we should remain ever ready for service with body, mind and wealth.

Service is neither great nor small; it is simply service. Every kind of service is great, on the one condition that it be timely, free of the sense of doership, and selfless.

The saints who bring happiness in the life of others, who adopt this practice, create in fact a place for themselves in the hearts of others. Their influence does not last for ten or twenty years; it remains there for ages.

The conduct of the good consists of charity, austerity, self-control, tranquility, compassion for all creatures, control of the passions, avoidance of cruelty and theft, refraining from false and harmful acts, serving one's parents, honoring deities and guests, worshiping teachers, pity, purity, self-control, and performing all good deeds.

Another duty of the householder is to never eat before serving the deities, guests, and dependants.

He should always speak the truth and practice self-denial. He should eat the leftover food after serving the deities and guests. He should be hospitable to all who come to his home.

Dutifully serving one's teacher destroys sin.

One can acquire knowledge by serving their teacher with reverence.

Those who are kind to their enemies, gentle in nature, and show affection to all who are gentle, will succeed in attaining heaven by humbly serving others and contributing to their happiness.