The Concept of Seva

We all have heard of the concept of "seva" - at its base, seva means selfless service, i.e., doing work voluntarily or involuntarily without any thought for the reward. But its interesting to note that the concept, in its various forms, is prevalent among world's major religions as well - both in ancient and modern times.



In Sikhism, the overarching thought is that seva comes only to the lucky. Guru Nanak says 

saevak saevaa thaa(n) karae sach sabadh patheenaa || (Raag Soohee, Pg. 767)
The sevadar performs selfless service when he is pleased, and confirmed in the True Word of the Shabad.

In the attached article written by a priest, a comparison is made between Christianity and Hinduism about seva: "...And if the word “seva” is new to us as Orthodox Christians, we would do well to commit ourselves personally and corporately to a life of “selfless service to not only our fellow human beings but all living  things” as something that is will not only “bring far greater joy than mere material gain” but is also God pleasing and faithful to the example of Christ.

More recently, last week was Mother Teresa's 100th birthday - she embodied the spirit of seva in modern times - "Mother Teresa poses a challenge to societies which slip into selfishness. By imbibing the spirit of India and its culture she reminded every Indian that national borders were not barriers to the service of mankind. This angel of mercy, who found profound pride in calling herself an Indian, now hovers over millions of her admirers to whom she pleads, “Love has to be shared.”.."


At a different level is a book Invisible Acts of Power by Caroline Myss, which looks at the changing energy fields within humans with seva: "A young man, tattooed and pierced, ran to help an older woman with a bundle of packages at the risk of missing his oncoming bus. That act, coupled with her own experience of receiving a helping hand just when she needed it, got Caroline thinking: what are the long-range consequences that result from even the smallest favors offered to others? What really takes place in the energetic field of life when someone responds to someone else in need? "

 Myss offers some acts of "seva" which people appreciate:


1. Hold a door open.
2. Smile.
3. Offer a kind word and encouragement.
4. Give a compliment.
5. Listen without interruption.
6. Make a call when your intuition tells you to.
7. Offer a prayer for a homeless person.
8. Pray – period.
9. Forgive others and yourself.
10. Prepare a meal for a friend.
11. Refrain from judging another person harshly.
12. Remember that life is full of miracles and have faith that every difficult situation can change in the blink of an eye.
13. Remember the truth that there is no such thing as a small or insignificant act of service.
14. Keep your power and attention in the present time.
15. Begin and end the day in appreciation of either doing or accepting an act of service. 

In conclusion, Guru Arjan Dev guides us:

jis masathak bhaag s laagaa saev ||1|| rehaao || (Raag Bhairo, Pg 1142)
Whoever has good destiny inscribed on his forehead, applies himself to seva - selfless service. ||1||Pause||
Rajinder Pal Singh Bhandari

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