Born and raised in the the Sant Nirankari Mission, I have been constantly guided and inspired by my Spiritual Mentor and the fellowship of Saints to which I belong. And because one of the pillars of the Mission is not just to serve, but to serve one and all selflessly with love and compassion, without any expectation of reward or gratitude, I have found myself amongst Saint-devotees, engaged in selfless service (Seva) – both as a recipient and someone who is trying to contribute.
Sadly, I found myself serving only when it was convenient for me, and not when the need was there. Several times, I had the opportunity to serve HH Babaji, personally, in differing capacities, be they something as simple as serving him refreshments, helping him to feel comfortable or attending to him in a professional capacity as a Dentist. Whenever the opportunity arose, I would feel so privileged, so fortunate, and so blessed to serve Satguru in person. For me, it signified a way of expressing gratitude for the priceless gift of God-realisation that he bestowed upon me.
On the one hand, I would be feeling so humbled and grateful on a spiritual level. On the other hand, my ego was being stoked with thoughts of deservedness or specialness. Pride led me to believe I had been chosen above everyone else for this Seva, which in turn must signal I am doing something right. I have come to realise that this was a misplaced belief – anyone can perform Seva, regardless of their capacity, skillset or prowess. It is simply a matter of Grace.
Now, I consider Seva a blessed opportunity – an invitation to improve myself spiritually. The more Seva I get, the more I feel I have so much yet to learn. I compose myself when serving, through Simran, my prayer to Nirankar. I also speak openly with Nirankar, in words such as these:
Nirankar, this is all your doing; I am here because of you,
In every opportunity and obstacle I face, you’re the giver,
I surrender to you; I am at your will,
You are the doer, I am just a vessel
Whatever the outcome, it is as per your wish.
During Seva, keep me composed, and engrossed in Simran
And then after serving – whether it is a direct act for Satguru, or for the wider good – I would be overwhelmed with joy, and continue to correspond with the Formless:
Thank you Nirankar,
Thank you for the opportunity; it was all your doing,
Thank you for allowing me to be the vessel for your work,
The outcome is as per your wish.
The reason for becoming nervous before Seva, is simply because I had not surrendered to Nirankar. I was not allowing myself to live within Nirankar; it was all back to ‘me’. I wanted the rewards and recognition. It was “I” taking on the responsibility. Such ego-identification always blocks the flow and ease of Seva. Hunger for merit is a manifestation of ego. But it is a loss-transaction – if I wish to feel proud and cash in the rewards for the Seva I feel I have done (or am doing), then I must also carry the burden of fear, anxiety, and risk of not meeting expectations. Such pride makes me forget this body is just a shell, a vessel. In seeking accolades, I had fill the vessel with my ego – with ‘me’. I put my droplet of water in it, instead of allowing the ocean of Nirankar to wash over it.
My perspective on Seva changed when I heard of an incident. A devotee once asked Satguru, ‘I would like to serve you personally; please may I serve you?’
Satguru’s response was:
If you want to serve me, serve humanity.
By serving humanity, you are serving me!
Every single day since, I have looked for opportunities to serve humanity. Whilst Seva is much more than charitable endeavour or aide to the needy, it is also important to respond to those who are less privileged, or suffering. Sometimes I oblige, but often I do not. Usually, I refrain from wider humanitarian work, making excuses that I am tired or busy. I feel I have more important things to do. Besides, I question myself: “why should I; can’t they do it themselves; why isn’t there someone else taking responsibility; what will I get out of it?”
Seva is actually an act of worship and reverence – it cannot be performed if we feel we are better, wiser or more privileged than others. It’s defining mark is humility and unconditional regard. Satguru inspires us to serve fellow Saint-devotees, because we see the light of God within them. If Satguru allows us to serve him, it is only so that we can perfect the art of Seva, and then carry that understanding in every other context in which we may serve.
Satguru wants me to know what it’s like to serve Him,
And through this, to know what it means to serve others!
Satguru wants me to feel those same emotions, the same level of surrender that I felt when I served him. This is so that I recognise the state of heart and mind I should enjoy when I serve others. In fact, when the opportunity to serve others comes, then I should grab it with both hands! It is truly a blessing. When such an opportunity to serve others comes, we must simply surrender to Nirankar.
Nirankar, this is all your doing; I am here because of you,
In every opportunity and obstacle I face, you’re the giver.
Indeed, when we serve others, we’re serving the Satguru,
This is how we show gratitude to the Satguru, and to God.
It is important to realise that Humanness is the religion Babaji wanted of us – first he taught is the lesson of Oneness and Harmony, and then he encouraged us in his final message to us, to be deeply, deeply human. Every human being is the creation of the Almighty. There is no way you can love God, without loving his creation.
Just as for any subject matter, the practical is just as important as the theory – perhaps even moreso. The Knowledge of God (Gyan) is no different. Saints do not teach others merely through lip-service, but through their practical lives. Action is found to be more effective than words. This is why the spiritually enlightened devotees always speak through their actions. They put into practice what they say and inspire others to do the same. The concept of selfless service – Seva- is not just to serve, but to serve selflessly – Baba Hardevji explains as follows:
Let us be the lighthouse that illumines the lives of others through our actions
-Dr Sumeet Bassan, Sutton Coldfield UK
