A seväk is one who serves. When we think of a seväk three things simultaneously come to mind: seväk, sevä (service) and sevya (the one who is served). A seväk must know the meaning of sevä and the goal of service.

Sevä is often understood as a particular act of service. In Chinmaya Mission, Pujya Gurudev’s birthday is observed as sevä day. While planning the day, immediately our thoughts go to an orphanage or a place for the homeless. We think of the distribution of food, clothing or educational material to the needy. Our minds go towards particular acts to alleviate the state of the materially underprivileged.

Spirit of Sevä

Mahatma Gandhi made a pertinent point when he said, ‘There is not a single moment in man’s life, when he cannot serve.’ Attitude is the most important aspect of sevä. The spirit is of greater significance than the act. Charitable acts done in a forced, routine or mechanical manner, without the spirit of service, cannot be termed true sevä.

Sevä need not be anything big. Words of consolation in times of distress or advice in moments of confusion are also sevä. Even a sincere prayer said with a pure heart, for the well being of all is sevä. It could even be just a smile. It is not a particular act, but the spirit that pervades all our actions. People misunderstand the connotation of sevä. They think that the jïana yajïas conducted by Chinmaya Mission is not a service to mankind. Our minds are conditioned to think of sevä only as an act of giving material goods. Though according to our scriptures, vidyädäna is the highest of all sevä, imparting knowledge does not qualify.

In simple words, sevä is the fulfillment of any need of another person. It could be the desire for food, clothing or knowledge. The Bhagavad-gita considers the imparting of knowledge as a great service or yajïa. The spirit of sevä is described by words like dravya yajïa, tapo yajïa, svädhyäya yajïa and jïana yajïa.

Service is Worship

Some social workers though atheists, serve society on humanitarian grounds. They are mänavtävädi. That is good. But in a spiritual organization the spirit and attitude is different. This is lifted to still greater heights. Ramana Maharishi says beautifully,

jagad içadhé yuktasevanam añöamürtibhåd devapüjanam (Upadesha Sara 5).

(Serve the world with the attitude that this is pervaded by the Lord. In serving the world I am serving the Lord. This is my worship.)

This is a much higher attitude than mere humanism or only serving. Serving the world as the Lord Himself is worship. ‘Work is worship.’ In an act of service, the benefactor thinks of the beneficiary as a little lower. If the spirit of service is lacking, we may entertain thoughts like, ‘I would always like to serve. I never want to be served.’ The corollary to this is that every other person should be in need of service. ‘May I always feed the poor’, means that others should remain poor all the time so that we may keep feeding them. This attitude is incorrect.

We all should learn to be recipients as well as benefactors. Pujya Gurudev said we should be, ‘Giving more than what we take.’ He did not say that we should not take because that also we must learn. He advised us to take the minimum and give the maximum. When we say, ‘service is worship,’ are we obliging God? An element of obligation creeps in, when we serve other beings, but as worship of God, there is no question of obliging anyone. If we consider the opportunity to serve as worship, it is indeed a great blessing. We then act with an attitude of gratitude.

Sevä is a Blessing

Selfless service comes as a great blessing and is a means of purifying the mind. Sevä then fulfills the need of both the giver and the receiver. Those who are served benefit because their needs are fulfilled. Those serving, gain through the purification of their minds. Sevä done for God increases our love for Him. Seväks gain on all fronts. Through sevä we develop an attitude of devotion, gratitude and love. This attitude must permeate all our actions in life, not just while teaching children.