Don't quit seva

 

Many people quit doing seva when they put their self -image, prestige, respect, comfort and convenience ahead of their goal. What is more important to you? People shy away from seva when they do not receive a good position or when they get insulted. People stop doing seva when they feel they are not getting what they expected out of it.

They stop their seva when they consider working towards their goal a struggle, rather than a challenge. And that is why only a few people in the world succeed in reaching their goal. Service without attitude, love without reason, knowledge without intellect, life beyond time and events, IS what you are. You cannot rest when you have to do something that you cannot do. And you cannot rest when you feel you have to be someone who you are not.

You are not required to do what you cannot do. You will not be asked to give more than what you can give. Nothing is expected of you that you cannot do. Doing service involves only doing what you can do, no one wants you to be someone you are not. This realisation brings you deep rest. You cannot rest if you have either ambition or lethargy. Both are opposed to good rest.

A lazy person will toss and turn at night and be “restless” while an ambitious person will burn inside. This rest brings up your talents and abilities and brings you closer to your nature. Even a slight feeling that the Divine is with you will brings deep rest. Prayer, love and meditation are all flavours of deep rest.

Seva and success

 

Our first and foremost commitment in the world is to do seva, or service. If there is fear in your life, it is because of a lack of commitment. The very thought, “I’m here in this world to do seva”, dissolves the “I” and when the “I” dissolves, worries dissolve. Seva is not something you do out of convenience or for pleasure. The ultimate purpose of life is to be of service. 

An uncommitted mind is miserable. A committed mind may at times experience rough weather but it will reap the fruits of its toil. When you make service your sole purpose in life, it eliminates fear, brings focus in your mind and purposefulness, action and long-term joy-and may be short- term problems.

Poor people fight for food. Rich people share their food. Richer are those who share power. Richer still are those who share fame. Richest of all are those who share themselves. The richness of a person is indicated by his ability to share and not by what he hoards. What does success mean? 

There is no question of success if you have nothing to gain. There is nothing to gain if you have come only to give and serve. Success indicates non - supremacy. It indicates that there is a chance of failure. If something is supreme, there is nothing to lose. People running after success only exhibit their limitations.

Success means crossing a limit. To cross a limit, you need to assume that you have a limit. Assuming a limit is underestimating yourself. If you have no boundaries, then where is the question of success? If you have limitless access, then there is no success. You do not say that you successfully drank a glass of water, because it is well within your capabilities. But when you do something that is beyond your perceived limits, you claim success.

When you realize your unboundedness, then no action is an achievement. Anyone who claims to be successful only reveals his limitation. If you feel very successful, it means that you have underestimated yourself. All your gains can only be smaller than you. Taking pride in any gains is belittling yourself.

When you serve others, you may feel that you have not done enough but you will never feel that you have been unsuccessful. Real service is when you feel that you have not done enough.