Seva is twofold, self-oriented and selfless. When actions are performed with personal motivation, for the fulfilment of a personal need, expectation or desire, they are known as self-oriented, self-gratifying or selfish actions. They are meant to satisfy the person who performs them. The term 'selfish action' is not used in a negative sense, but indicates that self-oriented behaviour and desire is predominant in those actions.
The other form of action is selfless, without any personal desire or expectation; there is only performance. The scriptures say that as long as one has social responsibilities, one is selfish. Whatever a person does is for his stability, gratification, fulfilment and enjoyment. However, traits of selflessness are seen from time to time in his life even when he is predominantly selfish. When his actions begin to help others and are not performed for self-gratification or pleasure, they become selfless actions. Performing selfless action is difficult. Only a person whose mind is clear can put a plan into force for performing selfless service. People begin to think that treating the sick and serving the old is selfless service, but that is not the real concept of selflessness.
Selflessness means to come out of one's shell. The mind which identified with oneself has to identify with others. When the world is perceived not as a stranger, but as part and parcel of life's expression, selflessness begins. Selflessness manifests if one feels that each person is part of one's life. After all, when one looks after one's children, knowing and believing that they are part of one's life, some of the actions towards them are selfless and some are self-oriented. In the professional arena, too, streaks of a selfish and a selfless approach are seen.
It is difficult to be totally selfless when living as a householder in society. There has to be a process of learning how to become selfless, and the teacher is the guru. In India, it is said that to learn the real meaning of seva, one has to go to the guru’s ashram. In order to perfect seva, one has to serve the guru, who teaches that whatever one does is not for oneself but an offering to God. An aspirant will practise if there is faith and trust in the guru. Without faith and trust the guru is not guru, only a wise person. With faith and trust, guru and disciple are like two windows in the same room that open to allow the air of selflessness to blow through.
In English, the word seva is translated to mean service, but in reality, it is the culmination and perfection of karma yoga. When a person is able to perform karma yoga with three ideas: participation, perfection and no expectation, the state of seva is experienced. Ishwara pranidhana, complete dedication to the Lord, happens automatically. When there is no expectation, one lets go and surrenders. When there is total participation, one-pointedness is experienced. As one strives for perfection, one sees new expressions of creativity. The mind, emotions and actions, head, heart and hands, become aligned and balanced. This balanced expression is known as seva.
Swami Sivananda went one step further when defining seva. He said the purpose of seva is to purify the heart. Purification of the heart comes about when expectations and attachments are refined. When they are no longer sensorial or sensual, they do not carry any idea of gain or loss. Instead, one feels for others as one does for oneself. There is a shift in perception, a shift from being self-orientated to self-expressive.
Seva is a state of participation in life at a higher level of consciousness. Seva means the final stage of human involvement in the world, while being in a higher state of consciousness. The literal meaning of the word seva is ‘to be with that’, saha eva, to be with that which is human, compassionate and loving. Seva means to connect with the divine transcendental nature and express that nature in thought, word and deed. Of course, to do this, one needs to let go of the many identities and ideas that are held close. This is where the concept of letting go or surrender comes in. Surrendering to the divine will and becoming the instrument of its peace is the outcome of seva. At the final level of seva one becomes only a medium of expressing God’s grace and will. That is the real meaning of the word seva, where one is ‘with That’.