The first step on the spiritual path is selfless service of humanity. Selfless service is the watchword along the road to salvation. Service always elevates and makes one divine. Service purifies, redeems and energizes. To live life through service is to be intimate with life’s innermost secret. To serve humanity with sincerity and feeling is to be in union with the cosmic consciousness.
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Three things are necessary when practising selfless service. One must be free of egoism, not expect any appreciation for the work one does and have a balanced state of mind in success and failure. Life is not fully lived if one does not serve and love humanity. The aspirant should think how best his energy, intellect, education, wealth and strength can be used for the betterment of others.
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Life is meant for serving others. God’s plan for human evolution is seva to humanity. To grow on the spiritual path, one must serve humanity selfishly, become a lover of humanity and feel that the world is one big family and all people are its members. Humanity is God, and service of humanity is worship. One who works for all is dear to God. The cancer of individuality is dissolved when one serves humanity with divine bhava.
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A person lives in vain if he does not have a generous heart. Through selfishness, a person creates a boundary wall around himself and his family members. Most people are unable to feel the suffering of a stranger. They may present an expensive car to their own child, but will not spend one rupee to relieve the suffering of the poor. When selfishness is removed, half of one’s spiritual sadhana is over. One should serve, love and unite one’s heart with all, be a little more patient, forgiving, charitable and loving. The angle of vision and views must be changed. The experience of selflessness is not merely self-denial or service done without reward, but is achieved through beholding the One.
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Selflessness is a divine virtue, the mother of cosmic love, a friend of spiritual progress, a herald of saintliness, an arch-enemy of egoism and the jewel of an aspirant. It is the alpha and omega of spiritual sadhana and the yoga of all religions.
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Never say, “I have helped that man,” but say, “That man gave me an opportunity to serve. This service has helped me to purify my mind and I am extremely grateful to him.” Service should always be rendered cheerfully and willingly, without a sour Sunday face or castor oil face and without grumbling.
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