Selflessness is a divine virtue. It is the mother of cosmic love, a friend of spiritual progress, a herald of saintliness and an arch enemy of egoism. It is the jewel of the aspirant. Harmlessness is the offspring of selflessness, because man does harm only due to selfishness.
Selflessness is not merely self-denial or service done withÂout reward. The experience of selflessness is achieved through beholding one’s self in each and every being, including the wicked and the ungrateful.
Karma yoga is the yoga of selfless action, without the idea of agency and without expectation of fruits. It is only through selfless activities, unattached work and loving service that one can acquire the precious gems of purity, patience and humility. Wherever there is distress share what you have and alleviate human suffering wherever possible.
Selfless service expands the heart, breaks down barriers and helps to develop divine virtues such as kindness, tolerance, patience, self-restraint. There is a particular joy and bliss in vigorous selfless service. You get inner spiritual strength and power by performing motiveless and selfless service. If you really want to grow on the spiritual path, you must do all sorts of selfless service daily, until the end of your life. Only then are you safe. Do not stop serving when you become a famous yogi. May we all work unselfishly with perfect harmony and healthy cooperation for the well being of the world and for our own upliftment.
Half-hearted service is no service at all. Give your whole heart, mind and soul when you serve. Always analyse your motives. Selfishness contracts the heart. Selfishness clouds understanding. Selfishness is petty-mindedness. Selfishness is the root cause of human suffering. Real spiritual progress starts from selfless service.
It is the selfish motive and not the work itself that binds a person to samsara. Prepare the mind. Unselfish work is worship. What is the object of selfless service? By serving others you purify your heart. Egoism, hatred, jealousy and all the negative qualities vanish. Humility, sympathy, patience, tolerance, kindness and pure love are developed. Selfishness is rooted out. You develop a broad and liberal outlook on life. You begin to feel oneness and unity.
When you serve others, remember that you work for God. You are only an instrument. On account of egoism you think that you do everything. So you get bound. Do every act as an offering to God and you will progress spiritually. Work will not bind you then.
Help and serve. Create harmony and goodwill. Pocket insults. Be absorbed in your work and give your full heart, mind and soul to it. Do not think of success or failure. Practise self-reliance. Keep a cool, balanced mind. Work for the sake of work. You are then bound to succeed.
When work is done as worship, it is transformed from karma into yoga. If selflessness becomes the religion of the world, there will be heaven on earth. Rekindle the light of love in the world.