Seva
(Selfless Service)
Joy of Service
Things like suffering, worry and sadness disrupt human joy. As Amma already explained, only humans can experience joy in life. What is the definition of joy? Joy is experienced when you share your happiness with others, those who are unhappy. This brings joy; which only humans can experience. Nonetheless, worry, suffering and sadness tend to disrupt your joy, or at least some of that joy.
Is there any way to get rid of these feelings? Is it possible for anyone to live without suffering? Yes, it is possible. But before getting into that, you should understand the reason for this suffering, the reason for this sadness, the reason for this worry. The ultimate reasons for all these difficulties are: desire and greed. Desire and Greed - desire is also sometimes greed. Greed is the dangerous one as all it brings is misery.
Let’s say, for example, you wish for something and pray to the Divine to grant it to you. If the Divine does not grant it to you, there may be a good reason. Still, the human mind cannot grasp this and it starts to worry. Even though the Divine may be waiting for good reasons, because you don’t understand, you start to worry about it. For example, after praying for something and not getting it you might complain about how long it is taking, ie. “Look how many candles I lit... “or you might wonder about how much effort you’ve put into making it happen, “I’ve worked so hard” or you might simply despair: “I give up”. Such thinking upset us.
When prayers and wishes are not granted or goals — either personal or professional — are not achieved, it upsets us. It causes worry and suffering. So, it is the expectation that causes all the stress. Is it possible for humans to live without expectations and desires? Yes, it is possible. How? When you surrender, only then is it possible. Otherwise, you task your mind with the work.
The mind always wants something: today it wants one thing, tomorrow it wants something else and the day after it wants a different thing altogether. It will never say, “Enough”. So, in addition to wanting all these things, it creates worries about how it will get them. Furthermore, because it is not possible to have everything, more worry sets in.
Sometimes and for good reasons, prayers are not answered. Still, the human mind will worry about it. The best way to live in joy, without all this suffering and stress, is to surrender.
When you surrender to the Divine, then you need not worry about anything. So, you don’t worry or even think about how things will happen or not happen. At this point, you will be happy. Through this process, you will mature. You will know that if your get your wish then you’ll be happy and thank the Divine for granting it to you. If your wish is not granted, you will still be happy because you have surrendered and you will accept the situation. Your heart will know that for some reason, the Divine did not grant your wish. You will be happy because when you are on the path of surrender and when you try to surrender, you will always be happy.
But, when you pray for something and do not surrender, then you are happy only if your prayers are answered. If, for some good reason it is not answered, then you will start to worry. Your devotion may even wane. But, when you surrender, no one can upset you. You’ll accept everything — whatever comes, you will be ready. You will have happiness and joy forever. So, the thing you need to do is surrender. This is easy to say and hard to do.
If Amma was to ask, ‘How many of you want to surrender?’ all of you would raise your hands saying it is easy. Still, this is good. Perhaps the first time you try to surrender, it will seem difficult. However, when you start to surrender, it won’t be that hard. You’ll be very relaxed. You know why? Because when you don’t surrender, it is your problem and you’ll worry. When you surrender, then it becomes Amma’s problem and so it is for Amma to worry — you don’t have any more worries. That is the difference.
So you need to begin on the path of surrendering. But, before that, you may have to struggle; you may face some obstacles. If you try, with Amma’s blessings, it is possible. It will bring more joy and peace. In this way, you will, have more time to think positive thoughts and do good deeds. When you are always worried about yourself, your mind is occupied and there is no time to think about the world or about service. So, with surrendering comes opportunity.
When you surrender yourself, then there will be lots of time, time will be there and you will learn to replace the time spent worrying with good deeds. You’ll have positive thoughts and your soul will develop. In order to have a peaceful and joyful life forever —just surrender.
What is the best way to surrender? “Om Namo Narayani”. That is the best way to surrender. It is like a multi-purpose medicine. You can take if for anything and everything. You can take it anytime, anywhere you want. There are no restrictions. The meaning of “Om Namo Narayani” is “I surrender to you”. Just do it. Do it for everything. No need to ask whether you can surrender this or that, for business or personal, it is for everything. It is the ultimate.
Being born a human is a big gift. As a human, you can find the path for peace and joy. This is a rare opportunity. In this big world, how many people are aware of peace and joy? There are still a lot of people running after the material things. Only a few are entering onto the spiritual path. Even among these people, many do not understand the spiritual path; they do not know how to use this path. These people just pray for themselves, they ask the Divine to give them this and to given them that.
If they get it, they are happy; if not, they are unhappy. In this way they are happy, unhappy, very unhappy, then happy again. They miss the opportunity of doing service to the world. If you want to do service, it should start from here (pointing to Amma’s head). -. And here (pointing to Amma’s heart)....
If you have your own problems on your mind and in your heart and if you carry the rest of your problems in your two hands, then how can you help the world? When can you think about the world? So, it is best to surrender and out of that process you will get time and joy.
Amma blesses you all.
Service
You all are blessed because the purpose of human birth is to give joy. When will you get joy? Whenever you give service to humanity, it brings joy; furthermore, the bigger the service, the bigger the joy.
As Amma has said, the purpose of the human birth is to do service. Out of service to humanity comes joy in life. Now everyone usually asks, “What is the best way to do service”? Knowing that the more service you do, the more joy you will get; then it follows that the best way to do service is to serve the whole world. Is there a way to do service for the whole world? Clearly, that would be considered great service. All Amma’ s devotees are blessed with that service.
Amma’s devotees can do service for the whole world. Sometimes this would not even be possible for the billionaires. Because billionaires may have billions and may be willing and able to help to their country or maybe a few countries, but still, even with their billions there is not enough to do service for the whole world. At times, not even trillions are enough to do service for the whole world.
Yet, when you are Amma’s devotee, even if you have a penny, with that penny, you can help the whole world. That is the great blessing of what you have. How is it possible? If someone wants to do service for the whole world, and they look into what that would cost, they might find that they need 10 or 20 trillion and even billionaires can’t afford that much. Even trillionaires would not be able to do service for the whole world because the world needs so much help. There are so many people who need service, who need help. So you see, it is not possible for most people to do service for the world, but you can.
Opportunities are open to you. For example, you can buy one kilo of ghee. That ghee will be for pujas or yagam. As Amma explained, Amma’s yagam is not just for the local place or for those people attending the yagam. What is the purpose of Amma’s havan? It is for the whole world, and not just this human world, all the fourteen (14) worlds. So, your one kilo of ghee it is a great service, it is for all the universes, for the whole universe. So, the joy you will get will also be that big! Whatever the service that you are doing, it is great. No one can compete with you!
Sometimes when people first come to Peedam to see Amma, they have an idea about doing service for their town, their city or even their country. But once they are here, they don’t need to worry about their town, city or country because everything that Amma does is for the whole world. And because whatever is done here is for the whole world, it fulfills their wish for their country. Their country is included in this service for the whole world. Furthermore, service for the whole world will bring a world full of joy. That is why Amma told you that you all are blessed.
All of you are very blessed because it is not possible for others, even very rich billionaires. What you are doing is not the same. Sometimes their service will stop or slow down. You can measure their services, but service that is done with spiritual institutions, creates great joy. It is a very big deed. You know, if you just buy camphor, or any small thing for Amma’s puja, then it is used for the world, the whole world.
It is not possible for the billionaire to create such joy with that same dollar, but you can. So, in that way, you all are blessed. So, starting today, everyone should take this oath. The opportunity you have is a great blessing. It will fulfill all the wishes to do service wherever you want. It can happen by doing service to Peedam; because, whatever you do for the Peedam, it is for the world. So your wish for your town, city or country is included in the benefits to the world.
Amma bless you all to continue your good service for humanity.