Real Seva Is Serving Me In Animals Too…
Sunday, October 12th, 2014
Is Seva a mere ritual, aimed at statistical accomplishments… a ritual one can do at leisure, depending on one’s mood-swings?… that also with the tag of ‘doership’ attached with? Seva is a God given opportunity to serve…to love…to rise above… With age Kali peaking transgressing all barriers… with rampant adharma all around, humanity must pause for a while, listening to what Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai has spoken on Seva… while ‘dictating’ Love All Serve All… a beautiful poem by Sri Jullie Chaudhuri.
Deena Dukhiyon Sey Prem Karo, Mera Sai Prasanna Hogaa…
When one consistently and lovingly reaches out to those that are stricken by poverty and innumerable other agonizing ailments and afflictions…such acts of sincere devotion most certainly please Beloved Bhagawan.
Har Praniyon Mey Sai Hai Samaye, Sathya Toh Ye Hai…Har Jeeva Jantu Sai Ki Hi Roop Hai…
Sai pervades the essence of every being…none can doubt or have any qualms…all creatures are but His myriad forms…
Unmey Hai Sai, Mujh Mey Hai Sai, Sab Mey Hai Sai, Sab Ke Hruday Ko Anandit Kartey Hai Sai…
Sai Ram, Bhagawan…
Sai resides in them…Sai dwells in me…Sai does every heart enthrall…
Sai permeates all of creation…Sai Ram is the Lord of all…
Seva, Seva, Seva,
Should it have a different connotation,
For each of us…for each individual…?
A different meaning,
A different feeling…?
Are we free to offer or skip Seva,
Depending on our moods,
Our whims and fancies…?
Sometimes in abundance…
…at times a prolonged freeze…
…bound by peculiarities and anomalies…
Should it be relegated to certain days,
Of the month or week,
Or should we seek,
To serve with our very breath…
…along our way…
… whomsoever…
…life does gather and get…
…humming the song of love and compassion…
…a harmonious duet…
…devotedly touching the lives of those battling…
…with a hostile kismet…
Be it from the animate or inanimate world,
Mineral, plant, animal or human,
Completely overwhelmed…encaptured…encircled…
…and en-swirled…
Do we have a right to say no?
Are we doing it only for statistics and show?
Isn’t it a great boon for the one serving…
…specific steps towards purposeful living…
…thus to be reckoned as a wonderful blessing?
Ah! That God given opportunity,
To serve, to love,
To rise above…
Must we retain doership?
Are not hands that serve,
Holier than prayers that…
…escape the lip?
Has not the Master said –
Help Ever, Hurt Never,
Love All, Serve All?
Through the monotonous cacophony…
…of mundane and selfish living…
…did His words enthrall…
…and have the effect…
…of a refreshing waterfall…?
Should we not pause to think,
Just what the Beloved One meant by the ‘all’…
…in Love All, Serve All…?
Will we ever be aware of a brotherhood true…?
Isn’t there a Fatherhood,
Of God,
The Cosmos through?
Then how can we neglect a certain section,
And serve only a few?
Shouldn’t we reach out…
To any and every being in need?
Deeply understanding and accepting,
That -
For the gigantic tree of Seva to blossom,
Within us the Master did sow,
A wondrous seed…
And so,
One fine day,
Ever so softly, tenderly,
The Lord did put forth a question,
To a certain devotee –
‘What is the meaning of Seva?’
Asked the Beloved One, you see,
Selfless Service was the reply,
But it didn’t quite satisfy,
The Master completely…
‘What more?’ asked He persistently…
‘In whatever way You want us to serve,
Beloved Swami…
…serve must we…’
But the Lord wanted to put a point across,
Like the rolling stone that gathered no moss,
Like the river that flowed on…
…come what may,
Like the appearance of the Sun,
At dawn each day,
There was that amazing zing,
In all that the Master had to say,
And so said He,
Ever so gently…
…firmly…emphatically…
A voice full of power,
Yet, as soft as soft can be -
‘Real Seva is serving Me in animals too…’
The Lord expressed a steadfast view -
That loving service maybe extended…
…to all creatures…creation through…
Consequently,
May all beings be embraced…
…with that joyful hue,
For all are His children,
Isn’t that true?
The pain of any being,
Is His pain too…
Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu,
The wellbeing of all Her children,
Is the bliss of the Mother,
Isn’t this true too?
Samastha Jeeva Sukhino Bhavantu,
Let this chant ring out the Cosmos through,
To live solely to please Him…
…as the Indweller of every heart…
…should be the cue…
…to herald in a kindred oneness…
…He gives us…
…many a clue…
Care for Life, Concern for Nature,
Respect for all of Creation too,
Surging ahead never to stall,
Seva should be a bridge,
And never a wall,
A true response,
To the Beloved One’s call…
II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
Posted in Say It Poetically |
