Never mind whether realization comes or not. Make every effort to improve yourself, to render yourself perfect for the service of others. Look upon all beings as God. If your concept of God includes the idea that He is all-pervading, then why cant you see Him in all creatures? What makes you hesitate in translating your belief into action? You will have to give up such notions that He is available only behind locked doors and closed eyes. First feel His presence in everyone and everything as you serve. Then see whether or not He shines of His own accord in the chambers of your heart. When the heart is not yet free of impurities and the lower nature rid of its dross, how can spiritual experience come to you? First root out egoism, anger, hatred and greed by sincere selfless service. Even if you manage to do a little good to ten human beings, if you succeed in destroying one negative trait completely and develop fully a single positive virtue, feel certain that your life has not been lived in vain. Even this, ten people in a million hardly ever achieve. What if you do not have samadhi and self- realization? Apply yourself heart and soul to seva. The mind is so framed that it cannot think of any kind of work without remuneration or reward. This is due to restlessness. Human nature is always like this. When discrimination dawns, when the mind is filled with more sattwa or purity, this nature changes slowly. The spirit of selflessness slowly creeps in. Restlessness creates selfishness and attachment. A selfish person does not have a large heart. He has no ideal. He is petty-minded and full of greed. He will weigh the work and money in a balance. He cannot do a little extra work. He is actuated by the hope of reward. Selfless service is unknown to him. He has no idea of God. He cannot imagine an expanded selfless life. He dwells in a narrow, circumscribed circle or groove. His love extends to his own body, his wife and children - that is all. Generosity is unknown to him. Do you expect anything from your small child if you do something for him? Work for others in a similar manner without expecting anything. It may give you a little pain in the beginning if you have never worked in this line of selfless service. But after you have tasted the bliss of selfless service, you can never leave it. The whole world is yourself. The whole world is God for one who is not selfish. It is world only for one who is selfish. Compassion for anothers suffering is oneness with others. Put yourself in anothers place. To ease anothers headache is to forget your own. To mitigate anothers grief is to alleviate or dispel your own. Let your heart melt at the suffering of others. Open your heart. Share what you have with others - physical, mental and spiritual. This is real yajna. You will expand and feel the oneness of life. Sacrifice your own needs and comforts for the sake of others. If you have a hard heart, try to do little acts of kindness. Give a cup of milk to a poor, sick person. Give a blanket during winter. Supply some fuel. Get some extra vegetables from the market. Feed a hungry person once a month. Bring water for the aged. Feel for others suffering. Remember your own defects, frailties and weaknesses. Be slow in your criticism of others and generous towards those who do wrong actions. Help animals and people who are in distress. Wipe their tears. As you sow, so you reap. Good deeds give you happiness. Bad deeds give you pain. You are the master of your destiny. You sow an action and reap a habit. You sow a habit and reap a character. You sow your character and reap destiny. Destiny is your own making. Understand the law of cause and effect. A householder has duties towards society, his neighbours, friends, relations and family. Serve religious and social institutions for some hours daily with the spirit of selfless service. This will purify the heart and mind. Treat your neighbours as your own self. Share what you have - material, mental and spiritual - with others. Give one-tenth of your income in charity, whatever that income may be. The doctor who attends his patients with atmabhava, without selfish motive for money, will have a roaring practice. He can give free medicines to the poor. This is a wonderful field for seva. Through this he can purify his heart and evolve quickly. Doctors can impart knowledge of health to the public and teach first aid to all. A doctors heart should melt at the suffering of his patients. A doctor should always bear in mind that the knowledge of healing he has acquired is not solely for mercenary gain, but to enable him to play a worthy part in society. Therefore, apart from his practice, the doctor should ever watch and see where there is suffering and where his aid is needed. The businessman who is dishonest in his business dealings and cheats others will be miserable in this world despite his wealth and possessions. The goal of life is not glittering prosperity in business. It is a foolish persons idea of happiness. Understand the law of cause and effect. Spend one-tenth of your income in charity. Do it regularly. Merely giving a few coins occasionally when you are in distress is not praiseworthy. Help social and religious institutions. Open Ayurvedic dispensaries, hospitals and free primary schools. Dig wells in the villages. Let your profit be well utilized in charitable purposes. If you really understand the law of cause and effect, you will not dare to do any wrong deed. In deceiving others you deceive yourself. In helping others, you help yourself. A legal practitioner must take up cases from poor people freely. He must work for the public good also without fees. This will be his seva. This will purify his heart. Prakriti has given you legal knowledge and you should utilize this knowledge in protecting her poor, helpless children. An industrialist must look after the welfare of his workers, as their labour goes to build up his prosperity. Know that God has given you industrial acumen, genius for organization and money-power to promote the welfare of the human community. Utilize your special talents and wealth for the common good first and then increase your prosperity. Become a helper for the progress and welfare of the human race. Thus derive true happiness and peace in addition to material profit! Sri Sw. Sivananda (from rikhiapeeth.net)
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 06:03:07 +0000
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