Sewa, by definition, is any physical act one performs for the benefit of others in need. In Sanskrit, it is described in the shloka Paropakaraya Punyaya, Papaya Parapeedanam, i.e. any action resulting in the good of others is noble and should be followed. Sewa is essentially selfless service toward humans, animals, nature, and even the self. For every service done for others is a service done for the self and, in effect, a service done for God, as illustrated in the shloka, “Iswarah Sarva Bhutanam Itruddesha Arjuna Tishtati,” which means that the same God who is present in me is also present in other human beings.
An integral component of sewa is daana, or charity. However, such charity must be impersonal. Charity is not a tool for making one feel more superior for having given; it is not rewarded with platinum plaques and gold medals. Charity, like service, is done for punya, purity of the heart.
Types of Sewa:
Sewa consists of two parts: runa- debt that is owed, and yagna – a sacrifice, or how to repay that debt. We owe a debt to everyone and everything that has affected who we are now and who contributed to us being where we are today. From the engineers and scientists who developed new technologies, the doctors who took care of our well-being, and our parents who have guided us and provided us with unending resources, we have incurred countless debts. How do we repay this debt? How do we help those who have helped us? Through sewa or yagna.
There are five general types of runa, each corresponding with a yagna:
1. Devaruna-Devayagna: This is a debt to all the natural forces that replenish life at every moment: the sun, rain, etc. To serve these forces, one must respect them and preserve them, not just through pooja adorned with ritual, but with a deeper understanding of the importance of nature and what is owed to her.
2. Rishiruna-Rishiyagna: A type of debt owed to the teachers who have contributed to the field of knowledge, be it through a professor’s lecture, a grandparent’s wisdom, or a writer’s book. It is a debt that is repaid through passing the knowledge to others or adding to the large store of knowledge.
3. Pitraruna-Pitrayagna: This is an obligation to parents who have raised their children and helped develop their personalities. Whatever we become in life, we become because of our parental figures. We owe them compassion and respect when they are alive, care in their old age, and shraadha with their death.
4. Nararuna-Narayagna: Beyond the teachers and the parents, nararuna is what is owed to fellow human beings. This is the yagna most commonly identified through various NGOs working to assist men and women who are deprived in any way by building schools and hospitals or raising funds for the homeless.
5. Bhutaruna-Bhutayagna: A responsibility towards the animals who have nourished our environment and contributed to our existence. For example, take the earthworm, whose presence provides fertile soil. It is our duty to care for the animals as they have cared for us.
Sewa is performing all of the mentioned yagna to fulfill the obligation we owe to everyone, including nature and God.
How Sewa is performed
Sewa can be spiritually driven or performance driven. NGOs are excellent examples of professionally managed and effective service givers. Sewa is done with efficiency to better the lives of as many people (or animals) as possible and produce the best results.
But, at a more individual scale, sewa can be spiritually motivated. With this, results are not the most significant factor. Rather, service is done as a sacrifice and driven by principles and morals, for the betterment of the community at all levels, including self-development.
As a rishi once said, “Mountains and valleys both peacefully coexist.” Sewa, too, can be highly effective and efficient but must also have the depth of spirituality. There is no right or wrong way to do sewa; It is done to see the smiles of children in need, the appreciation in the eyes of the old, and in the integrity of existence.
There is a saying in hindi which says "बिना सेवा मेवा नहीं ". If we turn the pages of history we can see that all the great people have done enormous service to their people, communities, countries etc. Depending on our role we should extend our service at various phases of a Life. If we are a son/daughter we need to look after our parents and give them back our service. If we are a citizen, we need to give back to our society and our country. It depends on the individual what he can do. If somebody really has the idea, then automatically the required resources to complete that idea will be given to them provided they really has the will to fulfill that thing.
The entire nature follows the principle of giving whereas only humans have deviated from the path by taking. Humans have gone to such an extent that they have forgotten the basic principle that they should return back.
We should question ourselves, there are 5 basic elements which nature has provided us. Land, Water, Fire, Air and Sky. Humans have started taking everything without ever returning back.We have occupied land selfishly and if we turn the pages of history we can see the war and bloodshed done in the name of land. Water, needless to say the basic element, we have spoiled everything and we are in a such a position that we need to buy water to suvive. Fire, even this is not available for free, either it is petrol which runs our vehicles or the gas which helps us in cooking, has to be purchased. Air, another basic element for the survival of humans, we have polluted it completely and in hospitals again we need to purchase for the suvival. Sky, the last element which humans didnt spare. They have spoiled the ozone layers. Always humans are taking from the nature. Nature will some day forcibly take back from humans what they have been always taking.
Not only from nature, even in our daily lives, humans have become selfish and are always in a taking mood rather than giving back. We expect respect from others, but hardly give respect to others. The saying always says "Give Respect, Take Respect". So the principle is always give before taking. If we want to cut a tree, we need to plant a tree then only cut a tree. If we expect anything, first we need to give it, then only we have to expect for it.
History proved various instances, those who doesnt share or give back will definetly have to lose what they have taken. Nature will never allow to make the resources unused. As technology is growing day by day, when we consider that we are proceeding towards global village, where computers and technology have made the world a smaller place, when we consider that technology is crossing all the barriers of human limitations, instead of making the world a better place to live, humans have made this place the worst place to live.
Who is responsible for all these, ourselves. Each one of us should question themselves "What is my responsibility towards my parents, my fellow human beings, my country, towards the entire world, towards nature". We should not behave irresoponsible just because somebody is not asking us or somebody is not watching or monitoring us. Else someday humans have to answer the nature, when it starts taking back in the form of epidemics, earth quakes, floods, rains etc. Let us not force the nature to act in wilderness to forcibly bring back the balance in nature. Let us arise and awake in advance rather than crying in the end for the loss incurred to the humans.
At every level if everyone of us perform our responsibility and do service to our parents, our fellow humans, our country, this world will become the best place to live. Let us all take the initiative today.
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