Ethics of service and true servant

All that you have belongs to God and is to be utilized in his service. To devote it to one’s own enjoyment, regarding it as one’s own, is dishonesty. Guard against this dishonesty and harness all your resources in the service of God.

God indwells. He alone stands manifested in the form of every living being. Therefore, whenever any manifestation whatsoever of His falls in need of anything which you happen to possess, humbly offer it to that particular manifestation of God without any feeling of pride with the consciousness that you are offering to God that which belongs to Him.

A true servant sees God in all at every time everywhere. Service is neither advertised nor made a commodity of. Service is ingrained in his very nature. He does not differentiate between the high and the low, his own and those alien to him, a friend and a foe. He deems to his fortune to get an opportunity to serve.

Great temples in orrisa

True service is neither advertises nor made a commodity of. Service constitutes the innate disposition of a servant. Service implies the consciousness that whatever resources in the shape of one’s body and money, learning and intelligence and whatever capacity one has are all intended for service, as also the will to employ them humbly in service in a disinterested spirit.

A servant should have the following seven characteristic:-

1. Faith in service

2. Purity of service

3. Esteem of service

4. Self-restraint of service

5. Zeal for service

6. Love for service

7. Modesty

To lend assistance or co-operation in the perpetration of a sin is not service. Service does not consists in abetting those who oppress others, shed blood, commit robbery, indulge in adultery and usurp others’ rights, in their evil deeds. Such deeds as a matter of fact bring great harm to the doer. And it is no service to assist one in harming oneself. It is abetting the perpetration of a sin.

Self-abnegation and modesty are imperative in a servant. Service is not possible without self-denial and lack of modesty begets pride. A servant lacking in modesty begins to look down upon the person whom he serves and to regard himself as superior, in the absence of self-denial and freedom from pride evils like hankering for return, expectation of gratitude, and in the event of the person served not feeling grateful or not being able to return his services, getting displeased with the latter and regarding him or her as ungrateful and bearing malice towards him appear in the servant and mar the very purity of his service.

A servant neither looks into the antecedents of the person whom he serves nor does he concern himself with the future behaviour of the person served. He directs his attention only towards the latter’s present innocent need and serves him or her in a simple and unaffected manner according to his resources and capacity.

A true servant claims service as his only possession; his sole ambition is to see his capacity to serve increased, his egotism is transformed into humility and he looks upon his objects of service as God Himself and considers his own self as His perpetual servant.

A servant neither seeks honour or applause, nor does he want to lord it over others, nor does he cherish love or hatred for people, considering them his own or otherwise, nor does he regard others as ignorant, foolish or inferior to himself, nor does he vilify or carry tales against others nor does he ever expect from anybody comfort, dainty dishes or service.

A real servant is naturally fired with the spirit of serving all living beings. He is kind, pure-hearted firm, tactful, industrious, reverent, ever engaged in noble deeds, a man of character, self-controlled and most humble and sustains life only in the interest of others. As far as possible he wants to keep his service hidden from public view. Service is the very essence of his life.

Spirit of service is an exceedingly pure and sweet gift of God appearing in a desire less and humble mind. It is no barter nor is it a base attempt inspired by pride to humiliate others.

“And he alone, O Hanuman, is exclusively devoted to Me, who is steadfast in his conviction that he is the servant and that the Lord manifested in the form of the whole animate and inanimate creation is his master.”