Guru Pyaree Sadh Sangat geo

A loving Guru Fateh jeee

WJKK WJKF

The importance of selfless seva is highlighted by Guru Arjan Dev Jee in this verse:

“ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰਤ ਹੋਇ ਨਿਹਕਾਮੀ ॥ ਤਿਸ ਕਉ ਹੋਤ ਪਰਾਪਤਿ ਸੁਆਮੀ ॥

One who performs selfless service, without thought of reward, shall attain his Lord and Master.”

Although many of us might be aware that seva entails much more than just  washing dishes, serving or making langar at the gurduwara, it is still something that needs some further thought. In his lekhs on ‘Seva’,  Bauji guides us about  three different types of seva. He clarifies who can do this type of seva and how might it be done.

At one of the samagams last year, the following power point presentation on SEVA was shown. It highlights what is written in the SEVA lekhs. It also explains where the word ‘seva’ originates from. Here is the link for this: http://www.slideshare.net/jussrani/seva-3494233

The Haiti Earthquake and other similar world disasters bring the importance of seva to life. With over 200 000 people dead, 250,000 houses destroyed and 1.5 million people living in tent camps made with bed sheets and plastic scraps in nearly every open space in the collapsed capital of Port-au-Prince, I am humbled by the people who work for organizations like – Doctors without borders or Teachers without borders. People who have gone to volunteer their services to help rebuild everything in various parts of the world. The following link shows some our sikh brothers and sisters who have extended their hand to the Haitians.http://unitedsikhs.org/haitiearthquake/videos/haiti_relief.html

All I can say is VAVAVVAVAV!! Dhan Guru Nanak! Dhan Sikhi!

Its so easy to live in the bubble that wealth and success brings, and thus allow our privileged circumstances render us insensitive to the sufferings of the helpless around us. It is not enough to be grateful for our blessings. We must also use those blessings – whatever they may be –  by helping the helpless.

I believe that success, wealth, and prosperity are gifts from God. But I also believe that they constitute a divine call; the call to voluntarily and cheerfully use our blessings (tun,mun,dhun) to alleviate the sufferings of the helpless who may never be able to pay us back.

Please do take the time to see the power point presentation. Because, he was exemplary model in his own life, Bauji’s words are very powerful. (If you don’t read punjabi, may be you can make an effort to get someone to read them to you). Don’t give up if you don’t understand them the first time – come on, you are a trooper, you can do it!!!