|| Shri Hari ||
SAINTS AND THEIR SERVICE
(Sant
aur unki Seva)
continued....
Now the question arises in what manner to serve a saint? In answer to this one can only say, that the best of all means of serving a saint is to walk the path according to their instructions and wishes; to respectfully abide in their principles. This is the highest principle of serving a saint. This is because the saints love their principles, even more than life itself, which is most dear to us. This is the reason that when the need arises, they are willing to give up their life, but they will not give up their principles. Therefore abiding and diligently following their principles, doing according to their wishes. And if we do not know what is on their mind then do according to what they gesture and instruct etc. This is the highest and best service to them. "Agyaa sam na susaahib seva" along with serving with the body, if one can also serve with the inner-senses, through love and devotion, then what to say ! To know their principles, be in their company, one must ask questions pertaining to God. By this we can benefit significantly. Wanting worldly things, son, wife, wealth, honor, high position, etc. from a saint, is like crushing an invaluable diamond with a stone. This is not the proper use of a saint's association. By asking a saint one can also get a son etc. but is is not recognizing their true worth.
Now the question arises in what manner to serve a saint? In answer to this one can only say, that the best of all means of serving a saint is to walk the path according to their instructions and wishes; to respectfully abide in their principles. This is the highest principle of serving a saint. This is because the saints love their principles, even more than life itself, which is most dear to us. This is the reason that when the need arises, they are willing to give up their life, but they will not give up their principles. Therefore abiding and diligently following their principles, doing according to their wishes. And if we do not know what is on their mind then do according to what they gesture and instruct etc. This is the highest and best service to them. "Agyaa sam na susaahib seva" along with serving with the body, if one can also serve with the inner-senses, through love and devotion, then what to say ! To know their principles, be in their company, one must ask questions pertaining to God. By this we can benefit significantly. Wanting worldly things, son, wife, wealth, honor, high position, etc. from a saint, is like crushing an invaluable diamond with a stone. This is not the proper use of a saint's association. By asking a saint one can also get a son etc. but is is not recognizing their true worth.
Then how is one to recognize a saint? The simple straight forward answer to recognizing a saint is that association with saint increases our spiritual practice; we develop divine qualities; in our conduct there is justice. When we gain knowledge of the essential nature of Divinity, our faith increases in Truth-Scriptures, God, Great Souls, Life beyond, and Dharma (spiritual truths, righteousness) and when constant remembrance of God takes place, than for us this person is a saint. One must only seek such gains from a saint, and seeking such spiritual gains from them is true gains.
The following five points have to be followed for benefiting from God - Divine Name repetition (Naam Japa), Meditation (dhyaan), Service (seva), following their command, and their association. But to seek and gain from saints, only the following three are relevant - association, following orders and serving them.
Saints and great divine souls (mahatmas) never say to meditate (dhyaan) on their form or to repeat their name (naam japa), and those who promote their own name and meditating on their form, they can never be a saint. A real saint will only instruct to repeat the Divine Name of the Lord and to meditate upon God. Yes! he does not object to the following three - serving, following his direction and to his association. He is a bit hesitant about being served, and as far as possible he does not take service from them. There are two different kinds of service - 1) prayer, worship etc. 2) give clothes, food, making available those things that are essential for sustenance of this body. Both these two services are proper for God, but saints do not want the first type of service, and if someone is insistent on this type of service, then the saint in his place, gets such service done towards God, because they know that their body is made of bones and flesh, what is the benefit of serving the body! The second form of service they accept according to their stage in life and "varna". In this manner, even the service is not done with sainthood in mind, they do so from the perspective of stage in life and class (varna). Therefore providing for food, clothes and various things is not improper. This type of service can be accepted not only by a saint, but by any one. If someone is not a saint, but is hungry and thirsty, then who ever it may be, whoever has food and these other things, he can accept those things for the sustenance of their body from them.
(to be continue)
From book in Hindi "Jeevan ka Kartavya" by Swami Ramsukhdasji.
FOR MESSAGE IN HINDI PLEASE VISIT -
(Sant aur unki Seva)
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