SEVA & SADHANA

CONFUSION ????

We have enough work and we perform it as seva or spiritual service.

So is it necessary to do separate sadhana….

Is sadhana or a specific spiritual discipline really necessary for us?

SEVA Seva is not a compulsory duty or an uncomfortable obligation. Swami says it should happen naturally and spontaneously.

He gives a Vedantic stamp to it and says Paropakaarardham idam shariram – this body is meant to help others.

WHY SHOULD WE DO SEVA?

Swami says chittasya suddhihi karmaha – it is to purify the mind that we should do seva, to remove the contamination.

Swami says purity leads to unity, which in turn leads to divinity. So the seva that we do is to reach divinity through purity and unity.

Bhagavan categorically emphasizes that what seva does to you is far more important than what seva you do.

WHAT DO WE NEED IN ORDER TO DO SEVA?

SADHANA The root of the Sanskrit word

sadhana is ‘sad’ which means ‘accomplished’, ‘to succeed’ -- Transformation that Leads to Fulfillment

Sadhana is a spiritual practice that one needs to do so that we are in tune with the Lord.

Sadhana is devoting time and energy to establish communion with the Lord who is inside us.

WHY SHOULD WE DO SADHANA?

Sadhana Promotes an Attitude of Servitude.

Regular sadhana, Bhagavan says helps us to derive an inner joy and remove the selfishness and desires.

Bhagavan beautifully says sadhana removes our vasanas or tendencies (carried from many births)! It helps us to have trikarana suddhi – the unity of thought, word and deed.

FOR PROGRESSING IN SPIRITUAL FIELD ONE NEEDS TO DO SADHANA

HOW DO WE DO SADHANA?

Swami says the simplest way to do sadhana is to join sathsang or good company.

Reading Sai literature is a great way to have sathsang.

Listening to Bhagavan’s discourses, listening to elders, singing bhajans, prayers, etc. are all part of sadhana.

Bhagavan doesn’t prescribe severe austerities. He always tells, Hithamga undali, mithanga undali, meaning, you should be pleasant, you should be good and moderate

WHAT IS THE MEASURE OF IMPROVEMENT IN SADHANA?

THESE ARE INDICATORS, WHICH TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR PROGRESS IN SADHANA

A – Awareness of inner joy. If we are doing sadhana it should result in the awareness of the inner joy.

B – Balance of Mind. How balanced we are during the thick and thin of our lives on earth; how calmly can we take the successes and failures in our lives.

C – Ceiling on desires. Control of our senses and mind is an acid test of our progress.

D – Dedication to serve others.

IT IS A BIG MISTAKE TO EXPECT QUICK RESULTS IN SADHANA.

SEVA AND SADHANA ARE INEXTRICABLY BOUND

Although seva itself is sadhana, seva is not a substitute for sadhana.

We need to do sadhana to cultivate the spirit of seva.

Sadhana should fill us with an urge to serve others; it should fill us with the divine essence of life, which is Love.

Our Organization is called Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization. Bhagavan has named it so because He gives utmost importance to Seva.

Seva without Sadhana is bondage

and Sadhana without Seva is a burden.

FOLLOW THE PERFECT ROLE MODEL - BHAGAWAN

Now is a good time to join the Sai Tidal Wave and create a huge tsunami of love, peace, harmony and goodwill, which would make more and more people shed their fear and who can deny fear is gripping so many people these days in all parts of the world?

Swami often says: "Why fear when I am here?" And yet there is so much fear everywhere, fear of insecurity, and so on. Why?

Because people are not yet feeling His proximity in large enough numbers.

And that exactly is where, you and us, joining forces can do a lot to bring cheer and hope everywhere, in some measure at least.

OFFERING AT THY DIVINE LOTUS FEET