Seva (Selfless Service without any expectation of result) is the greatest form of purification of past karmas. Our Shastras declare that it is only through selfless action that man can rid himself of the entanglements of prarabdha (results of past actions).
The wise, detached from the fruits of their actions, are freed from the bondage of past karmas and ultimately reach the state of Anandam (blissfulness).
Seva is even more beneficial when performed at Mandir and surrounding areas since you will help to clean and maintain the home or house of worship of Bhagawan. One should be humble and be free of Ahamkara (ego) in his quest for spiritual enlightenment. During Sunday services we always hear that helping to clean the Mandir, cooking, etc, are the best form of Seva and are the first things one should participate in when you begin the journey of becoming one with Bhagawan.
SSNM is embarking on a new initiative call ‘SEVA Saturday’. On each Saturday of the month starting at 10 am we will clean the Mandir and the Mandir Yard. In an effort to teach community involvement/service to our youths we will also clean the block that the Mandir is located on.
‘Happy New Year' to all. As the new year dawns upon us it brings 2009
to an end and presents to us an entire new year full of promises, hope and
excitement. This is a good time to
reflect upon the past year and to examine our current progress toward our
ultimate destination of divine awakening and realization.
According
to the Hindu calendar, today is not the beginning of our (Hindu) New Year. However,
we all observe new-year today because it is the way of the land in which we
live. From a social standpoint, we are all impacted in one way or another by
the activities surrounding the commencement of a new year. The Hindu New Year
begins when the Sun is in the Aries constellation, which comes approximately
two weeks after Holi or Phagwah.
So much in our past years, at
times, feels overwhelming, frustrating, unmanageable.... however; at these times,
it is most important to remember that we are never alone. God
is always with us. As we continue to work towards our ultimate goal of life - Moksha, we recognize that this will only
be possible if we obtain the inner strength from the Lord to follow our Dharma.
So as we think about resolutions for the
New Year, let us think about the following.
