Tattva

Sewa, by definition, is any physical act one performs for the benefit of others in need.  In Sanskrit, it is described in the shloka Paropakaraya Punyaya, Papaya Parapeedanam, i.e. any action resulting in the good of others is noble and should be followed.  Sewa is essentially selfless service toward humans, animals, nature, and even the self.  For every service done for  others is a service done for the self and, in effect, a service done for God, as illustrated in the shloka, “Iswarah Sarva Bhutanam Itruddesha Arjuna Tishtati,” which means that the same God who is present in me is also present in other human beings.

An integral component of sewa is daana, or charity. However, such charity must be impersonal. Charity is not a tool for making one feel more superior for having given; it is not rewarded with platinum plaques and gold medals. Charity, like service, is done for punya, purity of the heart.

Types of Sewa:
Sewa consists of two parts: runa- debt that is owed, and yagna – a sacrifice, or how to repay that debt.  We owe a debt to everyone and everything that has affected who we are now and who contributed to us being where we are today. From the engineers and scientists who developed new technologies, the doctors who took care of our well-being, and our parents who have guided us and provided us with unending resources, we have incurred countless debts. How do we repay this debt? How do we help those who have helped us? Through sewa or yagna.

There are five general types of runa, each corresponding with a yagna:
1. Devaruna-Devayagna: This is a debt to all the natural forces that replenish life at every moment: the sun, rain, etc. To serve these forces, one must respect them and preserve them, not just through pooja adorned with ritual, but with a deeper understanding of the importance of nature and what is owed to her.

2. Rishiruna-Rishiyagna: A type of debt owed to the teachers who have contributed to the field of knowledge, be it through a professor’s lecture, a grandparent’s wisdom, or a writer’s book. It is a debt that is repaid through passing the knowledge to others or adding to the large store of knowledge.

3. Pitraruna-Pitrayagna: This is an obligation to parents who have raised their children and helped develop their personalities. Whatever we become in life, we become because of our parental figures. We owe them compassion and respect when they are alive, care in their old age, and shraadha with their death.

4. Nararuna-Narayagna: Beyond the teachers and the parents, nararuna is what is owed to fellow human beings.  This is the yagna most commonly identified through various NGOs working to assist men and women who are deprived in any way by building schools and hospitals or raising funds for the homeless.

5. Bhutaruna-Bhutayagna: A responsibility towards the animals who have nourished our environment and contributed to our existence. For example, take the earthworm, whose presence provides fertile soil. It is our duty to care for the animals as they have cared for us.  

Sewa is performing all of the mentioned yagna to fulfill the obligation we owe to everyone, including nature and God.

How Sewa is performed
Sewa can be spiritually driven or performance driven. NGOs are excellent examples of professionally managed and effective service givers. Sewa is done with efficiency to better the lives of as many people (or animals) as possible and produce the best results.

But, at a more individual scale, sewa can be spiritually motivated. With this, results are not the most significant factor. Rather, service is done as a sacrifice and driven by principles and morals, for the betterment of the community at all levels, including self-development.

As a rishi once said, “Mountains and valleys both peacefully coexist.” Sewa, too, can be highly effective and efficient but must also have the depth of spirituality. There is no right or wrong way to do sewa; It is done to see the smiles of children in need, the appreciation in the eyes of the old, and in the integrity of existence.

References:
Bauddhik on Sewa, by Venkatesh Murthy
http://www.sewausa.org/
http://www.nhsf.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=184&Itemid=186 (National Hindu Students Forum UK)

Abhipsa Kar is a sophomore in Preble High School, Wisconsin. She is part of ADIRE, a non-profit organization that helps develop villages in Orissa. She enjoys volunteering at nursing homes and schools during her summers.

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