5
Realise Oneness with Mankind through
Selfless Service
Everyone should regard his life as a form of
penance. Everyone must have firm resolution that
as long as life lasts he will dedicate himself to the
service of his fellow men. Thereby he will realise
his oneness with all mankind. Such a feeling of
unity will lead to God-realisation. Service is the
only way to get rid of selfishness and self-centred-
ness. A devotee who has resolved upon such ser-
vice is dear to the Lord.
5
The devotee should be steadfast and unwaver-
ing in any situation. With his mind firmly rooted
in God, he should engage himself in service to
others and perform actions in a spirit of detach-
ment. Only such a devotee is eligible for God’s
love. He is unaffected by pleasure or pain, gain or
loss, or what happens in the mundane world.
6
Do Not Engage in Impure Acts
Determination should be confined to actions
that are pure, helpful to others, and sublimate
man. No man can refrain from action of some
kind or other even for a moment. In no circum-
stance should one engage himself in an impure
act. This is the way to achieve purity through firm
determination. Only such a person can be called a
resolute person.
3
Be Equal-Minded at All Times
You should be one of determination in order
to attain Divine grace. Once you have taken ref-
uge in God, never lose faith, come what may. Do
not become disheartened by trials and tribulations
that come your way. Be equal-minded in times of
both pleasure and pain. That is true determina-
tion.
4
UDAASEENA
(Detached)
Be Totally Detached
Next comes udaaseena, which means detach-
ment. You must be totally detached with respect
to whatever you are doing. You can do any kind of
work; you may, for example, be engaged in service
activity. However, you should not have expecta-
tion of any type [including of the outcome], and
also not seek any reward, praise, appreciation, etc.,
for what you are doing. Especially while working
for service organisations, you should be very care-
ful; you must not have any craving for fame and
name.
You must not seek praise and respect. You
should not lament, “I am working so hard and do-
ing so much, but there is no mention of it whatso-
ever in the newspapers!” If you do your work with
such cravings and expectations, then the good that
you might be doing is nullified and the sanctity of
the work is destroyed. Therefore you must do ser-
vice work sincerely, being immune to success and
failure, praise as well as criticism.
2
Perform Your Duties Selflessly
You must be indifferent towards sorrow or joy,
loss or gain, honour or dishonour. You must be
concerned only to see whether your actions are
pure and selfless according to your conscience.
Nothing else matters, neither the praise nor the
blame of other people. When your conscience tells
you that what you are doing is good, you may go
ahead regardless of the opinion of others, whether
they are your kinsmen, friends, or others.
5
The human body is the result of past actions.
Man is bound to the world by his actions. The
body is the primary requisite for the performance
of right action. Indifferent to fame or blame, not
seeking power or position, one should perform
one’s duties selflessly.
1
Always Remain Serene and Unruffled
One must be free from attachment to any-
thing. It means remaining serene and unruffled
by fame or blame, peace or sorrow, loss or gain,
pleasure or pain, not elated by prosperity or de-
pressed by failure. One should not succumb to
calumny. Nor should one exult over fame. Fame
and censure are like passing clouds. One should
look upon them as mere witnesses. They should be
treated with equanimity. To treat them seriously is
to give rise to agitations in the mind, which may
lead to demonic tendencies.
3
6
GATAVYATHAH
(Free from Grief)
Do Not Brood Over the Past or Worry
About the Future
After this, gatavyathah, which means being
impervious to the ups and downs brought about
by time. Acquisition of this particular virtue also
calls for strong determination. You should neither
brood over the past nor worry about the future.
Why all this pointless contemplation? No matter
how much you think, reflect, and brood, the mis-
eries of the past cannot be corrected or set right.
Regarding the future, no one can say anything
definite about it since it is so very uncertain. You
are keen about achieving something tomorrow; is
there any guarantee you would be alive then? Are
you sure you would be alive? No one can speak
with certainty on such matters. Therefore, what is
the point in worrying about the future?
Focus Your Thoughts on the Present
The future is hidden in the womb of time; no
one can see it. So, why spend time imagining all
sorts of future scenarios? As for the past, it is gone
and lies buried in the sands of time. The past can-
not be revived, recovered, or resurrected. The fu-
ture belongs to time. Why therefore waste time re-
flecting about both the past and the future? If you
do want to think, then do so about the present.
Man cannot live without thinking. Waves of
thought constantly assail you. Focus your thought
on the present. Why? Because both the past and
the future are contained in the present. The pres-
ent is a seed that came from a tree called the past.
This seed also contains the tree called the future.
Thus the present is very important, being the em-
bodiment of both the past and the future; there-
fore, go by it. Don’t worry about the future, but
concentrate on the present. If you take proper care
of the present, the future is bound to be bright; of
that you can be sure.
2
Mental Worry Should Be Eliminated
When you act properly in the present, the fu-
ture will take care of itself. Do what is appropriate
for the present moment. If there are no expecta-
tions, there will be no disappointments.
1
Brooding over the past and speculating about
the future, man is failing in his duties in the pres-
ent. This is the cause of his misery. Make right
use of the present, and a good future is ensured.
The aspirant should bear this truth in mind and
concentrate his attention on the present. Mental
worry about the past or the future is a rajasic (pas-
sionate) quality. It should be eliminated.
3
Engage Yourself in Right Actions
A true devotee is one who lives in the pres-
ent without brooding over the past and worrying
about the future. Past is past; forget the past. Do
not worry about the future for the future is un-
certain. So live in the present; it is not ordinary
present. It is omnipresent.
4
Keeping the present in
view, men should engage themselves in right ac-
tions. The past and the future are in the present.
Devotees who do their duty in the present are dear
to the Lord.
5
SARVARAMBHA PARITHYAAGI
(Renunciation)
Who Is a True Renunciate?
Lastly, sarvarambha parithyaagi—this implies
total renunciation. Who is a true renunciate? He
who remains perfectly calm at all times and under
all circumstances is the one who merits such a de-
scription. Such a one is beyond pomp and osten-
tation. God distances Himself from the ostenta-
tious type. In fact, exhibitionism is the first thing
that one must renounce. Pomp is a sure sign of
rajo guna (quality of passion).
The craving for ostentation is the starting point
for all desires. Seeking publicity is a reflection of
worldly desires. Do not go after worldly goals for
they represent the temporary and the evanescent.