Swami Abhiramananda
Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Coimbatore
Service means doing good to the world. All welfare works _ social, economic, medical, welfare, etc. _ are considered to be service activities. Both the western and eastern civilizations have taken up the concept of service seriously and formulated their own distinct modules of this concept. It is needless to mention here that unless there is a convincing philosophy behind these modules, their impact on the society will not be effective or enduring. So it is necessary to know the philosophical background behind these concepts.
The service activities of the west are based on the dictum, "Love your neighbour as yourself'. This statement has been the inspiration behind the innumerable charitable, educational, medical and other welfare activities of the westerners all over the world. Further, there is emphasis on their essential and permanent responsibility to the world and a specific, manifold social welfare system of activity, to eventually bring about revolutionary changes. This is to be achieved by living in solidarity as one human family emphasizing the idea of universal brotherhood of mankind. Justice, freedom, equality, participation and peace are the cardinal principles of service. In sum, the aim of service is to "build a better world", and `to make myself physically strong, mentally alert and morally straight, and to leave this world a little more safe, just and happy for my living in it".
Now the question is, has the implementation of this system of system brought about the desired goals? No doubt, the economic status of mankind has improved, the standard of living (as against the standard of life) has risen considerably, science and technology has progressed by leaps and bounds, instant global communication has been established and physical distance has been annihilated.
But, has it addressed the most important question, "If service, as presupposed, is meant to gradually eliminate evil and misery from the face of this earth and permeate the world with peace and happiness, has the goal been achieved? The answer is an emphatic `no'. On the other hand, wherever the western concept of service has been tried, the result has been increase of violence, hatred, wars, tension, anxiety, crime rate and collapse of social structure.
The dictum, "Love your neighbour as yourself' does not answer certain fundamental questions. "If I have to love my neighbour as myself, what should I do with my relatives, friends, and strangers who are not my neighbours?" Again, "How do I love my neighbour if he is a scoundrel or a crook?"
We have no justifiable answers these basic questions.
The modern materialistic perception of the western concept of service is basically derived from the philosophies of the utilitarianism of Mill, the Existentialism of the European thinkers, the pragmatism of Dewey and the Communism of Karl Marx. It is not difficult for a discerning mind to perceive the steady erosion and merging into the oblivion of these philosophies in the modern times.
There is a popular notion that the concept of service derived in India is an adoption of the western ideal. This notion has no basis. Long before the beginning of the western civilization, we find in the book of the Rig-Veda Samhita, the oldest Book in the world, the eulogizing of the Istapurta. Ishtapurta means welfare activities such as digging wells, tanks, water reservoirs, planting trees, etc. The Yajur Veda also prescribes similar activities. The
Bhagavad Gita strongly condemns a man who accumulates more wealth than is necessary, as a thief and a sinner, and advises him to spend it on the welfare of humanity.
But the concept of service in the Indian concept differs basically from that of the west on certain fundamental points. The Indian concept of service is not based on the brotherhood of mankind, but on the oneness of mankind. Indian culture believes that there is a consciousness interpenetrating all living and non-living beings, thus forging a unity behind the apparently manifold creation. When a man realizes this consciousness as his real nature behind the changing body-mind complex, he sees the whole world as a replication of himself. So, service to him, is not meant to `build a better world", but for a gradual expansion and ultimate identification of his consciousness with the entire creation. He begins to see all of creation as equal and by serving the world, which becomes a spontaneous and joyous act, he benefits himself the most.
That is why the Bhagavad Gita says that a man established in service sees an illumined man, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater as equal and treat them as such.
The Isavasya Upanishad exhorts man to envelop the whole world with consciousness and enjoy the world through service to it.
Thus, in the Indian concept of service,
i. There is no difference between man and man from ultimate standpoint.
ii. Not merely human beings, but all creatures are equal.
iii. By serving the world, we realise the unitary consciousness and become illumined. The purpose of human life gets fulfilled here.
Summing up these ideas, Swami Vivekananda, the founder of the Ramakrishna Mission, which is one of the foremost service organisations in India today, said, addressing a western audience:
Be thankful that you are allowed to exercise your power of benevolence and mercy in this world, and thus become pure and perfect…. What can we do at best? Build a hospital, make a road or erect charity asylums. We may organise a charity and collect 2 or 3 million dollars, build a hospital with million, with a second one give balls and drink champagne, and of the third let the officers steal the half, and leave the rest finally to reach the poor. But, what are all these? One mighty wind in five minutes can break all your building up. What shall we do then? One volcanic eruption may sweep away all our roads and hospitals and cities and buildings. Let us give up the foolish talk of doing good to the world. It is not waiting for your or my help. Yet we must work and constantly do good, because it is a blessing to ourselves. That is the only way we can become perfect".
The same idea can be applied in the field of education also. It is not the student that is blessed by receiving the lessons from his teacher, but the teacher himself. By constantly giving to the student, the teacher expands his consciousness and manifests the perfection that is within himself. That is the goal of education.
The western concept of commercial relation between the student and the teacher will never help in the true transmission of knowledge. It will only increase the arrogance and egoism in the student and increase the gap between the teacher and the taught. On the other hand, the Indian system of education is the gurugrihavasa, wherein the student has to humbly sit at the feet of the teacher and learn. No specific fee is charged. Whatever is given as fee is accepted wholeheartedly. The relation between the teacher and the taught is marked
by kindness and compassion.
That is why, at the beginning of the lessons, the student and the teacher recite the following verse every day: Om., May we protect each other. May we nourish each other. May we both work with vigour and energy. May our study be fruitful may there be no rancour between us. Om, Peace, Peace, Peace.