The Sikh tradition is fundamentally based on the practice of Seva or service to others. This article examines how Seva is articulated and presented in Sikh teachings, how Sikhs apply it to understand activism and justice, and how we can witness examples of seva in the modern world.
The principles of Seva underpin many Sikh values - such is the importance given to Seva in Sikhism. The Guru emphasizes this concept numerous times in the Guru Granth Sahib. The holy scripture focuses on the state of mind when practicing Seva, the spiritual benefits of doing Seva, and how one should perform it.
The Guru says:
ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰਤ ਹੋਇ ਨਿਹਕਾਮੀ ॥ ਤਿਸ ਕਉ ਹੋਤ ਪਰਾਪਤਿ ਸੁਆਮੀ ॥
“One who performs selfless service, without thought of reward, shall attain his Lord and Master." (SGGS p 286)
The Guru Granth Sahib begins with the numeral 1, which is a cornerstone of Sikhi (the Sikh religious tradition). Number 1 indicates the oneness of the world, the interconnectedness of reality, and the interaction between creator and creation.
This numeral is associated with another character, “Oankar”, and together, they form EKONKAR, which refers to a single divine force. In light of this logic, all existence is unified by a concept of divinity. Consider this idea at the atomic level: If everything we know is made up of atoms, then imagine that each atom is imbued with divinity. This is maybe the most relevant approach to understanding this idea. Everything is divine and pure from the Sikh perspective. There is nothing that is by nature bad or profane.
Bhagat Kabir, a well-known spiritual poet from early modern North India, provides a scripture composition that succinctly articulates the logic behind this viewpoint.
Kabir says…
ਅਵਲਿ ਅਲਹ ਨੂਰੁ ਉਪਾਇਆ ਕੁਦਰਤਿ ਕੇ ਸਭ ਬੰਦੇ ॥
ਨੂਰ ਤੇ ਸਭੁ ਜਗੁ ਉਪਜਿਆ ਕਉਨ ਭਲੇ ਕੋ ਮੰਦੇ॥੧॥
ਲੋਗਾ ਭਰਮਿ ਨ ਭੂਲਹੁ ਭਾਈ ॥
ਖਾਲਿਕੁ ਖਲਕ ਖਲਕ ਮਹਿ ਖਾਲਿਕੁ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਸ੍ਰਬ ਠਾਂਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
First Allah created the light and all the people of the world.
If the whole world is born from one light, then who is good or bad?
O Siblings, don’t be deluded by doubt —
The creator is in the creation, the creation is in the creator – deeply embedded in all space.
The vision of divine interconnectedness extends to the view that all people are divine. It is not possible to discriminate based on notions of purity or original sin as these are man-made concepts. According to him, we are all created by the same God, so this differentiation of the caste system to define who is pure and who is not is unnecessary and makes no sense. Kabir Ji believes there is only one creator and he exists in all his creations.
It is a very important principle for the Sikhs to live by the concept of equality. Sikh life is all about seeing the world in a non-egocentric way and realizing the oneness of all things. This state of realization is referred to in Sikh teachings as Simran (remembrance), Anand (bliss), and Sahaj (equipoise). This revelation is described in Sikh teachings as a joyous, selfless, and all-consuming form of deep love.
The Guru Granth Sahib emphasizes love as the ultimate goal throughout. Sikhs strive to live with love by experiencing love and oneness within their own lives every day.
The two building blocks of Sikh life are oneness and love.
The fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Sahib, writes-
ਰਾਜੁ ਨ ਚਾਹਉ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਚਾਹਉ ਮਨਿ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਚਰਨ ਕਮਲਾਰੇ ॥
I don’t want power, and I don’t desire salvation. All I want is to be in love at your lotus feet.
How Sikhs interact with the world is influenced by their belief in the divine nature of the world. By honoring the creation, one can honor the creator. The best way to serve Waheguru according to the Sikhs is by serving those around you.
SEWA is the Sikh act of service
Sikhs express love through service.
Service is a prayerful act.
Service is worship manifest.
Sikh tradition refers to this work as seva. The word Seva means 'selfless service’. The purpose is to act selflessly and help others in a variety of ways without expecting any reward or personal gain in return. A part of their daily routine, it is a way of life for many Sikhs. Sewa is an act of service to Waheguru and must be done regularly to gain a closer relationship with him. Through it, Sikhs can demonstrate their devotion to Waheguru.
Guru Nanak taught that all beings possess divinity; thus, helping one another is helping God.
Sikhs, however, will say that "service" and "activism" are inadequate translations of the term SEWA because they fail to sufficiently capture the logic and spirit underlying it. As a result, Sikhs translate Seva into English as "selfless service," which better conveys the distinction between activism and seva.
True Service is motivated by love
ਏਹ ਕਿਨੇਹੀ ਚਾਕਰੀ ਜਿਤੁ ਭਉ ਖਸਮ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਸੇਵਕੁ ਕਾਢੀਐ ਜਿ ਸੇਤੀ ਖਸਮ ਸਮਾਇ ॥੨॥
What kind of a servant is that in which fear of the master does not dissipate?
O Nanak, the real servant is the one who always remains connected with the master.
The goal of serving with love is not just to eliminate fear. It also involves eliminating the sense of self. When Sikhs use the term "Seva," which they define as selfless service, they mean this. It is directly related to the notion that the human ego must be subjugated to realize divine oneness. Not making a distinction between oneself and the other is necessary for genuine service out of love.
In this way, Seva integrates spirituality with justice in the Sikh faith. This concept is so central to Sikhi that it coined its own terms to describe it. The Sikh term for leading a holistic lifestyle is miri-piri which denotes a balanced dedication to spiritual development and political activity. Every Sikh is expected to be a sant-sipahi, a saint, and a soldier, not just one or the other. Seva-Simran, or performing acts of service while thinking about one's devotion, is another term from the Sikh faith that accurately describes this harmony.Every Sikh must live their lives in a way that balances these seemingly disparate aspects of life; every Sikh should cultivate their spirituality while also serving their communities.
Sikhs, like many other religious communities, examine the lives of their prophets to understand how these concepts were embodied by representatives of their faith.
NURTURING SEWA THROUGH CENTURIES
Sikh history is replete with stories of Seva. Here are a few
Sewa in Sikh tradition is as old as the advent of Guru Nanak. One of the first anecdotes (sakhis) that Sikhs hear about Nanak's life describes how, when he was a small kid, his father handed him some money to go invest in the town. As Nanak makes his way to the town, he encounters a group of spiritual mendicants (sadhus). He believes that this group needs his money more than he does, so he gives them all of it. When he gets back home, his father learns that his son has spent all of his money, and he is outraged. Nanak simply answered, "What could be a better investment than giving to those in need." "This is the real investment (Sacha Sauda)."
Sikhs continue to use this image of Guru Nanak as a young boy to emphasize the value of charitable giving and acknowledging one's privilege. The term 'Sacha Sauda, which Guru Nanak is said to have used, remains frequently used in Sikh vocabulary to refer to a form of generosity associated with a sense of community and love.
Another significant example from Sikh memory is found in the Sewa act by Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth guru (d. 1675 CE). According to Sikh legend, Hindu hill rajas, who were being oppressed at the time by the Aurangzeb-led Mughal state, came to ask for his assistance(d. 1707). Although Sikhs were not the ones being oppressed, Guru Tegh Bahadur saw the suffering Hindus as his fellow human beings. He denounced the state's persecution of Hindus. As a result of the protest that he raised against the torture of Hindus, Guru Sahib and his followers were detained, executed, and tortured.
Sikhs consider Guru Tegh Bahadur's death, a form of martyrdom for the sake of religious freedom and the elevation of humanity -Sarbatt da Bhalla. These ideals are built upon the cornerstone of love and oneness.
Guru Tegh Bahadur wrote the composition, Salok Mahala 9, before his death. Among other things, he talked about the interaction of love, fear, and action.
The words of Guru Sahub
ਭੈ ਕਾਹੂ ਕਉ ਦੇਤ ਨਹਿ ਨਹਿ ਭੈ ਮਾਨਤ ਆਨ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੁਨਿ ਰੇ ਮਨਾ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਤਾਹਿ ਬਖਾਨਿ ॥੧੬॥
One who neither fears anyone nor causes anyone else to feel fear – Nanak says, o listen my heart-mind, recognize this person as wise.
Guru Tegh Bahadur believes that divine life cannot contain fear, especially since it causes division rather than unity.
As Sikhs, we must reflect on these principles of oneness and equality. It is our duty as ideal Sikhs to always raise our voices against oppression and never stand by those who are practicing oppression. As ideal Sikhs, we should help everyone who needs our help without discrimination.
Sikhs around the world have made their decisions based on the principles and the examples set by our gurus. Living by these examples, they are working towards equal treatment for those who are oppressed and marginalized as Guru Tegh Bahadur did, who ultimately gave his life to ensure equal rights for all. We learned in the example of Guru Nanak that serving those who need the most is perhaps the best business.Rather than accepting poverty and caste hierarchies, the Sikh Gurus established the langar, where everyone ate together as equals. Across the world, Sikhs continue to serve at the forefront of humanitarian crises, from hurricanes and tsunamis to floods and terrorist attacks.
They never gave importance to the last names but rather gave the name of Singh and Kaur. These surnames are powerful and sovereign at the same time.
The Sikh tradition is animated by the spirit of connecting with and contributing to the world through Seva. We gain a better understanding of the Sikh worldview by understanding the Sikh model of justice- Seva- through the lens of Sikh traditions. In addition, the logic that underlies the beautiful spirit of Sewa is not exclusive to Sikhs. Any Sikh would tell you that they believe that these ideas are universal; Sikhi does not lay any exclusive claim to this worldview they welcome others to take freely from it.
*Based on an article by Simran Jeet Singh in The Revealer on December 21, 2017