The Essence of True Seva

Swami used to talk about a devotee in Puttaparthi, Mr. Surraiah, who was in charge of the South Indian Canteen, when it started, way back in 70s. He was telling us during a Trayee session in Brindavan one day: “This tall gentleman, Surraiah, was in charge of the kitchen. When the first batch of devotees arrived to eat, he would serve sambar. When the next batch of eaters arrived, noticing that the quantity of sambar would not be enough to serve all, he would simply add a bucket of hot water into the pot and serve the watery mess. People could hardly eat it, but he was not concerned.” That was the state of his seva can you imagine?! He was supposed to be in charge of the canteen, with the great responsibility of looking after the welfare of devotees, but he would pour buckets of water into the sambar and call it rasam! Swami used to say, “That fellow would not even put a little extra salt and pepper into it, but just plain water and be done with it. How can people eat that food?”

At the end of his life, Mr. Surraiah was suffering badly with a physical ailment. He couldn't even come out of his room and was bedridden. Swami went to his quarters and told him, “See Surraiah, you are suffering like this because you have not served well. You did not do your job properly. When I gave you an opportunity to serve, you did not do it well. In your next birth, don't act like that.” I believe Swami poured some water in his mouth and allowed him to leave his painful body peacefully.

That is the story that Swami told us in Brindavan, when we were students. Unless we get rid of all our individuality and limited understanding of things, we run the risk of becoming an obstacle in doing His work and a cause of suffering to others and to ourselves, too.