The spirit of service- The essence of worship

                                    The spirit of service- The essence of worship


    A king, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, built a big tank and ordered all his countrymen,especially cowherds to bring their entire milk and fill up the tank to the brim on every Monday ,once a week, so that he could worship the idol of Shiva in the nearby temple with continuous ablution of milk as a gesture of devotion. All the cowherds, out of fear for royal punishment brought all their milk and poured into the tank. They did not feed their children or sell the milk to the public to earn their livelihood. But still the tank was not full. Atlast, an elderly cowherdess came with a small cup of milk and poured it into the tank. What a wonder ! Immediately, the milk level in the tank rose to the brim. The king also observed this for two weeks. He stopped the lady after she poured the milk and turned back to go back home and asked her the delay in her coming and pouring so little milk that it zoomed to the brim. He wanted to know whether it was normal milk or something extraordinary. The woman replied, “ Oh king, there is no magic in the milk I bring. I milk the cows and take out fresh milk. I give a cupful to my husband and son who go to fields for work early in the morning. I give it to my grandkids who go to school, to my daughter-in-law first who does all the household works from early morning till night. I drink a cup for my health and sell to a small family nearby to earn some money for my family. Whatever is left, that is a small cup of milk, I bring here in obedience to your order. I pour this into the tank with faith and prayer that what I do is in tune with the inner dictates of my conscience. I cannot see my family starving and suffering at the cost of my worship. Infact, I firmly believe that Lord Shiva, as a kind father of this universe would enjoy and accept this faithful symbolic worship with a pure heart than taking the entire milk, cutting the only means of livelihood, causing distress and suffering to his own children, his created beings.” The king realized the truth and the real essence of worship, and was highly grateful to that lady.

Ritualism in any religion is to inculcate the idea of worship and to discipline the body and mind and involve one’s entire being-physical, verbal, mental and spiritual in worshipping the Lord. The principle, is to bring about a change in our attitude, mental thinking, and everything. Our family is our temple. We have to take care of them.
Devotion or worship is not a mere practice but a faithful and constant atmosphere around our head and heart.
In all our contact with the world outside, in all experiences, we must keep constantly a clear picture of our goal in our mind and live with devotion at all times in all activities.
Worship is not a part-time activity. Worship cannot be restricted to any particular time or day. Constant practice and frequent association with good thoughts are essential for the purification of the mind.
This unique bliss does not depend on any external things, beings or circumstances. Family is the cradle of spiritual values- love and togetherness, caring and sharing, then society, and then the entire universe.
Diversity of creation teaches that the spirit of service is the essence of worshiping the creator of this beautiful universe. The evolved human being’s mission is get the glimpse of divine bliss through his selfless, kind and loving service to his fellow creatures.
The best way to allign oneself to the divinity is through service to the created beings of the universe. This is the practical method to realize the divinity rather than the mechanical visits to religious places without any feelings.