Serving the Poor is service to God!

From time immemorial man was in search of Joy and happiness from the external world. The list of his quests is endless. Wealth, properties, companions and relations are some examples. Some people seek to get happiness through knowledge and inventions. Yet some others tried adventures and sports for their happiness and fulfillment. But none reaped real happiness from all the above. There are some people who want to occupy high positions of powers in politics and government. Some people want to build business empires like “Ford” or Bill Gates. No doubt, each man has got an ambition in life. But ultimately, in spite of their achievements in the respective fields none derived permanent happiness.

This is one of the reasons of philanthropy by the business tycoons. Now we have many foundations like the Ford foundation, Gates and Malinda foundation through which many charitable acts are undertaken throughout the world for the deprived populations, and for the cure of Aids and HIV infections. No doubt, these are laudable from the aspect of sharing our resources with the poor and deprived. How the above foundations came into existence? When the chairman of Ford Motors was most successful business man, one day he was laid up with a terrible illness. Doctors pronounced a very short life in spite of the best treatment. The introspection of the sad situation gave Ford an idea to share his profits with the ‘have not’. Thus the Ford foundation came into existence. After sharing billions of dollars in charities, his health started to improve and he lived up to his 90^th year. The main reason is “Sacrifice”.

In the Hindu scriptures, there is a clear mention about ‘sacrifice’. Immortality can not be achieved through wealth or properties or position or progeny. Only through sacrifice alone, immortality can be achieved. Open your wardrobe and check the contents. You will be surprised to find many unused dresses which were lying there for months. There on the streets, we find some who have nothing to wear and are wandering in tottered cloths. We can always share with them the cloths which we rarely use. In many house holds, there is excessive wastage of precious food and drinks. None eats plate full. Children are the worst. They always leave quarter plate full of food which goes to the garbage bin. If we are kind and caring enough, we can collect the left over in some cartoons and give it to those who can’t afford for food. This is considered as a greatest charity in Hindu scriptures. Saibaba has aptly named the project as “Narayana Seva” means serving God! Narayana is the name of God and ‘seva’ is service. Saibaba calls those who have no means as Narayana since God dwells in each soul. Hence serving the poor with food is nothing but serving God! Hence you seek the opportunity to satisfy the hunger of poor with the extra food which you can afford!