Balancing Seva and Personal Responsibilities: Maharajji’s Way
Maharajji often reminded us that true seva is not about abandoning life’s duties—it’s about infusing them with love. “Work is worship,” he said in his own quiet way, whether that work was feeding the poor, teaching children, or caring for your own family.
1. Seva Begins at Home
In Be Love Now, Ram Dass shares how Maharajji would sometimes tell devotees eager to “serve humanity” to first go home and look after their parents, spouse, or children. Love and responsibility are not separate; when we care for those closest to us with an open heart, that is seva. Krishna Das echoed this in Chants of a Lifetime, explaining that Maharajji taught service is a state of being, not a job description.
2. The Heart of Seva is Presence
Seva doesn’t require grand gestures. Maharajji once said, “You can plan your whole life around helping others, but if you forget God in the process, what’s the use?” The balance comes when we act from the heart, not the ego. Whether washing dishes or leading a project, the inner quality of love and remembrance transforms the act into service.
3. Service and Sadhana Go Hand-in-Hand
In Sometimes Brilliant, Larry Brilliant recalls that when Maharajji sent him into the thick of India’s smallpox eradication campaign, it wasn’t just about medical work—it was part of his spiritual path. Maharajji knew that seva without inner grounding can burn you out. Just as we schedule time for work, family, and rest, spiritual practice (japa, meditation, prayer) should have its place. Without it, service becomes another form of busy-ness.
4. Let Life Become Seva
Dada Mukerjee writes in By His Grace that Maharajji’s life was a seamless flow between personal interactions and acts of service. If a devotee came to him with household troubles, he didn’t say, “That’s not my work”—he listened, fed them, and blessed them. This is the secret: when our heart is in the right place, even cooking a meal, listening to a friend, or paying the bills can be seva.
5. Avoid the Trap of Guilt
Many devotees felt torn between staying near Maharajji to serve and returning home to their obligations. Maharajji often released them from this inner conflict, sending them back to their responsibilities without judgment. Guilt is of the mind; love is of the heart. Serve where you are.
Practical Reflections for Modern Life:
Prioritize inner balance: Make time daily for stillness, even if it’s five minutes.
Merge duties with devotion: Turn cooking, commuting, or childcare into an offering by repeating God’s name.
Serve without attachment: The outcome is God’s; the action is yours.
Remember that rest is part of seva: A burnt-out servant serves poorly.
As Maharajji said,
“Love everyone, serve everyone, remember God.”
Balancing seva and personal life is less about dividing time and more about uniting the heart. When every act is infused with remembrance, there is no separation between serving the world and caring for your own life.
You may also find it inspiring to explore Maharajji’s teachings on surrender—how letting go of control deepens both our service and our relationships.
