The seniority of a loksevi is tied closely to his personality rather than his age, knowledge, or experience. The guidelines for this have already been presented in the chapter “Seven Essential Vows for Pragya Parijans.” The sincerity of his effort to understand these guidelines will determine the level of reward and benefit the loksevi can expect.
Once a person is involved in the race to improve his social and material status, he turns a blind eye to things such as honesty, humility, and rational thinking. A frog once decided to pump his stomach full of air in order to look like a bull. He kept doing this until his belly burst, thus killing him. This story can be applied to human beings as well. They persist in looking for ways to become rich overnight. They have no patience and are willing to attain success by any means possible. Overcoming this mentality is the loksevi’s greatest challenge. However, it is quite surprising to see a loksevi think this way. If societal position and fame were so important for him, why did he choose the difficult path of service in the first place? If he had indeed truly dedicated himself to service, then why did he not bring the required humility with him? Service succeeds through humility. In order to ensure a bright future, the loksevi must incorporate humility and courtesy into his nature. People who are only interested in proving themselves superior to colleagues cannot succeed in the field of social service.
In the Mahabharat there is a famous story about two brothers, Sund and Upsund. They were blessed with near immortality; the only way either one could die was to be killed by the other. Since they loved each other very much, they assumed that this would never happen. However, both became fascinated by an extraordinary beauty named Tilottama, who could only belong to one of them. They fought between themselves and ultimately both died. During the Mughal dynasty, rulers did not mind killing their own kin in order to achieve power. This desire for power has been the main reason behind the downfall of many empires. The Kauravs did not agree to live peacefully under the leadership of Yudhishthir, and their ambition to prove themselves superior to the Pandavs caused the war of the Mahabharat. This ultimately resulted in their own downfall. The Yadav dynasty of Lord Krishna was also very prosperous, but exterminated itself because of its lust for power. Maharishi Vyas has described this quite simply: “An organization in which many people want to lead to maintain personal ambitions is bound to destruction.”
Loksevi must be aware of this danger. They should not allow themselves to foster their personal ambitions. Those who claim to have stepped forward to protect the world will only bring disgrace and destruction to the mission, that gave them their opportunity, if they begin to push their own petty personal ambitions and feed their egos by trying to prove themselves superior to their colleagues.
In the Rajasuya Yagya Lord Krishna accepted the job of washing the guests’ feet. Gandhiji never held office in Congress and yet was respected by all. Ram and Bharat did not want the kingdom of Ayodhya. Chanakya stayed in a hut to avoid the arrogance that would have accompanied living in a palace. King Janak ploughed the farm despite being a king. King Nasiruddin made his living sewing caps. These are some examples of people who inspired their contemporaries to become humble.
On the other hand, there are examples of learned people who paid for their lack of humility. King Nahush used sages to carry his palanquin and was cursed to become a snake. When chief justice Ram Shastri’s wife came home with gifts of jewels and cloth she was turned away, and her husband informed her that a Brahmin’s wife is expected to follow a simple life. He explained that by accepting those gifts they would lose their treasure of humility. They would have to live like Dronacharya, who despite being a great Guru and warrior was only a servant in the payroll of Duryodhan.
Loksevi should neither expect luxury nor complain when they do not attain it. Seniority should result in more humility in the loksevi’s attitude. He should live a disciplined life and avoid competition for rank and position. In the Pragya Mission, honest and humble behavior towards others is more influential than skills or abilities. No one should become arrogant. Everyone should strive to be a modest, disciplined volunteer for the mission. People who are not willing to abide by this rule should not become Pragya Parijans.
The sixth guru of Sikhism, Guru Arjun Dev, used to wash dishes in the community kitchen. Yet Guru Ramdas chose him as his successor out of all others who desired that position. He judged him by his modesty and his disciplined lifestyle. In the field of spirituality, seniority is not measured by abilities but by virtues. A non-arrogant, modest nature tops the list. People may be promoted in government jobs based on their abilities, but the same criteria cannot apply to the field of spirituality. People with untoward ambitions might then wish to rule on the basis of their abilities, and no room for good intentions would remain.
When someone is initiated into renunciation, he is asked to forget his past life. He then must live a modest life as a member of the Guru Ashram. Social service also requires a minor renunciation of this sort. Remember that the more humble a person is, the more his seniority. A humble person is like the healthy branch of a tree; when laden with fruit it will always bend towards the ground, but a dead and fruitless branch remains stiff and ultimately falls.
In Gandhiji’s Sabarmati Ashram, everyone was required to participate in every task. This even included cleaning the toilets, which was considered to be task of a servant. Residents of Vinoba’s Pavanar Ashram would draw water from the well and provide security for the ashram themselves as well. Similarly, every resident of Shantikunj must take responsibility for safety and cleanliness. The ashram does not have a designated cleaning staff. Everybody helps keep it clean. There is no place in Shantikunj for those who wish to set themselves up as leaders and not volunteers. This kind of attitude has no place in the path to service. People with scouts’ background are aware that seniority is measured by how much one is willing to follow the discipline. Those who do not wish to follow the discipline and only wish for a position are not a good match for volunteer organizations.
Volunteers in a Gurudwara take up the tasks of cleaning guests’ shoes and keeping the stairs of the facility clean as well. Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir used to personally visit government offices and provide guidance to her staff. Kerala’s ex-chief minister Nimboodari Bhai used to travel to his office on his bicycle. This shows these people’s humility. Loksevi must also follow this principle. In such situations, people who only desire leadership achieve nothing, only lose respect.
In the Brahmin tradition simplicity, prudence, and humility are the signs of seniority. Lazy, arrogant, or harsh-speaking people are seen as lowly in this field. The purpose behind the old tradition of bhikshatan, begging even for basic supplies, was to rid oneself of arrogance. It helps one to make progress on the path of spirituality. The only way to remove a leech is by sprinkling salt on it. Arrogance is similar to a leech, and by undertaking small tasks not normally done because of so-called status, can help one dissolve it.
Pragya Parijans earn respect from society because they are part of a great mission. They should make a practice of using the word “we” and not “I” in public speaking. “I” is all right if one is accepting his own mistake, but “we” should be used when accepting recognition, as that recognition was a result of collective effort. We must always strive to show our love and affection towards our colleagues. Their hard work and cooperation must be appreciated and mentioned in every success. Focus should be kept on duty rather than on rights. The seven vows of Pragya Parijans will become boons and shower one with divine blessing in the path of service if one rids himself of arrogance.
Source: Guidelines for the Aspiring Loksevi
