Seva is an important component of the ashram culture. It has been translated in English as service, but seva means the final stage of human involvement in the world while being in a higher state of consciousness. The literal meaning of the word seva is ‘to be with that’, saha eva. To be with what? To be with that which is human, compassionate and loving. In other words, seva means to connect with the divine, transcendental nature and to express that nature in thought, word and deed. Of course, to do this you have to let go of the many identities and ideas that you hold close. This is where the concept of letting go or surrender comes in at the ashram. Surrendering to the divine will and becoming the instrument of its peace is the outcome of seva.
Swami Sivananda went one step further when defining seva. He said the purpose of seva should be to purify one’s heart. Purification of the heart comes about when expectations and attachments become refined; they are no longer sensorial or sensual, and do not carry any idea of gain or loss. Instead, you feel for everyone as you do for yourself. There is a shift in perception; it is not a state that can be achieved by saying, “From tomorrow I will be like this.” It is a shift of ideas from self-orientated to self-expressive. Purifying the emotions through seva improves the qualities of the heart, which are further intensified with bhakti yoga. So seva is developed through karma yoga and purity of heart through bhakti yoga. Both go hand in hand.

Living karma yoga
In normal situations, you neither observe nor try to guide your karmas. If you are medical doctor, you go to your medical practice and follow the rules of the profession. There is very little scope for creativity. Similarly, in all areas of life, we follow set performances, karmas, of the body and mind. A conditioned creativity expresses itself. It is this conditioned creativity that has to become unconditional by adopting the attitudes identified in karma yoga.
What are the attitudes of karma yoga? What does it do? Karma yoga helps develop immunity to the effects or results of karmas. That is the theory, but how can it be lived? The clearest example that I have come across to illustrate this point is the sannyasa initiation day of Swami Satyananda. When his guru, Swami Sivananda, called him and said, “Be ready to be initiated into sannyasa,” Paramahamsaji asked him, “What am I expected to do after sannyasa?” Swami Sivananda said, “Continue to live and act in the same manner as you have done until now.” Swami Satyananda asked, “Does it mean managing the office, looking after the kitchen, being the secretary of the organization, being the cleaner of the roads and rooms?” Swami Sivananda said, “Yes, you do not promote yourself into inaction by taking sannyasa.” Many people try to promote themselves into inaction after they adopt geru robes. Swami Satyananda said, “How long do I have to work?” Swami Sivananda replied, “Until you exhaust your karmas, until you exhaust all desires associated with results, until you are able to treat success and failure with the same smile.” Swami Satyananda said, “I could do the same work at home. What is the difference?” Swami Sivananda said, “At home, you will work for yourself. In the ashram you will work with the feeling of dedication to your guru, God, fellow human beings. Whatever you do is being offered to them, and therefore you will not accrue the effects of karma.”

Τalk at Mangrove Mountain, Australia, April 2006, Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati