How to render different types of service: Examples from Krishna's life

Man is attracted by clean surroundings. Similarly a clean mind in a human being is attractive to God. It means that the outer cleanliness and inner cleanliness are important. When man makes efforts to develop outer cleanliness he also makes commendable effort for improving inner purity. People should not only make attempts to clean the surroundings but also make efforts to help the people around to keep clean and happy minds. One must make an attempt to relieve people of their inconveniences and hurt by doing some service. Service is not done only through work but also through words. With good words, one can soothe people’s hearts and make them happy. By doing good deeds one can soothe people’s minds. By speaking about good things one can divert people from their sorrow. Therefore, good words are also a kind of seva or service. Today, people who call themselves leaders are not undertaking good service and as a consequence, the world around is becoming very chaotic and confusing. In this context Swami relates a story from the Krishna avatar. One day Krishna came to his mother Yashoda and said, “Mother, today I want to go with my cowherd friends to forest along with the cows. With great enthusiasm my friends invite me to come along. So I too want to go with them to the forest to tend the cows.” So saying he asked His mother’s permission to go to the forest. Mother sat Krishna close and said, “Gopala! The forest is filled with snakes, insects, thorns and dense bushes. You need to have shoes to walk in such a place. But today I haven’t ordered the task of getting your shoes made. After two days I shall send you to the forest with new shoes, along with the cows, O Gopala! But today I beg you to stay home.” Immediately Krishna asked, “Mother, what did you call me now?” The mother said, “Son, I addressed you as Gopala as that is your name.” “I tend the cows so people call me Gopala. Isn’t he a leader who looks after the welfare of others? Hence the cows under my tending follow me. Therefore I am a leader and the cows under my care will definitely follow me. The cows that follow me do not have any foot wear; therefore I too cannot wear any foot wear, O mother!” Krishna argued with his mother thus: “If I wear shoes, the cows too would want to wear shoes thereby causing a delay in going to forest. I do not want to enter into that kind of leadership. I do not want any foot wear. I can gain respect for my leadership, only when I lead life similar to the life lead by the cows under my care.” This implies that God gets down to the human level and follows the ideal path so as to make man follow Him and attain divinity. The Gopalakas and Gopikas sanctified their lives by following Lord Krishna. In today’s world too, if people can imprint the teachings and ideals of the avatars in their heart and lead life in accordance, they too can become leaders and be able to recognise the innate divinity.