27. Selfless Service (Parmarth)

Affirmation:

I dedicate my actions to the highest purpose, acting with purity and without expectations.

Through selfless service, I connect with the greater whole and fulfill my role in the cosmic play.

Mantra:

Om Parmarth Seva Namah

27

Selfless service

(parmarth)

Charity is an action, performed frequently or infrequently. Selfless service is an attitude, a mode of being. Parmarth is living without the self yet harmoniously with the world, while doing a right job and retaining consciousness of the moment.

Parm means supreme. Arth is meaning, the purpose for which an action is performed. That which is done for the supreme is parmarth. Supreme may mean God, or it may mean a cause for which the player chooses to dedicate his existence. It is a giving up of self for a higher cause.

When a player understands his role in the drama and knows that the individual self is but a vehicle for realization of the Supreme, all that he does ceases to concern him. He only does his duty and acts out his role in the play. He does not know what the final outcome of his actions will he. When he does his duty without thought of right or reward he becomes selfless. And then all his acts are parmarth.

Living in parmarth is possible only when the player realizes that rights follow duty and that rewards are the fruits of action. Duty and honor (rewards) are byproducts of the game, not the final goal. As long as the player exists within a body with five organs of action, karmas are inevitable. The player’s choice is whether to become concerned about rewards and punishment, honor and humiliation, or to devote his life to understanding the nature of the game and living unconcerned with whatever happens, continuing to perform his duty.

A reward is in nobody’s hand. Countless factors affect the outcome of every momentary situation. Whatever happens is whatever was possible at that time. If the player has no hopes and desires, every moment becomes an achievement. When he gets away from the false concepts of profit and loss, he enters on to the plane of selfless service.

Art

The artwork created captures the essence of the text on selfless service or "Parmarth". It features an ethereal woman embodying the concept of selflessness and spirituality. Her serene, meditative pose and tranquil expression represent her deep connection with the universe and dedication to a supreme cause.

The setting merges natural and futuristic elements, symbolizing the harmony between nature and advancement, resonating with the idea of living harmoniously with the world while being conscious of the moment. The lush landscapes and subtle futuristic structures in the backdrop illustrate this balance.

The woman's simple yet elegant attire reflects humility and grace, essential attributes of selfless service. Overall, the image portrays the essence of living in Parmarth - performing duties without concern for rewards or outcomes, and the realization of rights and rewards as byproducts of actions, not the final goal.

This visual interpretation embraces the core themes of the text - selfless service, duty, spiritual enlightenment, and the transcendental realization of the Supreme.

Song

Selfless service

Charity is a fleeting thing, a moment's helping hand,
But selfless service is a way of life, that's largely unplanned.

Parmarth's call, a whispered plea, to live beyond the "me,"
In harmony with all we see, a path to truly be.

Supreme, the goal, the guiding light, God's purpose or a cause,
For which we fight, with all our might, defying nature's laws.

Giving up the ego's hold, for something bigger, true,
A higher purpose, to unfold, a way for me and you.