Spiritual And Social Dimensions Of Seva In Sikhism

Seva (also spelt as Sewa) literally refers to selfless and meaningful service dedicated to helping human beings, irrespective of caste, creed, gender, and class. In Sikhism, it assumes a much broader meaning, extending its content beyond the mundane domain and connecting it with the fathomless spiritual realm, which helps in getting rid of the egoistic self and cultivating humility.

It generates a sense of contentment in the minds of its performers, which in turn produces tranquillity and a positive impact on the fellowship of the community. Seva-led collective wellbeing eventually fosters a mutually supportive and interconnected society. Being one of the foremost postulates of the philosophy and practice of Sikhism, Seva figures numerous times in the holy scriptures of Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS). It assigns special importance to selfless acts and voluntary service for the welfare of entire humanity and occupies a central place in the ethical domain of the community.

Carried out without any concern for tangible or intangible gains or rewards, Seva acts as a guiding almanac for community living. It divests its practitioners of Haumai (pride) and makes them capable of walking on the path of spiritual attainment. In its real sense, Seva equates service to mankind with the worship of Akal Purkh. It instils a faculty of self-negation among its performers to seek His grace to serve others without any sort of expectation in return. There is no space at all for self-glory and personal benefit in Seva in Sikhism. It is a service with devotion to Waheguru for His grace.

Since all human beings are considered equal in the spiritual realm of God, they need to be served without any binary of ‘we and others’. It is in this context that Seva in Sikhism assumes the highest virtue of worship, bereft of all sorts of rituals, ceremonies, and structural paraphernalia of puja. The most sacred practice of puja (worship rituals) in Sikhism is selfless service to humanity, which is also the essence of Gurbani—the holy Sikh scriptures. It draws its strength from the precept of the Gurbani that all human beings are one and the same in the spiritual domain of Waheguru.

Serving humanity without any sort of discrimination, as well as without the expectation of any kind of reward in return, transforms one into a Gurmukh (one who has attained inner realisation)—capable of recognising the divine spark within all. Seva, in this way, transcends societal boundaries and fosters inter-community solidarity. The notion of the Seva of fellow human beings as an act of devotion to the Almighty metamorphoses it into a sacred act—service to Waheguru. Thus, Seva in Sikhism distinguishes itself from its mundane meaning.

It does not assign any special status to its practitioners vis-à-vis the one who is the recipient of Seva. It is equated with sharing (vand chhakna) one’s own hard-earned livelihood with others who are in need of any kind of help. Sharing in the form of shukrana (thanksgiving to God for being kind), rather than taking any pride in the process of helping others, adds uniqueness to Seva in Sikhism. Seva in Sikhism implies that it is imperative for a disciple to serve the needy, sick, and poor without allowing any kind of pride or glory to emerge from this self-negating act.

The real purpose of Seva in Sikhism is to generate humility, compassion, and devotion to the Almighty. It inculcates sat (truth), santokh (contentment), sahaj (natural/innate), and daya (compassion) in the mind of a practitioner. Seva prepares the disciple to tread steadfastly on the path to the Kingdom of God. It rinses him/her of all worldly wickedness and negativities and creates a permanent bond with the Guru. It instils the values of brotherhood, humility, peace, and sarbat da bhala (welfare of all).

What is more important about Seva in Sikhism is not only its form but also the state of mind with which one performs it. It blesses its performer in two ways: connecting him/her with his/her community on the one hand, and forging an inseparable spiritual bond with the Almighty on the other. Seva, in fact, is a kind of worship in the form of social, physical, material, or any other kind of service for the welfare of humanity. It is based on a sacred premise that since God resides within all of us, selfless service to humanity in its ultimate form takes the shape of service to God.

Seva in Sikhism binds together its two distinct but inseparable spheres: ‘service’ and ‘worship’. In the house of Baba Nanak, ‘worship’ is the prototype of dedicated work towards humanity and Akal Purkh. Worship in Sikhism is not merely a ritual or ceremonial act of reciting prayers and lighting lamps in the adoration of an anthropomorphic God. Instead, it is all about earning one’s livelihood through the ‘sweat of one’s brow’ and sharing its fruits with fellow beings and the needy hailing from any walk of life.

Thus, Seva in Sikhism is an act of rendering service without any sort of reward—an act of nishkam seva—which bestows honour on its performers by providing them a respectable place in the Dargah of Nirankar (the eternal kingdom of the formless God). It is also believed to be helpful in getting rid of one’s inner dissipations and in becoming capable of building spiritual ties with Waheguru.

The concept of Seva in Sikhism is not confined to physical activities alone. It combines emotional, intellectual, and spiritual domains as well. Empathising with someone who feels lonely or dissipated, offering moral support and encouragement at a time when one feels left behind, are some of the subtle yet more effective modes of rendering selfless seva. Supporting the needy and emotionally deprived individuals can usher in a mutually supportive, long-lasting, harmonious social life. Standing with others during their challenging times is also a noble way of performing nishkam (without any expectation) Seva.

Spending time with lonely and aged persons, listening to their life stories, and helping them overcome melancholy fosters a sense of calmness and a friendly atmosphere in society. Another factor that distinguishes Seva in Sikhism from its counterparts—donation in Hinduism, zakat in Islam, charity in Christianity, and almsgiving in Buddhism—is that it can only be practised with the grace of Waheguru. It is the will of Waheguru that motivates the disciple to perform Seva and rinses his/her ego.

According to the precepts of the holy scriptures of Gurbani, only those can perform Seva whom Waheguru blesses to do so. Guru Amar Das, the third Guru, says that the service of the true Guru is hard and is obtained by surrendering one’s head and eliminating self-conceit. Seva cleans its performers and enables them to find a place in Sachkhand, the eternal abode of Waheguru. By serving the lowest of the low, says Baba Nanak, one becomes capable of receiving the grace of the Almighty.

Guru Nanak was the pioneer of all-embracing Seva in Sikhism, which he began in the form of providing free Langar (community food) in Dharamsalas (Gurdwaras), without observing any kind of social, cultural, religious, territorial, linguistic, or gender boundaries, and by enjoining all human beings to sit together and eat in a common row. Seva thus became a means to bring equality to a society long segregated along caste lines based on the four-fold Varna order.

He was of the firm view that if one wishes to find a place in the eternal Kingdom of God, he/she must serve humanity in this mortal world. He further emphasised Seva by stating that remembering the name of God without serving humanity is useless and compared it to a tree without fruits. Similar views were expressed by all the Gurus regarding Seva in Sikhism. The postulate of Seva as formulated and pioneered by Guru Nanak was upheld by all the Gurus who followed him and lived by this great ideal of service to mankind.

Guru Nanak laid the foundation of Seva by spending the hard-earned money given to him by his father to establish a business on feeding sadhus whom he met by chance on the way. He considered it the best kind of business, which later became an all-embracing practice within Sikhism and spread to all corners of the world wherever the Sikh diaspora has settled. Baba Nanak maintained the continuity of his regular langar by growing his own food in Kartarpur, where he toiled hard. It was here that he taught: kirat karo (earn an honest living), vand chhako (share with others), naam japo (remember God).

The Second Master, Guru Angad Dev, followed this practice, for which Guru Nanak made him a part of his very being due to his selfless service and total submission to the Guru. His wife, Mata Khivi, immortalised herself by rendering relentless Seva of Ghee Wali Kheer in the Guru Ka Langar, a tradition that continues even today at Khadur Sahib.

The Third Nanak, Guru Amar Das, served his Guru for twelve years by fetching water daily from a far-off river for his early morning bath without fail. The Fourth and Fifth Gurus—Guru Ram Das and Guru Arjan Dev—served the sangat with their own hands. Guru Arjan Dev personally cared for the disabled and lepers at Tarn Taran and ultimately attained martyrdom for his faith after undergoing brutal persecution under Emperor Jahangir.

The Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Gurus served the sangat with calm resolve during the tumultuous Mughal period. The Ninth Master, Guru Tegh Bahadur, sacrificed his head in selfless Seva to defend the faith of followers of another religion, thereby attaining martyrdom for human rights and justice—an unparalleled example of Seva in world history. Guru Gobind Singh sacrificed his entire family for justice against the tyranny of Emperor Aurangzeb and founded the Khalsa to eliminate social exclusion and empower his followers as saviours of the weak and downtrodden.

Seva is performed with body (tan), mind (maann), and money (dhan). All three forms assume distinct meanings and must be performed with utmost nimrata (humility) and nishkam bhaav (selflessness). Langar served in Gurdwaras and public places is a common form of bodily Seva, organised daily and on historic occasions associated with the lives and struggles of the Gurus. Seva and langar have thus become synonymous.

Langar involves numerous services, including arranging hearths, collecting rations, preparing food, serving meals and drinking water, washing utensils, and cleaning dining halls. It is a significant step towards social equality and care for the downtrodden. Guru Amar Das institutionalised langar further by establishing the practice of sitting in a pangat and introducing the norm Pahle pangat piche sangat.

Seva by body (tan) refers to physical services such as maintaining Gurdwaras, polishing shoes of the sangat, organising kirtan congregations, and cleaning utensils. Seva with mind involves meditating on the Almighty and praying for sarbat da bhala. Seva through money (dhan) includes observing daswand for community welfare.

Sikh history abounds with examples of selfless Seva. Bhai Kanahya’s act of serving water to all wounded soldiers, regardless of allegiance, stands unparalleled. When questioned by Guru Gobind Singh, he replied that he saw only the Guru’s face in every wounded soldier. Pleased, the Guru instructed him to apply Marham to their wounds as well. Another remarkable example is Baba Banda Bahadur and his companion Singhs, who chose martyrdom over conversion for justice and the Panth.

Institutions such as Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhakar Committee (SGPC) and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) continue this legacy, notably during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing oxygen cylinders and organising oxygen langars. Globally, Sikh NGOs such as Khalsa Aid, EcoSikh, Langar Aid, and Midland Langar Seva Society have further popularised Seva.

Founded in 1999, Khalsa Aid undertakes disaster relief and long-term development projects worldwide. EcoSikh, established in 2009, integrates Seva with environmental action, promoting green Gurdwaras, tree plantation, and climate awareness globally.

Through these historical and contemporary endeavours, the tradition and essence of selfless Seva continue to remain a defining feature of Sikhism, both in India and across the world.

Views expressed are personal

The author is Professor Emeritus, IDC, Chandigarh. Formerly: Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chair Professor & Dean Arts Faculty, Panjab University.