Re: What is service?

From the Bhakti List Archives

• January 25, 1998


Sri Dileepan wrote:
> As a Muktha our pleasure in Vaikuntam is _not_
> performing service to the Lord ...

This makes a little bit of sense to me, but I am
also confused.  How would the acharya explain 
Andal's famous words from "siRRam siRu kaalE"
-- "unakkE naam aatcheyvOm maRRai nam kaamangaL"?
"to you alone will we be slaves, please remove
all other desires?"

This implies that the desire of Andal, if anything
at all, is to be His slave.

> ... but to see the Lord pleasured.

This part I see entirely.

> Thus, a Muktha's goal is not doing service!

This conclusion seems a little far fetched. Do 
the two not go hand in hand? The service we do
is because we are motivated by our svarUpa
jnAna (knowledge of our essential nature) as
His sesha, as well as bhakti, and these by
their very nature will please Him.

It seems the two go hand in hand. But my views
here are tentative and just my gut reaction. 
Can someone clarify?

Mani