Spiritual progress depends on three factors: pranipata, pari-prashna and seva. Pranipata means complete surrender to the eternal entity, Parama Purusha. The attitude that “whatever is, is from Parama Purusha and nothing is mine” is pranipata. The person who has ego, who thinks that his intellect, wealth and other things are his own, is the greatest fool. A person boasts of learning, intellect and fortune. But nothing is eternal. Therefore, he who boasts of anything of this world is a fool for he is submitting to false vanity of intellect.
Whatever is, is of Parama Purusha; nothing is yours. Hence surrender to Parama Purusha. Submission to the eternal entity is pranipata. All works of creation belong to Him. We are only His media.
Before doing any work, you think that Parama Purusha is doing this work through you. However, the individual entity should not get entangled in the trap of maya. Don’t exult in your post, position, beauty, wealth, honour or knowledge. All belong to the Divine Entity, Parama Purusha; nothing is yours.
Pariprashna means those questions which are responsible for our spiritual elevation. Pedantic questions waste enormous amounts of time and energy and they are generally useless. Questions that seek answers that help us evolve spiritually are pariprashna; these questions are useful for progressing on the path of self-realisation. Questions that are not pariprashna are not beneficial in the long run.
What is the import of seva? The root meaning of the term seva is “service”. But service in the field of Yoga is not the same as in the commercial sphere. In the commercial sphere seva means mutual exchange. Give some money, take some article - it is something mutual. You are giving something and you are receiving something. The shopkeepers give you some article, and receive some article in exchange. You give money, and receive some goods or money in exchange. So this sort of service is mutual. But in the field of spirituality seva is not mutual. It is unilateral. You are giving everything to Parama Purusha, and in return you are taking nothing.
Seva means “selfless service”. Service is there where there is no desire to get anything in return. When there is a desire to take while giving, it is not service, but business. Any kind of business is attached to give and take. When a commercial establishment tells you it is “at your service”, it is not service, it is business, because the person does not give anything without taking something. So in true service there is only giving and no question of taking. Even if somebody gives in return, the attitude should be not to take anything.
The word prapatti is generally used by devotees. It means “full self-submission”. Everything is done by Paramatman, by the Divine Entity. Aprapatti, on the other hand, means the mental attitude that all is done by individuals and not by Parama Purusha. With these three factors, you will get spiritual elevation. Except for these, nothing else will benefit you in any way.
You have come for a very short span of time into this world. Therefore, utilise the time to the maximum. Serve the world with the feeling of service. Render service in all spheres of life, whether physical, psychological or spiritual. Let our service be strengthened by complete submission to the eternal entity, Parama Purusha.