பாரதியின் கண்ணனும் திருமாலின் அடியார்களும் காட்டிய பலன் கருதா சேவகம்

The selfless service illustrated by Poet Bharathi’s Kannan and Devotees of Lord Vishnu

Abstract

Selfless service is an act of giving one’s time, resources, skills, sometimes one's full life, for the betterment of other members of society, philosophy, vision and mission of a great movement or revolution without seeking personal benefits.  In the Bhakti movement (Devotion), it is believed that doing selfless service to God and God’s devotees would please God much. Great Tamil Poet Bharathiar of South India was very much impressed by Lord Krishna, and he wrote poems on him, considering him as king, wife, husband, friend and especially as a servant rendering selfless service to him. This is not new to us, as great devotees like Azhwars and Vaishnava scholars of earlier centuries rendered the same service to God and his devotees. We take some screenshots of selfless services rendered by the disciples of the Great Vaishnava Acharya Saint Ramanuja in the 11th and 12th centuries. We also see how all these services are very much appreciated by society to this day.