The word seva comes from the Sanskrit root, sev, meaning to “attend” or “to go towards.” Seva is generally understood to be “service” and mostly it is used in the context of religious service as in the case of a person doing Deity seva by bringing fruits and flower and bowing down before a form of God in a temple. Such seva is actually a form of bhakti-yoga. Another way to look at seva is simply as volunteer service, and in the case of a temple, this could mean polishing copper or silverware, cleaning, or the offering of services such as bookkeeping or architectural skills, and so on. Seva can also be used in reference to philanthropic work such as volunteering to work for civic organizations or hospitals. Another form of seva is guru seva or service to one’s teacher.