dignity while serving others...

dignity while serving others.....

अवज्ञया न दातव्यो कस्यचिल्लीलयापि वा।अवज्ञया कृतं हन्न्याद्दातारं नात्र  संशयः॥
१३-३३ श्रीमद् वाल्मीकि रामायणे बालकाण्डे

avajñayā na dātavyo kasyacillīlayāpi vā|

avajñayā kṛtam hannyāddātāram nātra samśayaḥ||13-33

śrīmad vālmīki rāmāyaṇe bālakāṇḍe

In the first Kandam of Ramayanam.. the Balakaandam, Dasharatha the king of Ayodhya is planning to conduct a Yajna for begetting children.. The preparations are on.. The main minister and aide of the king, Sumantra, is running around meeting the sages, while personally monitoring the effective conduct of the yajna..

As the news of the gala function spreads, people of all classes and status are thronging the capital city..
Arrangement for the stay and the creature comforts of all guest are being arranged under Royal patronage..
As is quite common in the activities of government servant, Sumantra is shrewd in anticipating brash, authoritative and patronizing attitude on the part of the government servants..
He presents the  report of his activities to the great Sage and preceptor Vasishta..
When informed about the preparations for the yajna, 

Sage Vasishta  is issuing strict instruction to his own men:

" The services rendered and gifts given to the honoured guests should not be with disrespectful and derisive attitude.. Nor should there be any lightheartedness or jocular attitude on the part of the employees of the king.

Service rendered and gifts given with derision and lack of respect would kill or annihilate the person who makes the gift.. There is absolutely no doubt about it. "

(the Sanskrit verse quoted above says this)

Here the services are rendered on behalf of the King and the slip on the part of the servants of the state would cause damage to the king himself

A Prime Minister to a king in India, maybe more that five millenniums ago was so dedicated and so conscious of his duties to the State..

Sumantra had to ride the chariot which took away Rama Sita and Lakshmana to the forest later on..the saddest duty he would have performed in his life..

He was also present as the Prime Minister on the occasion of the Coronation of Rama as the Emperor of Ayodhya years later..