Once all the progeny of Brahma (ब्रह्मा) ,the creator, [the other two of the trinity are Vishnu (विष्णु) the preserver and Shiva( शिव) the destroyer] visited him to seek wisdom, that is, gyan(ज्ञान). Brahma uttered just one word ‘da’(द). The Daanavs demons (दानव) thought it meant Daya (दया) Mercy. The devta, demigods(देवता) interpreted it as Daman(दमन) suppression of the desires of enjoyment; the humans took it to mean Daan (दान ) charity.------ Brahadharanyak Upanishad(बृहद आरण्यक उपनिषद) chapter 5 shl 2. Etymologically speaking Daan (दान) originates from Sanskrit word da (दा); Combined with suffix layoot (ल्युट), the full word becomes Daanam (दानम)of neutral gender, meaning to give, to entrust, to surrender, to take as one’s own; It is also Daanah(दान:) of masculine gender purporting to protection, how to get safety, method to be free from sin; ‘da’ (द) synonym of Dakshina(दक्षिणा) is feminine gender and means that which frees from sorrow, which gives strength. For our purpose Daan(दान) is where a person parts with something and the other receives something. One ‘gives’, the other ‘takes’; the first one gives up the right of ownership and the second one gets this right over the thing given in charity.
The principle behind charity is that everything belongs to God. One who has plenty or enough has a duty to share it with others. When a person donates he does not give what is his but what is God’s. One who does not share with others what he obtains from this world and consumes it for his own use is called ‘thief’ by Krishna---- Geeta v's 12 of chapter 3 Taitreya up.(तैतरीय उपनिषद) shows the importance of Daan by stating that it should be given 1. with respect, 2. without respect, 3. because you are rich, 4. because of humiliation, 5. to ward off fear 6. with knowledge that all is God's. In short ‘Daan’ should be given under all circumstances. The giver of Daan is superior to the receiver. The one who practices charity should be respected------Atharv ved 13.47 (अथर्ववेद). Again the same ved tells us to earn for the purpose of giving Daan----3.20.5; it goes on to say earn by a hundred hands and give by a thousand-----3.24.5. Once more Atharv ved, “My one hand is God, the other hand that gives is greater than God’’. Rig ved informs us that one who donates, his riches do not exhaust. Daan is the friend of the person on death-bed.----Mahabharat vanparv 4/13/6 वनपर्व।
People in this world have three types of propensities (प्रकृति) which is due to the modes of nature, gunas of prakriti (प्रकृति के गुण). It follows that donation by people is in accorDaance with their nature. Daan by a person of Satvik nature( सात्विक प्रकृति), is satvik; by a person of Rajsik, nature (राजस् प्रकृति) is Rajsik, while a Tamsic (तामसिक) person does a Tamsic Daan. Saatvik Daan (सात्विक दान) is without feeling of doer ship, without attachment and without an eye on the fruit. Rajsik Daan involves attachment, is performed by a person who seeks enjoyment, is full of egotism and wants return for his good deed. Tamsik Daan is out of ignorance which may even cause injury to oneself and is given without respect for time, place or person. Thus the best charity is that :-
(1) Which is without attachment to action or fruit,
(2) Without any desire for return,
(3) To a deserving person . Whom should we give? In his Smriti, Yagyavalkya(याज्ञवल्क्य) advises, “to brahmins who have practised austerities and have gained self-realization, adhatmveta( अध्यात्मवेता) )------ch.146; should not be given to undeserving persons’’---ch.200 ,
(4) With regard given to time place and situation,
(5) And the donor has a belief in the heart that a good action is being performed, example Raja Bali and Bhagwan Baman. (राजा बलि व भगवान वामन का उदाहरण-- भागवत ,स्कंद 8, अध्याय 17 से 2).
That Philanthropy (दान) enjoyed such importance in vedic times is evident from the fact that it has been eulogised in Rigveda (ऋग्वेद) in Daan Stuti sukt--- 10/117/1---9(दान स्तुति सूक्त ). Benevolence has been praised and those who do not practice charity have been criticised. This eulogy informs us, “The riches of a donor never replenish; he who donates not is never happy----”. Al Tirmidhi Hadith no.2247 “A donor’s wealth does not diminish. From Matasya Puran( मत्स्य पुराण) there is nobody who cannot be won by charity (दान), even demigods(देवता) come into the control of man by it’’.--- 224/1--2. In Skand Puran(स्कंद पुराण) we find:- “Only unwise fearing penury do not do charity; wise never hesitate to donate”.---2/6 3 .
But everybody does not have a right to practice charity. Many are barred . (a)Persons who have lost their reasoning power due to too much happiness, anger or sorrow, (b) Those who are minors, overcome by fear sickness foolishness , or intoxication, (c) Ones who are insane, d)Persons who are in debt till the debt is paid off, (e) Giving to others is not permissible while neglecting the maintenance of one's own family and dependents--- Gautam Dharmasutra( गौतम धर्मसूत्र )-- 5/2. Such a donor falls, is the dictum of Bhishm too ----- Mahabharat .anu.37/3(महाभारत अनुशासन पर्व); foolish donee and donor sink like a boat of stone……manu sm.4/19 (मनुस्मृति).The following are forbidden to accept charity:- synchophants, wrestlers, gamblers, alcoholics, those engaged in illegal trade, thieves and the like. While being benevolent one has to keep the above factors in mind.
Some Daan mentioned in Hindu scriptures : giving grain(अन्न), water(जल ), land( भूमि), gold( स्वर्ण), cow( गाय), daughter (कन्या दान) even above all of these is teaching somebody. And the best Daan (दान) that can never come to an end, is giving wisdom, knowledge, that is Atma Gyan आत्म- ज्ञान. The one who receives such wisdom becomes fearless . Chetan Mahaprabhu (चेतन महाप्रभु) also speaks of giving the word of God, Naam Daan( नामदान) which is highest charity.
Now charity in religions other than Hinduism. Islam : “establish worship and pay the poor and whatever good you send before you for yourself you will find it with Allah” --Quran Surah 2 / 110. Likewise it is again advised that while feeding the poor one should have the intention of doing it for Allah only and not for any return from the poor--- Quran76/89. This is quite like nishkam karma (निष्कामकर्म ) expounded in Geeta. The best charity is giving for Hajj, Jihad, to the poor, orphans and the widow. Zakah is mandatory. Other charities in Islam are Infaq, spending benevolently; Ihsar, kindness and consideration; Sadakah, charitable deed, and Kharayat, good deeds. Wealth of a donor does not perish’’.... Al Tirmidhi Hadith 2247. “Those who don't give others are doomed.’’... Quran 9/ 34,35. Persons to whom charity can be given are the destitute, people who collect zakat, muslims who are travellers, whose resources are exhausted, those who are serving the cause of Islam, slaves and those who perform acts of benevolence. In Islam zakat is on savings and not income. Generally it is 40th part of saving . It is a pillar of Islam---- without zakat you are not a true Muslim. Bible states, “the earth is Lord’s and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it……’’ ‘Psalm’ 24 verse 1. Charitable deed should be in secret and God rewards openly.----Matthew Chapter 6 vs 1 to 4. What we give we get back, same measure; and in mark 10/30, we are promised what we give-up for God we get back a hundredfold in this lifetime and also eternal life. In Jain thought Charity comes from the virtue of aparigrah (अपरिग्रह ) non- hoarding , which teaches relinquishment. Jews have the word ‘Tzedakah’ for giving away wealth, material things to others. (Rawbam has given levels of Charity by their merit. Maimonidey also has 8 levels, Misney Torah, Laws of Charity10/7 -4 ):
1) The best donation is by a jew to a jew
2) The first level is where the donor and recipient do not know each other, it is for God only. This is similar to sathvik Daan, Nishkam Karma, taught by Krishna bhagwan in Geeta.
3) In the third level the donor knows the recipient but the latter does not know the former.
4) Donor does not know the recipient but the latter knows the donor.
5) Directly given to the recipient, the donor and the donee know each other.
6)Donation when requested.
7) The donation is not sufficient but is given willingly and gladly.
8) Giving unwillingly. This level is the lowest and the first is the highest form of charity The best donation, however, is by Jew to a fellow Jew, as stated above. In Jewish way of thinking Gemilit Tas Daan is greater than Tzedakah. The former can be for the living as well as the dead; former can also be done by body, time and money; thus the former is more far-reaching. The Sikhs believe it is the responsibility of the rich to help the poor. Offering Langar(लंगर) is a privileged duty.
Returning to the Hindu scriptures. The Hindus know that King Bali of Pataal (पाताल के राजा बली), Karna from Mahabharat (महाभारत में कर्ण), Sage Dadhich(ऋषि दधीचि) are some very renowned donors. Ignoring his Guru Shukracharya’s( दानवों के गुरु शुक्राचार्य) warning, King Bali donated his whole kingdom to Lord Vaman(भगवान वामन). Karan donated armour(कवच), making himself vulnerable, in spite of knowing that he was being cheated by the Lord Of Heaven, Indira (स्वर्ग सम्राट इंद्र) and having been forewarned in this matter by Sun God (सूर्य भगवान). Sage Dadhichi donated his body so that a weapon, vajra(वज्र), may be made from his bones for the welfare of others. Jagat Guru Shri Kripalu (जगतगुरुश्री कृपालु) advises us that Radha Rani (राधा रानी) is the Greatest, i.e. Avdhar Daani ( अवढर दानी). This type of giving or Daan is actually giving of the grace of God. If a soul surrenders to God or a God- realised person then he receives their grace; the greater the degree of surrender, the greater the grace showered by them; this grace can give them Liberation or Mukti (मुक्ति) .
Not only material things, but much else can be given in charity. Smiling at your brother to make him happy, inspiring somebody to do a good act, showing the right path to a stranger who is lost, water to the thirsty, food to the hungry, right advice to the ignorant and teaching about God and his word….. are all charity and goodness. No one can make an exhaustive list. What constitutes charity depends on time, place, person and situation .eg (A) dresses the wounds of (B) who is wounded, this is charity; on the other hand if (A) is not wounded but is thirsty, then dressing of wound or giving medical aid is not called for.
Another philosophy regarding Daan is that there exists but a few options for the use of material riches. We can use them for our own enjoyment that is bhog (भोग); second, we can give it to others especially the needy; third, wealth is perishable and it can be destroyed by fire water, earth-quake, theft, confiscation by the state or by any other means. If we follow alternative one and three, we are losers; however, if we choose alternative number two, we reap a harvest of good deeds. If we can do it without attachment then we can even be free from the bondage of births and rebirths, Awagaman Chakra(आवागमन चक्र). Another point of view says why store wealth for your body needs when the body itself is perishable? We and this body cannot be together for long, they are bound to separate. The body will die and the wealth will be destroyed. The two cannot be together forever. A different perspective: if you donate then your attachment with the thing donated goes away, which is likely to give you liberation.
Now a look at different kinds of Daan..
1) gift which is bestowed with a sense of duty on a person who is not our benefactor, at a fit place, suitable time and to a deserving person is called Satvik gift (सात्विक दान)--- Geeta v's 20 chapter 17.
2). Gift which is given in a grudging spirit and with the object of getting return or in the hope of getting reward is called Rajasik (राजसिक दान---)Geeta chapter 17 verse 21.
3). And the gift which is made without good grace in a disdainful spirit without regard to time and place and to an undeserving person is Tamsic (तामसिक). We see that in the first type of gift the fruit is denounced, there is no attachment to the act of giving; the rule, “if you offer charity, you will receive manifold return’’ does not apply for the desire to get a good return has been given up. In second type of gift return from God or from the person to whom we give the gift is expected. The fruit of Tamsic gift is sorrow. Thus we see the intention behind the gift is of importance. The fruit we get does not depend on what is gifted but on the mental state. So Daan can either give us Liberty or Bondage.
However, certain gifts can be given without taking note of the time, place or whether the person getting it deserves it or not.
a).Water to the thirsty so that he will not die and may live even if his deeds have been deplorable and against morality and ethics;
b). Similarly food for the hungry, medicine for the sick or medical care for the wounded. This is to be given to them so that they may not die. But undeserving persons cannot be given the above care so that they may again commit bad deeds--- aid is given to them only to keep them alive. If we cross the limit in taking care of the above type of persons, then we will get no fruits. Daan to undeserving persons gives no returns, neither material nor spiritual--- Manusmriti(मनुस्मृति) 3/142.
“Ideal Daan is that which satisfies a person forever’’, says Shri Shankaracharya in Prishna ratnavali(प्रश्न रत्नावली )51. I feed a hungry man after a while he again needs to eat. I give a large sum of money, this takes care of him for some time; after the wealth is gone, he again becomes needy. I teach a man a skill by which he can earn his living .He may be able to do so as long as he lives or is able to work. Is this an ideal Daan? No! It can just last a lifetime. After this life what? Again births and rebirths. Suppose I give him the wisdom of Gita which can liberate him. Now there's no need to ask again. This is Daan of Gyan (ज्ञान का दान ) that is, wisdom is the best gift. Naam Daan (नामदान) by Chetan Maha Prabhu falls into this category.
The six factors we have to keep in mind while giving a gift are:-
1.) The donor should be pure, should believe in giving charity .
2.) the donee should be kind, lead a pure life.
3.)The donor should have the feeling of love towards the donee.
4.) The material donated should have been earned by scripture - ordained means, should not have been obtained, by theft robbery, extortion etc., it should be pure . It should not be something which has been discarded, like clothing, old, torn and worn out. The thing should be valuable and of use for the donee. Even an unknowingly- committed mistake can have disastrous consequences for the donor. The case of king Nrig (नृग) is an example; he donated a cow to a Brahmin not knowing that this cow had joined his cows but was not his. This cow belonged to a Brahmin who never took any donation from anybody, apratigahi(अप्रतिग्राही). Upon realising his mistake, the king wanted to make amends but the other Brahmin did not agree even to take one lakh cows in place of his cow. He just went away. The king had to suffer because of wrong Daan (दान), donation done unconsciously. He had to become a chameleon (गिरगिट) after death and remained so till rescued by Lord Krishna when He took Avatar----- Bhagwat 10/64/16-24.
5.) The time should be auspicious, and
6.) the gift should be in accordance with the requirements or needs of the donee at the particular time and place, example, the thirsty needs water and not gold coins .
What are the fruits of charity? The more you give the more you get---2 Corinthians9/6-9. Whatever we give we get back in the same measure-- Luke6/28. The heart - feelings and means of the giver is also important. Jesus cites the example of the widow who put two mites at the temple and opines that she put in more than all the others--- Mark12/41-44. If the gift is given without thought of return (Sathvik Daan discussed above), it will give liberation from the cycle of births and rebirths, Awagaman Chakra (आवागमन चक्र). Donation of clothes gets you chandralok (चंद्रलोक); Cow, suryalok (गाय सूर्य लोक); bed or vehicle, gets beautiful wife; If you teach ved,(वेद ज्ञान) you become equal to Brahma( ब्रहमा ) -----Manusmriti( मनुस्मृति)---4/ 229 to332.However, if a show is made of our gift then there's no fruit, like a seed in a barren land. Hindu and Christian scriptures describe 10% that is one tenth of the earnings, for Muslims Zakah is 2.25 %. This is the bare minimum, there is no upper limit . From what we have seen above the more we give the more we get. If our giving is without attachment to the act of giving and without an eye on the fruit, we can get Liberation, Mukti (मुक्ति ).
What are the consequences of not giving?
An illustration from Ramayan will open your eyes, Valmiki Ramayan utter 78/15 to28. King Swetka of Vidharbh ( विदर्भ के राजा श्वेताका) had earned highest plane that is Brhama Lok ( ब्रह्मलोक ). Since he had not given any CHARITY Daan, he was always hungry and thirsty. To satisfy his hunger he had to come back to earth and eat the flesh of his own dead body which was divine that is Divya( दिव्य शरीर ). He was freed from this predicament only after a garland was donated to Rishi Agastay ( अगस्त्य ऋषि ). Riches of a person not practicing charity diminish, as given in Rigved (ऋग्वेद )which we have discussed above. Whatever we have in our possession is because of the grace of God; it is not ours but God’s. If you do not give it to others as ordained by scriptures, you are but a thief. The Bible says that if we give something good to others or even do an act for others we actually do it for God--- Matthew 25/40. Quran declares those who do not give others are doomed---Q: 9/24-25. Without giving to others, our attachment to wealth can never be abandoned and we can never be free from the cycle of births and rebirths, Awagaman Chakra(आवागमन चक्र ).
THE CONCLUSION: GIVE, GIVE AND GIVE WITH A THOUSAND HANDS!
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