Gurudev

Make A Difference, Donate Wisely to The Needy: Useful Tips on the How and Why of Donation

By Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar┃Posted: May 25, 2018

What is donation?

To give people what they need is donation, not what you feel like giving. If you donate clothes to somebody who already has many clothes, it is of no use. Instead give clothes to people who need clothes. Similarly, giving food to somebody who owns a restaurant is foolishness. But, to give food to hungry people and clothes to people who need them, this is donation.

There is a story. Once everybody - Gods, Demons and Humans - went to Prajapati (the lord of creatures). They asked him for something. He said, “Da Da Da.”

And then he told them to explain the meaning. All three decoded different meanings. To the demon it meant to have compassion (daya) because demons lack compassion. To humans it meant donation (daan). Give what you have as a donation. For Gods it meant suppression (daman). Daman means to control the senses. This is the story.

So, it is important to donate to people who need it, not to those who don’t need it. If you donate a cow to a poor man who can’t feed himself, how will he feed the cow? If you donate a dictionary to a man who is illiterate, what will he do with it? Only give to those who deserve it!

What is “a secret gift?”

In India, a secret gift (gupta daan) is when you donate or give someone something without telling anyone that you are giving. You don’t want your name to be put on the name plate which says that so and so donated this. When you quietly give, it is called “a secret gift.”

It is often said, “When the right hand gives, the left hand should also not know.” This should be the intention behind donation. People used to take pride in this. You should also take pride in the same thing. At least some time or another, do some service for which you are not expecting any return or recognition. This act brings you so much joy. Once you get the taste of such pure service, you will find it so blissful, so interesting that you will want to go for it again and again. So, every now and then, do some service without wanting any recognition for it.

For the other things that you do, it is quite natural to want recognition. You do some good work in your office and you want recognition, there is nothing wrong in that. When you find real fulfillment in life, you feel so contented, then you don’t mind whether someone recognizes you or not. You keep doing what is good for you.

How to deal with those who beg

To make a profession out of begging is not a good thing. Sometimes, when certain people are able to make money without any effort, they continue begging. Why would they worry about changing that profession? Begging should not be promoted. Yes, if you find some old people or handicapped people, then you should help them, but those who are strong and fit and are begging on the streets, are often quite not in need! People who have strength, who can do something, they should not be given a single cent or single rupee.

Back in the time of Buddha or Krishna, it was a different thing altogether. In those days, begging was done by students (disciple) who would beg for food, or monks who were busy working for society the whole day and would go and beg for food. They needed very little food and would go to peoples’ houses and eat. In those days, people would feed the monks as they were doing good work for the society. Our scriptures also say that one should donate only to the deserving. Give only to those who deserve what you are giving.

Why must we donate?

We must share what we have. When you give to those who are in need, the relief they experience brings you merits. If you wipe out suffering wherever you find it, you will earn good karma – sharing brings you merit. Do not think about your sins, keep on giving.

And the receiver should take it thinking that it is God who is giving them. If one takes something with a thought of returning it back, then it becomes a burden.

People are ready to buy expensive clothes for themselves; people are ready to spend a huge amount on their holidays, but they are not ready to give one cent to others for a service project. At least 3 percent of what we earn, we should keep aside for charity work. This converts the 97% percent of your earnings into good money.

If you want to use 100% on yourself then that is no good! If the money needs to be pure, it can only be 97% or less (laughs). You are free to use 97% on yourself, but 3% to 5%, you should keep aside for donation. This is because whatever you earn is never enough for yourself! You ask anyone, they all feel, "Oh, there's shortage.” Everyone finds a shortage. So it is not wise to say, "First I will do everything for me and then I will donate to others." We have to do both. It is collective growth that we must aim for.

The best form of donation

Generosity, or sharing what we have with those around us, is a divine quality. There are different types of donations:

  • Food is the foundation of life. Hence donating food is no doubt good. If you are not able to do it daily, then do it once in a while. You may donate food on your birthday, or in remembrance of your ancestors. That is why all these rules were instilled into our culture.  Especially in India, anna daanam (donation of food) has been there for ages.
  • Although it is said “Anna daanam param daanam, vidya daanam atah param annena kshanika trupthi, yaavat jeevancha vidyeya,” which means that donating food is the best donation, donating knowledge is among the best kinds of donations. Food can satisfy one's hunger for a short time, but with knowledge, one can be satisfied for life.
  • Sarveshaamevadaanamm brahmadaanam vishishyati.” Furthermore, sharing knowledge of Brahman (supreme consciousness or Divine) is even more superior to that.

If you are not doing any donation, then donate the most basic way first. Begin with donation of food.

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