Monday, May 05, 2008
GITA 108 DAYS - Day 90
90. Give Charity depending on time and place
A charitable act becomes satvic when we help out some one when and where it is appropriate. We must make sure that the charity has been received by a deserving party. Even our gifts, prizes, donations and contributions are all charity in different forms. Nowadays we give donations in fear. Do not give donations to temple committees approaching you with programs such as mimics parade and musical night. These programs are not aimed at enhancing the temple culture, but they indeed spoil the atmosphere. Do not give money for bringing elephants either. It cannot be sattvic to capture elephants by trapping them in the forests where they used to live happily, care free and fearless. They were forced out of forests which are the Lord’s abode and garden. Throwing money from a running vehicle to a hundi (money box) is also a careless charity. As unnecessary wealth accumulate, corruption and theft results even in places of worship.
It is a rajasic charity to expect return of favor or give charity with great difficulty. To give charity at wrong place and time is tamasic. It is also tamasic to give charity without respect to the received. It is an insult to make someone stroll many times for collecting the previously pledged charity. One should be respectful to the person receiving charity.
It is a tamasic penance (tamasic tapass) if it results in harassing others or ourselves. Tamasic fellows are always doubtful and they engage in activities without any sense of direction. Rajasic penance (rajasic tapass) is where people engage in austerities and ritualistic galas to show off pride under the influence of ego. These types of tapass will not survive for long. Satvic penance (satvic tapass)is when we do it with care, without any attached desires.
A charitable act becomes satvic when we help out some one when and where it is appropriate. We must make sure that the charity has been received by a deserving party. Even our gifts, prizes, donations and contributions are all charity in different forms. Nowadays we give donations in fear. Do not give donations to temple committees approaching you with programs such as mimics parade and musical night. These programs are not aimed at enhancing the temple culture, but they indeed spoil the atmosphere. Do not give money for bringing elephants either. It cannot be sattvic to capture elephants by trapping them in the forests where they used to live happily, care free and fearless. They were forced out of forests which are the Lord’s abode and garden. Throwing money from a running vehicle to a hundi (money box) is also a careless charity. As unnecessary wealth accumulate, corruption and theft results even in places of worship.
It is a rajasic charity to expect return of favor or give charity with great difficulty. To give charity at wrong place and time is tamasic. It is also tamasic to give charity without respect to the received. It is an insult to make someone stroll many times for collecting the previously pledged charity. One should be respectful to the person receiving charity.
It is a tamasic penance (tamasic tapass) if it results in harassing others or ourselves. Tamasic fellows are always doubtful and they engage in activities without any sense of direction. Rajasic penance (rajasic tapass) is where people engage in austerities and ritualistic galas to show off pride under the influence of ego. These types of tapass will not survive for long. Satvic penance (satvic tapass)is when we do it with care, without any attached desires.
# posted by Sukumar Canada @ 9:05 PM 
