You Truly Give when You Give of Yourself

The satisfaction one gets while helping another needy human or living being in any manner, be it food, clothes or money is unparalleled. The importance of charity is a constant across all existing religions. 

There is a well known Sanskrit Verse which the author read in School Sanskrit text.

हस्तस्य भूषणं दानं सत्यं कण्ठस्य भूषणम् । 

श्रोत्रस्य भूषणं शास्त्रं भूषणैः किं प्रयोजनम् ।।

Charity (to give) is the ornament of the hand as truth is the ornament of the throat (speech) and recitation of scriptures is an ornament for ears (hearing). When these ornaments are there why do we need the worldly ornaments? 

Importance of Charity in Sanatan Dharma

In Manu Smriti, it has been mentioned in the following verse that in Kali Yuga, the main Dharma, that one can pursue is “Charity”.

तपः परं कृतयुगे त्रेतायां ज्ञानमुच्यते । 

द्वापरे यज्ञमेवाहुर्दानमेकं कलौ युगे ।।

The main Dharma of the beings of Sat Yuga is austerity, the main Dharma of Tretayuga is knowledge, in Dwapar Yuga Yuga is the main Dharma and the main Dharma of Kali Yuga is charity.

In Ramcharitmanas, Goswami Tulsi Das Ji has also affirmed the same principle in following verse:

प्रगट चारि पद धर्म के कलि महुँ एक प्रधान ⁠। 

जेन केन बिधि दीन्हें दान करइ कल्यान ⁠।⁠।⁠

The four stages of Dharma (truth, kindness, austerity, and charity) are known, of which only one [Charity] stage is predominant in Kali. Charity does good, in whatever way it is undertaken.

The Intent is more important than the act of charity

In Manu Smriti, it has been mentioned in the following verse that the mindset of the giver determines the fruit of the act of charity.

येन येन तु भावेन यद्यद्दानं प्रयच्छति । 

तत्तत्तेनैव भावेन प्राप्नोति प्रतिपूजितः ।। 

With whatever feeling (Shraddha), the donor donates. He gets the respectable fruit of his act (of charity) in the same manner. 

One of the famous lines that have left an indelible impression on the author’s memory comes from the book “The Prophet” by Khalil Gibran, where the protagonist defines charity as

“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”

Fruits of Charity

In Srimad Bhagavatam, Shri Krishna says that charity is one of the means by which devotees can receive his grace.

पूर्तेन तपसा यज्ञैर्दानैर्योगसमाधिना ⁠। 

राद्धं निःश्रेयसं पुंसां मत्प्रीतिस्तत्त्वविन्मतम् । । 

Wise men are of the opinion that the ultimate auspicious fruit that is obtained by the means of charity, austerity, sacrifice, charity, yoga, and samadhi, is my (Shri Krishna) happiness. ⁠