Bhagwad Gita - Post 211

Verse 20

That gift which is given to one who does nothing in return, knowing it to be a duty to give in a fit place and time to a worthy person, that gift is held to be Sattwic.

Verse 21

And, that gift which is made with a view to receive something in return, or looking for a reward, or given reluctantly, is said to be Rajasic.

Verse 22

The gift which is given at the wrong place and time to unworthy persons, without respect or with insult, is declared to be Tamasic.

  

There are three kinds of charity—sattvic, rajasic and tamasic. 

Sattvic charity

When we do charity, we should give to that person from whom we expect nothing, or rather, from whom we cannot expect anything. If we help a person from whom we cannot expect any kind of recompense—we may not get even a word of thanks from that person, yet we help that person—that is prattyupakārārthaṁ, expecting no recompense to follow from the good deed that we perform. 

We must give in charity because it is necessary under that condition. We feel for the suffering of another because that person is deprived of physical, mental or social needs. If a person does have access to even the minimum needs of life, and we are in a position to help that person merely because it is good to be of assistance to people of that kind, that would be sattvic charity; and again, anupakāriṇe—we should not expect anything from that person.

Sattvic charity has to be given in the proper place, at the proper time, and to the proper person. Three conditions are there in order that charity may be sattvic. We give charity or express a gesture of goodwill because it is to be done in the case of a person who needs it, in the proper place, at the proper time, and to the proper person—that charity, that gesture of goodwill of ours, that kindness, the mercy that we show, is sattvic in its nature. 

Rajasic charity

If we give in charity because something will come out of it, because if we give something a double benefit will follow—that cannot be regarded as real charity, because we expect something from the good that we do. It cannot be called a really good deed. 

If we give charity with great difficulty, reluctantly, it is not charity.  We must offer help with delight in our heart, with satisfaction in our mind, seeing divinity in things, as God manifests in that person who is requiring assistance from us. 

The kind of charity that is done with an eye on fruit, or what we expect from somebody else, and is done with reluctance, is rajasic charity.

Tamasic charity

If we offer something in a wrong place, at a wrong time and to a wrong person, without understanding the pros and cons of it, if it is totally out of place and unwarranted—that kind of gesture on our part, the work that we do, the charity, whatever we do which is blunderous in its effect, should be considered as tamasic. That is the worst kind of charity.

Swami Says,

“Through sacrifice you will come to know that your real nature is charity. Charity does not mean that you have given some money to an individual or an organisation. The removal of all of the evil thoughts that are within you is true charity. Charity will, in turn confer purity upon you. Once you have purity, there will be unity. And once you have unity, you can reach Divinity.”

(Satya Sai News Letter (U.S.A), Volume 13, Number 4, page 20)

What is the level of charity (sacrifice and purity) is expected from Swami??

Swami’s expectation from us as charity is echoed in the following verse from a major Upanishad as well as from Kaivalya Upanishad

NA KARMANA NA PRAJAYA DHANENA TYAGENA EKE AMRTATTVAM ANASUH

PARENA NAKAM NIHITAM GUHAYAM VIBHRAJATE YAT YATYAH VISANTI

(None can seek to attain this state of gnosis by just any activity or endeavor - (na karmana).

The greatest of all social workers or Samaritans are not necessarily possessor of this knowledge. It is also not obtained as a hereditary gift - (na prajaya).

Children of sages and seers are not necessarily knowledge conscious. You cannot buy this knowledge with wealth - (na dhanena).

This only is achievable by practice of renunciation (This is the level of sacrifice Swami has spoken in the above quote of Swami) in true sense - (Tyagena eke).

This state which the real practitioners of penance (yatyah), attain, is higher than the concept of the heavenly bliss - (parena nakam).

It shines as the most profound realization within them (nihitam guhaym vibhrajate).

Love.