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.
