Hari OM
Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!
It is not uncommon over the winter months to find an increase in the number and frequency of requests for charity giving. Whether it is through the mail, our computer, by telephone or in the streets and shopping malls. Charity and the need for it is a timeless thing. Guru-ji has this to observe about giving.
There are two schools of thought with regard to charity. One says give freely, without judging whether a person is fit or not. This emulates Nature: the sun, moon, rivers and trees give of themselves with no concern for the recipient.
Once while seated under a mango tree a stone hit Maharaja Ranjit Singh. When the culprit was presented before him, she said, 'Maharaja, I was hungry. I threw the stone to strike down a mango. By mistake it hit your majesty. Please forgive me.'
The king dismissed her with some money to buy food. To his perplexed followers, the king explained, 'Suppose her stone had hit the tree.
It would have given her fruit. Should I, a human being, not be better than a tree?'
The second advises giving with discrimination. The views are conflicting. What is the solution?
If there are misgivings about the worthiness of the cause deserving financial help the be convinced first and then give. Giving should bring joy, both to the giver as well as the receiver.
Neither the giver nor the receiver should feel pressured or obligated in the giving or the receiving.
CHARITY takes various forms; food, money, knowledge. The greatest gift of all is to make a person fearless!!!
Swami Chinmayananda advises:
Be generous like God in giving
AND also in forgiving.
GOD gives and forgives…
MAN gets and forgets!!!
– – Swami Tejomayananda
