The simplest definition of charity is when you do something for someone without expecting anything in return for it. If someone asks, it obviously means he needs it and your duty is to redistribute what God has given to you. For a Sadhak the path is to evolve, to reach a higher state of being and to reach a higher state of being. Charity is one of the 5 Yama defined in the 8 fold path of Yoga which a Sadhak has to practice for evolution.
Let us take up the example of a person who goes in a function and has donated a lot of money. He goes up on a stage and announces his contribution in front of the audience.Would you call this charity? No, this is a business. The gentleman has used his money to buy appreciation and praise for himself. He has exchanged his money for some name and satisfaction of his ego.Charity should be like—the left hand should not know what the right hand is doing because it is not the right hands business to know. One should give irrespective of what use it will be put to. There should not be any judgment whatsoever.
We always believe that one should not give it (money) to someone who will not use it in the right way. We first make a judgment whether a person needs money and then we give it. That person whatever he chooses to do with the money is not your business.In Gita (Lord Krishna) says that judgment is only in my hands. In order to judge another human, you ought to be perfect first and we know that only God is perfect and no one else.Judgment is a state of mind and this state of mind will interfere with the charity you are doing. This charity will be done for some satisfaction. So effectively what you have performed is a business transaction, bought satisfaction by giving something.We all have heard of Karna in Mahabharata. He used to pray to the sun god and every morning after the puja, when he would turn around, whoever came and asked him for something/ anything, he would just give it.
If you have something, you should feel lucky that someone has to ask you for something. If you have something and before giving, you want to ascertain what he will use it for, then this means only one thing—which you think the wealth is yours and you have the power to judge. This is the first step of attachment and is not correct.
Now the question arises does Charity need always be in monetary terms. Charity need not be with money; charity can be kind words, can be helping someone, can be teaching or doing service for someone without expecting anything in return. Your work is only to act and do your karma as a channel and not count your blessings.
If you feel satisfied within, that means that this physical world belongs to you. When giving, you should not have any feelings. It should be just like walking. If you walk, you do it to get from A to B. You can enjoy the walk but do not get attached to it. If you get attached to it, then you will get stuck in that and will forget the purpose of your walk.
The purpose of Sadhna is evolution and as you evolve you move up the Pyramid becoming responsible for all under you. A sadhak takes on this responsibility voluntarily and Charity is the foremost and the most important tool towards this evolution.
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