Daana-Charity

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Daana is a very important cultural value today for people have forgotten what it means to give. Capitalist market forces are aggravating consumerism and wanton greed amongst the masses, killing the healthy attitudes of caring and sharing, which were so prominent in traditional Indian society. Many parts of rural India continue to keep this beautiful value of Daana alive even today and one is often struck by the stark contrast it presents against the heartless, mercenary and cut-throat lifestyles of the urban elite.

If we understand the attitude behind daana, the act of giving becomes a joy and not a compulsion. When we give away something, we suffer a material loss. In addition, if we were attached to the thing which was given away, then the sense of loss is greater than the actual material loss. It is precisely to help us overcome our attachment to material objects that daana has been prescribed as such an important practice. To the extent that we can detach ourselves from our objects of attachment, to that extent we overcome our limited nature and tend towards freedom.

The scriptures prescribe certain attitudes and conditions under which daana becomes fruitful and effective. First, one must give according to one's capacity. One must not give in excess of one's capacity and then expect a favour in return from the recipient. Anything which is given with a hidden motive or with an expectation of material returns is not daana.

Second, the donor must have a proper attitude - Shraddha (with deep respect, sincere trust and dignity). Any act of charity done without Shraddha becomes meaningless. The donor must not consider oneself superior to the recipient. Swami Vivekananda says the donor that we must feel grateful that someone is giving us the opportunity to share our knowledge or resources; it is the donor who benefits from the act of giving; not the recipient. The donor must look upon the recipient as God himself in human form and perform charity with great humility.

Third, the recipient also must satisfy some conditions. He must be a worthy recipient - adhikari. The scriptures prohibit apatra daanam- charity done to an unworthy recipient is not only fruitless but can also prove dangerous - like money given to a drunkard or a drug addict who might injure others after indulging.

Finally, one has to be sensitive to the desa-kala parameters. Charity should be done at the right time, at the right place and with due respect to all the protocols and rituals. Charity thus performed becomes a boon both to the giver and the receiver.