Man is the beneficiary of innumerable gratuitous gifts of God: wind, rain, sunlight and so on. What gratitude is man showing to God for all these; while he is paying a big price for every small benefit he derives from services like water supply and electric power? God is the provider of all that is essential for life. What recompense is man making to God? On the contrary he goes on praying for more benefits. This insatiable desire is the cause of all man’s evil qualities. The truly human qualities are calmness, forbearance and compassion. Man should lead a contented life.

God has given to man a wonderfully beautiful world, with mountains, forests, rivers and the glorious moon. Above all, God has endowed man with a compassionate heart. But he is polluting it. What is it that man owes to God for all His gifts? The ancient sages called it bali (sacrificial offering). The term bali has been misunderstood as the offer of an animal as sacrifice. The right meaning of bali is tax.

Many such terms are often given wrong meanings in common usage. For instance, the term Shikhandi is interpreted as referring to a hermaphrodite (one who is neither a man nor a woman). The true meaning however, is ‘one who wears a peacock feather.’ The term is applied to Krishna.

the bali (tax) to be paid to God? Only the expression of our gratitude by a heartfelt prayer. That prayer is an expression of one’s joy and thankfulness. What is The hands should be lifted in prayer and the words should come out full-throated. It is unfortunate that even those who are gifted with good voices do not sing aloud in Bhajans. Man has been endowed with a tongue to sing the praise of God. If he fails to do so, he remains indebted to God. (SSS Vol.29, pp. 189-190)

There is a word ‘Bhuta-bali’ commonly used in Yajnas and Yagas. The word ‘Bali’ is generally translated into English as ‘sacrifice’, meaning slaughtering of animals. This is totally a distorted meaning. The real meaning of the word is ‘a tax’ to be paid. Generally, we pay to the Municipality or Panchayath certain taxes like house tax, water tax, drainage cess etc. We also pay certain amount to certain departments of government like Electricity, Telecommunications etc., for the services rendered by them. In order that the sewerage generated in our houses is taken to a distant place and treated properly and for providing certain services like roads, electricity, water supply, sanitation etc., we pay certain amounts tax to the government. Similarly, in order that the restlessness, ignorance and sorrow we are engulfed in are removed and peace and happiness that is eluding us is provided, we have pay certain tax to the Pancha bhutas (five elements). This is called ‘Bhuta-bali’, that is, the tax in the shape of Tyaga (sacrifice) payable to the Pancha bhutas during Yajnas and Yagas. (M&M, p. 26)