Charity is the quality that is much greater than all the possessions associated with wealth. If there is no charity, wealth has no intrinsic value at all. You have four sons, each of whom will enter a claim to your wealth. The first is charity. The second is the Government. The third is the thief. And the fourth is fire. Each of them expects to inherit your wealth but if you were to hand over all your wealth to your first son, charity, then the others will get no share of it. When you give freely to charity you will find that the other claimants will show great respect for your decision and will not press their own claims. The Gita concluded that it is charity not wealth which is important. (DBG, pp. 63-64)
Charity is giving of money, time or energy for a good cause, sacrifice is giving up of one’s bad traits and weaknesses. If sacrifice means just giving up of hearth and home, many people will do it very easily! The hallmark of true devotion is this sacrifice-the giving up of one’s bad traits and weaknesses. A true devotee should not be deterred by adversities in life. The differences between true and false devotion can be discovered only in times of adversity. A ball of iron and a dry leaf look alike when there is no wind. But when the wind blows, the leaf flies away and the iron ball is not even swayed a little. In times of adversity, false devotion disappears, but a true devotee will think. ‘My difficulties and problems are in no way connected with my devotion to God. These difficulties are like passing clouds, but God is eternal and so is love for God.’ (SS July ‘88, p. 195)
It is often thought that charitable and philanthrophic acts make sacrifice. But there is a vast difference between charity and sacrifice. Charitable people give only a fraction of their bounty to others. Gifts of land, distribution of food, contribution of labour and spreading of education and knowledge belong to this category. Through acts of charity no man ever gives up all that he has. One is not cursed to be born penurious (poor) if one does not perform acts of charity. Going a step higher some retain for themselves what is just essential and give away the rest to society. Such people win the highest acclaim in the world. Our sacred texts prescribed that a portion of man’s possessions must be offered to the poor and helpless. Neglecting the injunction, one should not accumulate lakhs of rupees (thousands of dollars) in a selfish, callous, unfair and unjust manner like an avaricious curmudgeon. Such a miser will become a victim of disaster and degradation, sooner or later. It is inevitable (NNSG Vol.5, pp. 156-157)
There is nothing great in acquiring education and amassing wealth. There have been many millionaires in this world, but what have they taken with them at the time of leaving this world? The great world conqueror Alexander did not carry anything with him when he left the world.
Even King Harischandra, who strictly followed the path of truth,
had to leave this world ultimately
leaving behind his vast kingdom and riches.
Emperor Nala, who reigned over a great empire,
could not take with him anything
when he passed away.
Did King Mandhata, who adorned the Krita Yuga,
carry any wealth with him when he left the earth?
Is Lord Rama, who built the bridge across the ocean,
present on the earth today (Telugu Poem)
You may earn any amount of money, but as long as you are alive you should give joy to others by undertaking acts of charity. Those who have money should look after the poor and sick people. Utilise all your earnings in a proper manner. Consider social service as service to yourself. Those who undertake social service are noble people. On the contrary, those who do not take to the path of service are wicked. (SSS Vol.39, p. 169)