There are three important sciences to be learnt by all seekers of truth.
(1) Science of Seva (Service)
(2) Science of Dhyana (Meditation)
(3) Science of Antahkarana (Causal body consciousness)
Here, the sequence is important. e.g. If you jump to second, the Science of Meditation and are not able to meditate, it means you have to prepare yourself by doing service of humanity in unconditional manner, to cleans yourself. Same way, you cannot understand the science of antahkarana without meditating long enough!
Let us understand what is Daana - Giving Unconditionally:
Daana is one of the virtues. It helps to unburden oneself from karma and helps to clean the subtle bodies. There are many things you can give in daana, but what is more important is to understand what to give to whom?
Scriptures say…Give…
Food to hungry (Bhukhe ko anna)
Clothes to naked (Nange ko kapda)
Knowledge to ignorant (Agyani ko Gyan)
Teach Pranayam / Kriyas to Knowledgeable (Gyani ko Prana)
Teach Dhyan (Meditation) to pranavan (the vital) (Pranavan ko Dhyan)
Give Gyaan (wisdom) to Dhyani (meditator) (Dhyani ko Gyan)
And be silent with a wise one to share his energy! (Gyani or Jnani does not need anything! Just share the silence!! Feel the energy field!!!)
Shashtras (Scriptures) also say that give daana to supatra (right candidate) only. Never give daana to kupatra (wrong candidate). But there is only one exception and that is about anna daana… Here you don’t have to see who is supatra and who is kupatra. Anna daana is for all. Anybody who is hungry can eat at an ashram and all have prasadam in the presence of the wise one without any discrimination!
Anna daana is not limited to human beings. One needs to feed birds, animals, fish, ants… too! Masters operate form Sarvambhadraha (All pervading divinity – All auspiciousness – Seeing Shiva in all) state! They see GOD in everybody and everything!! Wherever the need is, it is to be taken care…
Anybody can do anna daana without any specific requirement on the part of giver. You can feed to ants, birds, fish, animals and human beings who are in need. Let it happen naturally. If you have the right intention, you will see and acknowledge the need and giving will happen naturally! That’s the art of giving. The act of cooking Khichari and feeding the needy with your own hands is far more superior than giving a big amount cheque to a charity organization. The reason here is your own involvement in the act of giving.
In hot summer afternoons, can you keep a pot of water in your garden for birds? In villages people feed grass to cows and it is considered as one of the best type of daana! Feeding to dogs, fish, birds, and ants is also mentioned in our scriptures and it is considered as virtuous deed.
It is better to energize the food before distribution. You can do so by giving your prana-shakti to food that can be channeled with right intention and with prayers with the feeling (bhava) of Sarve bhavantu sukhinaha (Let all be happy). This is really a beautiful way of anna daana and it needs to be experienced!
Bhandaras (free food distribution for all) is a part of Himalayan culture! It has spread all over India and abroad too! "Atithi devo bhava" is the way to treat everyone! Greetings are in the form of "Om Namo Narayana"... Seeing GOD in everyone and serving with unconditional love is the way of daana.
Similar aspects are there in almost all cultures and religions. You can see langar in all Gurudwaras. During the month of Ramadaan helping poor by giving Jakat is considered to be most auspicious.
Art of giving is experienced when you give in way that if you give with the right hand, your left hand need not know! That is considered to be the most superior daana. Some people expect their name to be engraved on the door of temples… that is considered as inferior daana. Our scriptures say that if the daana is exposed, the fruits of that good karma are gone! Hence the importance of gupt-daana.
Whom to give? Where to give? When to give?
You need not be worried about such things. You don’t have to go in search of big charity organizations. Just look around and you will find plenty of needy people. When you find a hungry man, don’t give money but give him food. That is the right act. If you see a bright student deprived of education because of lack of money, pay her tuition fees. If you see a sick patient dying because of lack of medical facilities, it is better to get his treatment done! If you have the right intention, you will have eyes to see the need and daana will happen automatically in right way!
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. ~ Chinese proverb
Donation should be given to help a person and increase the self esteem of the recipient. Hence it is better to teach fishing, instead of giving fish, as indicated in Chinese proverb. So it is better to give a sewing machine to a lady to make her independent and self sufficient rather than giving her food for a day. Also, sharing some interesting information and giving strategic help to a needy is far more superior danna than just offering food.
He who has spent has used; he who has collected has lost; but he who has given has saved his treasure forever. ~ Hazrat Inayat Khan
Is there wrong kind of daana?
Not exactly at the level of intention, but in certain circumstances it becomes wrong
e.g. Giving high calorie food to overweight person who is dieting!
Giving clothes to rich man… he will not wear it!
Giving knowledge to knowledgeable… You will land up in debate or arguments!
Teaching pranayam to Yogi… He doesn’t need it!
Teaching meditation to Dhyani… not necessary!
Quoting from scriptures to a Jnani… It’s not required!
What is considered to be highest kind of daana?
Only a Jnani is in a position to do this highest kind of daana by sharing his wisdom with those who are mumukshu. All Jnanies are interested in doing that but because they do not get mumukshus they come down to food distribution to masses. They build schools and hospitals for needy… Masses can see only this and give more money to their organizations and they have no option but to go for more charity activities. This is good and needs to be appreciated as it helps a lot to masses. But the best daana is that of sharing insights to create understanding and awareness in a mumukshu. This is the highest kind of Daana.
Sri Ramana Maharshi was a Jnani in true sense. Whenever a mumukshu approached him, he told him to enquire within (Who am I?) and also recommended to read scriptures like "Tripura Rahasya" and "Ribhu Geeta" to go deep within and contemplate on Self!
The next best is GYAN DAANA - to distribute the words of the master in any form. If one cannot do the sharing of one’s own wisdom, one can always share the master’s wisdom. It can be in any form. Modern ways are Books, Cds, e-mails, blogs, groups etc. In the times of Krishna and Buddha all these things were not there. Even bicycle was not there! But, if available, I am sure both of them would have used these facilities as both were Prince and advanced consciousness, compared to masses at that time or even our times!
(1) Science of Seva (Service)
(2) Science of Dhyana (Meditation)
(3) Science of Antahkarana (Causal body consciousness)
Here, the sequence is important. e.g. If you jump to second, the Science of Meditation and are not able to meditate, it means you have to prepare yourself by doing service of humanity in unconditional manner, to cleans yourself. Same way, you cannot understand the science of antahkarana without meditating long enough!
Let us understand what is Daana - Giving Unconditionally:
Daana is one of the virtues. It helps to unburden oneself from karma and helps to clean the subtle bodies. There are many things you can give in daana, but what is more important is to understand what to give to whom?
Scriptures say…Give…
Food to hungry (Bhukhe ko anna)
Clothes to naked (Nange ko kapda)
Knowledge to ignorant (Agyani ko Gyan)
Teach Pranayam / Kriyas to Knowledgeable (Gyani ko Prana)
Teach Dhyan (Meditation) to pranavan (the vital) (Pranavan ko Dhyan)
Give Gyaan (wisdom) to Dhyani (meditator) (Dhyani ko Gyan)
And be silent with a wise one to share his energy! (Gyani or Jnani does not need anything! Just share the silence!! Feel the energy field!!!)
Shashtras (Scriptures) also say that give daana to supatra (right candidate) only. Never give daana to kupatra (wrong candidate). But there is only one exception and that is about anna daana… Here you don’t have to see who is supatra and who is kupatra. Anna daana is for all. Anybody who is hungry can eat at an ashram and all have prasadam in the presence of the wise one without any discrimination!
All great masters served food to poor people around! Who so ever the person may be, weather saint or sinner, when you feed the hungry stomach, it is a virtue because the blessings (ashirvad) comes automatically! Sri Ramana Maharshi and Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, both were in favour of free food distribution to poor masses. And this activity goes on even today at Ramanashram and almost all branches of Ramakrishna Mission on daily bases.
Anna daana is not limited to human beings. One needs to feed birds, animals, fish, ants… too! Masters operate form Sarvambhadraha (All pervading divinity – All auspiciousness – Seeing Shiva in all) state! They see GOD in everybody and everything!! Wherever the need is, it is to be taken care…
Anybody can do anna daana without any specific requirement on the part of giver. You can feed to ants, birds, fish, animals and human beings who are in need. Let it happen naturally. If you have the right intention, you will see and acknowledge the need and giving will happen naturally! That’s the art of giving. The act of cooking Khichari and feeding the needy with your own hands is far more superior than giving a big amount cheque to a charity organization. The reason here is your own involvement in the act of giving.
In hot summer afternoons, can you keep a pot of water in your garden for birds? In villages people feed grass to cows and it is considered as one of the best type of daana! Feeding to dogs, fish, birds, and ants is also mentioned in our scriptures and it is considered as virtuous deed.
It is better to energize the food before distribution. You can do so by giving your prana-shakti to food that can be channeled with right intention and with prayers with the feeling (bhava) of Sarve bhavantu sukhinaha (Let all be happy). This is really a beautiful way of anna daana and it needs to be experienced!
Bhandaras (free food distribution for all) is a part of Himalayan culture! It has spread all over India and abroad too! "Atithi devo bhava" is the way to treat everyone! Greetings are in the form of "Om Namo Narayana"... Seeing GOD in everyone and serving with unconditional love is the way of daana.
Similar aspects are there in almost all cultures and religions. You can see langar in all Gurudwaras. During the month of Ramadaan helping poor by giving Jakat is considered to be most auspicious.
Art of giving is experienced when you give in way that if you give with the right hand, your left hand need not know! That is considered to be the most superior daana. Some people expect their name to be engraved on the door of temples… that is considered as inferior daana. Our scriptures say that if the daana is exposed, the fruits of that good karma are gone! Hence the importance of gupt-daana.
Whom to give? Where to give? When to give?
You need not be worried about such things. You don’t have to go in search of big charity organizations. Just look around and you will find plenty of needy people. When you find a hungry man, don’t give money but give him food. That is the right act. If you see a bright student deprived of education because of lack of money, pay her tuition fees. If you see a sick patient dying because of lack of medical facilities, it is better to get his treatment done! If you have the right intention, you will have eyes to see the need and daana will happen automatically in right way!
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. ~ Chinese proverb
Donation should be given to help a person and increase the self esteem of the recipient. Hence it is better to teach fishing, instead of giving fish, as indicated in Chinese proverb. So it is better to give a sewing machine to a lady to make her independent and self sufficient rather than giving her food for a day. Also, sharing some interesting information and giving strategic help to a needy is far more superior danna than just offering food.
He who has spent has used; he who has collected has lost; but he who has given has saved his treasure forever. ~ Hazrat Inayat Khan
Is there wrong kind of daana?
Not exactly at the level of intention, but in certain circumstances it becomes wrong
e.g. Giving high calorie food to overweight person who is dieting!
Giving clothes to rich man… he will not wear it!
Giving knowledge to knowledgeable… You will land up in debate or arguments!
Teaching pranayam to Yogi… He doesn’t need it!
Teaching meditation to Dhyani… not necessary!
Quoting from scriptures to a Jnani… It’s not required!
What is considered to be highest kind of daana?
Only a Jnani is in a position to do this highest kind of daana by sharing his wisdom with those who are mumukshu. All Jnanies are interested in doing that but because they do not get mumukshus they come down to food distribution to masses. They build schools and hospitals for needy… Masses can see only this and give more money to their organizations and they have no option but to go for more charity activities. This is good and needs to be appreciated as it helps a lot to masses. But the best daana is that of sharing insights to create understanding and awareness in a mumukshu. This is the highest kind of Daana.
Sri Ramana Maharshi was a Jnani in true sense. Whenever a mumukshu approached him, he told him to enquire within (Who am I?) and also recommended to read scriptures like "Tripura Rahasya" and "Ribhu Geeta" to go deep within and contemplate on Self!
The next best is GYAN DAANA - to distribute the words of the master in any form. If one cannot do the sharing of one’s own wisdom, one can always share the master’s wisdom. It can be in any form. Modern ways are Books, Cds, e-mails, blogs, groups etc. In the times of Krishna and Buddha all these things were not there. Even bicycle was not there! But, if available, I am sure both of them would have used these facilities as both were Prince and advanced consciousness, compared to masses at that time or even our times!
Sarve bhavantu sukhinaha
Sarve santu niramaya
Sarve bhadrani pashyantu
Ma kaschit dukkha bhakbhavet…
Om Shanti… Shanti… Shanti…
Dear Sir..
ReplyDeleteHari Om.
I have been following your blog since last some days and have liked a lot.Then I also saw your youtube videos.
Is there any way that I can contact you by phone?If you share the same I will be grateful.
I am Charudatta Diwan currently living in zug,Switzerland.
My email address is cadiwan@gmail.com
Thanks!
Sincerely
Charudatta Diwan
Dear Sir,
ReplyDeleteAnna Dhaan or Bhandara we did in Gangotri Ishavasyam ashram has left a great impact in me. At the end of it I was not sure whether
I was giving or I was getting...I was receiving...and only receiving...the blessings, the blessing received from the tiny five year old kid...thats the best thing I have ever received...the joy on their face and the feeling of humility while touching their feet...words cannot explain this...art of giving is in short
art of receiving...
Vidya
Thank you for this wonderful sharing. Pictures also speak a lot and the impact is much greater.
ReplyDeletePlanet Earth is a place to learn lessons and faster we learn better for us. We have always been told that we must learn to give but deeper insights as to why we should give, whom to give and when to give, this blog wonderfully explains it.
Thank you very much.
Pranams,
Namita
Dear Guruji, You have been continuously guiding us in the right way and we are following what you are telling us. The journey with you is too good. Thank a lot for your beautiful and right guidance!!! Lots of Gratitude to You!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for clearing out the misconception of Daana. These deeds need to be done with right understanding i.e how much to give , whom to give; you explained it very nicely. Thanks for the knowledge.
ReplyDeleteDear Guruji
ReplyDeleteseeing these pictures of people giving and receiving daan is so humbling.
Deep Gratitude for showing us the way.
Shivoham!
Sir - Thanks for the article. I am impressed by the energizing of food before distribution.This I feel is so very important.
ReplyDeleteDear Sir, Too often we get caught in the dilemma of "to give or not to give" or "whom to give and whom not to give" , and finally the intellect does not allow us to go further than the debate. Though there are rules, What I understand now is we need to let our intuition function and let the heart take decisions some time
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful addition to what we should be doing. Apart from what we could do individually, we would also be grateful for an opportunity to participate physically in whatever initiative you are taking.
ReplyDeleteThank you Guruji for the beautiful sharing. Thank you very much for making the concept of Daana very very clear.Deepest gratitude to you and thank you very much for always being with us guiding us like the Dhruva Tara.
ReplyDeletethis is a really a wonderful insight. anything done with right understanding is going to make a real difference.Thank you so much for sharing the insights.
ReplyDeleteDear friends, If you like this article, please post the link of this article to your facebook profile. This will help to create awareness and sensitivity in more number of people. You can also mail the URL of this article to your friends. Love, Prem
ReplyDeleteThankyou sir, for giving us a clear understanding,with respect to the manner in which charity needs to be done!
ReplyDelete