Daan: One of the biggest Dharma

One of the biggest givers in the realm of dharma is Daan. We divide human life into three aspects: the physical, the spiritual, and the divine. Lord Shri Krishna shown three paths to make human life. Three paths are as follows: yagna (Sacrifice), daan (Charity), tapas (Austerity). Yagna (sacrifice) is nothing but our duty towards god. Charity is our duty towards society. Duty towards self is tapas (austerity).

Dharma is an important term in Indian philosophy. It means “duty”, “virtue”, and morality” or maybe “religion”. It refers to the facility which supports the universe and therefore the society. Why dharma has the relevance? So the following are the stories from mythology that explains us the importance of the charity.

Karna and Brahmin: Daan one of the biggest dharma

Karna’s subjects were well aware if they approach their king he would always help them. One such occasion, Karna was getting ready for his bath by applying oil to his body. But when he was notified that someone was at his doorstep. He ordered his soldiers to bring the person to him immediately. The bramhin told him that he need help to perform his daughter’s marriage. The very next moment Karna gave the big golden bowl from his left hand to the Brahmin. He was happy to receive such a huge bowl. He still asked Karna why he had donated with his left hand and not with his right hand. As hindus do not perform good or auspicious things with the left hand.

Karna told the Brahmin that human mind can fickle. By the time the one change the object from one hand to other the mind could change. Karna gave whatever he could give without thinking about the quantity. As if he took time to think he might have donated less which he didn’t want to. 

Karna and Yudhishthira

Lord Krishna always used to praise Karna which Arjuna never really liked. Arjuna asked, “Why is Yudhishthira called Dharma Raja? While Karna is called Daan Veer?” Krishna told that he would explain when the time was right. After few days during rainy season Krishna told Arjuna that they would disguise as Brahmins performing puja and visit Yudhishthira. They went to his palace and requested for 400 kgs of Sandalwood to perform yadnya.  Unable to find dry sandalwood he sent them away empty handed. They visited Karna and put forth the same request.

Karna realized that it would be difficult to find dry sandalwood in rainy season. Hence Karna broke the doors into palace into pieces and gave it to them. Krishna than said Yudhishthira and others donated because as religious scriptures. Where in which Karna donated because he never liked to send anyone empty handed.

Karna and Arjun

Even after witnessing incident with Yudhishthira Arjuna found difficult to accept that Karna was a better person. To make Arjuna understand Krishna turned two mountains on their way into gold and asked Arjuna to distribute it within one day. Arjuna passed the message to all the villagers breaking the mountain into pieces he started distributing it to villagers. By the end of the day he had not even distributed half of the mountain. Krishna then called Karna and gave him the same task.

The next moment Karna called two villagers passing by and gave them one mountain each and asked them to take whatever amount of the gold as per their needs. Arjuna learned from Krishna that he was attached to material things. He considered gold as valuable thing and hence started distributing the amount of gold which he thought was a generous amount. On the other hand Karna the size or value of his donation did not matter. He didn’t care whether he was praised for his charity.

Charity or donation should be done as one of our duty and must be performed without attachment and expectation of reward. Narad purana says gold is purified by fire, the body is purified by water, soul is purified by penance and money is purified by donation. Donation done for God’s cause with reverence is never been wasted, it always gives infinite and renewable fruit.