दाता भवति वा न वा

One day Arjuna, who disliked Karna, complained to Lord Krishna that Karna is always praised for being very benevolent and charitable while Arjuna himself also donated a lot to the needy.

Lord Krishna said to Arjuna, “Do you know why even I think Karna deserves this praise? Let me demonstrate.”

He took Arjuna to the outskirts of a nearby village and asked him, "See that small hillock out there?" Arjuna replied in the positive. Krishna snapped his fingers and low behold! It became a mountain of gold coins. He told Arjuna, “Go, donate this treasure to your heart’s content. The only condition is that you should donate it all and it should get over at day’s end. So, donate wisely.”

Filled with pride of being able to donate such a large sum, Arjuna immediately went to the nearby village and told all the villagers to come to the outskirts to receive handsome donations from him. The villagers soon made a beeline at the mountain. Arjuna started donating bucketfuls of gold to each villager. Soon, the people in the village got over, but the mountain of gold seemed to be as it is!

Arjuna then sent the message to ten nearby villages and was busy all day long in donating gold coins, but the coins did not seem to get exhausted at all. Finally, Arjuna sat down tired and asked Lord Krishna, with folded hands, “What is it that you are trying to teach me here?”

Krishna said, “Come, along with me.”

They went to Karna’s palace and then took him to the outskirts of another village and Lord Krishna again created a mountain of gold and told Karna the same thing.

Karna called the head of the village and told him, “There is a mountain of gold that is to be distributed between all the villagers. Inform the villagers in your and surrounding villages and let everyone help themselves to whatever amount of gold they wish to have.” And he went away from there.

The villagers came, started taking the gold as per their requirements and soon enough the mountain of gold started getting smaller and got over when the last villager took his share.

Arjuna was watching everything intently! Lord Krishna said, “Partha, do you now understand why Karna is known as the greatest दाता (Benevolent Person)? It is because he has no “अहं भावना / Ego” when he donates. He donates truly selflessly!”

***

This story reminds me of the subhashitam -

शतेषु जायते शूर: सहस्रेषु च पण्डितः । वक्ता दशसहस्रेषु दाता भवति वा न वा ॥

daata

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It means –

शतेषु जायते शूर:             - There is one Brave person within a hundred;

सहस्रेषु च पण्डितः      - one Intelligent person within a thousand;

वक्ता दशसहस्रेषु            - one (proficient) Orator within ten thousand;

दाता भवति वा न वा  - (but) a “Giver” is rarely found!

A true "Giver" is one who is

a humble giver (I am thankful that I have enough that I can give), a mindful giver (I am not causing physical hurt or mental agony to the receiver by what I give and in what way I give) a selfless giver (I do not expect anything in return, not even gratefulness or respect)

and such a person is indeed rare!

Being a “Giver” makes you truly rich – rich in terms of the quality of life you lead, the friends and well-wishers you are surrounded with, the good health and mental peace you enjoy and the contentment you get from the material wealth that you possess.

We receive so much all our lives;

energy, sustenance, care, kindness, education, wealth and advice; -

from people known (our parents, teachers, friends, families, colleagues, and so on)

and unknown (farmers, city workers, intermediaries, government, and many more)

as also from Mother Earth (plant, animal and mineral kingdom).

Why not pay it forward?

In whatever measure we can, to whomever we can!