The Power of Charity

Charity is a common ideal in human society, and some are proud to be the "most charitable." Srila Prabhupada dismissed such altruists, identifying them as another group of men who try to compete with God.

After all, we are all living on God's charity, breathing His oxygen, and walking by His mercy on a planet we didn’t create.

Nevertheless, in order to get rid of the miserly quality—the standard equipment of the conditioned soul—Krsna encourages charity... but not indiscriminate charity.

As He says in the Bhagavad Gita:

"Charity given out of duty, without expectation of return, at the proper time and place, and to a worthy person is considered to be in the mode of goodness."

 

"But charity performed with the expectation of some return, or with a desire for fruitive results, or in a grudging mood is said to be charity in the mode of passion."

 

"And charity performed at an impure place, at an improper time, to unworthy persons, or without proper attention and respect is said to be in the mode of ignorance."

Thus, charity given without any discrimination can even be destructive and may involve the sentimental altruist in the crime and hypocrisy of the one who benefits from his gift.

Especially when dealing with those who pretend to be engaged in preaching the glories of the Lord but are obviously using the gifts given to them for personal benefit—no money or assistance should be given. Benefiting materially under the pretence of spirituality is among the most severe crimes. The reactions for such deeds are horrifying.

In a world of the cheated and the cheaters, results and reactions are shared by everyone. However, those who consume the money and service of innocent, pious souls face particularly drastic reactions. The innocent servant may be excused by the Supreme Lord or even rewarded with the knowledge of how to avoid pseudo-spiritualists. Such a blessed soul awakens to the fact that his limited resources should be spent in a more adequate way, as mentioned in the first quoted verse by the Lord.

How Do We Recognise a Cheater?

It is rather simple: the first symptom of a hypocrite is that he insists on absolute non-transparency. His private domain is defined as beyond the understanding of what, in his view, is the fallen and stupefied donor. Any attempt to enquire, "Where did my money go?" is defined as an offence.

Such a cheater benefits from his devoted protectors who—if not benefiting financially—gain a sense of belonging to the class of "the chosen ones," beyond the understanding of "common folks."
Arrogance is the primary quality of a cheater, and intimidation is his policy for maintaining his privacy. After years of successful cheating, such a rascal doesn't even hesitate to define the devotion of his followers by how much they contribute to his private bank account.

It is easy to avoid such cheaters. One simply has to be aware of their non-transparency and the way they live. A worthy receiver of a worthy donation eagerly spends what was given to him in direct preaching—such as distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books (not his own) and organising events where devotees gather to become inspired to spread the Holy Name through public Harinama processions (not private retreats).

Such a devoted soul always ensures that others benefit from what was given to him as well. As he receives charity, he immediately becomes charitable to others. Charity, when received and given in this way, becomes the most powerful means of attracting Krsna’s mercy.

Some may wonder if the charity they gave benefits them instantly. Don’t worry—it is only a matter of time before such a worthy gift and such worthy service are returned to you, often when you least expect it. This "charity refund" may take place in a mysterious way, not necessarily coming from the same person we benefited. Krsna keenly registers what has been given, and it is He who ensures that such a selfless person is rewarded, one way or another.

Such a selfless devotee stops worrying about personal comfort and maintenance, knowing that by simply serving those who are entirely devoted to the mission of the Lord, Krsna Himself will ensure their automatic maintenance.

Above all, freedom from selfishness grants the blessed devotee a form of happiness that does not require material benefits in the form of social prestige or recognition. The greatest gift such a detached devotee can receive is to leave his body in peaceful consciousness, remembering the Lord he served without any pretence—dying without the guilt of having violated anyone’s right to serve Krsna and His pure devotee.

The result of selflessness is pure consciousness and the absence of fear.

Such are the benefits of those who are charitable at the right time, in the right place, and to the right person. Meanwhile, the cheater may return, born again and again, to repay his debts to those he deceived—while the innocent, selfless devotee returns back home, back to Godhead, a place where no charity is needed, as everyone automatically receives the Supreme Lord’s mercy.