Three types of Dhaan (Donations) as said by Krishna in Gita? How to do it?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krishna, Dandavats pranam Prabhuji. I am supporting for devotional services regularly. With your blessings, I got my job in a nationalized bank. Should a donor continue his Parihars after his aim is achieved? Please guide me.”.
REPLY:
There are three types of DHAAN / DHARMA / DONATIONS said by Krishna Himself in Bhagavad Gita:
THREE TYPES OF DHAAN (DONATIONS)
SATVIK DHAAN (DONATIONS IN THE MODE OF GOODNESS)
BHAGAVAD GITA 17.20:
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.
Purport of Srila Prabhupada:
In the Vedic literature, charity given to a person engaged in spiritual activities is recommended. There is no recommendation for giving charity indiscriminately. Spiritual perfection is always a consideration. Therefore charity is recommended to be given at a place of pilgrimage and at lunar or solar eclipses or at the end of the month or to a qualified brāhmaṇa or a Vaiṣṇava (devotee) or in temples. Such charities should be given without any consideration of return. Charity to the poor is sometimes given out of compassion, but if a poor man is not worth giving charity to, then there is no spiritual advancement. In other words, indiscriminate charity is not recommended in the Vedic literature.
(How Devotional Service or Bhakti relieves from karma & material distress? READ HERE!)
THAMASIC DHAAN (DONATIONS IN THE MODE OF IGNORANCE)
BHAGAVAD GITA 17.21:
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.
Purport of Srila Prabhupada:
Charity is sometimes performed for elevation to the heavenly kingdom and sometimes with great trouble and with repentance afterwards: “Why have I spent so much in this way?” Charity is also sometimes given under some obligation, at the request of a superior. These kinds of charity are said to be given in the mode of passion.
There are many charitable foundations which offer their gifts to institutions where sense gratification goes on. Such charities are not recommended in the Vedic scripture. Only charity in the mode of goodness is recommended.
(Is donating to Krishna and His service necessary since Krishna is Self Sufficient? READ HERE!)
RAJASIK DHAAN (DONATIONS IN THE MODE OF PASSION)
BHAGAVAD GITA 17.22:
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.
Purport of Srila Prabhupada:
Contributions for indulgence in intoxication and gambling are not encouraged here. That sort of contribution is in the mode of ignorance. Such charity is not beneficial; rather, sinful persons are encouraged. Similarly, if a person gives charity to a suitable person but without respect and without attention, that sort of charity is also said to be in the mode of darkness.
(Why should we support the temples instead of supporting the poor people? READ HERE!)
SHOULD WE DO DHAAN TILL THE END or JUST AS A PARIHAR FOR SHORT PERIOD?
If you are a capable person supporting good cause, it is not good to stop supporting any service unless it falls under any of the following cases:
(i) The receiver is proved to be an untrustworthy person.
(ii) The receiver is found to use the contribution for prohibited or lavish expenses.
(iii) You have no income.
(iv) If you do not believe that supporting a genuine cause reduces your karma gradually that increases the positives in your life.
(v) Any influential family person stops you spending for charity.
(What is the right way of donating for charity and beggars? Can we gift old clothes? READ HERE!)
See, you pray to God for something and take a sangalp (resolution) that you will support a good cause. You get the prayer answered. You got what you wanted.
Many services were going on with your support. Only one in thousands will be blessed by Krishna to support good cause like this. All people will not get that desire to support public and spiritual cause. That is why, Krishna says that only one among thousands will think of knowing about Him. This applies to taking part in dhaan (donation) also.
Now, if you stop the support, how can the service continue comfortably?
If your company terminates you after its project is finished, how difficult it is for you to look for alternatives?
You were making budgets for a certain amount every month and take some steps for buying something n EMI for many years. If the job goes, how will you feel?
Same happens for a brahmana or a vaishnava or a temple that receives support from you.
When the people stop the dhaan/contributions, the brahmana suffers to manage his family and service to God.
The temples suffer to manage the temples.
(Can a devotee lead a luxurious life after spending a part for Krishna? READ HERE!)
So if you get an intention to support a good cause, thank God that he has gifted that interest for you selecting among thousands oof persons.
It is the standard unanimous rule of the scriptures that a grahastha should support a part of his income for sanyasis, brahmanas and devotional services.
Unless he helps the sanyasis, brahmanas and devotional services, the karma involved in his income will not be purified.
Why should we support the brahmanas and sanyasis?
Because Real brahmanas and sanyasis have only one duty of preaching the vedic scripts, reciting and teaching the manthras, etc to others.
Why should we support the devotional services?
Because they help you learn about God and how to get the mercy of God. In brief, they give you God Himself.
(IS ORGAN DONATION ALLOWED AS PER THE SCRIPTURES? READ HERE!)
Stopping the support after getting the prayers fulfilled is equal to selling the cows after its milk stops. Dhaan is a continuous process til we die.
Because, whenever someone, say, a brahmana or a devotee prays for you, he loses a part of his good karma and accepts a part of your karma that makes your prayers fulfilled.
To compensate that loss of good karma, that devotee has to follow severe austerities.
So, a devotee or brahmana or sanyasi who blesses you takes a great risk of loss of his karma and addition of part of your karma.
So, stopping helping them (though you are capable) after the prayers fulfilled is like a selfish act.
That person should continue his dhaan and dharma tIll he is alive.
He is in fact indebted to the brahmanas,, devotees, sanyasis, etc who blessed him.
You can never compensate the loss of their own karma faced by the devotees/ Brahmanas as they BLESS YOU that makes wonders.
Getting the blessings without helping back in any way though without money, is not recommended.
You did not achieve on your own.
You achieve because of the blessings of good souls who follow dharma.
(Is it compulsory to donate (Giving dhaan) on Ekadasi? READ HERE!)
A horoscope says whether you have the blessings of your ancestors, Kula devatha, Ishta devatha, Gurus, etc.
Blessings are that much important.
So, do not stop the support to good causes until you can spare money. If you are truly unable to spare something its alright. Even then, you can offer even a small support of any kind/ service.
Sparing from your own resources is called dhaan. You can even spare the time for a devotee’s services if you can not spare money.
Not doing just to get the purpose solved and then stop it.
So, my opinion about the dhaan based on Gita itself is: Do as a duty till you can. Do not use a brahmana or a devotee or temple ONLY TO GET YOUR THINGS DONE.
Krishna Himself classifies three types of Dhaan (Donations) as said above that would have cleared your doubts.
Keep them in mind till you leave this body. Help others till you can. It is a fortune given by God selecting you as one among thousands.
So you can follow any dhaan among the above three types of Dhaan (Donations). But, keep on trying to come to the stage of satva guna dhaan.
(WHAT ARE THE RULES OF DHAAN (DONATING) TO GET THE MERCY OF KRISHNA? READ HERE!)