“O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.27)

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यत् करोषि यद् अश्नासि
यज् जुहोषि ददासि यत्
यत् तपस्यसि कौन्तेय
तत् कुरुष्व मद्-अर्पणम्

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi
yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam

“Pardon me for the blanket generalization, but I have seen enough. I have had my fair share of run-ins with different kinds of people. From young to old. From middle class to wealthy. From dishonest to honest. From miserable to content.

“The verdict I have reached is that this world is full of takers. If placing the two sides on a scale, the givers would get launched into the sky, such is the weight of the takers. Everyone wants to extract the benefits of this world. They are chewing the chewed, as Prahlada Maharaja so wisely noted.

“Even someone inclined to giving eventually bends to the pressure. They see the lack of appreciation. There is no reciprocation. Their friends and family don’t remember the sacrifices involved in giving. Rather, they are always in the mood of taking, and so they anxiously await the next opportunity to take advantage of the giver.

“Within such a landscape, how in the world do you expect people to follow Bhagavad-gita? How are you going to get them on board with giving? Everyone is after something. You can’t blame them in that regard, as no one will voluntarily accept suffering unless there is something in it for them. At the same time, how is anyone supposed to make lasting advancement if they are always focused on what they can exploit?”

This is the general difference between dharma and bhakti, in the way that it is practiced. The commonly used translation for dharma is religion, but the word applies to the general spirit of adhering to right against wrong, pious against impious, duty and honor versus selfishness, and so forth.

There is an implicit promise with dharma. There is something waiting on the other side. If I am good, I will get rewarded. Someone will take notice of my good deeds. Perhaps I will ascend to heaven in the afterlife. Maybe the charity that I have given will return to me in three times the amount. I will become wealthy through giving, you see.

दातव्यम् इति यद् दानं
दीयते ऽनुपकारिणे
देशे काले च पात्रे च
तद् दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम्

dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ
dīyate ‘nupakāriṇe
deśe kāle ca pātre ca
tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ smṛtam

“That gift which is given out of duty, at the proper time and place, to a worthy person, and without expectation of return, is considered to be charity in the mode of goodness.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 17.20)

Bhagavad-gita describes both dharma and bhakti. There is the recommendation to do everything as an offering to Krishna. Always think of Him. Never forget Him. In that way, you will gradually come to Him. Being by His side is the greatest benefit, because there is constant and steady protection, which is needed in this world that has danger at every step.

सर्व-धर्मान् परित्यज्य
माम् एकं शरणं व्रज
अहं त्वां सर्व-पापेभ्यो
मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.66)

At the same time, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is so merciful that even the takers can benefit. They can follow dharma for a personal reward. They will surely advance in that way. They may even be fortunate enough to approach Krishna directly with their desires.

चतुर्-विधा भजन्ते मां
जनाः सुकृतिनो ऽर्जुन
आर्तो जिज्ञासुर् अर्थार्थी
ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ
janāḥ sukṛtino ‘rjuna
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī
jñānī ca bharatarṣabha

“O best among the Bharatas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me – the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.16)

They will never lose in that proposition. They may not get what they want. Arjuna contemplated quitting the war. He wanted to walk away from the battlefield. He ended up following dharma, but in a mood of devotion. This is because he approached Krishna directly with his problems.

We can ask the Supreme Lord for endless riches, peace of mind, better temporary circumstances, good health for loved ones, and even the boon of a new mode of transportation. Krishna is not obliged to agree, but the interaction will have a purifying effect. Krishna is so kind that we can be known as the greatest taker in the world and He will still help us. The more one stays with the all-attractive one, the more they change from taking to giving, following in the mood of the gopis of Vrindavana.

In Closing:

Not for others’ sake,
I only want to take.

That sucker every minute born,
Against generosity to warn.

Since living only for me,
Desperate for benefit to see.

To Shri Krishna I will go,
The proper way He’ll know.

Categories: questions

Tags: belief, faith, gifts, god, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry, worship