Advice to the Indian Aristocracy/Chapter 16
CHARITY.
Charity is in the Smritis divided into four kinds : —
I. Charity that is bestowed daily,
II. Charity that is bestowed on special occasions,
III. Charity that is bestowed in expectation of some return or recompense, and
IV. Charity of a permanent nature.
Now I shall explain each kind to you. The charity that is bestowed daily means, feeding so many decrepit persons in the poor-house, or so many Brahmins or Fakirs according to Hindu and Mahommedan notions at the choultries, and distributing rice, fruit, and so forth, among the poor and suffering.
The charity that is bestowed on special occasions means what you give on special days, such as feasts, anniversaries, holidays, marriages, births, deaths and so forth; and it may include even charities that are bestowed at places of pilgrimage and at shrines, etc.
Now comes the charity that is given in expectation of some return or remuneration. This is well known to the Hindus, as they often give such charity for the benefit of their health, wealth, and safety. Even according to the ideas of men living in the midst of modern civilization, I can show you that people give their charity in the hope of getting some return or remuneration. You, at any rate many of you, know that many Zamindars, though they are more or less heavily involved in debt, borrow money and spend it in giving large subscriptions for various objects, simply with a view to get a title from Government. I know of many instances of such charity in the last twenty-five years. If a person cannot manage his property to the best possible advantage, and if he involves his estate in heavy debts and thus reduces his heirs and estate to an impoverished condition, why should he be considered by the Government to deserve any distinction? I therefore sincerely hope that the Government will not bestow titles and honours on such persons.
Permanent charity means the money spent on permanent objects, such as the digging of wells and tanks for drinking-water, the laying out of public gardens and the planting of avenues of trees along the roads, and the providing of buildings and permanent funds for public institutions, such as schools, hospitals, rest-houses for travellers, and poor-houses, and so forth.
Though I have nothing to say against classifying charity under four heads as above, I should prefer to form only two classes, viz.:—
I. Charity bestowed in expectation of some return or recompense, and
II. Charity that does not expect any return, but is given as a matter of duty.
It lis unnecessary to dwell at length on the various kinds of charity that come under the first heading. But I think that some explanation is needed here as regards certain acts of Hindu charity known to the Hindus as Krura Danams. (Krura Danam is a Sanskrit word, meaning cruel act of charity.) Amongst Hindus, and perhaps also amongst Mahommedans to a certain extent, money is spent in charity, when a person is sick or miserable, for his benefit. Such kinds of charity are called Krura Danams. Money is also freely spent on funerals under the belief that it will relieve the soul of the departed of some portion of the burden of its sins. I know that Christians, at the first sight, object, to a certain extent, to the reasonableness of the Hindu belief as to the efficacy of the Krura Danams. But I do not think they will have much reason to object after they read my explanation. I must, however, say here that I am writing these essays for Hindus first and then for all others. Christians, however, believe that prayers obtain mercy from God, who forgives the sin of the person praying or of the person on whose behalf the prayer is offered . A few sects of Christians believe that prayers offered at and after funerals by the relatives and friends of the departed person obtain the mercy of God and secure peace and happiness for the soul of the departed. The Hindu belief as regards Krura Danams is that it has the effect of transferring a portion of the giver's sin to the person that receives the gift, and that the receiver would be pardoned that sin by the mercy of God obtained by his offering certain prayers to the Almighty. The ultimate results expected according to the beliefs of Hindus and Christians are nearly the same. But Hindus and Mahommedans also believe that all ordinary charity, that is, charity other than Krura Danams, makes the giver free from sin and sickness, although it does not injure the receiver as Krura Danam does, Krura Danams are gifts prescribed to be given in certain special cases of sickness, calamity, and so forth. If our prayers can obtain mercy from God, and thereby relief from something painful, why should not money given in charity accompanied by prayers and spent with that motive fulfil the same object?
Now let me say a little as regards charity that is bestowed in expectation of no return, but that is given as a matter of duty. It is the duty of a rich man to provide meals and clothes for decrepit people who cannot earn the means for providing food and clothes. It is also a sort of duty for a rich man to dig wells and tanks for drinking-water, to lay out gardens, to plant avenues of trees, to found schools, hospitals, and other such public institutions and to entertain friends and relatives, and also, I may say, according to our notions, to feed the Brahmins and others on pleasant and happy occasions, such as marriages, births, and so forth. Even according to the Hindu belief there is no sin imparted to the donee from the giver in receiving charity and hospitality in all the above instances.
Now, my friends, I exhort you to look on the second kind of charity as more worthy of attention than the first one. The second kind is a duty incumbent on you and it imparts no sin to the donee, nor does it expect any recompense whatsoever. Before finishing this lecture, let me draw your attention to a very good saying, viz., "Charity begins at home." This means that if we have money, we must first provide for our family, and then distribute our charity amongst our deserving relatives, friends, and neighbours and then extend it to others.