Charity

ta eva niyamāḥ sākṣāt ta eva ca yamottamāḥ

ta eva niyamāḥ sākṣāt ta eva ca yamottamāḥ |
tapo dānaṁ vrataṁ yajño yena tuṣyaty adhokṣajaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 8.16.61)

“That by which Adhokṣaja [i.e., Bhagavān] is satisfied is indeed directly the regulation (niyama), and that is indeed the best rule (yama), austerity (tapas), charity (dāna), rite (vrata), and sacrifice (yajña).”

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akrodhena jayet krodham asādhuṁ sādhunā jayet

akrodhena jayet krodham asādhuṁ sādhunā jayet |
jayet kadaryam dānena jayet satyena cānṛtam ||
(Mahābhārata: 5.39.58)

“Conquer anger [i.e., the anger of others] with the absence of anger. Conquer dishonesty with honesty. Conquer miserliness with charity. Conquer falsity with truthfulness.”

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vibhūtiḥ tyāga-hīna iva satya-hīna iva bhārati

vibhūtiḥ tyāga-hīna iva satya-hīna iva bhārati |
vidyā praśama-hīna iva na bhāti strī patiṁ vinā ||
(Rāmāyaṇa Mañjarī: Ayodhyā)

“Like wealth without giving, speech without truth, and learning without tranquility, a lady does not shine without her husband.”

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hastasya bhūṣaṇaṁ dānaṁ satyaṁ kaṇṭhasya bhūṣaṇam

hastasya bhūṣaṇaṁ dānaṁ satyaṁ kaṇṭhasya bhūṣaṇam |
śrotrasya bhūṣaṇaṁ śāstraṁ bhūṣaṇaiḥ kiṁ prayojanam ||
(Subhāṣita-ratna-bhāṇḍāgāra)

“Giving is the hand’s ornament, truth is the throat’s ornament, and śāstra is the ear’s ornament. So, what need is there of ornaments?”

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atidānād balir baddho naṣṭo mānāt suyodhanaḥ

atidānād balir baddho naṣṭo mānāt suyodhanaḥ |
vinaṣṭo rāvaṇo laulyād ati sarvatra varjayet ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti)

“Bali was bound by excessive giving. Duryodhana was ruined by [excessive] pride. Rāvaṇa was ruined by [excessive] greediness. [Therefore,] Excess should be given up in all respects.”

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vidyā vivādāya dhanaṁ madāya

vidyā vivādāya dhanaṁ madāya
śaktiḥ pareṣāṁ paripīḍanāya |
khalasya sādhor viparītam etaj
jñānāya dānāya ca rakṣaṇāya ||
(Subhāṣita-saṅgraha)

“A wicked person’s knowledge is [only used] for disputation, wealth is [only used] for conceit, and power is [only used] for troubling others. It is the opposite with a virtuous person [sādhu], where these are [used only] for understanding, charity, and protection [of others].”

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yo vai vāṅ-manasī samyag

yo vai vāṅ-manasī samyag asaṁyacchan dhiyā yatiḥ |
tasya vrataṁ tapo dānaṁ sravaty āma-ghaṭāmbu-vat ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.16.43)

“The rites, austerities, and charity of an ascetic who does not completely control the speech and mind with the intellect seep away like water in a raw [i.e., unfired] clay pot.”

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vidyā-tapaḥ-prāṇa-nirodha-maitrī

vidyā-tapaḥ-prāṇa-nirodha-maitrī-
tīrthābhiṣeka-vrata-dāna-japyaiḥ |
nātyanta-śuddhiṁ labhate’ntar-ātmā
yathā hṛdi-sthe bhagavaty anante ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 12.3.48)

“The inner self does not attain such great purification by learning [i.e., worship of the devatās], austerity, prāṇāyāma, good will, bathing at tīrthas, rites, charity, or japa as [its does] when Bhagavān Ananta is situated in the heart.”

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