Giving Krishna consciousness to others is the best form of charity

Giving Krishna consciousness to others is the best form of charity

Sri Krishna, in the Bhagavad-gita, says that acts of charity, sacrifice, and austerity purify even the great souls and should never be given up.

“Money is the honey” goes so far as it is employed for Krishna consciousness. The body is undoubtedly a material vehicle but when it acts for Krishna consciousness it becomes spiritualized. By the grace of Krishna, material energy can be transformed to spiritual energy & spiritual energy is never deteriorated. To be in Krishna consciousness means to be in spiritual energy

Lakshmi is the wife of Lord Vishnu, and His association alone brings Her happiness. Therefore, the means to keep the Goddess who governs riches pleased is to see that some portion of your wealth is always engaged in the service of Lord Vishnu.

The legend of wealthy Birla family with mercy of Supreme Lord Narayana (Shri Krishna): There is a modern legend in India about the wealthy Birla family. It is said that three or four generations ago, a grandsire of that family was blessed by a sadhu. Now, this sage told him that his family would remain wealthy for generations provided whatever they earned was used in the service of the Lord. Birla was instructed to “never allow the mason’s trowel to rest.” Today for the sake of public good, the Birla family has constructed many beautiful temples to Lord Vishnu all over India. I have visited several of the magnificent temples constructed by the Birla family including: the Lakshmi-Narayana Mandir in Delhi, the Gita Mandir at Kurukshetra, the Vyenkateshwar Mandir at Hyderabad and the Gita Mandir at Mathura. Neither has the trowel rested, the wealthy Birla family, blessed by Goddess Lakshmi, continues their service to dharma and society.

Wealth and property are ultimately not ours to hoard, so to avoid a miser’s fate in the region of Naraka, where sinful misers are sent, one’s accumulated assets must be engaged for the pleasure and service of the Almighty Vishnu. Then Lakshmiji may condescend to make our home Her address. In this all-too-short spot of our life we will be wise to sing in one voice with the great 19th century Acharya Shrila Bhaktivinode Thakur, who said, “All that I have I tender at Thy lotus feet, O Husband of the Goddess of Fortune.”-End of Pavan’s Commentary in the matter of Chanakya Niti Shastra 1.5, 6 & 7

In this world of misery, giving Krishna consciousness to others is the best form of charity
Giving knowledge in charity is probably the most valuable gift available to human kind. Other forms of charity may alleviate the pain of the body or the mind, but the gift of knowledge gives the instrument by which one can solve all problems at the root.

Therefore, it is the most powerful, most effective, and most appreciated gift or form of charity.

Srila Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) so as to make the highest form of charity for all living beings

“So, if one gives some amount of his money to persons involved in distributing Krishna consciousness, that charity, given to spread Krishna consciousness, is the greatest charity in the world.” (Gita 11.54 purport)

As far as charity is concerned, one should give fifty percent of his earnings to some good cause. And what is a good cause? It is that which is conducted in terms of Krishna consciousness. That is not only a good cause, but it is the best cause. Because Krishna is good, His cause is also good. Thus charity should be given to a person who is engaged in Krishna consciousness. According to Vedic literature, it is enjoined that charity should be given to the brahmanas. This practice is still followed, although not very nicely in terms of the Vedic injunction. But still the injunction is that charity should be given to the brahmanas. Why? Because they are engaged in higher cultivation of spiritual knowledge.

“Therefore, all the types of beneficence to others, like kindness, friendliness, forgiveness, charity, respect, etc. are included in Bhakti… Charity of medicines, clothes, food, water, etc. shelter during adversities, teaching of academic and spiritual education, etc. are the activities included in the devotional culture” (Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Sri Tattva-sutram, 35).

In Srimad Bhagavatam 4.12.10 Srila Prabhuapda writes, “Ksatriyas and vaisyas are therefore especially advised to give in charity at least fifty percent of their accumulated wealth.”

Charity is a very very important principle of spiritual life, whether with our life, wealth, intelligence, or words; if anyone wants to make spiritual advancement they must learn to give selflessly for the benefit of others.

We collect money directly for serving Krishna. We give directly, that “We have got our Krishna. We have to serve. We have to do this. Kindly give us some contribution, and you take this book.”

We suffer on account of our sinful activities. So here everything is sinful. Anything you do in this material world, which is sin. Even your so-called service to the society, country, they are also sinful. Chaitanya-charitamrita says that dvaite bhadrabhadra sakali samana. This material world is so polluted, everything is polluted here. So here we have divided that “This is nice, and this is bad.” This is simply mental concoction. There is nothing good here; everything is bad. That should be the conclusion. But we have divided: “This is very good, and this is very bad.” Everything is very bad. There is no question of good because there is no connection of God.

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

When Christ was asked, “What is the first and foremost commandment?” he answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy soul. And the second is like unto it: love thy neighbor as thyself.” You speak of society consciousness, but God consciousness is above society consciousness, because when you learn to become conscious of God, God being the reservoir of all things and all beings, you automatically become society conscious. If you put your water on the root of a tree, automatically every leaf, flower, fruit and branch will get the water. But if you try to put water on every leaf and branch and flower, that will be of no use.