CHARITY-DAANAM-(दानं)

SUBHASHITHAM:122

विद्या वित्तेष्वनुत्तमम् I क्षमा शस्त्रेष्वनुत्तमम् I
सत्यं धर्मेष्वनुत्तमम् I दानं शीलेष्वनुत्तमम्  II

Vidhyaa vitteshvanuttamam I Kshama shastreshu anuttamam I

Satyam dharmeshu anuttamam I Daanam sheelam anuttamam II

Education is the best form of wealth, Forgiveness is the best weapon for a man.

 Truthfulness is the best of all Dharmas, Charity is the best form of moral conduct. 

दाता नीचोऽपि सेव्यः स्यान्निष्फलो न महानपि ।
जलार्थी वारिधि त्यक्त्वा पश्य कूपं निषेवते ॥

Daataa neecho api sevyah syaat nishphalo na mahanapi I

Jalaarthi vaaridhi tyaktvaa pasya koopam nishevate II

A generous person even if he is from lower strata of society should be respected and a miser even from higher strata should be shunned. Look! Even though sea is full of water , people resort to a well for drinking water.

शतेषु जायते शूरः सहस्त्रेषु च पण्डितः ।
वक्ता दशसहस्त्रेषु दाता भवति वा न वा ॥

Sateshu jaayate shurah sahasreshu cha panditah I

Vaktaa dasa sahasreshu daataa bhavati vaa na vaa II

The hero is one in a hundred; the Pandit one in a thousand. The orator is one in ten thousand, whilst a generous patron is rarer still. 

अभिगम्योत्तमं दानमाहूतं चैव मध्यमम् ।
अधमं याच्यमानं स्यात् सेवादानं तु निष्फलम् ॥

Abhigamyottamam daanam aahutam chaiva madyamam I

Adhamam yaachyamaanam syaat sevaadaanam tu nishpalam II

Spontaneous charity is supreme, charity when on request is average, charity to a begger is 

inferior, paying for service rendered is without any special merit.

सार्थः प्रवसतो मित्रं   भार्या मित्रं गृहे सतः ।
आतुरस्य भिषङ्मित्रं   दानं मित्रं मरिष्यतः ॥ Yaksha Prasnam
The caravan is the friend of the travellerThe companion of the householder is his wifeThe doctor is the friend of the ailingThe companion of a man on his deathbed is Daanaa 

दानोपभोगरहिता दिवसा यस्य यान्ति वै ।
स लोहकारभस्रेव श्वसन्नपि न जीवति ॥
Daanopa bhoga rahitaa divasaa yasya yaanti vai I
Sa lohakaara bhastreva svasannapi na jeevati II
A person who passes his days without donations and enjoyments
is like a blacksmith’s bellows, he breathes but does not live.
தாளாற்றித் தந்த பொருளெல்லாம் தக்கார்க்கு
வேளாண்மை செய்தற் பொருட்டு.-Kural-212
All the wealth acquired with perseverance by the worthy is for the exercise of benevolence.

अल्पमपि क्षितौ क्षिप्तं वटबीजं प्रवर्धते ।
जलयोगात् यथा दानात् पुण्यवृक्षोऽपि वर्धते ॥

Alpamapi kshitau kshiptam vata beejam pravardhate I

Jalayogaat yatha daanaat punya vruksho api vardhate II

Even though the seed is very small in size,when properly watered , from that grows the mighty banyan tree. Even so, from charity grows the mighty ' punya ' tree.

गोदुग्धं वाटिकापुष्पं विद्या कूपोदकं धनम् ।
दानाद्विवर्धते नित्यमदानाच्च विनश्यति ॥

Godugdham vaatikaa pushpam vidhyaa koopodakam dhanam I

Daanaad vivardhate nityam adaanaachcha vinasyati II

Cow's milk, flowers in the garden, knowledge, water from well, wealth, all these grow more by sharing with others. And not sharing with others causes deterioration.
SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH