HAREKRSNA.
ALL GLORIES TO SRILA PRABHUPADA.
MY HUMBLE OBEISANCES TO ALL........
are u please answer my questions.
why donation is necessary?is it beneficial to our spiritual life or social life?
why krsna consciousness is the best social service rather than any other service?
Replies
Hare Krishna dear Devotees, please accept my humble obeisances!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
There are curtain rules and regulations if under which one organizes his or her life than he will be happy.
He will save time and energy by making less mistakes.
As for example, we buy a new computer along with instructions of how to use that. If we do not read that we will try to use computer and spoil out of ignorance. Ignorance means darkness. We do not know what is correct and what is not.
So for human beings God gave particular rules in Vedas. Animals leave according to programmed instincts: they indulge in sex particular seasons in a year, they eat particular food, sleep particular time...but human being can use his intelligence. Asking himself: Who am I? How should I live? Why I am suffering?...
So obeying to the rules:
There are four Varnas and four ashrams.
When one is in Brahmachari ashram one is trained strictly under the guidance of his Guru. No time for earning money and for other sense enjoyments. No opposite gender. Busy with menial service. Gaining knowledge. So they collect donations. They do not earn money but beg donations. It is because they have cultivate qualities of humility and dependence on God. And whatever they get they give to their Guru. So these are main duties for brahmacharis.
When one is in grihastha ashram:
One should not earn money if one has not got married. It means always one should take some responsibilities. If not married then no independent work and earn money. Life without responsibility will degrade a person.
So one marries and takes responsibility and starts to perform his duties according to his nature. Before brahmachari used to give everything to his Guru but this time grihastha brahmachari can keep some amount of his money for his and his families maintenance.
So as we see we do not own anything even if we work. We able to work because we have energy and that energy we get from God, from Mother Earth in the form of food. So nothing belongs to us.
So here is the subject of donation. In the reality we do not give but we keep some money for ourselves and for our family for their basic needs.
Why because we came to this world to give our debts. Human life is meant for austerity not for sense gratification.
Sense gratification is possible in Heavenly planets where no need for hard work and etc. But on Earth planet goals of life are different.
Giving debts.
But there are rules for giving donation also:
If we want to remove our karma both pious and impious we have to donate for Krishna. If we give donation to some one who will use that donation for meat eating then we will also get equal reaction for that sin. So we have to be careful.
According to shastras brahmacharis, vanaprasthas, sannyasis and brahmana grihasthas live for donations. So they do not earn money but depend on donations. So grihastha's duty is to maintain those 3 ashrams and brahmana grihasthas. As if they are taking care of their own kids.
It is like i will help those who need my help when i am capable to do so when i will need help God will surely take care of me.
So Vedic culture means to give care when we can and those who took care when they needed give their care back. Support to each other and help each other to progress in spiritual life.
So it is healthy life.
Vanaprasthas maintain themselves by having a cow or a peace of land...so they do not demand help they behave in such a way so that others voluntarily help them to practice spiritual life. But basically they live austere life: less sleep, food, cloth, simple life...
Sannyasi do not depend on anyone but on God only. They accept donation only for the sake of helping to the person who is donating using that money in the service of God.
They themselves live even more austere three times bath, preaching, no home, travels....
SO IF WE LIVE ACCORDING TO PRESCRIBED RULES & REGULATIONS WE WON'T SUFFER.
In the reality everyone is giving:
brahmanas give knowledge, brahmacharis their service...vanaprasthas again knowledge...those who have lakshmi share that...so it is a healthy culture.
Your servant,
Rajashree mataji's answer is a very good one.
But, I am not entirely sure if you mean donations (charity) in general or specifically towards the temple, etc. Could you please clarify, just so we may be able to answer more clearly.
Your servant,
harekrishna,
donation means u r being selfless sharing something of your stuff with others all are our brothers and sisters helping the needly where is earthquake, they have lost all their belongings then we can donate our clothes, if possible laxmi food stuffs for a good case u can decide for whom u donate is it genuine it helps us give up attachment for money, material things...