Short Messages from Sringeri Jagadgurus:

Sringeri Jagadguru on the Duty of a Rich Person and Poor Person from Mahabharatam (Tamil):

Dharma is to be understood as duty. If you have been initiated with Upanayanam, performing Sandhya Vandanam is your duty. If you are a householder, being hospitable to a guest is your duty. Instead you cannot keep your doors closed when a guest arrives. For a Tapasvi, engaging in penance is his duty. He should not get into any other affairs. The Mahabharata says –

धनवन्तमदातारं दरिद्रं चातपस्विनम् ।
द्वावम्भसि निवेष्टव्यौ गले बद्ध्वा दृढां शिलाम् ॥

dhanavantamadātāraṁ daridraṁ cātapasvinam ।
dvāvambhasi nivēṣṭavyau galē baddhvā dr̥ḍhāṁ śilām ॥

A rich man has to engage in charity while a poor man who accepts charity has to engage in tapas and pray for the welfare of the rich man who has helped him. The Shloka states that a rich man who does not engage in charity and a poor man who does not engage in Tapas and prayer must be tied with a stone to their necks and dropped into the ocean. What is the meaning of this statement? It only means that such a rich man and a poor man are committing a blunder. A rich man must feel that, “The Lord has given me this wealth so I can help others. What is it that I had brought with me when I took birth? I came into this world alone and shall leave this world alone. If I engage in charity, I shall get Punyam and be benefitted. If I do not engage in charity and not help others even a little, what is the use of all this wealth?” Such must be the attitude of a rich man.

A poor man once came to a rich man and said – “I have come here to give to wish you well.” – On being questioned, replied – “I had not performed any charity in my previous lifetime. Hence I have become a beggar in this lifetime. You on the other hand have done a lot of Dharmic activities in your previous lifetime and have been born rich. If you continue to engage in charity towards people like me, you will remain rich in your next lifetime also. Otherwise, in your next life, you will become as I am!” –

द्वारं द्वारमटन् भिक्षुः शिक्षत्येवं न याचते ।
अदत्वा मादृशो मा भूः दत्वा त्वं त्वादृशो भव ॥

dvāraṁ dvāramaṭan bhikṣuḥ śikṣatyēvaṁ na yācatē ।
adatvā mādr̥śō mā bhūḥ datvā tvaṁ tvādr̥śō bhava ॥

A rich man must spend his money towards helping the poor and in the service of the Lord. The Vedas themselves say –

मोघमन्नं विन्दते अप्रचेताः । सत्यं ब्रवीमि वध यित्स तस्य । नार्यमणं पुष्यति नो सखायम् । केवलाघो भवति केवलादी ।

mōghamannaṁ vindatē apracētāḥ । satyaṁ bravīmi vadha yitsa tasya । nāryamaṇaṁ puṣyati nō sakhāyam । kēvalāghō bhavati kēvalādī ।

– If one does not use his wealth in the service of man or God, he incurs sin. A poor man benefitted by a rich man must pray for the latter’s welfare.

Hence one must perform one’s duty and revolve his life around God. People must remember that the Lord is ever present as the witness of all actions and hence regulate their life along their Dharmic path.

Video:    • Sringeri Jagadguru on the Duty of a R...  

Copyright: Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri

Source: http://vijayayatra.sringeri.net/archi...