The Hands that Give are Never Empty

The scriptures of most religions stress the importance of charity. Religion is after all a communal concept. And all communities require cohesion and co-operation to function. Thus they desire the individual to move beyond motivations of self-interest and empathize with others. The ideas of "giving" and "letting go" therefore become significant in religious philosophy. 

Hinduism esteems highly: self-restraint, compassion and charity. (तदेतत्त्रयँ शिक्षेद् दमं दानं दयामिति, The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Verse 5.2.3)Following this path there are countless characters renowned for giving, Mahabali, Harishchandra and Karna being the prominent ones. We all know how Karna who gave away his impenetrable armor in charity, became 'Daanveer'. The ability to give ('daana') like Karna demands great courage ('veerta'). Giving to the extent that exposes your vulnerability and threatens your well-being requires a nerves of steel, for in the process you face your instinct, your self ruthlessly demanding you to be partial to your survival and wellbeing. 

Today, it's hard to follow the extreme practices of giving. Most of us would prefer preserving our own safety and well-being over anybody else's. But that doesn't mean one harden one's heart and act selfishly all the time. There are ample opportunities when one can give generously and reasonably (although the joy in giving lies in moving beyond reason). No matter how small, if given in the right spirit, (with sincere respect and no expectation of returns) any offering is worthy. 

Giving teaches you to come out of yourself, empathize with others and share your bounty with others. The experience of a shared meal, a friend helped in hardship, a gratitude prayer for success is exhilarating. One doesn't need kingdoms or treasure chests to be able to give. One can give food, time, work, affection, sincere attention, kind words, etc. as well. It's all about having a broad and generous spirit: The hands that give do not run out.