No one wants to give tax to the government or charity to anything. They don’t want to give charity to anyone. If you give half or more of what you earn for others, you will be happy.
Once, a King was visiting the citizens of his state and met a washerman who seemed to be completely content and happy in his life and work.
The King asked him, “Why are you so happy and content?”
“Why?” the washerman replied. “Every day I make one rupee. Of that one rupee, I give 25 paisa in charity to brahmanas, sadhus, and sages. I give 25 paisa for the maintenance of my wife and children. I give 25 paisa to my father, and I keep 25 paisa for my personal needs. So I am very happy. I have no tension. I do not work only for my own maintenance. I keep just enough to maintain my life and give the rest to others. Tomorrow I will work again. So I have no worry.”
Now almost all people are misers. The government collects taxes but use it for themselves. The government doesn’t want to give charity to good causes, for dharma. Brahmanas or the intelligent class also don’t follow their dharma. They receive charity from the other classes without distributing it properly in service. Ksatriyas or the administrative class don’t follow their dharma. Vaisyas or the mercantile class also don’t follow their dharma. Because of the abuse of the higher classes, the sudras suffer. The sudras work so hard, and when the higher classes don’t support the sudras, and have no compassion for them, then the sudras will become against them. If the seniors and elders are always doing wrong, then what will the juniors do? They will do something wrong. How will they maintain themselves otherwise?
When the authorities follow their own dharma, they are powerful and righteous and from them, blessings, mercy, power, strength, and energy will come down to the other classes. There will be harmony and peace in society. If the leaders give charity, then the lower classes will also give charity. But the kings and administrators become miserly and horde the wealth. They tax by force, and then horde and misuse the wealth. Then everyone becomes angry. Political and cruel people are expert at duplicity. They will speak very sweetly for their own selfishness. But after they will show who they are by their actions. On the other hand, if the administrators are open-hearted and good-natured, those who are administered also become good-natured and open-hearted.
Yad yad acarati sresthas tat tad evataro janah—Krsna says in the Gita that the general people will emulate the behavior of their leaders.
So if the leaders are corrupt, then it damages the whole society. This corruption spreads from the top down. The guilt spreads everywhere. Who is the authority? If they are doing wrong, then everyone will suffer.
Sudras are not bad. Sevakas are not bad. But also, those in positions of authority should not give everything. People cannot digest it. They don’t have the capacity. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain authority. And you should share. If you have knowledge, you should share it. If you have wealth, you should share it. By giving in charity, you receive good karma and the blessings of God. If you are a poor person who always gives his small wealth in charity, like the story of the washerman, then in your next life, you may become like the king. And the miserly king will become a beggar.
A sudra may be a brahmana. If he has the qualities of a brahmana, but is born in a sudra family, then he is really a brahmana. And if a brahmana doesn’t have the qualities of a brahmana, but has the quality of a sudra, then he is a sudra.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw that the brahmanas were not following anything properly. So Mahaprabhu went to all the sudras, the mlecchas, and the antyaja outcastes. He gave them all His mercy and power and they became gurus, acharyas, and the leaders of His movement.
Mahaprabhu gave them all power. Why? The Brahmanas had become very proud and miserly. They were always being cruel to others. They had also become lazy and hypocritical, not properly following their dharma.
You will find in many places in India, the rich Hindus have Muslim maids who cook and clean for them. And by eating this cooking, their intelligence and loyalty to Sanatana-dharma will be lost naturally.
If the husband doesn’t take care of the wife, what will the wife do? If he doesn’t take responsibility and is careless, then how long will the women suffer?
Question: Before we saw that the husbands worked and it would be enough to maintain the whole family, but nowadays, both the husband and wife must work to support their families. Why is that?
Answer: This is speculation. How much do you need to eat? One person who works can maintain the whole family. But their desire is the disease. Therefore both man and woman need to work. Even if ten people in a family worked, still, it would not be enough to satisfy their desires.
Even now, if a family has one faithful, strong person who works, it will be enough. If one man works, he can maintain his family. But how much does he need? Everyone in the family wants the latest iPhones, fancy cars, high-speed internet, a.c., and all conveniences and kinds of recreation. If they are satisfied to live simply, then the wife and husband don’t need to both work.”
The Bhagavatam teaches that even all the objects of enjoyment in the world cannot satisfy the desires of a lusty person.
Before, ten people would live in one room. But now, ten rooms are not enough for ten people, and ten bathrooms are not enough for ten people. They have become lazy, greedy, enjoyers.
Before, why did the women follow their husbands? The men had strong faith for God. They had love for God and were servants of God. Therefore the women followed them. But now the husbands have no faith in God. Therefore, the women have become against them. It is not their fault. Even now, if a man truly follows God and is a proper servant of God, then the women will be very happy to follow him.
Money does not maintain anything. Srivasa Pandit did not work. You and I are not working. Who is maintaining everything? When Brahmanas serve God, then everyone serves the Brahmana. This is not charity. It is their duty. If you have desire to work according to your qualification and are expert in that and give what you can in charity, then you will be happy.
If the husband does bhajana, the wife will also do bhajana. But now, when everyone is working like donkeys just to try and enjoy as much as they can and to buy things they don’t need, then no one can be happy and satisfied.
[CC-by-NDNC Bhakta Bandhav]