ALWAYS GIVING!

It is a common sight in Prasanthinilayam to see Swami distributing various things. No one can say what He will give, to whom He will give, and when He will give; but that He will give, one can always be sure of.

Swami distributes all sorts of things; these include fruits of the season such as oranges, mangoes, papayas, and apples. Once He even distributed water melons! It is not just sweets, biscuits, chocolates, and the like. As birthday time approaches, the items distributed can be clocks, watches, calculators, cameras, shirting pieces, dhotis, sarees, sewing machines, push carts [for vending], hand-pedal cycle carts [for the disabled] - you name it. At new year time it is often calendars and diaries. So on it goes, not only in Puttaparthi but also in Whitefield and in Kodaikanal.

Swami does this because He wants people to remember that man is born to give and not to GRAB [which is what is happening most of the time these days]. Further, one must give not out of a sense of condescension but with the idea of filling the heart of the receiver with joy and happiness. Some people crave to accumulate wealth. Swami is very critical of this, adding that wealth accumulated is like dung piled up in one spot; it will only radiate foul odour. But if the same dung were to be scattered on a field, it would result in a good crop. This, says Baba, is also true of wealth. If money is hoarded in a bank, it will benefit no one but if it is spent for the benefit of the community, it would bring prosperity to all including the one who is spending.