Yudhishthira Asks About Charity and Austerity

Yudhishthira had heard his grandfather's words on dharma, on austerities, on enduring hardship. But one question remained. "O illustrious one! O great sage! There is the dharma of giving and there are austerities. Which of these has greater qualities in the next world and which is said to be more difficult?" Vyasa answered without hesitation. "It is said that nothing is more difficult in this world than giving. There is great thirst for wealth and wealth is obtained through difficulty. Brave men give up the love for life and enter into great battles for the sake of wealth. They enter oceans and forests. Men resort to agriculture and rearing cattle and become servants for the sake of obtaining wealth. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to give up something that has been obtained with great difficulty." He paused. "Therefore, there is nothing more difficult than giving and I hold charity to be superior." But he added a condition. Riches obtained through just means must be given away to virtuous ones, to the right person, and at the right time and place. If the riches were obtained through unjust means, the act of charity did not save the giver from great danger. "O Yudhishthira! It has been said that even a small gift, given to the right person at the right time, and with a pure mind, brings eternal fruits in the hereafter." And then Vyasa told him there was an ancient account that illustrated this — about a man named Mudgala, who obtained great rewards by giving away a single drona (a measure) of rice. The story would follow.