Everywhere, I see that the rich give millions to temples and institutions, but I do not have much money to spare as we are always in a hand-to-mouth situation. So, if I do not give much to God, then I think that’s not a good thing. Right?

Sri Aurobindo says, “Give all you are and all you have.”

Let me share a sweet story told by The Mother: “It does not depend on the amount you have. I remember reading a story in a book of legends about a very poor woman who had nothing—she was quite destitute, living in a miserable hut. She had been given a fruit, a mango. She ate half of it and saved the other half for the next day because it was something so marvelous that one did not often get—a mango. Later that night, someone knocked at her rickety door, asking for hospitality. The visitor said he needed shelter and was hungry. She replied, ‘Well, I have no fire to warm you, no blanket to cover you, but I have half a mango left. That is all I have. If you want it, I have eaten half of it.’ It turned out that this visitor was Shiva, and she was filled with inner glory because she had made a perfect gift of herself and all she had.”

I found that story magnificent. The rich and those who are quite well-off often have all sorts of things in life and give to the Divine in surplus. Usually, this gesture comes from having a little more money and giving generously to the Divine. It’s better than giving nothing, but even if one has a little more than what they need and donates lakhs of rupees, the gift is less perfect than that of the half mango.

This is not to say that quantity does not matter. From the point of view of manifestation it matters. But from the quality point of view the half mango gift of the old woman is of far superior quality.  

At the same time money is not the only thing that one can offer. One can offer time, energy, work, thoughts, feelings and even life to the Divine. In terms of intrinsic quality these things are of far greater value. There is always something one can offer. And the true worth of a human being is precisely in this capacity to offer, to give oneself to the Divine and His Work. On the other hand there are others who give nothing. These, as the Mother says, whatever their value in the outer value have no worth in the eyes of the Divine. 

Affectionately,

Alok Da