CHARITY AND SWADHARMA: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR
Most of us usually accept that it is good to be charitable. Because most of us agree that being callous, crude and indifferent to the needs of other people is the lowest stage of development of mind. This stage neither allows us to grow from within and manage any form of our stress healthily, nor does it ensure any development of the society.
Being kind to others is a higher stage. Kindness to others is actually enriching and fulfilling to self in as much as it benefits many people around us. This is why most of the religions have upheld charity.
Indian concept of SWADHARMA evolves and refines the concept of charity. SWADHARMA is a highly refined and appropriate solution in the form of proactively allocated duty to different individuals; at different stages of life; according to different personal and social relationships, different seasons and different auspicious days!
SWADHARMA is not a matter of individuals feelings, fancies, idiosyncrasies, whims or choice but it is a matter of gong beyond ego and subjective realm and fulfilling various responsibilities and obligations, conducive to global blossoming. The importance the concept of SWADHARMA is that it does not give rise inflation of condescending attitude and ego on the one hand and destruction of self esteem and humiliation on the other; as it usually does in case of charity.
These are akin to loans or debts called RUNA. Thus there are PITRU RUNA (debt of father), MATRU RUNA (debt of mother), and SAMAJ RUNA (debt of society) etc. The concept of repaying these loans is called SWADHARMA. Thus there is PUTRA DHARMA (the sacred obligations of a son), MATRU DHARMA (sacred obligations of a mother), PITRU DHARMA (sacred obligation of a father), RAJA DHARMA (sacred obligation or responsibilities of a king) etc.
This SWADHARAMA prevalent in the different stages of life such as student stage (BRAHMACHARYASHRAMA), married family persons stage (GRUHASTHASHRAMA), retired stage (VANAPRASTHASHRAMA) and stage of renouncement or renunciation (SANYASASRHAMA) was referred to as ASHRAMA.