Once when we were looking for a water cooler (to be installed near a temple) a friends’ mother offered it to us. It was a big amount (circa 1985 Rs. 2 Lakhs) and we felt happy that the job was done.

When we asked her what name to put on the cooler – she said its Gods’ grace and I am lucky to be a tool for quenching thirst. I do not want to lose all the pleasure by putting my insignificant name. She then told us this nice story.

Kabir was a great poet. Everybody knows this. What is not very famous is that he was a big donor for human betterment also. However, whenever, Kabir gave away something, he would look down and give. Many people did not understand this.

So one day one of Tulsidas’s disciple asked Kabir “You give so much of donation, but whenever you give, why do you look down and not look at the eye of the person who is taking the donation ”

Kabir smiled and said “HE is sending all this day and night – mistakenly people give me credit for the act” I avoid people’s eyes so that I do not accept the credit which actually belongs to HIM”.

I thought my friends’ mom was amazing and the Kabir-Tulsidas was worth repeating. Later on I heard this story in Anup Jalota’s Bhajan.

So when you give…give like there is no tomorrow. Whether it is a charity of your choice or www.akshayapatra.org just give.

In fact, Gandhiji says if you really want to test your giving, try giving to a cause which you think is just, but you have no involvement – like helping children (a cause in which you believe) but belonging to a different caste, religion, color, …etc. like sending money today to China or a Mayannamar.