Bhiksha

Published on 10th May, 2020, in Mumbai Mirror Once upon a time, there was an asura called Bali, also known as Mahabali, who conquered the three worlds, and was famous for his generosity. Nobody remembered Indra, king of the celestial regions, who had been driven out of his kingdom by Bali. So, Indra begged Vishnu to deal with this problem, and restore his kingdom back to him. Vishnu took the form of a dwarf, Vamana, and asked Mahabali for three paces of land. Mahabali laughed at this minor request and granted it without a second thought. The dwarf then suddenly transformed into a giant, and ..

Published on 1st September, 2019, in Mumbai Mirror Giving in Hindu society can be categorised in three ways: dakshina, bhiksha and daan. Dakshina is repayment. Bhiksha is alms. Daan is charity. But meanings are often confusing, as people use the same term differently in different contexts. In Vedic times, poets were given daan. And poets would compose ‘daan-stuti’ in honour of the donor. This was more repayment than charity. Dakshina rather than daan. Go-daan was actually bhiksha, done to earn spiritual merit, especially by kings seeking legitimisation of kingship, and surviving relatives who wished to ensure a better future life for the dead. Dakshina is ..