The Value of Giving Lies in the Sacrifice

Once there was a beggar. He used to beg all day on the streets near the king’s palace. Still, he did not manage to get enough to feed his family. 

One day as he was sitting on the side of road to beg for alms, he heard the king’s procession will pass through the streets of the town today. He was excited about seeing the king. He picked up his mat and went to sit on one of the streets though which the king’s convoy was to pass. As the convoy passed in front of him, the king dismounted from his horse and approached him and humbly begged for alms from him.  

The beggar was dismayed. He asked O King! Why do you seek alms from a beggar like me? The king replied humbly, “I had a dream that unless I ask for alms from a beggar, some miseries are going to befall on me. O beggar! Please give me something, whatever you can and save me from the miseries that are coming my way.” The beggar had a few coins in his bag. He picked them them and was about to give all of them to the, then he thought, if I give so much I won’t have enough to feed my family tonight. Thinking so he dropped a couple of coins. As he was about to give those he again thought, if I give this much then I won’t be able to get even a loaf of bread. Likewise he kept reducing the amount and finally took a penny and gave it to the king. The King thanked him profusely and left.  

The beggar stayed there all day and left for home in the evening. Upon reaching home his wife looked thru his bag. Lo and behold! She found a gold coin in the bag. She was surprised and asked her husband about it. The beggar now realized that he had given the king a penny and he got a gold penny back. If he had given all the pennies then he would have a fortune right now. But his opportunity is lost! 

Thus, God gave a lesson to all of us that wealth grows by sharing. The reason of poverty is the tendency of not giving alms for the good cause. The scriptures say  

अदत्तदानाच्च भवेद दरिद्राे । दरिद्रभावाच्च कराेति पापम्।
पापप्रभावात् नरकं प्रयाति । पुनर्दरिद्रः पुनरेव पापी ॥
adattadānācca bhavēda daridrāē . daridrabhāvācca karāēti pāpam.
pāpaprabhāvāt narakṁ prayāti . punardaridrḥ punarēva pāpī .

"The habit of not donating invites poverty. State of poverty compels to perform unrighteous deeds to survive. The unrighteous deeds result in sufferings of hell. Then he becomes a beggar again and again.  "

​Hence, Kids! Develop your habit of sharing to fulfill the needs of others and to attain a peaceful life.