Are you one of those who is casual about freebies — borrowing money, taking free services, or accepting free gifts? It might be time for you to reevaluate your behavior. While this habit may appear harmless, it has massive karmic consequences that need your attention.

The Ancient World

In the ancient world of Sanatana Dharma, renunciates were not beggars but revered teachers. The scriptures like Mahabharata, Ramayana, and the Puranas reveal that sages lived in ashrams, typically funded by the kings. These were the kingdom’s learning centers, similar to a free, high-quality public school system.

Meanwhile, the practice of taking alms, or bhiksha, was a form of spiritual discipline for those pursuing Brahmacharya (divine conduct) to tame their ego. As a result, there were numerous rules in place to distinguish this from begging. We can see this clearly in the tale of Adi Shankara Acharya.

When the saint went out to seek alms, a poor household gave him a single amla fruit to eat. Adi Shankara’s disciple, who had accompanied him, grew concerned. This was because, according to monastic rules, they could only beg for one meal daily and accept food from just one house. Taking this amla meant not eating for 24 hours.

In response, the compassionate Adi Shankara said —

This family is suffering from poverty. Whenever someone gets alms, they take on the giver’s negative karma. I received their amla so that they can get out of their dire situation. To help them, I do not mind starving for a day.

An Undesirable Shift

In more recent history, particularly over the last couple of centuries, the notion of renunciates accepting free money has increased. Many modern ashrams often have individuals who seem less hesitant to ask for or receive donations. This undesirable shift makes me question not only their ethics, but also their understanding of the Hindu culture.

As per the scholars of Hinduism, karma never perishes. It is like a seed that will inevitably sprout and give results, whether we want it or not. Now, each time we donate, we clear a bit of our negative karma. So, if karma never perishes, where does it go? Yes, as Adi Shankara mentioned, it gets transferred to the one who received the alms.

In fact, I realized at one point that my heart did not allow me to be a homemaker for this reason. My husband had to convince me that I wasn’t taking free money but doing much work at home. Finally, I was at peace with my situation when he helped me understand that we were dividing responsibilities to reduce stress at home, which was more like symbiosis than just one of us providing for the other.

Nonetheless, I’m sharing this with you to emphasize the gravity of the situation. Given this, consider those lethargic folks, whether in robes or colorful clothing, borrowing money or taking freebies from everyone. Sadly, if not now, these poor souls will suffer horribly in some lifetime. God, save them!

Contributing to Causes

When we donate to charitable organizations that are actually doing good work for society, the karma dynamics change significantly.

The giver benefits because they clear-off or even get positive karma. Nonprofits are not asking for free money but rather funds to help them provide valuable services. This protects them from negative karma.

The receiver does absorb some negative karma, but it is distributed among many souls benefiting from the org rather than just one. This mitigates the effect, creating a more honorable karma transaction that benefits everyone.

In light of this, my family has decided to stop donating to individuals and ashrams (who provide no social services). A couple of months ago, our financial consultant set up a method for us to donate through an external agency that only allows us to give to registered and verified charities. This way, we take the karmic effects of all into consideration.

You Are Responsible

The next time you casually get free money, services, or other freebies, pause to reflect on the consequences. Each time you accept something without giving anything back, you take on the negative karma of the giver.

Please keep in mind that this isn’t merely a philosophical concept. It is a reality I have personally witnessed through my spiritual intuitions and experiences. So, I implore everyone to think about your actions from a karmic perspective because this has the potential to affect your life.

Ultimately, no matter how much you complain about the unfairness of nature, you are responsible for your actions, and you must bear its fruits. Nature makes no exceptions for anyone here. Therefore, give mindfully and take cautiously.

Love,
Sri Devi Om