WHEN IT COMES TO GIVE OR TO RECEIVE ... 1

Transparency in money matters must be there in all institutions of public repute, especially, in philanthropic organisations that raise funds through public charity. Funds raised for a specific purpose must be spent for that purpose alone and not diverted to other avenues of expenditure without the prior consent of the donor. When a donor approaches the institution seeking to give donation, he must be fully apprised of the different earmarked funds in which he may render his donation and this must be done spontaneously by the authorities concerned and not at the request of the donor. This is good communication and helps the donor make his choice through the fullest possible knowledge of the welfare schemes in which he may contribute and averts his future frustration at having made his donation on the basis of insufficient information. Such a free access to information sets up a good donor-institution relation and gives the donor maximum satisfaction for the sum he contributes. Also, when projects for which donations have been raised in the past come to fruition, the donors must be made aware of it and thanked for their contribution. Nothing is more profane than ingratitude and it must be shunned as a detestable vice.

It is easy to say that all contribution, big or small, will be heartily accepted and acknowledged with proper money receipt and, in some cases, even with thanksgiving letter, but it is important to remember that between the official status of such statement-making and the actual practice of non-discrimination between individuals hailing from different social and economic background, there must be no gap. Renunciation and service are the twin ideals we ought to follow, so said Swami Vivekananda. If this is the basis of our work, then the question of being translucent in monetary matters does not arise, far less the outrageous stance of being outright opaque. Our ideals must be clear in our vision even if we are ordinary mortals and no visionaries. The path has been laid down by the Rishis, the goal set before us. Now only the effort will be ours and by His grace we will reach it if we are of upright character, totally honest in money matters with not even the slightest tendency to deviate from the ideal for expediency of the hour, and if we uphold truth in all our movement in life despite mountainous opposition blocking the way to the attainment of terrestrial goals, for no untruthfulness ever helps in pursuit of spirituality which is the final fruition of life.

Let us, therefore, gather the mustard seeds of our scattered personality, as Sri Ramakrishna used to allude to, and integrate our being as we bid to serve the nation. Service is a very big ideal and it needs an adamantine character as its foundation. This character being the resultant of past mental impressions cast on the mind-stuff by work and thought, let us strengthen our character by setting our ideals straight and following it up with righteous work without straying from the path of virtue for the transitory gain of the hour. When individuals by the hundreds of thousands will take to this path of truth and enlightenment, our motherland will rise and occupy her prime position in the comity of nations as the spiritual preceptor of the world. Till then individuals will flounder and institutions flounder as well for the latter is but composed of the former and cannot outdo the errors of the same. Let us learn to be discerning in our donations; let us assume responsibility for follow-up work on them; let us help philanthropic institutions with eyes wide open and not dreamily in an irresponsible fashion. Upon our vigilance lies the welfare of all welfare work, upon our conscious participation rests the success of the development of the nation. Jai Ramakrishna! Jai Hind!