Page 5 - May 2018 Newsletter

FOOD FOR THOUGHT :

Q & A

With

Mrs Asha Manoharan

What is Danam and Dharmam?

And what is the difference between them?

Danam means giving away any materialistic possessions to someone,

when they explicitly ask you. However, this will not add to one’s punyam

or merits. For example, after Karna donated his Kavacham in Mahabha-
rat, he was reduced to a normal human being.

On the other hand, Dharmam means assessing one’s needs and address-
ing them, without being explicitly asked to do so or requested by anyone.

This will contribute to one’s punyam. One may then ask, “Does Annada-
nam, Vastra danam, etc., contribute to punyam?” The answer is Yes and

No. When the items we donate reach the people in need, it counts as pu-

nyam. Otherwise, it does not.

While Danam is good, it is imperative that we evaluate the needs of our

community and make sure we help the people in distress. This way, we
can convert danam into dharmam.

Pg - 5