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Borrowing Money or Love Freebies? Think Twice Says Hinduism.
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.
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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…
