One day while Shri Krishna and Arjuna were out for a stroll, Arjuna said, “If you permit.. Can I ask you something??”
Krishna smiled and replied, “Sure, you can ask me anything without any hesitation..”
Arjuna said, “I don’t understand why Karna is considered as the most generous person of all.. ”
Krishna smiled and replied, “Sure, I won’t just tell you.. You can see for yourself..”
Just then in a blink, Shri Krishna turned the two nearest hills into gold.
After this Krishna instructed Arjuna to distribute gold from that hill among people from the nearest village.
As instructed Arjuna immediately went to the hill and called villagers to distribute gold to them. When villagers came, he asked them to stand in a queue and then started giving away gold to them one by one.
Villagers started praising him. Listening to all the praise, Arjuna felt proud. By this time Ego has started to get into him.
For two consecutive days and nights, Arjuna kept on digging for gold and distributing it among villagers. Villagers were coming back in the queue for gold, Arjuna was tired, and not a bit of gold lessen from the hill.
Arjuna got so tired that he went to Shri Krishna and said, “I am tired, I can’t do it anymore..”
Krishna smiled and replied, “It’s Ok. You can rest.”
Krishna called Karna and asked him to distribute gold among villagers from those hills of gold. Karna immediately left to distribute gold among villagers.
He called all villagers and after everyone was gathered, Karna announced, “This gold belongs to you.. You may take as per your requirement..”
After saying this Karna left. Arjuna was surprised and confused. Krishna understood.
Krishna said to Arjuna, “When you were asked to distribute gold, you were deciding about the requirement of each villager’s need of gold. You were doing it knowing that it’s charity.
Whereas Karna just gave away all the gold and left. He didn’t even wait for people to praise or cheer him. He was not interested in what people will say about him. It’s a sign of a man who had become enlightened.”
Arjuna’s question was answered to him in a beautiful manner.
Moral: Expecting Gratitude or Congratulations In return for doing charity or help will just turn it into a deal. If We are Giving some Help or Donation we should do it without any Hope for anything in Return.