Seva and dāna — service and giving
सेवा दान
Also written: seva · dana · charity in hinduism · annadana · giving hinduism · दान
Dāna is not charity in the sense of an optional kindness. It is a debt discharged: the householder's wealth is held with an obligation attached, and a portion of it was never his to keep.
The three kinds by guṇa
| Kind | Given | Gītā 17.20–22 |
|---|---|---|
| Sāttvika | To a worthy recipient who cannot repay, at the right place and time, as a duty | The highest |
| Rājasika | Grudgingly, expecting return or reward | Middling |
| Tāmasika | At the wrong place and time, to an unworthy recipient, without respect, with contempt | The lowest |
Anna-dāna
The gift of food is placed above all others, on the reasoning that it is the only gift the recipient needs again tomorrow — it makes no one dependent and no one indebted. The langar, the annadānam at temples, the free kitchen at every large tīrtha, and the practice of feeding before the household eats all descend from this.
Seva
Service is treated as a discipline rather than a good deed, because of what it does to the server: it is the most reliable available method for dissolving the sense of self-importance, which is the actual obstacle. This is why care of the sick, of animals, of the aged and of pilgrims is placed within sādhanā and not outside it.
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Last revised 2026-08-16. Corrections are welcome — see how this site is written.