*By Dr. Devan

The Immutable Law of BalanceThere exists a universal law as old as creation itself — the law of balance. Every force, every atom, every celestial body operates within the framework of give and take. Nature, in its grand wisdom, detests imbalance. Whenever there’s excess in one corner, the universe redistributes, reclaiming what is withheld and giving where there’s deficiency. This law is not confined to matter and energy; it extends into human life, relationships, health, and fortune.

When a person accumulates too much — whether it be wealth, knowledge, love, or power — and refuses to give, the universe itself steps in to restore balance. It reclaims from the one who hoards. The process is often mistaken as misfortune, but in truth, it is merely a correction, a divine accounting that maintains equilibrium across existence.

Giving as a Flow of EnergyTo understand this principle, imagine a river. A river’s vitality lies in its flow. When it flows freely, it nourishes fields, supports life, and remains pure. But if you dam it completely, hoard its waters, and refuse to let it flow, it stagnates — breeding decay, foulness, and disease. Similarly, human life too is a river of energy — mental, emotional, material, and spiritual.

When you give, you allow energy to circulate through you. You remain fresh, vital, and expansive. When you withhold, you stagnate. Your abundance turns toxic. The very blessings you tried to protect begin to slip away from you.

A person who hoards love becomes lonely.A person who hoards wealth becomes anxious and miserable.A person who hoards knowledge becomes irrelevant.

The act of giving is not a loss — it is participation in the cosmic rhythm. To deny that rhythm is to invite nature’s reclamation process.

Nature’s Example: The Cycle of GivingNature’s design is generosity in motion.

The sun gives light selflessly. It doesn’t choose whom to shine upon. Yet in return, its energy sustains all life — an eternal legacy.The trees give oxygen, fruit, and shade. In doing so, they perpetuate their own existence by inviting creatures that spread their seeds.The earth gives minerals, water, and nourishment — and what it receives back in decay becomes fertilizer for new life.

Every living system thrives on giving. It is only humans, in their misguided pursuit of accumulation, who disrupt this sacred balance.

When a person becomes possessive, selfish, or greedy, the universe begins its silent work of reclamation — taking away what was never meant to be held forever.

The Universal ReclaimingThere are countless examples in history and life where those who hoarded ended up losing what they clung to most.

King Midas, obsessed with gold, wished that everything he touched would turn into it. His greed, instead of blessing him, cursed him — even his food and loved ones turned lifeless. The universe reclaimed his joy, leaving him with abundance devoid of life.

A wealthy industrialist, unwilling to part with his riches even for the welfare of his workers, eventually faced strikes, lawsuits, and financial ruin. The universe has many instruments of reclamation — sometimes it’s ill health, sometimes it’s loneliness, sometimes it’s loss of peace.

A parent who smothers their child with control, refusing to let them grow or decide, eventually finds that the child drifts away emotionally. The universe reclaims love when it’s hoarded as possession.

A man with exceptional talent, refusing to share his skill or mentor others, finds that over time, his relevance fades. His art becomes obsolete because it was not allowed to evolve through giving.

The message is clear: What you do not give willingly, life will eventually take forcibly.

Health: The Biological ParallelEven our body obeys the law of giving.

The heart gives blood to every organ. If it tried to retain it, death would occur in minutes. The lungs give oxygen; if they held it back, suffocation would follow. Our digestive system gives nutrients; our skin gives sweat to cool us. Every biological system functions by circulation, not retention.

When you refuse to give — whether love, forgiveness, gratitude, or help — you disrupt this natural circulation at the emotional level. This can manifest as tension, depression, or physical illness. Modern psychosomatic research shows that emotional stinginess often correlates with cardiovascular problems and stress-related disorders. The universe, through the medium of your own body, reclaims harmony.

Wealth and the Principle of CirculationMoney, too, is energy. It flows. It is meant to move from one hand to another, creating livelihoods, innovation, and welfare. The most prosperous societies are those where money circulates freely — where trade, donation, and investment thrive.

Contrast this with societies or individuals where greed dominates. There, corruption festers, disparity widens, and eventually, collapse follows. Hoarded money loses value — either through inflation, taxation, or loss. But money given or used well multiplies — not just materially, but in goodwill and opportunities.

Philanthropists like Warren Buffett and Azim Premji understood this truth. They pledged vast portions of their wealth to humanity, ensuring that their legacy flows beyond their lifespan. The universe always rewards such circulation — sometimes in inner peace, sometimes in timeless remembrance.

Relationships: Emotional ReclamationIn relationships too, the principle applies with ruthless precision.

A person who withholds affection, attention, or appreciation from their partner, thinking they are preserving power or pride, will soon find that love has evaporated. The partner becomes distant, the home turns silent, and loneliness takes over.

Similarly, a friend who constantly receives but never gives — whether time, empathy, or honesty — will find that people gradually drift away. The universe reclaims companionship from the one who abuses it.

To sustain relationships, one must give — give trust, time, forgiveness, and understanding. What is withheld is soon withdrawn by nature itself.

Knowledge and Creativity: Give or FadeKnowledge, like light, loses power when confined. A teacher who hoards knowledge fearing competition, or a scientist who hides discoveries for personal gain, will soon become irrelevant. Innovation and progress arise only when minds share and collaborate.

Even creativity, when not expressed, begins to decay. A poet who stops writing, an artist who hides their art, or a thinker who refuses to speak — all experience the slow death of their genius. The universe reclaims unused talent.

This is why every great inventor, teacher, or artist felt a compulsion to give back — to express, to share, to mentor. It is not altruism alone; it is survival of the creative spirit.

Spiritual Perspective: Karma and Cosmic AccountingFrom a spiritual standpoint, karma is simply the universe’s ledger of giving and receiving. Every act of generosity adds credit; every act of greed or neglect adds debt. When the debt grows too large, the universe collects it in the form of challenges, loss, or suffering.

But karma is not punishment — it’s education. It teaches balance. It reminds us that we are not owners but custodians of whatever we possess — wealth, health, intelligence, or influence.

The enlightened understand that giving is not about losing; it’s about maintaining harmony with the cosmic current. When you give, you declare: “I am part of the flow, not against it.” The universe then entrusts you with even more, knowing you will let it circulate.

Examples from Daily LifeThe doctor who treats patients purely for profit may eventually lose the trust of society, while one who gives care and compassion freely will never lack respect or clientele.

The teacher who shares knowledge generously creates students who become their living legacy.

The businessperson who gives fair wages and support builds loyalty that sustains their enterprise through adversity.

The neighbor who helps in small ways — sharing food, kindness, or time — finds community support in return during their own crisis.

The volunteer who gives time to the poor may not receive money, but gains a wealth of inner peace and joy that no currency can match.

Each of these examples demonstrates that giving is not depletion, but replenishment.

The Paradox of AbundanceHere lies the paradox: the more you give, the more you have.

When you give love, it multiplies.When you give knowledge, it expands.When you give time, you realize you have more meaningful moments.When you give wealth, you feel richer in spirit.

Conversely, when you hoard, you shrink — emotionally, spiritually, and sometimes even physically. The universe’s reclamation is not vindictive; it’s corrective. It merely rebalances what was unnaturally withheld.

Conclusion: Be a Channel, Not a ContainerThe greatest wisdom of life is to realize that we are not containers meant to store blessings, but channels meant to distribute them.

The universe flows through those who give — not to those who guard. If you block the flow, it bypasses you. It reclaims its resources and gives them to another who will use them rightly.

Therefore, the choice is simple:Either give willingly, joyfully, and consciously — or have life take from you painfully, inevitably, and forcefully.

Giving is not charity; it is alignment with the laws of the cosmos.

So give — your smile, your time, your service, your wealth, your compassion, your wisdom.Because if you don’t give, the universe will come reclaim — and when it does, it takes more than you intended to keep.

“The hand that gives is the hand that never empties.For what you release in love, the universe returns in grace.”

*Dr. Devan is a Mangaluru-based ENT specialist and author.

Hindusthan Samachar / Manohar Yadavatti