Article No. 2000

Compiled  by London swaminathan

Date 17^th July 2015

Time uploaded in London: 19-20

ARISTOTLE

Aristotle, on being censured for giving alms to a bad man, answered: “I did not give it to the man, I gave it to humanity.”

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CHINESE FIELDS

There is a story about a hero of the Chinese rice-fields. During an earthquake and Tsunami, he saved his community by quick thinking. From his hill-top farm he saw the ocean swiftly withdrawn, like some prodigious animal crouching for leap, and knew the leap would be the huge tidal wave. He also saw that his neighbours working in low fields must be gathered to his hill or swept away. Without a second thought he set fire to his haystacks and furiously rang the temple bell.

His neighbours thought his farm on fire and rushed to help him. Then, from that safe hill they saw the swirl of waters over fields just forsaken – and knew their salvation and its cost. After wards the people of these rice-fields used to go to the temple to worship their neighbour’s spirit while he was alive.

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TAMIL HERO STONES

In South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, there are lot of Hero Stones, for those who save the community from wild animals or invading enemies. Each one has his name inscribed on it with his heroic deeds. Some of them have become temples of “Village Gods”.

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PLANT TREES

On his death bed Governor Hogg of Texas (USA) requested that no monument be placed at his grave; but that instead, there be planted, “at my head a pecan tree, and at my feet an old fashioned walnut tree and when these trees shall bear, let the pecans and walnuts given out among the Plains people of Texas, so that they may plant them and make Texas a land of trees.”

His wishes were carried out. The first nuts were saved in 1926 and planted in nursery rows. And the same thing has been done each year. When the saplings are large enough to transplant they are distributed to schools and county boards.

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POPE AND SWIFT

“I am rich enough,” said Alexander Pope to Jonathan Swift, “and can afford to give away a hundred pounds a year. I would not crawl upon the earth without doing good. I will enjoy the pleasure of what I give by giving it alive and seeing another enjoy it. When I die I should be ashamed to have enough for a monument if a wanting friend was above ground.”

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TAMIL MUSLIM POET

A Tamil Muslim Miracle – posted by me on 2^nd December 2013.

One of the anecdotes in Seethakkathi’s life may be compared with Popes anecdote:

During his tour, a poor man met Seethakathi and told him about the difficulty in getting his daughter married for want of money. When Seethakkathi came forward to give him money, the poor man told that he would take the money when the marriage was finalised. After sometimes Seethakathi died suddenly. The poor man came all the way to Keelakkarai to get the money for his daughter’s wedding, without knowing Seethakkathi’s demise. Town people gave him the bad news when he enquired about the whereabouts of Seethakathi.

The poor man felt very sad but yet wanted to pay his respects at his grave. When he went to Seethakkathi’s grave and paid his respects suddenly a hand protruded from below the grave. It was Seethakkathi’s hand and there was a pearl studded gold ring in one of his fingers! The man took it and thanked his philanthropy even after he died. This gave the popular Tamil phrase “Seththum Kodthaan Seethakkathi” meaning Seethakkathi gave even after his death!

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BRAHM

An English lover of Brahms’ music willed him 1000 pounds (British Currency). When Joachim sent the news to Brahms, he replied:

“One can experience nothing more beautiful, nothing that does one more good, than what you have just told me. That a perfect stranger, who has, as far as I know, never even written me, should remember me thus, touches me most deeply and intimately. Once before I have had the inestimable joy of experiencing the like. All exterior honours are nothing in comparison.

As I do not need to ‘invest’ the money, I am enjoying it in the most agreeable manner, by taking pleasure in its distribution.”

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SANSKRIT QUOTATION ON GENEROSITY

The whole world is one family for the large hearted

-Pancatantra 5-38-7; Hitopadesa 1-71

The generous give and give, and misers cringe and cry!

–Kahavatratnakar, page 124

The selfless shirk not from sacrificing their lives for those in dire need.

–Kathasaritsagar

Himself without any clothes, the beggar is passionate about giving charity!

—-Kahavatratnakar, Page 140

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