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Rays of Dharma
flowing from the wound. She highly repented to see it. The wound was dressed, and I was cured, but the spot remained. I grew in due course and started earning well. Now whenever I look in the mirror, this spot reminds me of the abuse of the poor by the rich and asks me to remember that my wealth does not become instrumental in hurting others.”
At times even distress leads to happiness. This gentleman had learnt a lesson from his distress. There is a proverb in Sanskrit, “Vajrädapi kathoräni, mruduni kusumädapi'. It conveys that the saintly persons are moved to see the distress of others, while remaining adamant in their own adversities. The attribute of kindness has thus two edges, viz. one should be harsh towards the self and soft for others, as illustrated by the following stanza.
Life is mostly froth and bubble, two things stand like stone; Kindness in anothers' trouble, courage in our own.
The Hindi poet Niräläji was once going home with the amount of his remuneration. On the way he came across a pauper woman. Niräläji was moved to learn her state of poverty and handed over the amount to her to buy a spinning wheel in order to earn her livelihood. When he reached home, his wife asked about the amount of remuneration. Niräläji told her what had happened. She was glad to know that her husband was kind enough to mitigate the distress of the woman.
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