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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
94
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
A benevolent man thinks that his happiness lies in the happiness of others. "The best way to do good to ourselves is to do good to others. The right way to gather is to scatter."
The best way to attain spiritual welfare is to seck the welfare of others. The best way to put by is to give away.
The great Sanskrit poet, Magha, born in Gujarat, is famous more for his splendid magnanimity than for his poetic genius. As a poet he was great but he was also a man of very great benevolence. The name of his wife was Lakshmi. It has been said:
तस्याभूद गेहिनी लक्ष्मीलक्ष्मीर्लक्ष्मीपतेरिव ॥
Tasyabhud Gehini Lakshmiḥ Lakshmirlakshmi pateriva
"The wife of the poet, Magha was named Lakshmi and she was like Lakshmi, the divine consort of Vishnu." In benevolence, she was not in any way inferior to her husband.
One day, a poor man came to their house and prayed, "Lord! I have to perform the marriage of my daughter. If you could give some help to me, I would deem it a mark of extreme kindness. I have come from a great distance hearing about your benevolent nature." On that day, the great poet had not even a single gold coin with him to give it to the man. But it was against his nature to disappoint a suppliant. He got up and went into the house and at that time his wife was lying on the cot. She was about to sleep. Slowly, he took out a gold bangle from one of her hands and gave it to the poor man. While he was removing the bangle, she woke up completely but she shut her eyes and pretended to be sleeping, to see what her husband would do with the bangle. The poet gave the bangle to the poor man and said, "You can sell this bangle and perform your daughter's marriage." Realising what her husband had done, Lakshmi Devi came out and addressing the poor man
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