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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
150
lakhs with you? I think you are under illusion.” The Saithji said, “Brother, I am not under illusion. I am perfectly all right. I have given away only seventeen lakh rupees by way of charity. Only that amount belongs to me. The remaining part of the wealth which you see is not mine. It belongs to my children and my grand-children who will enjoy it. The merit that I have earned by rendering this charity will accompany me to the other world. The rest will go away from me. Only that wealth, which I have given away in charity belongs to me but, no will can be prepared in respect of this wealth. I am helpless."
Karna is famous as dānavira (one who is greatly magnanimous). No one who came to him to beg for anything returned disappointed.
One day, he had fallen on the ground wounded, on the battle-field of Kurukshetra. Sri Krishna thought of testing his generosity at that time. He assumed the guise of a Brahmin and approached Karna. At that time, Karna had nothing which he could give away to the Brahmin. He thought, "What shall I give him ? If he goes disappointed my principle of magnanimity will be broken and it will affect the reputation which I have maintined throughout my life.”
It is said, "Where there is a will, there is a way." Karna had the desire of giving the Brahmin some gift. So, naturally, he thought of his teeth. One of his teeth had been fitted with a golden nail. As soon as he thought of this he took up a stone and struck that tooth and took it out. Breaking it into pieces he took off the golden nail and placed it at the feet of Sri Krishna who was in the guise of a Brahmin. Sri Krishna immensely pleased by his magnanimity revealed his real form to him and praised him heartily.
A lake whose waves were breaking on the bank said one day to a river, “You bring water from a great distance and pour it into the salt occan, what wisdom is there in this action of yours?” The river replied, "My dharma or duty is always to give what I can without
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