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26
THE WAY OF LIFE
way to New York. On the way, the old man asked William, "Look, William, in doing any business it is necessary to bear in mind certain principles. The first of them is honesty. In carrying out any business, you must practise the policy of honesty. The second principle is that you should not adulterate commodities. Business will not flourish for long if you sell adulterated things. Sooner or later, consumers will lose faith in you. The third principle is that you must give the consumers correct quantities as per measurement or weight. You should never cheat your customers, and you should not use false weights and measures. The fourth principle is that whatever man gets, he gets it by the grace of the Paramatma. On account of this reason, whatever profit you may get from your business. You must set apart a part of it for the Paramatma and that part must be spent for doing some good deeds.
On the way, they came to a church. William offered a prayer to God along with the old man. "Oh God, whatever profit I may get from my business, I will spend a tenth part of it for noble purposes; and for doing some good deeds." William started a factory in New York, for making soap. It was a small factory. Whatever profit he got, he spent a tenth part of it for noble purposes.
Praying to the Paramatma; taking vows for austerities; spending money to do good deeds; all these are noble deeds. On account of these noble deeds, Colgate was getting some profit. He gave the name "Colgate Soap" to the soap he was making. He also began making tooth-paste. The Colgate soap and the Colgate tooth-paste became popular throughout the world. William amassed crores of dollars. He also made donations magnanimously for noble purposes.
In our country, this ancient tradition is in vogue. Businessmen set apart some money under the account, "For auspicious purposes". They set apart a share for the Paramatma; and use it for noble purposes. There is the belief: "Wealth can be obtained from Dharma". It is not an insincere faith; but a genuine faith. The great acharya Haribhadra Soori Says,
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