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152
THE WAY OF LIFE
father, stop it. I don't need the paste now. My headache has disappeared”.
The Seth was stupefied. He asked his daughter-in-law, "How did your headache disappear so suddenly ?”
“Dear father, you must excuse me. I had no headache at all. I only wanted to find out how you would react. I wanted to see whether you were generous and kind. I mistook you for a miser when I saw you taking up those drops of oil with your finger and smearing it to your shoes. Now, I know that you are not a miser and that you do not like anything to be wasted. You care for the propriety of time. For the sake of my health, you did not care even for a precious pearl. Your sense of economy is exemplary. I am sorry for the trouble I gave you”.
A broad smile appeared on the face of the Seth. He said, "Dear daughter, in our life as householders, we should not waste even a single paisa. But if a real necessity arises, we must spend even lakhs of rupees. This kind of attitude brings glory to our life as householders”.
LEARN TO SPEND SENSIBLY
I will narrate to you now an incident that took place about thirty five years ago. A wealthy householder lived in Bombay. His residence comprised only two rooms. Once, he gave a donation of fifty one thousand rupees for building a Jain Boarding Home for children. His son said to him, "Father, we can buy an excellent flat on the Marine Drive for three or four lakhs”. The Seth said to his son, "Why do you need another house? What inconvenience or discomfort do you have in these two rooms ? What an excellent neighbourhood, we have here ! There is a temple nearby. There is an Upashraya. Our friends and relatives live in this vicinity. Moreover, it is good to spend our wealth for a noble cause. If we spend our wealth wastefully, we lose our wealth”.
The Seth did not have even a radio-set in his house. He did not buy any sofas or expensive furniture. He had a car to go
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