I've recently been reading a book called 'My Experiments With Truth'. It is Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography. He mentioned there, a poem that had really inspired him throughout his life, it was one originally written in Gujarati, but here is the translation:
For a bowl of water give a goodly meal;
For a kindly greeting bow thou down with zeal;
If thy life be rescued life do not withhold.
Thus the words and actions of the wise regard;
Every little service tenfold thy reward.
But the truly noble know all men as one
And return with gladness good for evil done.
This poem has not failed to inspire me either and it is one, I really liked. Please tell me your opinions about it.
5 comments:
Yah the munna bhai philosophy..works for me and I dont mind being branded a pushover for it!!
The Munnabhai philosophy actually works. I can vouch for it.
One day a neighbour came over to complain about some silly thing. She was a khadoos woman who never saw good in anything. The more aggressive she became, the more polite I was.Offered her tea and biscuits. Ultimately she said you are a very sweet woman and returned home.
Yayyy...victory for Gandhigiri.
Well like your mom and aunt said it does work. but I have a different take on it and hope your mom doesn't ban me from your blog.
I have some bad memories with the poem as this book was one of my summer reading project for school. Well I loved reading the book and was supposed to talk about it in class. I was doing great until I reached the poem part and my mind went blank. The teacher was not a kind soul (or u can say I didn't like her) and was scowling at me. I thought if I practice the philosophy I might escape from punishment. So I stood there with my mouth shut tight while the teacher scolded me for not studying during vacations. Then she gave me a 100 page assignment to write this poem over and over again...Ouch!!
Ok when my husband is not at home these are the shows I watch, 15 notorious women (i.e criminals), Women who kill, HUsbands who murder, Inside the mind of a serial killer etc etc (not to ask why I watch all these) so there was 1 case where a woman had a abusive childhood, so when she was 20 ish she was high on drugs and she killed a woman (she said well, I was high and wanted to do something nuts I know). The court ordered her a death penalty. This woman while in jail (Gods knows what they gave her to drink/eat) turns completely into a Jesus freak. She is going around helping others, preaching abt Jesus, bible in her hand 24/7 yada yada... So the Christian community goes ga-ga and appeals the death penalty. They ask the Pope to intervene and the Texas governor, George Bush. Bush declines to get involved but Pope puts his appeal to the white house.
On the day of her trial, the Christian community is outside the court with signboards and demonstrations to not give her the death penalty but change it to a life in prison. The brother of the girl who was killed says " the woman could have spared my sister, she didn't so she deserves the leathal injection' The court turns down the appeal and goes for Death by injection. The woman is dead now. The christian woman (head of that community or whatever) is saying on that interview (she had tears in her eyes), "Oh!! She had so much to give (choke) I... I really loved her, death was not the way for her"
Really death was not the way for her? she killed someone because she was bored!! I wonder what MKGandi would have done.
psst...don't listen to ur mom and aunt too much.
ps- the above is not to be shown to ur mom or aunt.
Blimey SJ my soul sister...I hope Aparna won't ban us from here no? I so want to be in her good books...sobs!And Ishita how are you now? your new layout is rocking!
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