भवन्ति नम्रास्तरवः फलोद्गमै-
र्नवाम्बुभिर्भूरिविलम्बिनो घनाः ।
अनुद्धताः सत्पुरुषाः समृद्धिभिः
स्वभाव एवैष परोपकारिणाम् ॥
Bavanti namrAstaravaH Palodgamai-
rnavAmbuBirBUrivilambino GanAH ।
anuddhatAH satpuruShAH samRuddhiBiH
svaBAva evaiSha paropakAriNAm ॥
People who help others automatically show a lot of humility. A branch of a tree with lot of fruits, will bend down by itself. Dense clouds with water stoop low and shower rains. Noble men bend their backs (as a mark of respect) even when they are the ones who are giving. Thus is the nature of helpful people.
श्रोत्रं श्रुतेनैव न कुण्डलेन, दानेन पाणिर्न तु कङ्कणेन ।
विभाति कायः करुणापराणां परोपकारैर्न तु चन्दनेन ॥
SrotraM Srutenaiva na kuNDalena, dAnena pANirna tu kaNkaNena ।
viBAti kAyaH karuNAparANAM paropakArairna tu candanena ॥
An ear is adorned by listening to sacred scriptures, not ear hangings. An hand is decorated by doing charity, not by bangles. The body of an altruist is radiant by doing a lot of help and not by applying sandal paste.
पापान्निवारयति, योजयते हिताय
गुह्यं च गूहति, गुणान्प्रकटीकरोति ।
आपद्गतं च न जहाति, ददति काले
सन्मित्रलक्षणमिदं प्रवदन्ति सन्तः ॥
pApAnnivArayati, yojayate hitAya
guhyaM ca gUhati, guNAnprakaTIkaroti ।
ApadgataM ca na jahAti, dadati kAle
sanmitralakShaNamidaM pravadanti santaH ॥
These are benefits of befriending a noble person. He absolves your sins, by leading you back to the path of dharma (moral code of life). He always plans for your well-being. He keeps your dirty secrets. He is never shy to discuss your good qualities with every one. He will never desert you when you are in trouble. He will lend you (money) when you are in distress.
पद्माकरं दिनकरो विकचीकरोति
चन्द्रो विकासयति कैरवचक्रवालम् ।
नाभ्यर्थितो जलधरोऽपि जलं ददाति
सन्तः स्वयं परहितेषु कृताभियोगाः ॥
padmAkaraM dinakaro vikacIkaroti
candro vikAsayati kairavacakravAlam ।
nAByarthito jaladharo&pi jalaM dadAti
santaH svayaM parahiteShu kRutABiyogAH ॥
Sun imparts brightness on a lotus so that it can bloom. Moon makes the white lotuses (night lotuses) bloom in large numbers. Even when you do not ask, the clouds bring you rain. Such is the greatness of great altruists. They give even before you ask.
एते सत्पुरुषाः परार्थघटकाः स्वार्थं परित्यज्य ये
सामान्यास्तु परार्थमुद्यमभृत स्वार्थाविरोधेन ये ।
तेऽमी मानवराक्षसाः परहितं स्वार्थाय निघ्नन्ति ये ।
ये तु घ्नन्ति निरर्थकं परहितं ते के न जानीमहे ॥
ete satpuruShAH parArthaGaTakAH svArthaM parityajya ye
sAmAnyAstu parArthamudyamaBRuta svArthAvirodhena ye ।
te&mI mAnavarAkShasAH parahitaM svArthAya niGnanti ye ।
ye tu Gnanti nirarthakaM parahitaM te ke na jAnImahe ॥
You can classify people as 1) noble – who set aside their own well-being to help others. 2) common man – he would like to help others as long as it does not hurt his own constituencies, at the same time do not hurt others for selfish gain. 3) wicked people – who do not mind hurting others if it means their profit. 4) We do not know what to call people who hurt others for no reason at all. They fall outside all categories.
क्षीरेणात्मगतोदकाय हि गुणा दत्ताः पुरा तेऽखिलाः
क्षीरे तापमवेक्ष्य तेन पयसा स्वात्मा कृशानौ हुतः ।
गन्तुं पावकमुन्मनस्तदभवद् दृष्ट्वा तु मित्रापदं
युक्तं तेन जलेन शाम्यति, सतां मैत्री पुनस्त्वीदृशी ॥
kShIreNAtmagatodakAya hi guNA dattAH purA te&KilAH
kShIre tApamavekShya tena payasA svAtmA kRuSAnau hutaH ।
gantuM pAvakamunmanastadaBavad dRuShTvA tu mitrApadaM
yuktaM tena jalena SAmyati, satAM maitrI punastvIdRuSI ॥
You will have heard of how generous milk was when it imparted all its good qualities to the water when they were mixed. When milk was heated, water decided to pay back the favor. It evaporated itself and caused the milk to raise. Milk on the other hand was grieved by the separation of his dear friend and decided to come outside the vessel and jump into the fire. Milk would settle down only when it is re-united with water. Such is the greatness of mutually helping selfless friendship.
इतः स्वपिति केशवः कुलमितस्तदीयद्विषा
मितश्च शरणार्थिनः शिखरिणां गणाः शेरते ।
इतोऽपि वडबानलः सह समस्तसंवर्तकै -
रहो विततमूर्जितं भरसहं च सिन्धोर्वपुः ॥
itaH svapiti keSavaH kulamitastadIyadviShA
mitaSca SaraNArthinaH SiKariNAM gaNAH Serate ।
ito&pi vaDabAnalaH saha samastasaMvartakai -
raho vitatamUrjitaM BarasahaM ca sindhorvapuH ॥
Here lies Sri Vishnu. On the other side are all the demons (Vishnu’s enemies). All the mountains that have taken shelter from Indra’s assaults are also here. There is also a sub-marine fire and the great clouds that could end the world in a deluge. Indeed the ocean has been endowed with a lot of strength to support all of these.
तृष्णां छिन्धि, भज क्षमां, जहि मदं, पापे रतिं मा कृथाः
सत्यं ब्रूह्यनुयाहि साधुपदवीं, सेवस्य विद्वज्जनम् ।
मान्यान्मानय, विद्विषोऽप्यनुनय, प्रच्छादय स्वान्गुणा-
न्कीर्ति पालय, दुःखिते कुरु दयामेतत्सतां लक्षणं ॥
tRuShNAM Cindhi, Baja kShamAM, jahi madaM, pApe ratiM mA kRuthAH
satyaM brUhyanuyAhi sAdhupadavIM, sevasya vidvajjanam ।
mAnyAnmAnaya, vidviSho&pyanunaya, pracCAdaya svAnguNA-
nkIrti pAlaya, duHKite kuru dayAmetatsatAM lakShaNaM ॥
Let go of greed. Practice forgiveness. Give up being intoxicated. Do not be lured into doing sinful deeds. Always be honest. Follow the noble men. Serve the scholars. Show respect to the people who deserve it. Try to appease even your enemies. Put a lid on advertising your own qualities. Live up to your reputation. Show compassion to the people in distress. This is the way of good people.
मनसि वचसि काये पुण्यपीयूषपूर्णा -
स्त्रिभुवनमुपकारश्रेणिभिः प्रीणयन्तः ।
परगुणपरमाणून्पर्वतीकृत्य नित्य
निजहृदि विकसन्तः सन्ति सन्तः कियन्तः ॥
manasi vacasi kAye puNyapIyUShapUrNA -
striBuvanamupakAraSreNiBiH prINayantaH ।
paraguNaparamANUnparvatIkRutya nitya
nijahRudi vikasantaH santi santaH kiyantaH ॥
How many people will you find who have all the qualities listed below. Their mind, words and actions are all as sweet as nectar. People of all three worlds are appreciative of their efforts to help everybody. They are often seen speaking very highly of qualities found in others – however insignificant the qualities seem to be. Thereby, they encourage every one to grow taller in their own perception.