Wednesday, March 16, 2011

test of poverty is in shameless begging

दारिद्र्यस्यापरा मूर्तियाच्ञा न द्रविणाल्पता।
अपि कौपीनवान्शम्भुः तदाऽपि परमेश्वरः॥
बल्लालदेवस्य भोजप्रबन्धात्
dāridryasyāparā mūrtiyācñā na draviṇālpatā|
api kaupīnavānśambhuḥ tadā'pi parameśvaraḥ||
ballāladevasya bhojaprabandhāt

Absence of wealth or money cannot be called poverty.The indigent and miserable nature of a person manifests itself in its worst form  through shameless begging.  Take the case of the Lord Shiva.  All he wears is only a tattered loincloth.  But he is called Parameshwara the souce of all prosperity.
Kalidaasa said elsewhere about Shiva...".अकिञ्चनः सन् प्रभवः स सम्पदां  akiñcanaḥ san prabhavaḥ sa sampadāṁ"  even though he stands empty handed in the cremation ground, he is the source of all prosperity" . 
A person may have dearth of money at times, but if he lives within his means and maitans dignity, he is not a destitute.  However, even a rich man who will go to all begging for more and more personal favours is the embodiment of poverty.  
We can see both types of persons in plenty in every social segment.

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