Agathiyar has stressed numerous times of the efficacy of doing charity. Just as we had read the numerous fables of Aesop, Agathiyar too has shared many stories that carried moral values and virtues to be adopted and realized in our daily life. A story is told by Agathiyar to instill in us the importance of serving people and doing charity.
The only daughter of a priest was left with much wealth and property after her father's demise. As she was a spiritually inclined soul, she decided to perform charitable activities. She gave away her new found wealth and riches through donations and charity; helped the needy by sharing her wealth and feeding the poor and spent the money building public buildings and water tanks for the use of the general public.
The only daughter of a priest was left with much wealth and property after her father's demise. As she was a spiritually inclined soul, she decided to perform charitable activities. She gave away her new found wealth and riches through donations and charity; helped the needy by sharing her wealth and feeding the poor and spent the money building public buildings and water tanks for the use of the general public.
Slowly her entire wealth was all drained out, but she kept continuing with her charitable activities by borrowing from neighbors, friends and relatives. Eventually she was in debt. Those who borrowed money to her started harassing her to pay back. That was when she came to understand that the village head was a very rich man. She approached him for a financial loan. The village head hears her out and finally tells her that he would only lend the amount she wanted if she had something to mortgage in return. Having nothing in her possession, except her well earned merits or punyam, she puts forth a deal.
She points out to the enormous water tank that she had built opposite his home that was now serving as a water hole for both the villagers and their animals. She tells him she will repay the amount borrowed to her by passing him all her merits gained to date as a result of her charity. She further comes up with the idea as to how to quantify and identify if the merits is sufficient enough to pay back the amount she borrowed. The rich man agrees.
She points out to the enormous water tank that she had built opposite his home that was now serving as a water hole for both the villagers and their animals. She tells him she will repay the amount borrowed to her by passing him all her merits gained to date as a result of her charity. She further comes up with the idea as to how to quantify and identify if the merits is sufficient enough to pay back the amount she borrowed. The rich man agrees.
She takes him and brings along the villagers, as witnesses to the deal, to the water tank. She arranges to have a granite statue of Lord Shiva dropped into the bottom of the tank. She prays to Lord Shiva that the very moment her merits offset the amount borrowed, Lord Shiva should rise up immediately from the bottom of the tank. The village head and she both agreed that the deal would start at 6 am the following morning.
The rich man who began to have numerous doubts later that night, sent his man to take count of all those whose came to the water tank to fetch water, including the number of animals that came to have a drink.
The next morning at the break of dawn the temple cow heads for the water and has a drink. As she leaves after taking a sip, the sunken statue of Lord Shiva arises from the bottom of the tank and floats for all to see. The villagers head for the scene of this spectacle that had taken place. The villagers together with the rich man are amazed to see this miracle.
The village head realized at that moment the magnanimity of performing charity. He rationalised, "If one cow which had drank the water was equivalent to the amount he had lend to the girl, he could only imagine the extent of benefit she had gain by building the tank and providing services to the poor and unfortunate. The village head realized his foolishness thinking that money was sovereign and not merits.
The next morning at the break of dawn the temple cow heads for the water and has a drink. As she leaves after taking a sip, the sunken statue of Lord Shiva arises from the bottom of the tank and floats for all to see. The villagers head for the scene of this spectacle that had taken place. The villagers together with the rich man are amazed to see this miracle.
The village head realized at that moment the magnanimity of performing charity. He rationalised, "If one cow which had drank the water was equivalent to the amount he had lend to the girl, he could only imagine the extent of benefit she had gain by building the tank and providing services to the poor and unfortunate. The village head realized his foolishness thinking that money was sovereign and not merits.