Question 1(a) · 996 words written
The only wealth which you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away.
Opening
The lifestory of Baba Amte is the shining example of permanence of wealth. Himself billionaire, he dedicated his entire wealth for treatment of leprosy affected people. By donating his material wealth, he gained permanent wealth of inner contentment. He understood that by accumulating wealth for himself only, was not something that gave meaning to his life. The meaning of life lies in helping people out of misery and disease.
Body
Today, lakhs of leprosy affected people give blessing to his endeavour and his legacy will last forever. By donating his transient wealth, he has gained permanent wealth that will last forever.
This example ponders us to think wealth beyond mere understanding of material accumulation. Wealth is anything over and above our basic needs. Any kind of material, currency, skill that we acquire contributes to our wealth. It can vary from mere possession of things like house, land, money etc to more discrete form of wealths like inner peace, mental & physical health etc.
However, with Industrial Revolution, meaning of wealth has altered significantly. In quantitative terms, it refers to material & physical wealth that determines one's status & hierarchy in society. It has led to division of society on basis of economic status. This search for rising in social hierarchy often results in mindless accumulation of material wealth. World Inequality Report stated that top 1% population owns more than one-forth economic resources of world. This stark inequality is resulting in poverty, crimes, wars and leading to loss of humanity as a whole.
Humans are different from animals due to their ability to convert mundane into material. The discovery of fire from spark between stones is an example of this ability of humans. But we must ponder whether it was the fire that was ultimate wealth or was it the intellect that discovered it and used it for benefit of humanity? The answer lies in example of Buddha, who gave away his entire wealth in search of cause of suffering and ultimate truth of get rid of it.
History is a reminder of rise and fall of kingdoms based on their material wealth. None of them lasted forever, neither their wealth. But the legends of kings like Lord Ram who faced immense pain for protecting people reverberate annals of history and will last forever. Ravan also had immense wealth but his legacy is about atrocities he made. While Lord Ram never really went after wealth accumulation is remembered forever.
These examples show that the only wealth which last forever is the wealth we have given away. Ram ushered peaceful Ramrajya while Ravana gave chaos to the world. Similarly, Both are remembered for what they gave to the world.
Similarly it is said that, one who opens a school, closes a prison. The wealth of knowledge and education that our gurus, teachers, parents, forefathers have given us continues to pass generation after generation. People who gave money are forgotten but people who gave life lessons are remembered forever, because money doesn't last long but education lasts lifetime.
Sindhutai Sapkal, Padma awardee, also revered as 'mother of orphans' nurtured many orphan children with her ocean of love and affection. She transfomed lives of many children who were thrown to misery by accidents of life. She gave her wealth of love that will last forever.
Time and again, it has been proven that what one gives to others make huge impact on others life as well as one's life. The value of sacrifice for others even at cost of own happiness gives us the wealth of satisfaction. Even ancient scriptures mentions 'Dana' as the ultimate Dharma.
But the problem arises when one gets too much attached to material wealth. People often do honious crimes like trafficking, robery, murder out of greed. They accumulate wealth but lose their peace, love, affaction and humanity. This greed of money has the potential to engulf entise humanity. The drastic changes in environment and species extinction is a case in point. By exploiting natural resources, humanity has drastically accumulated wealth and luxury. But these has left the entire humanity at gulf of extinction. We have already made irreplacable losses like species, forest and resouces. Had we nurtured our environment and given our care & love to it, we would have accumulated this beautiful wealth of nature.
In our welfare based democratic model of governance, governments are supposed to give services like health, education, food to poor. Statesman like Lal Bahadur Shashtri ji always prioritised giving away. But today criminalisation of politics, politicians & criminals nexus are snatching public resources for their own gains. The life of corruption and exploitation is short but it impacts society heavily. Thus, ideal is to give away wealth to foster equality in society.
In Jataka story of 'Shibi Jataka' king Shibi offers his own flesh to hungry pigeons. This is spirit of giving away. The wealth that is given lasts forever because it nurture humanity and inherent goodness of human beings. It provides self-satisfaction and meaning to life. The ancient shloka of "Sathasta Samahar sahastra-hast saukirah", i.e. earn by hundred hands and distribute by thousand hands aptly describe the value of wealth sharing.
The wealth that one accumulates ends with demise of person but wealth that is given away reverberates in annals of history. People give blessings and good wishes for time immemorial. Nobody remember Ravan or Duryodhana but Lord Rama and Pandavas are revered because they focused on giving their wealth for welfare of their people. In conclusion it is essential to realise need vs want. We should strive to fulfil our needs but after that instead of mindless accumulation, the wealth should be shared with underprivileged and provide opportunity to others to grow.
Close
People like Baba Amte, Buddha, Sindhutai Sapkal lived for others by sharing their wealth. In this process, they have created wealth that will last forever as their legacy. In words of Swami Vivekananda, "They alone live who live for others, rest are more dead than alive."