ANUPREKSHA OF HONESTY

One meaning of morality is-integr ity. lntegrity is of three

kinds- integrity of speech, integrity in money matters, and
integrity of conduct. Integrity of word has been a distinctiv e
feature of lndian culture. Whateve r word escapes one's lips,
becomes inviolate, ineffaceable like a line drawn on stone. lt
is not necessar y to documen t it; nor is there required any
witness. It is enough that a word has been given. Now, it must
be kept at the cost of one' life. Toe whole of our history bears
testimon y to the inviolate ness of the word.
I should like to mention here the story of a distingui shed
wealthy man of Gujarat. He was a renowne d businessman.
His name was Bhainsa Shah. He belonged to Rajastha n but
was living in Gujarat. Some exigency of business required him
to im.mediately raise a sum of Rs. 1,00.000. How to get it?
He was a stranger, in a new country, and he urgently needed
one lakh of rupees. Today, one lakh of rupees is not consider ed
to be a big sum. We can only visualize what tremend ous value
it comman ded 500 years ago. Bhainsa Shah found himself in
a queer situation. He went to a rich merchan t and said , "I
need a lakh of rupees." Toe merchan t asked for his name.
He gave it 'Bhainsa Shah.' lt was a name well-kno wn. Toe
merchan t said, " 1'11 lend it to you. Let us draw upa documen t."
Bhainsa Shah said, "There is no need to draw up any
documen t. Still, if you need some assuranc e, here is a hair
from my moustac he-a hair from the moustac he of Bhainsa
Shah! You may keep it as a security against the loan." The
merchan t counted out Rs. 1,00,000 at once. Bhainsa Shah was

226 :: Abstract Thinking

 d.
- t e e t th g e n c y L ater, the loan t u 1 y returne ,
n e e t n et o s
r s e
able to -da . . e h a ir fr~ ~ m oustach
a t o n s l y
i t
N o "n " '- a
i f y s , " '- 'h : n o u s : . : ~ ~ f l e d g e d, t h e r e i e possibi
eve ole i c tI S p
; ;;ed-wh n o t being re eernect. . e
of t h e
e g e f o o s t o f a u t h e n t i e t_ ty i s- t h
T h _first a n d rei:n znark
e ~ , had
.
i n ~ e'g r 1 t y o o n e s W r k . o r d .
. r i t y i n m a u e r s. There o-
g ney ~ · t h e t : n o d~ . ~•
'T h . s'Je c o n d n - t a I S - 1 n t e n t .. ~ th.is"!o~ p n .
e e i
b nd
t r e n , . e e otius d e v elopin -"•h • p u r e O n I y h e i s p u r e
e e n a q u s ~ ar i s e s a · s t o '- o ISa v e b . o o d x n a ny
t e s . T h e
T h e r eh een a g
ti n ~ • one y t t<e rs . t.
'W h o
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s o E ~ l. fl _ C ia .n
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z n a n, ~
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in.sta.n
.u
tance i
s
at of A hile ;~VJng
s
A n e 'W i nasr a n s t a t e s '- '-n .c e, uw t in a nga.
eat ab o
c h o l
a t s , - . ~ - -- el l d ª
r he
g r g o i n g
s s eaerne u s · g a t o n g a ? Y o
u h av
a g r eV i c e - C o s · w a ni v e rs i t y e-
as a '- -1 .l ld
.r l_
o w i s , i t, !l l", y o u in t h e U
, .,.,H h g s t o- , but
l e s a i, ,d ed "T e car y b e .l,o~n b us i n e s s
Peop ,
He r e p l i
o•- an · ~
-0Jve r s 1 t y
go t a ca.r.
a . m n o t g . , .&...L•g oo~n~ - , ,
. I y r s.
n o· w k of m y m a t t eh o k e p t
,
Y Y ..L L .
Right vate w o r o n e s t y i n o n e
e, w
s om e p n amp l e o· f .h lll
u.r Stat e ss ,
" I b i s i•s a n e xC h ief M
5 t e r of J o d h p
S t a t e b u s ikn h
a ; ; , ~ '; ~
was e v:: d ~ d u c .' .S o w n w r
ring ~ y
o e
'T h e r e i n h i s h o u s w e : : enhehcon 1 -' U
i n c u r
mps ~d e e State
hvo la o n e lamp ' v o i d th
d a ct
h e l i gd
h t - e
s o as t o
. t . r i t y o f condu ~
er , accoun s - i n t e ge r k i n d c . r e a t .
l i g h te . anoth n h i s i c i t y i
ditu.re
o uthent anoth society
expen. m a r k o E a s p i r e s t r u s t; d c o n d u c t i n f a t h e . r
ird in for goo hei.r parents.
A
7 ?1e th. behaviou.r e d pect
0 n
k i n d o f
a g r ea t n e
. w e l l by t
e i g h b ours ex of
. e ere i s eated he n nesty
i s t r u s t - . 'T h p e c t t - o b e t r m h i s s o n . . T e t h e r e i s h o h o n es t
d x ro her dis
o p l e e treat:J:n.ent- f t h e r. W a l t h w h e r e a s n e S é Ú d t o
Ali pe o d a c h o
he .meo
s go m. e
e x p e c tt r e a b n e n t f r o .e e p s i n g o o dd . i f f i c u l t i e s. S o a l l t h .e r u b b i s h
g o o d t-, society k great m a n y d. He collects se. I remons-
cond u our creates
c a bir ou t
i r i s a queer f r o n t o i m y h t t o d o s o, b u ,
behav fy neighbou it in ly no too
.,.,J v n d d e p o s i t s i m r e p e a t e d , m y s e r v a n t,
, _
me
h i s h o u s e a r e q u e s t i n g h n. U l t i m a t e l y ! s d o o ~-
p,
h
from with hi.m,
u . l d n o t J i s t e u r h o u s e a _t .a n r e l a t i o n s h i
trated ain. He wo of o
b b i s h d u c t, t h . e c o n
.flíct
i n v h e r u 227
all l a ying t olesome con p r e k s h a ::
e d A n u
start uch unwh
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