BENEVOLENCE

 

                   BENEVOLENCE

Benevolence is defined as kindness, kind-heartedness, charity, generosity, compassion, philanthropy and humanitarianism.

A benevolent person is one who is friendly, helpful, humane, liberal, sympathetic, charitable, philanthropic and altruistic.

Benevolence is not the quality of only rich, well-to-do and wealthy persons. Even poor or hard up and deprived people are benevolent. They share with others whatever they have. Their benevolence is natural.  It has no selfish motive. They don’t do it to  become famous or get any praise or admiration.

According to the Scottish economist and philosopher Adam Smith (1723-1790) :”To feel much for others, and little for ourselves; to restrain our selfish, and exercise our benevolent affections, constitutes the perfection of human nature.”

Benevolence is a religious quality. The English writer  and magistrate Henry Fielding (1707-1754) says: There cannot be a more glorious object in creation than a human being replete with benevolence, meditating in what manner he may render himself most acceptable to the Creator by doing good to his creatures.

A Hindu maxim says : He only does not live in vain, who employs his wealth, his thought, his speech to advance the good of others.

Finally, the following words of the American author William Dean Howell (1837-1920): The conqueror is regarded with awe; the wise man commands our respect, but it is only the benevolent man that wins our affection.

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G.R.Kanwal

10 July 2024