A Handful Of Coins – Biography Sain Kanwarram
A Handful Of Coins – Biography Sain Kanwarram
DR. S. K. PUNSHI
Once in Shahdadkot, he collected money while singing. A Muslim begged for money saying that his children were starving. Kanwar requested him to wait until the function was over when as usual he would distribute the money among all the needy. However, the man persisted in the name of God saying that he was to leave the place immediately. Kanwarram yielded to the name of God and he gave him a handful of coins, which to the joy of the receiver contained silver once. Seeing this another Muslim ‘Fakir’ (beggar) begged for alms from the same ‘Jholi’ (cloth wallet) in the name of God and on repeated requests and persistence, Kanwarram gave him also a handful of coins, which to the dismay of the recipient, was full of copper ones. Seeing this ‘Fakir’ got enraged and last the temper and threw the coins with a force unto the face of Kanwarram. It was a hot summer day so this sudden blow of coins on the face of Kanwarram made him unconscious and he fell on the ground. The attendants fanned him sprinkled water on his face. The people present there gave the ‘Fakir’ a sound beating and make him black and blue. After a short while, Kanwar got up, enquired about the ‘Fakir’ and shed tears when he was informed of the treatment meted out to him. He sent for the ‘Fakir’ and told him “It is God who dispenses with everything but you took revenge on me”. Saying this Kanwar gave him another handful of coins, which put the ‘Fakir’ to great shame. Such was the patience, goodness and forgiveness of Kanwar. True to the teaching of Saints ‘forgive and forget’, ‘suffer and serve’. Christ was being crucified; God asked him what punishment should I give to these people who tortured you? Christ replied God “forgive them Lord; they don’t know what they are doing.”
Very aptly Dada J.P. Vaswani – the sage of modern times says:
“In giving, not in receiving,
in loosing and not in gaining,
in sacrifice, not in selfishness
is the secret of the true life –
Life that is life indeed!”
J.P. Vaswani