People
In Giving Charity:
Hands Outstretched,
Eyes Lowered
FOLKLORE
Rahim Khana Khan -- a general and nobleman known in Emperor Akbar’s court as Khanzadah Mirza Khan Abdul Rahim Khan-Khana - was acclaimed by his benefactor a navratan (jewel) of the royal entourage.
Rahim Khana Khan regularly practiced charity. People, however, noticed that every time he raised his hands in charity, he would lower his eyes.
Tulsidas -- a contemporary poet and the author of the Hindu classic, Ramcharitmanas -- once witnessed this and wrote a couplet about this quirk of his, asking Rahim Khana Khan why he would not look at the person to whom he was giving charity? Why were his eyes lowered?
aisi deni den jyun, kith seekhe ho sain
jyon jyon kar uchyon karo, tyon tyon neeche nain
Where did you learn this wonderful art of giving, kind Sir?
As you raise your hands to give, you lower your eyes!
Rahim, a gyani in his own right, understood that his friend had asked him a pointed and very public question. So, he responded with one of his celebrated dohas (couplets), thus:
denhaar koi aur hai, bhejat jo din raain
log bharam hum par kare, taase neeche nain
The true giver is someone else, the One who gives day and night
People mistake me as the giver, I therefore lower my eyes in humility
May 12, 2015
Conversation about this article
1: Manjeet Singh (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), May 12, 2015, 4:47 PM.
How wonderful. You made my day: "Denhaar koi au hai, bhejat jo din nain ..." Wah Wah!