What is Amplification?
Amplification means expansion of thought.
Amplification means “material added to a statement, story, etc, in order to expand or clarify it.” (collinsdictionary)
We amplify a sentence, phrase, etc. to expand/clarify the understandability (of it).
Examples of Amplification:
Where there is a will, there is a way
Everybody desires success, but few attain it. One of the reasons is that most people are lacking in strength of will. A weak-minded person is frightened away by the initial difficulties and gives up the attempt in despair. If, however, a man faces the difficulties bravely, they will prove to be really not so serious as they seemed to be and he will be able to overcome them and succeed in the end. Firm determination will also open out before us unthought of ways of reaching the goal. So if one way should fail, we may take to another and continue it till the object is fulfilled. The well-known story of the Crow and the Pitcher is a good illustration in point. In fact, nothing is impossible to man, and the main thing necessary for success in life is firm determination and strength of will
A man is known by the company he keeps
Man cannot live alone. So he always seeks society. But persons whose tastes and inclinations are different from ours cannot give us the delight which we expect from friends. So man naturally seeks the society of those who are like himself in their taste and inclination. We can, therefore, very easily say of what sort a man is from the nature and character of his friends. Moreover, friends exert a great influence upon our character. If we mix with the bad, we shall get their bad habits and gradually become bad ourselves. If, on the other hand, we mix with the good and the noble, it will ennoble us, too. Our character can thus be judged from that of our companions. If, there fore, we should be good and noble in life, we should carefully avoid evil company.
Procrastination is the thief of time
Or,
Defer not till tomorrow what you can do today
We often put off our duties in the hope of better days and better opportunities in the future. But i. will not do to forget that every moment of our life on earth has its particular duty Procrastination, therefore, means overburdening us, that is making our task heavier and more difficult in future. Besides, who can say what this future will be, whether it will not be worse than the present ? Some un- foreseen obstacles may arise : we may be suddenly taken ill; there may be some family calamity : financial misfortune may fall upon us; and then we shall find that the task has become much harder, if not too hard. Moreover, if we once begin to put off things, it will soon grow into the habit of indolence, and will thus slowly bring about our own ruin.
Self-help is the best help
Everybody wants success, but not all achieve it. One of the reasons is that there are men who do not exert themselves, but depend on others But self-interest is the best incentive to work. If this interest does not prompt us to do our own works for our own good, we cannot expect others to sacrifice their interests to bring that good te us. Moreover, a work done for others is not generally done so well as a work done by a person for himself. Besides, dependence on others destroys self-confidence and does not allow the faculties to develop. The result is that we fail in life. The lesson of the proverb is taught us by the well-known story of Hercules and the Carter. A cart got stuck up in mud. When the bullocks failed to drag it out, the Carter prayed to Hercules for help. The god came, but instead of doing anything himself, he told the Carter to put his shoulder to the wheel. This was done and the cart moved on. Indeed, no god or goddess will come to our help if we do not help ourselves.
Rome was not built in a day
Rome was once the capital of the mightiest empire of the ancient world. But this mighty empire was not built up in a year or so. Generations of men had to work hard with patience and perseverance to raise its glory. Similar is the case with all our undertakings on earth. Everybody desires greatness, but very few attain it. This is because most men do not have patience and perseverance to push on with their objects They lose heart under the initial dificulties and give up altogether in despair. On the contrary, there are some who work on with firm determination in the face of all difficulties. They may fail once or twice or even repeatedly; still they carry on bravely and firmly until success comes to them in the end. The wellknown story of Robert Bruce of Scotland and the Spider proves the truth of this. Indeed, nothing great can be achieved without patient labour.
Industry (or, Diligence) is the mother of good luck
Everybody is eager for fortune, but very few attain it. One of the reasons is that most men do not exert themselves properly or are lacking in strength of mind. They lose heart under difficulties and give up altogether, blaming fate for their future. They can never hard that win fortune in the end. They face their difficulties bravely They do not mind physical hardships, and do not depend on others. They may fail once or twice or even repeatedly still they do not lose heart, but work on with patience and perseverance. Thus success in the examination comes to a student who studies sincerely, Success in business comes to those who work hard. The most prosperous nations are these that are industrious, Germany and Japan were laid in ruins ty the Second World War yet both the countries have again visen to treat prosperity simply because the people there are very indus trous. In fort industry overcomes all obstacles and brings in pros perity.
Failures are the pillars of success
Life is full of troubles and difficulties. We have to face and over come them if we would succeed in life. We may fail once or twice or even repeatedly. But that should not damp our spirits and make us give up altogether in despair. We should instead try again and again with firm determination and patient perseverance. Success is then to come to us in the end. Failures are not really as bad as they are thought to be. They make us wiser and give us experience. We know from them the reasons of our failure. This makes our chance of suc cess brighter in the next attempt. Failure also develops our latent powers and strengthens the mind. In this way it becomes easier for us to achieve success in other matters too.
Slow but steady wins the race
We often see a person fail though he is intelligent and has abilities We also sometimes see a person of average abilstics succeed. The difference lies in the different ways in which the two persons sit about their works. The failure of the intelligent and able man is due to his want of steadiness and perseverance. Perhaps he did not exert himself as much as required, thinking that his intelligence and abilities made it unnecessary. Or perhaps he took up too many works at the same time, dividing his time and energies among them. The result was that he could not do any of his works well. The successful man of average merits, on the other hand, took up only one thing at a time and pursued it steadily with keen and undivided attention. It is this steadiness with undivided attention that brought him success. The well-ksowa story of the Hare and the Tortoise should teach us the necessary lesson.
Sweet are the uses of adversity
Adversity is regarded as a curse. But it has its uses also. When everything goes on well with us, we are tempted to take matters easy, and fall into a life of comfort and idleness. But adversity prompts us to exert ourselves. This develops our latent powers, which enables us to prosper in life. It also enables us to know true friends from false ones, because the latter desert us in adversity and only the form stick to us. A man in adversity knows well how keen is the need for sympathy and kindness, because he himself is keen for thet. So when he finds others in distress, he cannot but icel for them sincerely and help them to the best of his power. On the other hand a man who has never tasted the bitters of adversity does not know where the shoe pinches, and cannot, therefore, really feel for the distressed. Adversity is thus like a piece of sugarcane which gives sweet juice only when squeezed or crushed.
A little learning is a dangerous thing
It is said of Newton, that, shortly before his death, he remarked that he was like a child gathering pebbles on the sea-shore, while the vast ocean of Truth lay unexplored before him. And this is from the mouth of one of the greatest scientists of all times. But it is just like what a really learned man feels. In fact, the more his knowledge increases, the more does he feel how little this knowledge is in com parison with what remains to be known. It is only a man of poor knowledge that boasts of his learning. The harm that this does is incalculable. We all know what great harm a quack doctor does to his patient. His treatment generally results in making the case worse, if not in death. A half-trained electrician or mechanic may cause great damage to the machines he handles, and may even lose his owo life. We also see how heated young people become in a discussion. Naturally their knowledge is limited, but they think that they know enough. So they regard their own opinions as the best and cannot understand why others should differ.
A rolling stone gathers no moss
Moss gathers on a stone that is stationary, but not on one that is always on the move. Similarly persons that are always changing from one occupation to another can never prosper. They simply waste their time and caergy and get into habits of fickleness. Very soon they lose the power of serious application in anything. The result is failure in life. On the other hand, a person who sticks to one thing in spite of initial difficulties is sure to succeed in the end. He may fail once or twice, or even repeatedly. But he continues in it and profits by the experience gained, His faculties also are developed and character strengthened. All these combine to bring him success in the end. And success in one thing gives him greater confidence and coables him to win success in other things also. Of course, we must think wisely before a work is taken up. Once the choice is made, we are to stick to it with patience, perseverance and firm determination.
A stitch in time saves nine
If a piece of cloth is torn, even slightly, it should be stitched at once. Otherwise the tear will get wider and wider and may require nme (that is, many) stitches to repair it. The tear may even get too wide for mending, and the cloth may become altogether useless. So the proverb teaches us to take prompt action against all ills at their earlier stage. This will save us from sețious troubles in the future. When a person feels ill he should take proper steps from the very first to control the illness. Otherwise, the illness may take an acute turn. What could have been cured with a few doses of medicine taken in time may end in death in spite of the best but untimely medical help. The same is the case with the evil habit of man. It can be easily checked at the early stage. If neglected at this stage, it takes deep root and cannot be shaken off. So prompt steps should be taken whenever anything wrong is noticed.
All that glitters is not gold
Gold is a bright yellow metal and very valuable. But there are many worthless things looking equally bright yellow. We should net, therefore, think that's thing is gold simply because it is bright yellow. So the proverb teaches us that we should not judge things by their outward appearances. A person may be well-dressed and may look like a gentleman ; but in reality he may be a cheat or a thief. In fact, wicked men generally cheat others in this way. We may come across people who may profess to be our sincere friends. But really they may be false friends and may leave us in our troubles or may lead us to ruin. Similar care is necessary in our judgement of things. A dress may look very showy and costly, but in reality it may be a worthless thing. A food sweet to the taste may be injurious to health. So we should be careful against being misled by external appearances.
We live in deeds, not in years
Or
One crowded hour of glorious life is worth an age without a name
The value of a life depends, not on the number of years one may live, but upon the number of good deeds one may perform. A man may live to 'good old age'; but of what use is this long life if he has not done any good deed ? So far as the world is concerned, it is no life at all, and after his death, nobody will miss him in any way. On the other hand, a man may die young; but if he has done something noble, his death will be deeply mourned by all and he will be remembered by the world for long years to come Thus, the names of Jesus Christ, Keats, Shelley, Vivekananda, Sankaracharya, etc., have become im mortal though they all died very young. So, the main object of life should be not to live in years merely, but to fill it, however short, with good and noble deeds to the best of one's power and ability.
Charity begins at home
The saying means that in helping others we should begin with our relations and friends. Some think that this shows narrowness of mind. So they care more for persens outside their immediate circle and feel rather proud of their 'liberal' spirit. But they are entirely wrong. It is the family that supported me in my childhood and youth. It is the friends about me who sustained me by sharing nav joys and sorrows. If, therefore, I do not feel for them first, before thinking of others, it proves an ungrateful heart. Moreover, how can a person who does not feel for his near ones feel sincerely for others ? His generosity is mere show,-a desire for praise. And nobody can have any respect for such a person.
Make a hay while the sun shines
Hay is grass cut and dried, to be used as food for cattle and horses. Farmers have to turn it over and over again in the sun till it is dry. As the sunshine is rare in cold climates, a farmer has to be very prompt and active when it comes. If he misses one chance, there is no knowing when the sun will appear again. The grass may be spoilt altogether, and then he will be in great difficulty about food for his cattle and horse The proverb thus means that we must not let any opportunity slip. but make prompt and full use of it whenever it comes. Our life is uncertain Who knows what may happen to us even tomorrow ? We may be quite hale and hearty today, but tomorrow we may be ill. So if we miss an opportunity today in expectation of making use of it tomorrow, we may not be able to avail ourselves of it at all. More over, opportunities do not always come. If we miss one opportunity, we may miss it for ever and suffer in consequence. Therefore, we must always take full and prompt advantage of any opportunity that may come our way.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Or,
Prosperity brings friends, adversity tries them
Men cannot live alone. He wants persons with whom he can mix and converse freely, exchanging thoughts and ideas, hopes and fears. But everybody with whom we mix and converse is not a friend in the true sense of the term. Some gather round us only in our prosperity for their self-interest. But whenever we are in trouble or difficulty, they desert us altogether. They are false friends and shorld be avoided by all means. The test of real friends comes only in mis fortune. We may be taking to evil ways; a true friend will then try his best to correct us. Strong in his power of love, he will not hesitate even to rebuke us as strongly as an elder brother. But when we get into actual misfortune by disregarding his advice and rebuke, he will not desert us. He will, on the contrary, freely give us his advice and sympathy, and will not consider any sacrifice too great to pull us out. Indeed, a true friend is a blessing of God.
Look before you leap
The saying here is a warning against hasty action. Some people are impulsive by nature or over-confident of their abilities. No sooner does an idea occur in their minds than they begiu it without any thought about the ways and means and the probable consequences. This is highly improper and results in failure and sufferings. A general, before he attacks the enemy, makes thorough enquiries about the strength and position of the latter and compares them with his own. Failure to do this is sure to result in defeat and may even end in disaster. Similarly, before we begin a house we think carefully about the cost and about where the materials are to be got from. Even if we succeed in a work, this success will be worse than failure if it produces undesirable consequences. Far from finding joy in it, we shall regret it deeply. So, before we act we should carefully consider everything about the action.
The child is father to the man
The saying means that if we observe a child carciully, we can guess what kind of man he will make in his future life. Man is born with some natural instincts and aptitudes. These instincts and apti tudes reveal themselves in childhood, and arc gradually developed with the growth of years. No doubt, education and surroundi. nave some influence on Jie direction of a man's lifc ; but they do not alter much his natural bent. The young Goutama wept to see a bird hit by an arrow. Newton as a boy toyed with machines to discover their secrets, the boy Napoleon played at soldier with his friends, Rabindranath began writing poems at the age of about eight. / nd we all know to what heights they all rose in their particular lincs. So, childhood shows the man, as morning shows the day. This is why modern ducation lays great importance on close observation of a child's natural aptitude in order to direct it along proper lines.
The crown and glory of life is character
Men are often led to evil ways by their hankering after riches and carthly fame. They make these the chief objects of their lives and do not hesitate to adopt foul means to acquire them. They forget that the real wealth of man, his most precious treasure, is not riches or fame,-it is character. Riches are uncertain things, and the fame that power gives or is won by foul means is as short-lived as the dew drop. Pure character, on the other hand, not only makes a man immortal but also wins the love and favour of God. Most of the religious teachers of the world lived and died poor and persecuted. Yet they are respected and worshipped everywhere for the purity and nobility of their character. So we should not allow anything to stain cur character, whatever the sacrifice may be.
No risk, no gain
Or
Nothing venture, nothing have
Everybody desires success in life, but few attain it. One of the principal reasons for this failure is that many people dare not take risks. Life is not a bed of roses. It is full of troubles and difficulties. They have to be overcome if we are to succeed in life. So we should face them with courage. We may fail at first and suffer in consequence. But that should not make us give up in despair. We should instead regard the initial failures and sufferings as the price of ultimate success. We should think of the daring of the discoverers and explorers of lands and the sufferings they had to bear before success came to them. Where would we have got pearls from if divers had not ventured into the dangers under the sea ? A general who is afraid of taking risks can never win any victory. Similarly, a person who dares not take risks cannot achieve success in the struggle of life.
But we must not be rash or hasty. We should think well about the possibilities before we venture upon a thing. Hasty action is like taking a leap in the dark that generally ends in disaster.
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime.
These famous lines stress the influence of noble lives. Persons who have won greatness did not attain it by sudden flight or as a gift from anybody. They became great by sheer merit, -by the nobility ot their ideals, by strength of mind and character, and by hard fight against the difficulties of life. No temptation, no sufferings could draw them away from what they felt to be true, Some even sacri. ficed their lives in their pursuit of truth. Christ was offered by Satan the kingdom of the earth - but He would not be tempted. Buddha too could not be scared away by Mar. Mahatma Gandhi, Netai Subhaschandra, Deshbandhu Chittaranjan-what suffering and sacri fices they went through in pursuit of their ideals! Newton, Faraday, Edison, Meghnad Saha-from what an humble state they became world figures in the realm of science by their own exertions The lives of such men are an inspiration to one and all. They teach us that greatness does not require extraordinary qualities, that we too may become great if only we have the strength and firmness to pursue a nobel ideal without any care for the sufferings that nay come upon us.
An idle brain is the Devil's workshop
The brain of man can never remain idle. So if it is not occupied with fruitful thoughts, all sorts of mischievous and devilish ideas will crowd in to fill the vacancy. And this will turn the man to an agent of the Devil, not only to his own ruin but also to the danger ef the society he belongs to. This is why unemployment is regarded as a curse, and every state considers its removal to be one of its principal duties. And this is also the reason why our educational experts think so much how our young men may be kept away from undesirable activities. To suit their varied interests and varied energies, academic curricula have been diversified. A wide variety of hobbies, excursions, cultural functions, social service work, e.c. has been introduced to direct and guide their extra curricular activities along fruitful channels. But the success of these attempts depends a good deal on the young men themselves. Unless they become conscious of the evil effects of idle ness, all attempts to save them from Satan will go in vain.
Honour and shame from mid-condition rise,
Act well your part and there all the honour lies
We are generally proud of high birth and position, and ashamed if we are born poor or humble. But there is no point in this. We can be rightly proud or ashamed of only our own doin.gs. -of things for which we are responsible and over which we have control Birth is a matter of chance : we have absolutely no hand in it. So, to be proud or ashamed of our birth and position is as unreasonable as to be proud or ashamed of the doings of strangers. Moreover, poverty is no crime, nor high position or riches a virtue. All have their respective duties in life, and true honour or shame roasts on whether we discharge these duties properly or neglect them. A poor and humble man is Worthy of respect if he does his duties sincerely and lives by honest mens A rich and nobleman, on the other hand, covers himself with shame if he lives a life of vice and abuses his wealth or power.
He prayeth best who loveth best
All things both great and small
We pray to God for His love and favour. But people think that to pray properly is a difficult thing,-that it requires strict observance of certain forms and attendance at a place of worship. This, however, is an entirely wrong idea. The best form of prayer is to love drie's fellow-men. God is the Creator of everything in the universe. So He is the common Father of all mankind-great and small, rich and poor, black and white. He is, therefore, most pleased when we love and help one another, just as a human father is most happy when there is love among his children. So we can all win His blessings by simply loving our fellow men, whoever they may be, and by helping them as best we can.
The Pen is mightier than the Sword
The proverb means that the writer exercises a greater influence wider and more enduring-on men and the world than a military conqueror. Alexander the Great, Chengiz Khan, Napoleon were among the greatest generals of the past. But the empires they built up extended only to a limited space in Europe and Asia. Even these limited empires passed away with their death. But books like the Geeta, the Bible, the Koran, and poets like Shakespeare and Rabindra nath have conquered the minds of men all the world over. And their influence has not abated with the lapse of time. Let us take writers like Rousseau, Voltaire, Karl Marx, Tolstoy and Gorky. Their writings inspired the epoch-making revolutions in France and Russia, and are influencing the thoughts and ideas of many other countries. All these prove that a great writer is more powerful than a great soldier.
A man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder
A ship without a rudder drifts at the mercy of the wind and waves. Even if it does not sink, it cannot reach the goal. Similarly a man without a definite aim cannot succeed in life. As he cannot fix his mind upon any particular object, he simply wastes his time and energy in trying one thing after another in a half-hearted way. He soon loses self-confidence and feels quite helpless in the sea of life. So it is necessary for every man to have a definite aim in life. And his aim should be fixed upon at an early age after careful consideration of the natural bent and aptitudes of a person in his boyhood. Once this decision is made, it should be stuck to, whatever difficulties may come in the way. This will not enable the person to reach his particular goal but also strengthen his mind and character, leading him to success in all walks of life.
The old order changeth, yielding place to new
Time flows on without any stop. This is why things are always changing. In fact, change is the law of nature. This is true not only of physical life. The condition in which a man lives as also his thoughts and ideas are changing from age to age. Thus, our mode of living and ideas are different from our grandfathers'. And those of our grandfathers again were different from their own grandfathers'. Even in the same age, the thoughts and ideas of a boy or youth are different from an old man's. With the rapid progress of civilisation, this difference is becoming more and more marked. The changes may not be to our liking ; but as they have been brought about by time forces, we cannot stop them. We have, therefore, to accept the new order of things as inevitable and adapt ourselves to it. Unless we do this, we shall feel miserable and mcke others also miserable. This is the reason why there is often a conflict between the old and the new, each regarding the other as unreasonable. The best course is to retire in time in favour of new men whose ideas are more in keeping with new forces and developments.
Peace hath her victories no less renowned than war
We generally honour a victorious general. The more countries he conquers, the greater the fame he wins. Thus, the names of Alexander, Chengiz Khan, Napoleon have become immortal because of their great victories. But there were nobler heroes of a different kind. While the former won their victories through blood and destruc tion, the latter won them by peaceful means. Just think of the diffi culties that explorers like Columbus and Livingstone, and scientists like Galileo, Faraday, Jenner, Edison had to overcome before they could make their discoveries. Great religious teachers like Buddha and Jesus, and ports like Kalidas, Shakespeare and Rabindranath have conquered the minds of men all the world over. The empires built up by the generals melted away almost with their death. But these heroes of peace will continue to rule the minds of men for all time to come. So their achievements are more glorious than those of the warriors.
Nothing succeeds like suecess
In this world it is very difficult to attain success in any field. Success can be achieved only by pursuing one's aim with steady appli cation and indomitable courage, and without losing heart at failures. But it is often seen that one success promptly and easily leads to another. When somebody acquires success in any field of life and earns a name, his progress in general, or success in life in all its various spheres, comes as a matter of course. This holds good for men in all profes sions, e.g., lawyers, doctors, businessmen etc. The success one attains once make his path to propriety easy. To him further success comes more easily than one who has yet to make his mark in life. But it should be borne in mind that success in life is not accidental. It can only be achieved through hard labour, perseverance and resolution.
Frail creatures are we all ! to be the best
Is but ihe fewest faults to have
"To err is human," runs a familiar proverb. Indeed, it is not possible for anybody to be completely free from all faults. Even the greatesi men the world has ever produced were not without some defect or another. Only their failings were of a negligible nature, almost nothing in comparison with their virtues. In fact, it is only God Who is perfect. We should bear this in mind in our judgement of others as well as of ourselves. We should not despair if we fail to avoid all faults. Our aim should be to be as free from faults as possible If we succeed in this, it will be enough for us, and we shall rightfully enjay the love and respect of all. Our judgement of others also should be guided by this truth. A man may have some faults of a minor nature. But if he is generally good, we should ignore these faults and respect him for his virtues.
I slept and dreamt that life was beauty,
I woke and found that life was duty
Most boys and girls enjoy almost a sheltered existence. They live under the care of their guardians who provide them with every comfort possible within their means. So they take a very rosy view of life, Their natural cheerfulness of spirits helps to strengthen this attitude But when they enter the world as grown-up men, they realise that all their previous ideas of life all the bright and beautiful pictures they drew up of it in youth-were mere dreams. They find that, as social beings, they have many duties in life duties to their families, their societies and to their countries. And they realise also that they have to be very hard working and selfless if they are to discharge these duties properly, No doubt, to have a cheerful outlook and hope for the best are good qualities; but they should no be allowed to blind the youth to the realities of life. The things he dreams of will not fall to him from the skies ; he will have to realise them by his own exertion ; by hard toil. This is why it is necessary for everybody to prepare himself thoroughly in his early years for the tasks that he will have to perform in life.
Cowards die miny times before their deaths.
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Everybody knows that death is the inevitable (sure to happen) lot of all, however much one may try to avoid it, and that it can come only once in life. Still fear of death is the greatest fear of man, Many are so much afraid of it that they dare not face risks of any kind. They allow wrongs to continue and even work against their conscience for fear of harm to their lives, Extremely miserable is the life of such cowards. They become the slaves of their fear, and in trying to avoid the pangs of death, they only suffer them repeatedly. There are persons, however, who are not afraid of death. They bravely face risks for a noble cause even at the cost of their lives. They feel that since there is no escape from death, it is better to die nobly than to live ignobly (basely) They are the heroes of the earth,-pride and glory of mankind.
Cities and Thrones and Powers
Stand in Time's eye,
Almost as long as flowers,
Which daily die.
All eart y power and glory are in vain. In fact, in comparison with eternal time, they are as short-lived as flowers which bloom and fade away only in the course of a single day. But new powers and cities are constantly growing up out of the ruins of these destroyed ones, like fresh flowers daily blooming forth out of those that have withered away. Thus, the cities of Mahenjo-daro, Indraprastha Babylon-the empires of Greece and Rome, are all dead and gone, and new prosperous cities and powers have grown up in their stead. We should not, therefore, be proud of prosperity, but should accept it with humility, and make the best use of it as long as it lasts.
The heights by great men reached and kept,
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept, Were toiling upward in the night.
Everybody desires greatness, but very few attain it. From this people generady think that greatness requires luck or the possession of extraordinary qualities. But this is a wrong idea. The secret of greatness is nothing but hard toil-"infinite capacity for taking pains." Most people fail to attain greatness simply because they waste their time and opportunities in idleness or do not have the firmness to push on with their objects. The great, on the other hand, never wasted their time or allowed their opportunities to slip. Their progress might have been slow, but they did not lose heart and give up. Even failures did not damp their spirits. They worked on firmly and steadily in the face of all obstacles and difficultics until they reached the end. In fact, every body can become great if he works on in this way with firm determina tion and patient perseverance.
The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world
The proverb stresses the influence of a mother on the future of a child and through him, on the world at large. Childhood and boy hood are the most important period of a man's life. The mind is like soft clay during this time and can be easily shaped into any form one pleases. Therefore, the training that a person receives then take firm root in him and decides his future. And this training he gets mostly from his mother, because he lives under her constant care during these periods. This is why the mother exercises the greatest influence in the formation of her son's character and in shaping his destiny. If the mother is good, the child also will grow up a good man. But if the mother is bad, he is most likely to grow up wicked too. Napoleon said that it was his mother's inspiration that led him to greatness. The mother of Iswarchandra was a living example of simplicity and kindness, and it was this that made the son also so great in these qualities. Therefore, every mother should be very particular about her son's training. She should never set any bad example before lom Instead she should always inspire him with noble ideais so that they may take firm root in him and lead him to greatness.
A hungry man is an angry man
Food is the fundamental need of every human being: nobody can live without it. Survival without food is simply impossible. Day and night a man puts on hard jabour in the pursuit of it-it is the chief occupation of everyman. For the satisfaction of his hunger he would stoop to any act of degradation. All ethics, moral values, philosophies etc. would have no meaning to a man who is hungry, whose stomach is empty. It is but natural that a hungry man is always angry, and would revolt at the slightest provocation. No amount of love, sympathy or flattery can win him over. No advice, sermons or arguments would pacify him. Hie would turn against all sorts of establishments, rightly or wrongly, political or social. He may even try to destroy the very system we live in. This is absolutely correct to say that a hungry man is an angry man. It is the primary duty of every government to provide everybody with food and to keep harmony and peace in the society.
Experience is the best teacher.
We learn from two distinct methods. One, the method of gaining knowledge by doing something on our own; the other is the method of receiving instructions from someone else. The knowledge acquired by the first method is much more lasting than the same gained through instructions. For learning through instructions we are to strain our nerves and brains to remember and recapitulate the lessons. But the lessons learnt through self experience are more easily grapsed. They are imprinted in our mental plate. We can casily fall back upen it as and when necessary, By this method we can store our lesson. The knowledge gained through experience is thorough, accurate and completo. Self experience can not be substituted by any amount of class room demonstration or lectures by the best teachers. The first-hand and intimate knowledge of any subject can be acquired only if the students involve themselves in the entire process of a particular job. Thus it is rightly said that experience is the best teacher.
Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown
Almost every one of us envy the people at the top-those who are at the helm of power. Seemingly, it appears to most of us that those people are very happy, carefree, carn a lot of money and enjoy the priviledges because of their wealth and power. We envy them at each and every step and presume that they have little to worry about. While some of the assessments may be true to some extent, the last one is absolutely wrong. We can easily imagine the burden they carry under their crowns. History tells us how powerful emperors, kings and even the most ruthless dictators spent anxious and tense periods and sleepless nights in various phases of their careers. Heads of states, democratic or totalitarian have to take precautionary measures to prevent possible attempts against their lives. Thus, the wearer of a crown ie. who weilds power lives in a constant fear of assassins bullet or dagger. He can never live a carefree life.
Many other factors also aggravate their uneasiness. As they sit in the citadal of power they have great responsibility to the society at large and especially to the people they rule. They are constantly worried about these as they know that unless they can perform their duties properly they will have to face strong criticism ; and may even be removed from their exalted position. Thus the fear of losing their posts constantly haunts them. So it may be said that the proverb "uneasy lies the head that wears a crown" is quite apt.
Morning shows the day
If we go through the lives of all the greatmen, we are almost sure to find one thing in common in them. Most of them in their childhood showed glimpses of their potentialities which unfurled later in their lives.
Let us analyse one particular case. Vivekananda, the most talked about saint of our era. He is a classic example of this proverb. We have heard many stories about his early childhood courage, his oratory power, his power of concentration, his fearlessness and above all his inquisitiven 's to know the truth. There are also many stories about his reformist outlook even in his early life.
His inquisitiveness led him to Ramakrishna, the greatest of all saints. Encouraged by this great master, he was determined to know India properly first and then to spread the voice of his master later. He went round the world defying impregnable barriers. He talked about India and Hinduism fearlessly. He took the world by storm. His love for mankind knew no bounds. Not being satisfied with preaching only, he founded Ramakrishna Mission. Ilis love for man kind irrespective of their colour, creed or religion, the broad outlook of a monk and the potentiality to be a true reformer-all these early promises revealed fully later in his life like a full bloom lotus. He became one of the greatest spiritual reformes of India. 1o snes sw Thus as far as he or Ramakrishna and many others are concerned, we may say that there is a truth in the proverb, "Morning shows the Day." But as a child neither Mahatma Gandhi, nor Einstein showed much promise. Einstein was unpopular with his teachers, and Gandhiji was like any other boy in many ways. Who could have predicted that they would turn out to be what they have turned out ?
Even in the case of Rabindranath, know that he did not fare well in school. Nevertheless, it was in their early days that they showed their mettle.
If winter comes can spring be far behind ?
Change is the law of nature. We have six seasons. Winter gives place to spring which is followed by summer. This is an eternal cycle laid down by mother nature. Winter is the season of extreme cold, chill and snow. The leaves fall off from the trees and the nature looks bare. This season is not at all comfortable to the poor people. But it must appear whether we like it or not. With the onset of spring, trees put forth new leaves and beautiful flowers bloom all around. Cold wind gives place to gentle breeze. Mother nature starts smiling again : darkness giving place to light. In the lite of man also there is a cycle. It is but natural that he should feel gloomy when adversity overtakes him. He may lose all hope and become a pessimist. It is at this crucial junction that he should draw courage from mother naturc. He should realise that like dark clouds, chilly winds and wintry weather may cast shadow on one's life. But they are all temporary. They will have to disappear, it is the law of nature. Mis fortune and difficulties may overcome us, but we must not forget that they are all temporary. Fortune and happiness are bound to follow them. Let us all face our difficulties courageously for the brighter period ahead.
