Saint Eknath offered Ganga Jal to a Thirsty Donkey

Story is taken from Post No. 905 of London Swaminathan;https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/ganga-jal-ganges-water-for-a-donkey

Eknath was a great saint of Maharashtra. Once he went on a pilgrimage to Benaras (Varanasi or Kasi). From there he brought back with him two pots filled with the holy water of the Ganges slung across a pole. He thought of taking it to Rameswar, a place of pilgrimage in the south, for offering to God. Hindus who visit Kasi bring Ganga jal to Rameswaram (in Tamil Nadu) and do the Abhishek ( bathing) on Shiva linga there. This is considered a meritorious act.

Eknath headed a party of pilgrims, each of whom carried water pots filled with the holy water. It was summer. The heat was very severe. Not a single tree was visible anywhere. Eknatha saw a donkey dying of thirst. His heart was filled with compassion. Immediately he poured out the contents of his water pots to the dying animal, which straightaway lapped up the whole quantity.

Restored to life the donkey got up and went away braying.

After sometime Eknath’s fellow pilgrims arrived there.

They were surprised to see the water pots of the saint empty. Therefore, they inquired of him, “Sir, where is the holy water, you brought with you?”

Eknath replied, “Brothers I gave it away to a poor donkey which was dying of thirst, since no water was available anywhere in the neighbourhood”

The fellow pilgrims exclaimed, “But sir, you have nothing left to offer to God Rameshwar! Alas! Your pilgrimage ill remain incomplete!”

The saint however, observed calmly,” What you say is true. But how could I pass by the donkey, dying of thirst, without giving it water? And as I had some water, thought it was of the holy Ganges, I let the creature slake its thirst. But I am quite sure that God Rameshwar will not only forgive me but, on the contrary, will even be pleased with me.

(Source: Inspiring Anecdotes, Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad, Year of Publication 1957)

My Education

My parents did not plan or looked after my education; also for my brothers and sisters; never knew as what we were doing in the school; never knew about our home work or helping us in any way; They did not do about our education right from the primary school till we finished our education. Surprisingly, it was not only my parents but the parents of other students in the school were also not involved in the learning process of their kids. Perhaps, teachers were taking enough care about it.

I had my primary education in the village primary school run by District Administration with bare minimum facilities but with very good school teachers and good curriculum to teach various creative and learning skills.
Middle School in the town was also run by District Administration. Did my middle school education also in Jhalu ; school had even lesser facilities than primary school but good dedicated teachers. I did my primary and middle school education in URDU language medium ( Urdu was most popular language in our region ; our teachers were also mostly muslims ); English learning started in middle school and I learnt just elementary English ( though my grand father gave me at home English tuition with Shri Bharat Singh ji- a very strict teacher); In the school, I had my very good English teacher from Haldaur- Shri Chandra Pal Singh );
In 1950, I moved to Chandpur to live with my nani and to join Hindu Inter College as there was no further education facilities in my own town .HIC was one of the best known Secondary School in our region with good facilities and teachers. I finished my High School and Intermediate education there with science background- Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. ( with a short break of a few months at DAV College, DehraDun ). As there was no Urdu medium in the college and Hindi was compulsory language, I have to do rest of my education here only in Hindi medium; With Elementary Hindi in High School and Hindi in Intermediate Examinations.