The Great Poet of Nepali literature, “Mahakavi” Laxmi Prasad Devkota (26 July 1957 – 15 May 1958) famous for his excellent poems, essays, plays, short epics and epics is equally renowned for his humanitarian services. Devkota was a very kind person. He could not tolerate other people’s sufferings. His nature of considering other people’s misery and giving priority to theirs even more than his own sufferings also reputed him as a humanist in the society.
Once, Mahakavi Devkota was returning from his office. On the same day, he had received his pay. In his walk, he was pondering about using the money in accomplishing the most important things, paying some debts and fees of his children. He saw a beggar spreading his palm towards him on the way. He put his hands on his coat-pocket and produced some money in his hands to give to the wretched beggar. The beggar gave him blessings.
Devkota was delighted to help the poor and moved ahead. A little further, he saw another beggar spreading his palms. Devkota didn’t disappoint him either; he gave some money to the beggar. In this way, after a while, all his salary was gone. But he still was encountering beggars on his path.
Devkota was walking downhearted for now he had no more money to help the poor beggars. Suddenly at a distance, he saw a beggar shivering due to cold. He didn’t have clothes in his body and was trying to cover his private parts with a loincloth. His deprivation brought tears in Devkota’s eyes. He then took off his coat and put it on the shivering beggar, and himself with a smile went towards his house putting both his hands under his armpits; enduring the cold of the winter.
He didn’t feel cold because his heart was warm.
Originally Published in Nayapatrika National Daily
