EXPANSION OF AN IDEA / PARAGRAPH WRITING

 Empty vessels make much noise.

When a vessel is filled with some substance it does not make noise, but when a vessel is empty it makes much noise.

People who do not have much worth tend to be boastful. Such people talk much about their supposed merits. But those who are really worthy never indulge in thoughtless propaganda and senseless boasting of their genuine worth. He substitutes it by loose and frivolous talk. Thus, he hides his fit falls and shortcomings under the cloak of much meaningless talk.

 Every Indian knows how once a responsible leader, an honourable neighbour of India threatened to wage war even for thousand years with India. Within a short span, his craze for war was quenched. This is nothing but deceiving one’s owned self, aimed at feeding the people with the promises of bloody wars.  Only cowards pose as heroes. For instance the character of Uttara Kumar in the Epic the Mahabharatha is quite well known.

Every man is the architect of his own fortune.

The statement says that the fortune of a person depends upon his own self. The entire responsibility of building one’s fortune rests upon one’s own quality of endeavours and efforts.

 It is up to everyone either to make or mar one’s own fortune. If a person wastes his energies in futile and unworthy pursuits, never come up in his/her life. Instead, if one realises the value and worth of time of is own fortune and he will become the master his destiny.

George Washington Carver was a Negro slave by birth. He was set free after the civil war (1861-1865). His health was very bad in his childhood. But he worked hard to improve himself. In the course of time he became one of the greatest botanists and an outstanding painter. In a similar way Abraham Lincoln was also one who crafted his own fortune. The saying “from log wood cabin to white house” sums up his life. Born in the most humble family he rose to the highest position in the United States, entirely by self-help.

 Adversity is the touchstone of character.

Adversities are misfortunes and hardships. Life is neither a bed of roses nor a path of thorns but both. Misfortunes, in the life of a person test his character.

The way in which a person overcomes various hurdles and hardships depends upon his character. Character is the inner discipline and integrity of a person. Man is not merely a lump of flesh and a bundle of bones but something more. The character of a person depends upon discipline, determination and sincerity. Man without these heroic virtues is in no way different from an animal. This statement makes it clear that misfortunes and adversities test the character of people.

The greatness of a really great man is revealed especially during stress and storm in his life. A great man never loses the smile on his face and serenity of mind even at times of crises in life. For instance Bala Gangadhara Tilak, never lost his self-discipline and reason even when he was sentenced for six years of imprisonment in Mandalay for no fault of his. During the imprisonment he wrote his famous book, The Gita Rahasya in the same way Mahatma Gandhi. These great souls become greater by enduring all sorrow and suffering with unusual patience and perseverance. They dedicated themselves to higher ends.

The voice of the people is the voice of God.

The statement asserts that the voice of God is heard through the voice of the people. Every creature is created by the holy plan of God. God makes his powers manifest through countless creatures.

Among the creatures man has a unique place for he is endowed with rational faculty. This faculty helps man to realize the destiny and goal of creation. Creation of life has a purpose.  The statement says that there is unity between the word (voice) of god and voice of the people.

Democracy is more a way of living than a type of government. Democratic set up believes in the supremacy of the individual as an indispensable unit of a harmonious whole i.e., of society. God expresses himself through the life and activity of people. Democracy is the art and science of mobilizing various resources of all the sections of people. People are the true representatives of the God on earth.

 Man does not live by bread alone.

This proverb brings out the importance of man’s life. It gives and idea of the high ideals which are a part of man’s life. This maxim says that man requires many things besides food.

 A review of man’s history shows that man has a very restless spirit. He is not easily satisfied. The aim of all animals is to get enough food and produce off springs in order to survive as species. Man who is intellectually superior to all animals finds supreme satisfaction in fine arts.

Man has developed many fine arts. He gets immense pleasure in pursuing these arts; Music, Painting and other fine arts are pursued by many people. Thyagaraja, the South Indian musician is an example of these people. Ajanta and Ellora caves speak of pursuit of fine arts. Religion and philosophy are other fields in which man finds solace and comfort. Man with his superior powers aims at something higher and better. He tries to gain knowledge and satisfy his inner spirit which is restless. So, man does not live by bread alone.

Pride goes before a fall.

Pride is the sin of all seven deadly sins that seals the very soul of man. A proud person is sure to fall in life from the great heights of glory.

Pride is nothing but the pre-dominance of ego in a person. He is blinded by his merits and skills. Such a person is sure to lose his reputation and honour, soon in his life. This aphorism warns people against the danger of infernal fire of pride.

Duryodhana blinded by his physical prowess and the help of Karna, brought destruction and devastation. He was proud of the physical strength at his command. That is why he paid a deaf ear to the good counsels given by Bhishma and Krishna. Modern military dictators are in no way inferior to legendary Duryodhana. For example Hitler and Mussolini, the two evil creeds, Nazism and Fascism based on hatred and violence, owe their existence to them. Both of them in their overwhelming pride brought irreparable damage to mankind. At last they themselves became poor victims to the evil they nourished for years. 

A Prophet is not honoured in his own country.

A prophet is a person with an unusual insight into and understanding of people and problems. He claims that he is chosen by God to carry out a specific mission in life. Sometimes a teacher who propounds a theory and advocates a cause is also regarded as a prophet. However, the History of Mankind reveals that such prophets are neither honoured nor understood by their contemporaries. Sometimes they were condemned to suffer at the stake for their beliefs and behaviour.

One feels very sad to read the lives of those great prophets who were completely ignored and condemned by their own countrymen. The average standard of thought and action of the people is always low. As a result, people in power fail to recognize the divine mission of the prophets. Such prophets came to the earth to give a new direction to the life of the people. But it is the tragedy of mankind not to realize the worth of such great prophets.  

Lord Buddha was an unknown figure in his own country. Jesus Christ the founder of Christianity was crucified for his beliefs and behaviour. In the same manner Gandhiji was also misunderstood by his countrymen. On a rather lower level in India today the worth of our eminent scientists and scholars is not recognized. As a result, they migrate to those lands where their worth is properly recognized and suitably rewarded.

An honest man is the noblest work of God.

Honesty is nothing but sincerity and integrity. The distinction of man lies in the possession of rational faculty and self-awareness. God expresses himself in every inch of creation that too mostly in man. So a person with good character is the best work of God.

A person is considered to be honest and upright when there is the rare unity between his thought, word and deed. This unity gives rare value to his personality lie in terrene suits and nylon stockings that he puts on. But it lies essentially in the inward nature.

The annals of mankind is replete with the stories of the lives of the God men. For example Socrates, Jesus Christ, Prophet Mohammed and Gandhi are few names to mention. All these great souls are honest and noble. That is why even though they are not rightly understood and properly treated in their own day; still their noble character moulds the destiny of millions of people on this earth. Such divine and honest people are really the noblest work of god.

A tree is known by its fruit.

In nature, there are several kinds of trees. Thy bear different kinds of fruits. When we taste the fruit, we know the nature of the tree.

Just as a tree is identified by its fruit in the same way, a person is known by his behaviour. With regard to man what is important is not his beliefs and principles but his behaviour. Thus actions and behaviour clearly throw light upon the inward character of man.

The quality and caliber of a student is known not by the books he purchases or the institution in which he studies but by the nature of his discipline and type of character, he cultivates. In the same manner the friendly nature of a country depends upon its readiness to share the hardships and difficulties of a country towards which it exhibits its friendship. All the promises and professions of friendship must be translated into practice at times of need. 

Life indeed would be dull if there were no difficulties.

Man likes variety at every stage of activity and sphere of endeavor. Difficulties or misfortunes too are essential for they augment the sweetness and bliss in joy and pleasure in life.

Various brain breaking problems and difficulties give man an opportunity to understand life in its entirety. It is impossible to give an all comprehensive definitions of life, for life is so vast and deep. Difficulties and unpleasantness in the life of a person give him an opportunity to realize the real bliss of peace and pleasantness in life.

Difficulties and misfortunes bring out the best in man. Man knows to a great extent what he is, only in periods of sorrow and suffering. To a powerful capitalist rolling in riches, life appears to be dull and tedious if there are no problems to solve and to answer. A Sincere person prays not to have a dry life without problems. Difficulties from the very core of life.

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