Madhusudan_Das

His Life and Achievements: 17
of heart is beyond all description. His charity was unbounded. He
earned like a prince and spent like a prince. He would never refuse
help to any body who would approach him, be he really needy or
not. His purse was always open. Even during the last days of his life,
when he was himself feeimg the pinch of poverty, he could never
say "no" to a person who came to him for his help. He really found
delight in helping others. There are many poor people who were
supported by him and whose bread has been taken away by his death.
He was a great support to the student community whom he helped
ungrudgingly, even to the last day of his life
He had other traits of character which adorn good and great
men. The most important were his spirit of self-help and independence
and his God-fearing nature. He was entirely a self-made man. By his
own abilities and exertions he became so great. He was thoroughly
independent and at the same time most law-abiding. He had firm faith
in God. Without such faith he could not so calmly bear the ordeal
through which he had to pass during the last days of his life. He
used to say, "Those who fear God fear nobody on earth". This is a
perfectly true saying. He had truly that consciousness in his heart.
While acting in support of a right cause and particularly for the
good of his countrymen he would never swerve an inch from his path of
duty and would stubbornly face the difficulties that might beset that path
regardless of the consequences. It was no small sacrifice on his part to
resign the office of Minister of the Government of Bihar and Orissa when
he felt he could no longer act consistently with his own principles. He
never cared for self-interest which he was ever ready to sacrifice in the
interest of his countrymen. Public interest was the guiding spirit of all his
actions. Sense of duty was supreme in his mind.
He lived till the good old age of 84. He was of weak constitution but
he had untiring energy. He lived on such a low diet that it might be said
he lived on his intellect. He was always very hard-working and he worked
to earn his bread almost till the last day of his life. Even in his old age he
worked so hard that much younger people who worked with him could
not keep pace with him. Not only his physical capacity for work remained
unaffected but also his brain was quite clear and powerful even till the
end. He was really a wonderful man.
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