Compassionate Souls, My English Reader, Class VIII, DAV Board, The Best Solutions- A

A.1. Given below is a list of the people who cast aside their personal interests for the larger interest of the society. Write the area in which they worked or are working.

A.2. Summary In English: The Compassionate Souls

Mahatma Hansraj was a great human being and the founder of the D.A.V. (Dayanand Anglo Vedic) movement. Inspired by Swami Dayanand, he devoted his life to the cause of education without seeking any financial return. Despite being poor, he refused a government job and instead offered honorary service to promote Anglo-Vedic education. His elder brother and wife supported him by leading a simple life. Though he sometimes struggled with money, he always helped others, even from his limited resources. His compassion, sacrifice, and commitment to social upliftment make him a true mahatma and role model for future generations.

In Hindi

महात्मा हंसराज डी.ए.वी. आंदोलन के संस्थापक थे और एक महान आत्मा थे। स्वामी दयानंद से प्रेरित होकर उन्होंने आजीवन वेदांग शिक्षा के प्रचार-प्रसार में निःस्वार्थ सेवा दी। आर्थिक तंगी के बावजूद उन्होंने सरकारी नौकरी स्वीकार नहीं की और अपने बड़े भाई तथा पत्नी के सहयोग से सादा जीवन जीते हुए समाज की सेवा की। वे हमेशा दूसरों की मदद के लिए तैयार रहते थे, चाहे उनकी आर्थिक स्थिति कमजोर ही क्यों न हो। उनकी दया, त्याग और सेवा भाव उन्हें एक सच्चे महात्मा बनाते हैं और वे युवा पीढ़ी के लिए प्रेरणा स्रोत हैं।

Word Meanings (English–Hindi Table)

MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

1. Mahatma Hansraj was the founder of:

(a) Arya Samaj

(b) DAV Movement

(c) RSS

(d) Swadeshi Movement

Answer: (b) DAV Movement

2. Who inspired Mahatma Hansraj to devote his life to education?

(a) Mahatma Gandhi

(b) His brother

(c) Swami Dayanand

(d) Mother Teresa

Answer: (c) Swami Dayanand

3. What profession did Mahatma Hansraj refuse to take?

(a) Doctor

(b) Government Teacher

(c) Government Job

(d) Businessman

Answer: (c) Government Job

4. What did Mahatma Hansraj offer to an old student in distress?

(a) A job

(b) Money

(c) His wife’s account book

(d) Food

Answer: (c) His wife’s account book

Short Questions and Answers

1. Who was Mahatma Hansraj?

Ans: Mahatma Hansraj was the founder of the DAV movement and a devoted educationist who offered honorary services to promote Anglo-Vedic education.

2. Why did Mahatma Hansraj refuse a government job?

Ans: He refused a government job to offer lifelong honorary services to the cause of education, inspired by the ideals of Swami Dayanand.

3. How did Mahatma Hansraj manage financially after refusing the job?

Ans: His elder brother shared his meagre salary with him, and his wife adopted a simple lifestyle to support him.

4. Describe one incident that shows his charitable nature.

Ans: When a former student had a cash shortage at work, Mahatma Hansraj gave him his wife’s account book to take the needed money and save his job.

5. What does the story of Mahatma Hansraj teach us?

Ans: It teaches us the value of sacrifice, simple living, compassion, and the importance of working selflessly for society.

A.3. On the basis of your understanding of the text, complete the following statements.

(a) After graduation, Mahatma Hansraj’s family wanted him to
Answer – take up a remunerative government job to end their financial crisis.

(b) Lala Mulkraj offered to share his monthly salary of
Answer – ₹80 equally with Mahatma Hansraj.

(c) Mahatma Hansraj’s wife decided to support him when
Answer – she understood the true loftiness of his ideals and adopted a simple lifestyle.

(d) Mahatma Hansraj couldn’t go to Jalandhar because
Answer – he did not have enough money to afford the railway fare.

(e) At times, Mahatma Hansraj wished to have more money so that
Answer – he could help people in distress to a greater extent.

(f) Mahatma Hansraj helped the young man by
Answer – giving him his wife’s account book and asking him to take the needed money to cover the cash shortage.

A.4. HOTS

Unlike Mahatma Hansraj and other noble souls, a considerably large percentage of youth lacks core virtues like sincerity, compassion, courtesy, forgiveness.

What factors are responsible for this degeneration of values amongst the youth?

Discuss in your group and write any four factors below.

Factors responsible for degeneration of values among youth:

1. Excessive exposure to materialism and social media.
2. Lack of strong role models and moral education.
3. Peer pressure and competition for success.
4. Declining emphasis on empathy, service, and values at home and school.

A.5. Values

‘He was a mahatma in the real sense of the word.’ What attributes make a person a ‘mahatma’?

Values – What makes a person a ‘Mahatma’?

A Mahatma possesses:

• Deep compassion for others
• Spirit of selfless service
• Dedication to truth and justice
• Courage to sacrifice personal comfort for societal good
• Humility and sincerity
• Vision for upliftment of humanity
• Imparting Knowledge to others
• Simple living and high thinking

A.6. Find words from the text which mean the same as the following.

(a) Similar – Identical
(b) Intentionally – Deliberately
(c) Pitiful – Pathetic
(d) Error – Discrepancy

A.7. ‘Milk of human kindness’– it is an idiomatic expression, which means ‘full of kindness for others’. You will be surprised to know that there are many more such expressions using food items to enrich our language. Look at the following expressions and write their meanings with the help of the clues given in the box.

(a) Crying over spilt milk – Worrying about something you cannot change
(b) Eat humble pie – To feel sorry or admit one’s mistake
(c) Full of beans – To be strong and energetic
(d) Go bananas – To become crazy or angry
(e) In a pickle – In trouble
(f) Piece of cake – An extremely easy thing to do

A.8. Now use the above expressions to complete the following sentences meaningfully.

(a) Mrs Seth is a very helpful teacher. Students often approach her when they are in a pickle.
(b) To get a job is a piece of cake for the extremely brilliant Shekhar.
(c) Even after walking for two hours, my father seemed to be full of beans.
(d) I go bananas when I receive wrong-number phone calls in the middle of the night.
(e) Raj had always been overconfident but when he lost the match, he had to eat humble pie.
(f) Now that Tina has missed the flight, there is no point in crying over spilt milk.

A.9. Compassion was long considered a virtue but it seems like an anachronism today. The present generation upholds only the value of self-gratification.

Bearing in mind the above statement, write an article for the school magazine on the topic — ‘The Self-Centred Generation.’

By: Avinash Ranjan Gupta
Class: VIII

The Self-Centred Generation

In today’s fast-paced world, we are witnessing a major shift in the values of the younger generation. Compassion, humility, and sacrifice—once considered pillars of good character—are slowly being overshadowed by self-interest and personal gain.

The modern youth often prioritises instant gratification over long-term purpose. Success is measured by social media likes rather than acts of kindness. The desire for fame and luxury leaves little room for empathy and community service.

There are many reasons for this shift. The influence of technology, lack of moral education, and excessive competition have all contributed to the rise of self-centred attitudes. We often forget that true fulfillment comes not just from personal success but from making a positive difference in the lives of others.

It is time to revive the spirit of compassion and social responsibility. We must take inspiration from people like Mahatma Hansraj, who lived simply and worked selflessly for others. Our generation must realise that kindness and service are not weaknesses but strengths.

Let us strive to become not just successful individuals but valuable members of society.

A.10. Further Reading

Read about the life and work of any one of the following.

You can choose to read about:

Mother Teresa – Known for her selfless service to the poor and sick in Kolkata. She founded the Missionaries of Charity and devoted her life to humanitarian work.

OR

Baba Amte – Worked for the rehabilitation of leprosy patients and founded Anandwan, a community for them.

Mother Teresa: A Life of Compassion and Service

Mother Teresa, born as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910, in Skopje, Macedonia, was a Catholic nun and missionary who dedicated her entire life to serving the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying in India. She moved to India in 1929 and began her service as a teacher in Kolkata (then Calcutta).

While teaching at St. Mary’s School, she was deeply moved by the extreme poverty and suffering outside the school walls. In 1946, she experienced a “call within a call” — a divine inspiration to leave her convent and serve the poorest of the poor. With very little money and resources, she started her mission on the streets of Kolkata.

In 1950, she founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation devoted to helping “the unwanted, the unloved and the uncared for.” The organization started with just 12 members but grew into a global mission with thousands of sisters and volunteers in over 130 countries.

Mother Teresa’s work gained international recognition for its selflessness, compassion, and humility. She received numerous awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, which she accepted on behalf of the poor. Despite criticism at times, her unwavering commitment never changed.

She passed away on September 5, 1997, and was later declared a Saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 2016, becoming Saint Teresa of Calcutta.

Legacy

Mother Teresa’s legacy continues to inspire people across the world. Her life is a shining example of how one person can make a difference with love, empathy, and service.