In plain words
You must take up works that help others and make your life worthwhile. The life of Aśoka is a fine example of this. He was the very image of Dharma. A man devoted to justice. His name was A-śoka, which means one who has no grief. He had many vassal kings. Every year Aśoka would collect some tax from them, and spend that money on many works for the welfare of the people. If the government does not collect tax from the people, it is very hard to rule the kingdom. To hope to provide facilities for the people without levying taxes is madness. If the people's needs are to be met, taxes cannot but be levied. So the emperor Aśoka too used to collect taxes.
Once, on the occasion of Aśoka's birthday, all the vassal kings except only the king of the land of Magadha brought their taxes and filled the treasury. When Aśoka asked the king of Magadha the reason for coming empty-handed, “Lord! This year in my kingdom there were floods and drought, and because of them the people, with no proper food to eat and no water to drink, fell into many hardships; many fell ill. So I have spent the money I collected from the people only on meeting their needs. I gave them a supply of drinking water. I had houses of health built for those suffering from ill health. I founded schools for the children. In this way all the money I had has been spent,” he explained.
Hearing these words, Aśoka was very happy. Calling him close and seating him at his side, “King of Magadha! You have done good works that none of these kings has done. You have ended the people's want of water. You have founded schools. You have provided medical care. Through these three you have done the people a great deal of good. To a ruler like you, who toils for the welfare of the people, I am ready to give any amount of help,” he said.
Education belongs to the head, medical care belongs to the heart, and water is equal to life itself. The one who provides these three to the people is truly greater than all. Such a one can truly be called God. For man, good deeds are most important.