CONSCIENCE & CONFESSION

Copyright@shravancharitymission

 It reminds me of a time when I used to go to a park every day, early in the morning. The place was still and quiet—reminding you of those famous words—pin drop silence. It was a long morning walk, from where I stayed and it was also mid-way for me. Where, I use to take a break. It was located about twenty feet, above the banks of a river and in between the two there was a steep slope. To, secure the area from anyone, falling into the river. A rugged railing had been raised only recently. The other end of the park touched the busy road. Coming all the way from the airport and passing into the main city. Beyond the river, there was a tall dark and handsome hillock that gave a great sense of scenic fulfillment.

    All around, it was lush green, especially, during the monsoons. When, the water level at times used to rise and ripple past the edge of the gradient to enter the park. I normally sat there each day for about ten to fifteen minutes. Just for some meditation and introspection that refreshed me to take on the tough day. I had relocated to the city some six months back as an Inspector in the police department. I also found many health freaks coming there for morning walks and some just to lollygag.

    Close to the main gate of the park. There was a small tea stall. I guess. It grossed all its major revenues early in the morning while serving the morning walkers.  Once in a while it also served hot pakodas that tasted deadly, with that, hot dhaba tea.

    I had become a little pally with the tea stall owner who was young and appeared somewhat educated. There was always a morning newspaper lying around the stall. Where, tea buffs often rushed through the headlines and exchanged informal barbs.

    As a regular visitor I had started recognizing quite a few faces. Gradually, I even got to know the names of some. One out of them happened to be an old person. About whom I noticed, was normally quiet. One day the stall owner. Who knew, I am a police inspector, introduced me to him. His name was Robert.

    In a matter of days I started interacting with him and referred to him as ‘uncle.’ He must have been around seventy. He spoke very less. But whenever he did, he was to the point. He was normally in his own world and nothing amused him.

    Days passed. When, one day he came up to me and asked,

     ‘Are you in the police?’

    I said, ‘yes.’

    ‘Then, can you do me a favour?’

     I said, ‘what favour?’ He looked at me for a while and said.

    ‘Many years back when I was young. While playing in this park I had a fight with my best friend and that escalated. As a result of which I pushed him down the slope over there. He fell into the river. It was monsoon season. When, the river was in full spate and he was swept away, and never returned.’

    ‘So then did you not tell the police, that you had pushed him?’

    ‘No.’

    ‘But why?’

    ‘Because I was scared I’ll be arrested. So the police registered a case of accident, that he didn’t know swimming so he drowned.’

    ‘So then, why are you telling me your story now and that too after so many years?’

    ‘After fifty years to be exact. To, clear my conscience. Because, you’re in the police and if you want, you can arrest me for the crime.’

    ‘But have you told this to anyone else?’

    ‘No.’

    ‘But why?’

    ‘Because he was my next door neighbour.’

    ‘So how does that matter?’

    ‘It matters, because, years later, I married his sister.’

    ‘But does she know you were the one who pushed his brother?’

    ‘A few years back I did tell her. She couldn’t bear the shock and expired within weeks.’

    ‘And what about your children?’

    ‘I have two sons. Both are in Australia. They don’t know about my crime. But maybe you can tell them after I’m arrested or I’m gone.’ After this he got up, picked his walking stick and started walking. Perhaps, he was heading home.

    After the conversation a couple of days had passed. I had not seen Robert. One day when I reached the tea stall. I was informed by the stall owner that Robert had committed suicide. I was shocked at the news. Perhaps, he was preparing for it mentally when he told me. I attended his funeral where I even got to meet his sons Richard and Simon.

    Thereafter, I continued with my morning walk as usual. One day when I reached the tea stall. The owner gave me a sealed enveloped that Robert had left for me. I opened it. There was another sealed cover in it with the name and address of Richard in Australia with a request to send it across through a reliable courier. Which I did.

    Robert after losing his wife couldn’t have taken a chance on his sons. But anyhow he wanted to confess his crime. So he decided to it after he was gone.

    Moral of the story: Your conscience is the most endurable jury in you.

*****

By Kamlesh Tripathi

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases. Should you wish to donate for the cause the bank details are given below:

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Our publications

GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE

(Archived in 7 prestigious libraries of the US, including, Harvard University and Library of Congress. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in Libraries and archives of Canada and Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai)  

ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY

(Archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture)

AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES

(Launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2014)

REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD

(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. Book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)

(CAN BE BOUGHT FROM ON LINE BOOK STORES OR WRITE TO US FOR COPIES)

*****

DO YOUR JOB WELL AND YOU WON'T FEEL HURT

Copyright@shravancharitywork


By Kamlesh Tripathi

    On his first day in office, as President, when Abraham Lincoln entered to give his inaugural address. One man stood up. He was a rich aristocrat. He said, “Mr. Lincoln, you should not forget that your father used to make shoes for my family.” And the whole Senate laughed. They thought they had made a fool of Lincoln.

    But certain people are made of a totally different mettle and Lincoln was one of them. He looked at the man directly in the eye and said, ‘Sir, I know that my father used to make shoes for your family, and there will be many others here, who too wear shoes made by him. Because, he made shoes, the way nobody else could, as he was a creator. His shoes were not just shoes. He poured his whole soul into them. I want to ask you, have you any complaint? Because, I know, how to make shoes myself. If you have any complaint I can make you another pair of shoes. But as far as I know, nobody has ever complained about my father’s shoes. He was a genius, a great creator and I am proud of my father”.

    The whole Senate was struck dumb. They could not understand what kind of man Abraham Lincoln was. He was proud because his father did his job so well that not even a single complaint had ever been heard.

    Remember: ‘No one can hurt you without your consent.’
‘It is not what happens to us that hurts us. It is our response that hurts us. Be excellent at your work no matter what work you do and happiness will always be yours.’

*****

STORY: WASHERMAN AND THE DONKEY

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

    There was once a lazy and a wicked dhobi (washerman) by the name of Nankau. He had an obedient and a long serving donkey at home. Whom, he used for transporting all the dirty clothes to the bank of the nearby river for washing in the morning. During the day he handed over the donkey to his friend who was a contractor on rent for transporting sand from the river to his construction site. And in the evening the listless and obedient animal used to return with is master with bundles of washed clothes on his back. Apart from making the donkey do all the work without any rest, Nankau even whipped him for small mistakes and at times he even starved him. But, he never complimented him for any good work. Rather considered him as the villain of his life that always brought him ill luck.

    One day Gopal a friend of the dhobi came to stay with him for a few days. During that time he noticed. How Nankau for no rhyme or reason used to whip the donkey and even cursed him loud and clear and that too off and on.

    One day Gopal asked Nankau. ‘My dear friend, what on earth is the matter with you? As I always find you quite irritable. And you often whip this poor soul, and that too in anger for no fault of his. Why do you do this? Especially, when he is so obedient and does all your work?’

    Nankau painfully replied, ‘Arrey yaar! This donkey has been very inauspicious for me. Ever since it walked into my life, I have been facing some problem or the other. Enough is enough. Somehow, I now want to get rid of him. I even tried selling him but no one seemed interested. Maybe, because, I’ve cursed and criticized him so much in front of people that no one is ready to touch him even with a barge pole.’

    During his stay, Gopal could assess the worth of the donkey. He told his friend, ‘Brother, just in case you are not happy with him. You could sell him off to me, and instead buy another one for yourself.’

     Nankau didn’t want the opportunity to lapse. He readily agreed to the offer and sold his donkey to Gopal. Who happened to be a kind master, and thereon, he looked after the animal quite well.

    In the meanwhile, Nankau, this time bought a mule. Thinking it will do more work than the previous animal he had. And, he could never forget that God forsaken donkey that he had and always cursed him, for all the misfortunes of his life. But now with the mule around, he was hoping his luck will improve and he will be a happy man.

    By now he had spent a few months with the newly acquired mule. As compared to the donkey the mule looked tougher, but refused to do, as much work as the donkey used to do. And in the changed scenario, Nankau didn’t have his donkey to curse and blame for his failures, each time things went wrong in his life—so the villain was missing. For the donkey was now someone else’s property. And the mule was too new to be held responsible for any ill luck. So, in other words he had no villain in his life whom he could curse for his misfortunes. And he didn’t have the audacity to blame and curse himself for his mistakes and this started worrying him beyond compare.

    One day when the mule was transporting sand from the river to the contractor’s site. The rear leg of the mule got stuck in the muddy waters of the river and as a result it could not move. Soon it slipped and fell down and fractured its leg, and within a few days the wound turned into gangrene and he died.

    Nankau was shell shocked at the mishap. He now had no means to transport the clothes meant for washing, and was now constrained to do it on his back. But he had limitations, as he couldn’t carry to many clothes. So he started losing business. And since the mule was now dead he was also deprived of the daily rent that he was getting from the contractor. So overall, he was at a loss of a lifetime.

    Suddenly, he realized, he had no one to curse for his misfortunes. Because, the ultimate villain of his life—the donkey, was sold off, by he himself, and so it was not influencing his life anymore. So, the big question, now in front of him was who was influencing his life if not the donkey?

    He decided to visit his learned friend Gopal for answers. Where, in his house he found his villain of life in a healthy and happy state as Gopal was taking good care of him. Nankau narrated the sequence of events to him.

    Gopal, first gave him a patient hearing and then said, ‘Dear Nankau, when I visited you last time. I knew you were a victim of your own circumstances. But you always wanted to play the victim card for every misfortune that you came across in your life. For which you always wanted a villain whom you could blame and where this speechless donkey came in handy.

    But the real solution to life is to look for the hidden donkey within you, before you start cursing any other donkey. And above all you are just a human being, who is bound to make mistakes. So, if at all, you want to blame someone for your own mistakes, blame the villain within you. And, for that, keep the villain in you alive, so that you don’t have to look for a villain outside, like this donkey.

    Nankau had got the message of life. He patted the donkey and returned home.

*****

SHORT STORY: SWAN AND THE CROW: FALSE PRIDE

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

    Once upon a time a rich merchant lived in a city located near the sea coast. He had two sons who had domesticated a crow. They regularly used to feed the crow with the leftovers in their own plates. The crow had thus partied now for sometime on the tasty and nourishing food that he got from his masters, and with that he had grown fat. And, because of the royal treatment that he got from his masters he had also become arrogant and had started considering himself class above the other superior birds in the ilk and often used to insult them.

    One day near the sea coast some swans landed, perhaps they were coming from a long distance and wanted to rest. The sons of the merchant, who happened to be there, couldn’t help but praise those beautiful swans; but, the crow could not bear this. And in anger he went up to the swans and to the one who appeared to be their head and said—‘I want to have a flying competition with you.’

    The swans tried explaining—‘brother! We are long distance fliers. Our home is in Mansarovar and it is quite far off. By competing with us what will you achieve? And can you fly with swans?’

        The crow with an arrogant gesture said—‘I know many ways of flying and I can fly at various speeds and each speed I can maintain for hundred yojans (miles)—so tell me if you have  the guts to take me on? And at what speed you want to fly—dear Swan?’

    The head swan politely said—‘Dear crow! I must say you are very talented. But I know of only one speed—that is my speed and I’ll fly in that speed only.’

    Upon hearing the meek answer of the Swan the arrogance in crow increased manifold. He said—‘Fine, you fly the way you can.’

    By then some birds had also arrived there to witness the competition. Soon both swan and the crow flew towards the sea. The arrogant crow just to show off started performing acrobatics above the sea and with full strength he flew ahead of the swan. But the swan was cruising at his optimum speed. Seeing the swan trailing the crows that had gathered there appeared happy.

    But after a little while the crow started tiring. He started looking here and there for islands with trees and shrubs where he could rest. But he was unable to see anything else than the deep sea. In the meanwhile the swan surged ahead of the crow. By now the speed of the crow had dropped. He was extremely tired and was about to fall into the deep sea that had various types of mammals and fishes that were waiting to swallow him up.

    When the swan realized the crow was left behind he turned around, and decided to return. He came up to the crow and asked—‘brother your beak and wings are touching the waves of the sea as if in a rhythm. So which is this speed of yours?'

    Upon hearing the sarcasm, the crow in a humble tone said—‘Dear Swan! We crows only know to caw-caw, and not how to fly long distances. I have paid the penalty for my stupidity. Kindly, therefore, save my life.’

    The Swam took pity in the half-dead, semi-conscious and drenched crow and decided to help him. He lifted the crow by his legs and loaded him on his back and flew over the sea and dropped him at the same spot from where they had started flying.

    The story conveys the downside of being arrogant and one should not overstate his talent to acquire false pride as it will only land him in trouble.

*****

        

Short story: RESULT OF KINDNESS

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

    Subuktigin was a poor man before he became a king. An ordinary soldier he was. One day he took his gun and sat on his horse and went for a shikar (hunt) in the jungle. That day he was quite unlucky, he travelled a long distance for the shikar but as ill luck would have it he did not come across any animal. After travelling a long distance he spotted a deer with her small baby. Subuktigin started following the two.

    Scared, the deer ran and hid herself behind the bushes; but her baby was left behind. Subuktigin caught hold of the baby and after tying its legs he loaded it on to his horse. And when after an intensive search he could not find the deer he returned with the baby.

        When the deer saw her baby being taken away by the cruel shikari, she couldn’t resist and came out of the bushes and started following Subuktigin. After travelling a distance when Subuktigin turned around he was surprised to see the deer following him. He was shocked at the sight and felt merciful towards the deer. He decided to untie the legs of the baby and let it go. Mother deer was extremely happy to meet her baby once again and in a flash of a moment she disappeared with her baby.

    That day after returning home when Subuktigin slept he got a dream. Where, one angel was telling him—‘Subuktigin! The way you showed mercy on the poor deer was amazing. This has made God happy and therefore he has included your name in the list of would be kings. One day you will surely be a king.’

    Subuktigin’s dream came true. He later in life became a king. Showing mercy on a deer earned him this reward. People who show mercy on animals are appreciated by God.

***

            

short story: MONGOOSE AND THE LADY

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

    A farmer had a mongoose as a pet in his house. The mongoose was very clever and loyal to his master. One day the farmer had gone out on business. And his wife after feeding the baby and putting him off to sleep left for the nearby well to fill water in her pitcher. She was relaxed as the mongoose was to there to guard the baby.

    After she left for the well a black snake came out from the nearby hole, close to where the baby was sleeping on the floor. The snake started inching towards the infant. On seeing this, the mongoose pounced on the snake to attack him. In the fight that ensued, the mongoose tore the snake into pieces and killed it. He then went to the main door of the house and started waiting for the farmer’s wife.

    The farmer’s wife soon returned after filling her pitcher when she saw the mongoose lying near the doorstep. But on seeing blood in his mouth she thought he had bitten her baby. She felt saddened and angry for a moment. And then in a fit of rage she through the heavy pitcher full of water on the mongoose. Poor mongoose could not withstand the impact of the loaded pitcher and died on the spot.

    Farmer’s wife ran inside in panic but only to find that her baby was peacefully sleeping, but close by, a dead snake was lying that was killed by the mongoose. The lady realised her mistake. She ran towards the dead mongoose and held it in her arms and started weeping. But by then it was too late. And that is why it is said:

    One should not act without ascertaining facts, and if you do so you’ll only mess up things and be laughed at by the world.

***

Short story: TWO PONIES

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

   Once upon a time there was a trader who had two ponies. He often used to load his ponies with grocery, to sell them in the nearby villages located in the hills. Once, it so happened, that one of his pony fell sick, but the trader did not come to know of it. He wanted to carry salt, jaggery, pulses and rice to the nearby villages to sell. So, he loaded both the ponies equally and started off in his mission.

    But while negotiating the uneven hilly terrain the sick pony was having problems. They halted for a breather is when he said to his fellow pony—‘today I’m not feeling well. I’ll drop one of the bags loaded on me, so you keep standing here. When our owner notices that he might load it on you. But if you move ahead the owner will load it back on me. In this manner my load will get reduced and I will be able to come along with you.’

    But the other pony said—‘why should I take your load? As if I have lesser load on my back. Sorry, I’ll only carry my share of load.’

    The sick pony kept quiet. But he was feeling extremely sick. And while moving on the hilly track he inadvertently stumbled into a bolder lying on the road and went off the hill and rolled down and finally succumbed to his injuries.

    The trader was shocked at the sudden death of his pony. He stood there for a while not knowing what to do. Then he lifted the bags from the dead pony and loaded them on to the other pony. Now that pony started repenting and thinking—‘had I listened to my fellow pony and taken some extra load he wouldn’t have come across the fatal accident and in turn I wouldn’t have had to carry the entire load on my back.

    Moral of the story: A person who doesn’t help his colleague in danger has to repent.

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SHORT STORY: THE GREEDY KING- MIDAS

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

    Once upon a time Greece was being ruled by a king called Midas. He was extremely greedy. Besides, his daughter the only thing he loved in the world was Gold. And he was so greedy about gold that even while sleeping he used to make plans of amassing gold in large quantities.

    One day while the king was sitting in his treasury and counting his possessions in terms of gold bricks and coins, he saw a ring of smoke rising from the ground and behind that a golden silhouette emerged with a halo on the top that almost resembled an angel. He was transfixed for a moment till the angel said—‘Midas! You are so rich.’

    Midas turned melancholic at once and replied—‘Where am I rich. I have so little gold.’

    Angel said—‘You are not content even with so much of gold? How much gold do you want?’

    King Midas replied—‘I desire; whatever I touch with my hands should turn into gold.’

    Angel laughed at the wish of the king and said—‘Very well! From tomorrow morning whatever you touch will turn into gold.’

    That night the king could not sleep. He got up quite early in the morning. After getting up he decided to keep his hand on the chair lying close to him just to test the words of the angel. To his surprise the chair turned into gold. He then touched a table and that too turned into gold. Midas in delight started merry making by jumping and dancing. Like a mad man he then ran towards his garden and started touching the plants there. Then he touched the flowers and the leaves, he even touched the branches and the flower pots and everything turned into gold. Everything around was now glittering like gold. Midas now had unlimited gold.

    Merry making and excitement had made king Midas tired by now. He hadn’t even realised that his clothes had become heavy as it had turned into gold. He was now thirsty and hungry. After returning from the garden he came and sat on a golden chair. One of his servants kept some delicious food and water in front of him realising his master was hungry. But the moment he touched the food it turned into gold and the moment he lifted the glass of water that too also turned into gold and this made him somewhat nervous. All the delicious food lying in front of Midas had now turned into gold when he was very hungry. He couldn’t have satisfied his hunger and quenched his thirst by food and water made out of gold.

    He started weeping. Just then his daughter who was playing in the vicinity came there, when she heard her father crying. And, seeing him crying she climbed on to his lap to wipe his tears. Emotional Midas hugged his daughter but soon realised that his daughter was no more there and in her place Midas had his daughter’s golden statue that was very heavy for him to hold on to. Poor Midas started banging his head on the calamity. Angel who was watching king Midas from heaven witnessed the calamity that befell on him and felt sympathetic towards him and appeared again. On seeing her Midas fell on her feet and started pleading—‘please take back your blessing.’

    Angel asked—‘Midas! Now you don’t want gold? Tell me whether a glass of water is more precious or gold? A morsel of bread is beneficial or gold?’

    Midas folded his hands and said—‘I don’t want gold. I have come to know that a man doesn’t require gold to survive. Without gold a man can exist but without a glass of water or a loaf of bread he cannot. Now on I will not be greedy for gold.’

    Angel then gave him a bowl full of water and said—‘sprinkle this all over.’

    Midas sprinkled the water on his daughter, on the chair and the table, on the food and water, in the garden and on the plants and flowers, and everything thereafter from gold came back to its original form.

***

Short story: Knowledge and Love

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

  Long time ago there lived a Maharishi (sage) whose name was Shaunak. He had many devoted shishyas (pupils) who sincerely served him. Maharishi used to often send his shishyas to the nearby villages and cities, and to the common people there to teach them the fundamental objectives of life. This continued for some time. After a while and gradually some shishyas started becoming arrogant as they thought by teaching so many people they had become a scholar.

    One day a few of them came up to the Maharishi and said, ‘Guruji as advised by you, we on a continuous basis keep touring across villages and cities to convey your message about the essence and objective of life to common people.

    We relentlessly spread your message, as we deem fit to so many people. But we feel this huge effort on our part has given no benefit to the people as most continue to be moorkh (simpleton) because even after hearing the message they don’t want to change themselves. We feel as if we are wasting our time and energy with them.

    Maharishi, for a moment was stunned and saddened at this, because he knew some shishyas were sounding arrogant. Maharishi said, ‘You’ll have researched quite a lot on the various aspects of life.’ Shishyas said, ‘yes Guruji and our reservoir of knowledge is praised by one and all, and in all directions. And we have learnt whatever was required to be learnt.’

    Maharishi said, ‘I’m happy at your proficiency of knowledge that you all have attained. But before we discuss anything on the subject, I want you’ll to form two groups. One group will gather the kind of knowledge from the people, that is not bookish and the other group will gather information about love that is not physical.

    The arrogant shishyas were stunned at Maharishi’s orders. They started wondering, as to how a person can gain knowledge without reading a book and how can he be in love without physical contact? Nevertheless, based on Maharishi’s advice they formed two groups and immediately marched towards different directions and started discussing the matter with various people who came in contact. They also came in contact with people they had met earlier.

    Wherever they went they were ridiculed, and people made fun of them considering them to be the moorkh of the first order.  And since the shishyas were away from the realities of life, their self respect took a beating. Soon they returned to the Maharishi. In a murmuring tone they said,

    ‘Guruji, it appears you had sent us to the village and city of moorkhs. Where, each of them who earlier respected us is today mocking at us. It is impossible to gain knowledge without reading a book and also impossible to love without physical relationship.’

    Maharishi smiled and said, ‘is it so? So then what happened to the knowledge that I gave you. If real knowledge is only available through books, and love only with physical relationship then why did you come to me? So then why is it that people after reading books and after acquiring love through physical relationship are still ignorant about real knowledge and real love.’

    Upon hearing Maharishi’s reply the shishyas were shamed. They were embarrassed at their ignorance. They requested Maharishi to show them the way. Maharishi said, ‘my dear children let me make it known to you that real knowledge will not arise out of books but will arise only out of these people. Because from many of them only books have emanated. Before educating these people we will have to understand the reservoir of self knowledge within us. And, if we place ourselves in their position we will know the reason of their laughter.

    Only by knowing people from a close distance can we reach a definite conclusion and understand as to what they want to communicate. And all this is possible only when we accept them.

    Accept the person as he is. Because, accepting the Universe as it is, and also accepting its people as it is the lone true knowledge and rest are only evasive thoughts.

    In the same manner true love comes to you only if you are humble towards the Creator of the Universe. One who has given me body, mind and soul and has decorated this world with various beautiful dreams. This feeling of humbleness takes me to that divine love which forms our roots and that gives us the refuge of salvation.

    To gain out of real knowledge and to know about real love you all had to come to me, as I’m your Guru, and Guru is the representative of the Universe and its creator. Finally, only the real knowledge and love for God are true.’

***

STORY: INSPECT BEFORE YOU HELP SOMEONE

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

INSPECT BEFORE YOU HELP SOMEONE

    Mahatama Kautilya was a renowned scholar. He was a proficient preacher of human relations. He had many shishyas (pupils) out of which, one even became the king of erstwhile Bharat.

    He often used to preach, ‘before you decide to help any anyone try and know about the person in great detail,’ and then only offer him help, as that alone will be beneficial in entirety for the person you’re trying to help. We should not offer help for useless causes, as by doing that the noble gesture goes for a complete waste. His shishyas, however could not understand this advice of his, because in their childhood they had heard that charity and help like rainfall should be showered on everyone equally, otherwise it goes for a complete waste. Mahatma on this belief of theirs often used to laugh.  

    One day a cheat from a nearby town came to him and said, ‘Rishivar (Sage) I have heard you are a great repository of knowledge in the field of wealth and intelligence. My humble request to you is to make me rich.’ Upon hearing this, the shishyas got angry and literally wanted to throw him out of the ashram when Maharishi smiled and said, ‘wealth is of two kinds, one is materialistic and the other is spiritiual. Whatever you are worth giving, I will definitely give you that. But, before that you will have to undertake a small test. Out there from the sand go and pick two stones, one black and one white and put them in your bag. I will then ask one of my shishya to put his hand in your bag and pull out a stone while you keep your eyes closed. In case the stone happens to be white I’ll give you spiritual knowledge and if the stone happens to be black then I’ll give you materialistic knowledge that will help you in becoming rich. The cheat on prophetic advice of the Mahatma closed his eyes  for a while when he heard the Mahatma saying,

    ‘My shishya has pulled out a white stone that fell down. And that is why I feel you require spiritual knowledge and I will provide you with that.’  

   

    When the cheat saw without even telling anyone that he is a cheat he has been exposed, and thus, has received the punishment for his misdeeds he started repenting. He then fell at the feet of the Maharishi and started pleading for pardon for having kept his identity as a secret and for all the misdeeds he done in the past. He decided to cleanse his soul when he earnestly started pleading before the Maharishi to make his shishya.

    All the shishyas were dazed at this, is when the Mahatma said, ‘when this cheat came to ask for help, I found an opportunity to present you all and him in front of a truth finding test so that you all could see his misdeeds. But no one besides me and the moon tried to inspect this test in detail. But we still wanted to help the cheat. So we stayed quiet, researched on him and later on based on the necessity and requirement we taught him the lesson of honesty, truthfulness, and seriousness. As this he required even before he became rich.

    This episode teaches us that before helping anyone you should try and know the person in minute details, so that you can help the person in the best possible manner and what he requires the most, he should get that only.

***