Scripture Knowledge Prevented The Brahmin From Committing Theft

Once upon a time, lived an erudite but impecunious Brahman, in the town of Maharaja Bhoj. One day, been perturbed by his impoverishment, he decided to rob the palace. At night when everyone was soundly sleeping, he covertly entered the palace. He saw precious gems, jewellery, gold and priceless pots been scattered everywhere around, but whenever he thought of picking up any object his religious knowledge always restrained him from doing so. Finally, with a determined mind, he extended his hand to pick up the gold. Only then, he recollected a line from the Holy Scripture which said, "One who steals the gold goes to hell". Likewise, whenever he thought about stealing anything, his memory recollected the lines from the scriptures which considered theft a sin and he stopped. He spent the whole night in the palace, but he could not steal anything.

At daybreak when the servants began waking up, the Brahman hid under the king's bed from the fear of being caught. When the king woke up, his queens and ladies in waiting respectfully greeted the king. Decorated elephants and horses were also standing outside the palace. Seeing this, the king's heart filled with joy, and he recited the three lines of a sloka. Then he suddenly stopped because he forgot the last line. The Brahman could not stop himself and completed the fourth line. The king startled, and asked the Brahmin to come out from under the bed. When the king asked the Brahmin that in spite of spending the whole night in the palace why he did not steal. The Brahmin said, "King, my religious knowledge guided me and stopped me from committing theft." Been happy with his honesty, the king gave him ample money and ended his poverty forever.

Moral: Knowledge helps us to sense the difference between appropriate, inappropriate and just, unjust. Using this knowledge at the time of various ethical dilemmas we can acquire the right path.

The Fig Tree Come Into Bloom With Composure And Assiduity

Once there was a wealthy businessman, who owned numerous castles and magnificent palaces. He was very fond of verdancy and therefore allocated a vast area for plantation. In his spare time, he often used to visit his gardens and inquire the gardener about each plant and tree. The gardener was also very loyal and devoted and did all his work with complete honesty and diligence. Keeping a watchful eye on every big and small plant, he took care of them with complete concentration and intentness. One day, the businessman asked the gardener to plant a fig tree. The next day, the gardener brought the fig plant and planted it carefully. Months elapsed, but the fig tree did not fructify. Seeing this, the businessman grew very upset and said to the gardener, “From past three years this tree has been using a vast area of land, but it has not born me a single fruit. This tree has proved fruitless. Cut it down.”

The gardener said, “Master, give me one year’s time. I will dig a basin around this tree and fertilize it with the best manure. Our equanimity and efforts will become fruitful and give new life to this stump. But even then if this tree did not effloresce, I will cut it.” The businessman agreed and next year the fig tree actually bore fruit.

Moral: Self-confidence and hard work brings success. Therefore, instead of conceding to our failure we must continuously strive for better results.

The Son Bought An Eternal Fruit For His Father

Once there was a father-son. The father often used to assign some market works to his little son so that he could acquire mundaneness. The son also used to do those works gleefully. One day, the father saw that the fruits were finished in the house. He called his son and giving him some money asked him to buy fresh fruits. When the son was on his way to the market he came across some extremely impoverished people. He felt rueful seeing their condition. There were no clothes on their body and they were dying of starvation. Having pity on them, he gave them all the money which he had kept to buy fruits. The poor people gave him a lot of blessings and bought food for themselves with that money. The boy felt exceedingly delighted and with a joyful heart he returned home empty-handed.

Seeing him empty-handed his father asked him, "Son, why didn't you bring the fruits?" Smiling happily the boy replied, "Father, I have got an eternal fruit for you." Father asked him in surprise which fruit was that. With innocence and pride the boy said, "Father, today I saw some impecunious and famished people on the way. I couldn’t see their hunger and gave them all the money I had. The food bought with that money must have satisfied their today's hunger. Father, if we would have eaten fruits with that money our mouth would have turned sweet for a few minutes, but isn’t the taste of this fruit going to last forever?" Hearing this his father happily patted his back on his instinct of compassion.

Moral: Helping needy people is our moral duty. This not only earns us virtue but also we obtain eternal and infinite delight and contentment. So, whenever and however we are in a position to help, we must help wholeheartedly.

Ho Chi Minh Understood That Pace Is Life

Ho Chi Minh, the National Hero of Vietnam wrote in one of his reminiscence, “When I was nine years old I failed in the school examination. I was very sad to see my poor exam results. My life seemed worthless and the entire world appeared to be dry and unstimulating, because of this mental turmoil and despair I thought of committing suicide. All my family members loved me a lot and they were all pained to see my disappointment. My father counseled me and tried to talk some sense into me, mother showed me great affection, the family priest gave many spell proven fruits, but everything proved futile and meaningless. I passed the days in discomfort and nights without sleep. One day I quietly ran away from home.

When I was passing near a Buddhist Monastery I heard a monk singing a melodious poem, which touched my heart. He was singing, ‘Why the water doesn’t get muddy? Because it flows. Why do not the obstacles come in the path of water? Because it flows. Why does a drop of water becomes a waterfall, a waterfall becomes a stream, a stream becomes a river, and a river becomes a sea? Because it flows. Therefore my life you do not stop, keep flowing, keep flowing.’ For a long time I kept standing speechless. When I returned I was like flowing water, even today I am like flowing water. I go all over the place and spread whatever pace is left in me because I am like flowing water, I am on the move.”

Moral: Never get disheartened on the failure of an achievement and never let the negative thoughts dominate you instead taking lesson from your failure progress towards another better goal. Being in motion is life and being motionless is death.

The Soldiers Bowed In Front Of Napoleon's Courage

Napoleon with some of his troops was going somewhere only then his general, Marchera along with nearly six-thousand soldiers blocked his way. He came with the intention of killing Napoleon. Napoleon had such a big army of soldiers that he could have easily faced the general, but he said, "I do not want to shed the blood of my own countrymen" and he mounted on a horse and advanced towards the enemy forces all alone. Being 50 meters off from the enemy forces he dismounted from the horse and moved forward on foot. Now when he was only ten meters away, Marchera targeted Napoleon and ordered his troop to fire. Pressing of a single trigger could have changed the destiny of France, but no finger pressed the trigger. Marchera's soldier ignored his orders.

Napoleon said, "Soldiers! If any one of you want to kill his emperor then accomplish your desire, I am standing alone." No one said anything. Soldiers put the guns down on the earth and began the acclamation of Emperor Napoleon. Napoleon said to an old soldier, "You raised the gun to kill me?" The soldier's eye filled with tears. He showed his gun. There was no bullet in it. The entire army had filled only ammunitions in the guns for the sound.

Moral: Where leaders are valiant and they themselves come in front to face any crisis, even their followers are loyal to them.

Ranade Explained The Benefits Of Keeping The Tongue In Control

One day, a friend of Mahadev Govind Ranade sent a basket of mangoes to their home. Ranade's wife Ramabai washed the mangoes and kept them before Ranade to eat. Having two three slices of mangoes Ranade praised its taste and said to his wife, "You also eat this and give it to the servants also." Ramabai was surprised to see that her husband only had the two three slices of the mango. So she asked her asked husband if his health was all right. Ranade said, "You must be thinking if these mangoes are so delicious then why didn't I eat much? These mangoes are indeed very delicious therefore I am not taking much." Ramabai didn't understand her husband's strange reply.

Then Ranade said, "During my childhood there was a woman in our neighborhood who was extremely rich, but unfortunately lost all her wealth and riches. With great difficulty she used to earn two meals a day for her son and herself. Many a times sitting alone she used to say to herself, "I have been an epicure throughout my life but now I explain my tongue that the days of getting four-six dishes a meal have gone. Many kinds of sweets are now rare and there is no use missing those dishes, still my tongue doesn't understand this, while my son feels contented even after eating this dry meal." Hearing that woman I made a rule to eat only a little of the food that my tongue likes."

Moral: Reducing your needs not only let you enjoy the comfortable days of life but also not let you suffer in the days of pain.

George Washington Gave The Lesson Of Punctuality

George Washington, the former President of America, was a very punctual man. He used to do all his routine work at a scheduled time. His meal time and sleeping time were all fixed. Being familiar with his temperament the servants were also accustomed to work promptly. Washington was very strict in the observance of this rule. Once, after the U.S. Congress elections were held, Washington invited the elected new Congress members to dinner. His main aim was the mutual acquaintance amongst the members and also to allocate them their duties, but the members did not arrive at the appointed time. They arrived with some delay. On coming, they saw Washington having the dinner. Members were surprised to see Washington, and thought how the President could take dinner without even waiting for his guests.

Seeing their surprise Washington said, "Brothers, why are you so surprised? I do all my works on time therefore my cook doesn't wait for all the appointed guests to come, and lay the table at the predetermined time." The members realized their mistake and asked for an apology. In this way, Washington gave the lesson of punctuality to the new members of the U.S. Congress.

Moral: The time that has past never comes back. Each moment of this life is precious therefore do your works on time so that good results can be achieved.

Vidyasagar Taught Hundred Percent Use Of The Objects

Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar and Khudiraam Bose shared a strong bond of friendship. They both often used to meet and discuss several issues. One day Khudiram Bose came over to Vidyasagar's house and they both chatted for around two hours. Vidyasagar offered him fresh oranges to eat. Khudiraam praised the taste of oranges and ate them. When Vidyasagar saw that after peeling off the orange segments and sucking it Khudiraam is throwing them down, he said, "My friend, do not throw them down they will also be of some use." Khudiram asked him with surprise, "Whom will you give these to? For what can they be used now?" Vidyasagar said to him, "Keep them outside the window and move off, you will see it yourself."

Khudiram kept the sucked orange segments outside the window and moved off. Shortly, some crows came to pick up those segments. Then, Vidyasagar said, "As long as any substance can be of some use to any creature it should not be thrown away. In fact, it should be kept in such a way that it doesn't get destroyed by dust and soil and can be used by other creatures."

Moral: The utility of creating anything is only when it gives a hundred percent access. Therefore, before throwing away any object, other potential uses of the object should be considered.