GREED CAN NOT TAKE YOU FAR

I have a story of a greedy middle aged woman to share with. This woman, lets us call her Sita lived in
Mangad, near Kanyakumari gave her rustic daughter, Lakshmi of about 21 yr age in marriage to Chellan,
an able bodied and hard working and goodi looking young man slightly older than the girl. This Chellan
always hung around the house looking for some vacant and calm slots of minutes during the day to
engage with his newly wedded wife. Interestingly, like all mother in laws Sita sensed the intentions
precisely, and well in advance and tried her level best to prevent or avoid such encounters during daylight
between the newlyweds.

The clever Sita, used to order the girl to complete some extra chores in and around the house or in the
kitchen or even in the family prayer room. Both Chellan and Lakshmi grasped the moyive, and on several
instances Chelan overheard, Sita advising his young wife about harms due to frequent encounters and
the consequences there off which might tell up on the longterm health of the man and hence the welfare
of the new family.

While eating dinner, the mother in law always narrated anecdotal stories and examples of neighbors and
relatives who made it rich by good and hard work and praying to god to help out. As days and months
passed by the fed up Chellan asked the mother-in law for advice as to how to get rich.

The over gladdened Sita, told chellan that he will have to go to a remote forest lead the life of a celibate,
and lead an absolutely pious and prayerful life to please Lord Shiva for blessing so that with health,
wealth and fame will be his own. Initially, it appeared to be a new life and unthinkable one as this man
was only in his early thirtees.  Finally the girl and the man decided that at least to make the life of Sita and
consequently theirs too happy and joyous. Lakshmi was ready to go for any sacrifice as long as Chelan
happily went through the sacrifice and the life of a saint so that ultimately everyone will be happier. She
and he will sacrifice the worldly pleasures and biological pleasures briefly say for three or four years in
order to achieve this goal..

The great day was fixed by Sita, the mother in law as soon as she knew that the young couple is ready to
part temporarily and the man was ready to sacrifice for the sake of family. Chellan after a series of
sessions of pooja and prayers donned in saffron clothes walked away from his home to east toward the
foot hills of the Sahyadri to live and pray like a hermit until Lord shiva will appear before him to answer his
requests and grant them. 

The prayerful days and months continued through several summers and winters. His beard grew longer
and thicker; his body became lean and thin and his head of hair too grew longer and even started looking
matted. Chelan had only wild fruits, leaves and nuts to feed with and the crystal clear waters of the
mountain stream for ablution and drinking.  

All of a sudden Lord shiva appeared before him to inquire and find out why this man at the young age was
praying to Lord. In fact Devi Parvathy saw this man’s penance from Kailash and asked her hubby Lord
Shiva, why he had not taken note of this young man’s prayers and sacrifice.

Lord answered to Devi that he is a fool and living among greedy people and therefore whatsoever is

granted to him ultimately will not yield any benefit or useful result. Devi in fact got upset by the remark and
insisted that Lord may descend down to the earth and grant him his wishes so that Devi will not see this
young hermit in her radar anymore.

Lord Shiva descended down to the foot hills of the Shyadri in Kanyakumari Dist and appeared before this
Hermit Chellan. Lord asked Chellan "Son what is your problem that I can address" for which the answer
was that he wanted to go back home to be with his wife.

Very pleased at this answer, the Lord gave three de-husked coconuts and told Chellan to break one each
to realize what he wished in his mind to achieve. Then Lord disappeared. 
Chellan walked back to home, walking with three coconuts which are the most precious pieces on the
earth because of the godly powers and the new things it will bring back to Chellan when the nut is broken
open by throwing it against a piece of rock or stone. 

He reached his old family after three days of travel by foot, with and occasionally without any food. As the
Sita saw this hermit like son in law she was tremendously pleased and with due respects received him
back to his house. The wife was asked not to treat Chellan as the husband anymore because he is a
hermit now.

Mother in law showered him with praise when he narrated how Lord appeared before him at the end of
three long years pf prayer and what lord gave him. The coconut however did not impress the older
woman. She complained to the daughter that this fellow was really a fool and got only three coconuts
from the Lord instead of gold and worldly wealth.

At night the girl sneaked into the bed of her husband and asked what to do with coconuts. Chellan said to
her that whatever he wishes in his mind and then breaks the coconut in the granite steps leading to the
house that will materialize and stay with them for two generations.

Girl revealed this to her mother and immediately after day break, the mother in law asked Chellan to get
10 sovereigns for herself by sacrificing one coconut given to him by the Lord. The angry Chellan did not
shout at her and broke one  coconut  praying in his mind that the lord take away her perineum.

In a few minutes the older woman discovered that she morphed into an angel and lost her vaginal canal,
which is unwomanly. The enraged woman cursed Chellan ran around the home crying and screaming like
a mad person. 

At this his wife Sita too got terribly upset and prayed Chellan to give back the perineum to her mother so
that she will die like a full woman. Chellan got more upset and in rage he wished that the woman is
ornamented with perineum all over her body.  This created a commotion in the family and even among
the neighbors who all earnestly plead to restore the mother in law to a normal woman. Chellan calmed
himself and prayed the lord to restore the original anatomy on the body of the mother in law and broke the
remaining coconut.

Thus all the coconuts given by Lord Shiva were utilized without any tangible benefit or wealth or anything
of that sort. The greed found the final result.Watching all these from the Kailash, Devi told a world of
apology to the Lord as Devi forced the Lord to appear before this foolish man praying for benefit for his
family.

What is the moral? The moral: greedy souls never make it good in life.