SHORT STORIES IN ENGLISH

KANCHAN SUYASH
 Copyright © 2021 KANCHAN SUYASH

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or
dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written
permission of the publisher.

ISBN-13: 9781234567890
ISBN-10: 1477123456

Cover design by: Art Painter

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018675309
Printed in the United States of America
 Contents

Title Page
Copyright
In Search of Truth
Which of the two scenarios was true'?
Who Is Smarter Than a Monk?
Vincent's Immense Painting
When God Walks alongside You
Alexander the Great is defeated by a Monk!
The Human Mind Is Like a Pandora's Box
The Wonderful Mother
Remove Your Concerns by Smiling
The Mouse and the Elephant
The Crowning Glory
The 'Greasy' Pot
When a person's anger is suppressed...
The 'illiterate' Businessman's Wisdom
The Forty-eight-legged Beast
 In Search of Truth
Many kings in ancient India were legendary for their battle prowess,
military might, or integrity. However, only a few people were known to have
attained the sublime heights of spirituality. Janaka, the ruler of Mithila, was
one such exceptional king. In the epic Ramayana, a revered Indian scripture,
he was the father of Sita, a woman of many virtues and Lord Ram's wife.
King Janaka, a zealous seeker of truth from a young age, was fond of
hosting lengthy discussions on spirituality and religion in his court, which
would last all day. These discussions were attended by a number of famous
religious scholars from the kingdom as well as wandering ascetics who
admired the king. These discussions were usually followed by dinner, after
which the king retired to his chamber for a peaceful night's sleep, satisfied
that he had learned something new about religion and spirituality during the
day.

However, Janaka's sleep was disrupted one night by a strange dream. He

saw that a powerful emperor had invaded his kingdom, wreaking havoc.

Janaka had to flee deep into the forest to avoid certain death in battle.
After the battle, he was lonely and exhausted, and the subsequent escape to
save his life had only added to his exhaustion. He was gasping for air as he
stood in the middle of the dense forest. He soon found himself sinking into an
abyss of depression as a result of losing the gruelling battle. As if that was
not enough, hunger pangs exacerbated his misery. Janaka wandered aimlessly
in the dense forest for several days.

He was on the verge of dying of starvation after finding nothing to eat for
several days. Fortunately, a man passing through the forest one day noticed
Janaka lying under a tree in a pitiful state.

condition in which his spine is curved and his legs are folded and
touching his chin The man had no idea that the man in front of him was the
legendary King Janaka. He was sympathetic and offered him a piece of
bread. It was nothing short of a miracle for Janaka. He immediately sat up
and eagerly grabbed the bread, profusely thanking the man with folded hands.
He was about to eat the bread when a large crow appeared out of nowhere,
snatched it from his grasp, and flew away. After all these days, it was the
only morsel of food he had received, and it had been snatched from his grasp!
That was Janaka's final straw. He lost his cool and let out a deafening scream.
And the moment Janaka screamed, he awoke with a start, drenched in sweat,
in his royal bed in his own palace.

Janaka, who was spiritually inclined, had developed the habit of

analysing all his experiences and learning his lessons from them while
temporarily numbed by the dream.

“While dreaming, I was actually fast asleep in bed, but my mind was
completely lost in the forest,” he reflected on his strange dream. I was
definitely running to save my life while fleeing into the forest. The crow had
clearly swooped down on me and snatched my bread. And there is no doubt
that I screamed and was drenched in sweat. So, what exactly was I doing at
the time? Was I dozing off in my bed? Or was I lost in the woods after being
defeated in battle?
 Which of the two scenarios was true'?
His inquiry was undeniably genuine, but the answer eluded him! Janaka
became obsessed with finding the answer to this question from that moment
forward. He had forgotten about his responsibilities to his kingdom, family,
and everything else. Janaka convened numerous assemblies and invited
scholars from far and wide to provide an answer in his quest to discover the
truth, but to no avail. His agitation

and anxiety became a major source of concern for everyone around him,
including his family and ministerial council. Several doctors were summoned
to treat his condition, but their efforts were futile. Even the most eminent
religious scholars of the time were unable to provide a satisfactory answer to
Janaka's question. As word of Janaka's quest spread, it quickly reached the
wisest sage of the time, Ashtavakra, who immediately set out to meet Janaka.
The king immediately posed his question to the sage as soon as he entered the
court.

Ashtavakra smiled and replied, "Your Majesty!" in a gentle, calm tone.

Your defeat in battle and wandering through the forest in your dream were
not real. And your presence in your royal chamber was also unreal.”

Janaka was perplexed upon hearing such a strange response, because

some scholars he had previously consulted had declared that the first state
was the reality, while others had declared that the second state was the true
one. But here was sage Ashtavakra, claiming that neither of the two states
existed! However, given that Janaka had been in such a confused and listless
state for so long, his surprise at Ashtavakra's response was at least indicative
of his alertness and intellect functioning as sharply as ever. That was truly an
accomplishment in and of itself! Even as the King struggled to understand
what the sage had said, Ashtavakra added, "When you were dreaming of
wandering in the forest, you were physically present in your palace, which
means your wanderings in the forest were not real." Similarly, even though
you were physically present in your palace, your mind was in the forest. As a
result, your presence in the chamber was also unreal.”
 Janaka's curiosity was piqued even more by Ashtavakra's explanation. He
enquired of the sage, "If neither of the two states is real, then what is real?"

“What is real is the witness within you, who was watching both of these
states unfold,” Ashtavakra replied, looking deep into Janaka's eyes. He was
watching you while you were sleeping in your bed. In your dream, he was
also watching you as you wandered through the forest. However, this witness
was completely detached from both states.”

Janaka was struck by Ashtavakra's enlightening response like a

thunderbolt. He felt he had discovered a new path in life, and he made it his
life's mission to realise the witness within him at any cost.

Janaka eventually became Ashtavakra's student and, with the sage's help,
realised the witness within himself. The Ashtavakra Gita is a collection of
enlightening discussions between Ashtavakra and Janaka that led to this
realisation.
 Who Is Smarter Than a Monk?
Long ago, in a village in central India, a great monk lived. By nature wise
and compassionate, he led an extremely simple and austere life, never
accepting alms that he did not need. He lived in a small, one-room hut with
only a few utensils and two blankets as his only worldly possessions. These
blankets served two functions: they clothed him and kept him warm.

The temperature outside had dropped dramatically one night during the
winter. However, unaffected by the bitter cold, the monk slept on one blanket
that he had spread on the floor and covered himself with the other blanket, as
was his custom. Genuine monks rely solely on themselves for everything, and
this monk, too, did not feel the need to lock his house door to protect himself
from intruders and wild animals. As a result, whenever he slept, the door to
his hut remained open.

Meanwhile, a hungry thief had crept into the village and was looking for
a place to rob. He tried unsuccessfully to break into several houses. But, just
as he was about to give up, he came across the unlocked door to the monk's
hut. He wasted no time in quietly entering the hut and groping in the dark,
hoping to find something valuable. Several minutes passed, but all the thief
could find was a small cylindrical vessel and a broken cup. The thief could
not believe there was nothing of value in the hut. So he searched again, and
when he could not find anything valuable to steal, he was disappointed. He
had not gone out on such a cold night just to steal a couple of broken utensils!
He stood motionless in the dark, unsure what to do, unaware that he was
being watched.

The monk slept soundly. He would awoken when he heard the door to his
hut creak open. He had been quietly watching the thief rummaging through
his hut while pretending to be asleep, enjoying the thief's bewilderment and
dilemma. Meanwhile, the thief's desperation and irritation were increasing as
the seconds passed. He had to steal something after going through so much
trouble; he could not go empty-handed, or else he would failed. Even a thief
despises failure. So he removed the blanket that was covering the monk and
picked up the utensils. He opened the door of the hut to scamper away,
satisfied that he had finally stolen something.

The monk decided to intervene just as the thief was about to take flight.
“Stop!” he yelled, breaking the silence of the night and stopping the thief
dead in his tracks. The monk stood up and sternly ordered the thief to return
inside the house.
Despite the chill in the air, beads of perspiration formed on the thief's
brow as he re-entered the hut meekly.
When he saw the thief trembling with fear, the monk lowered his voice
and said softly, gently, "Please forgive me, brother." You came here on such
a cold night, and I was unable to assist you in any way. I do not have
anything that will make you happy. So, the next time you plan to visit me,
please let me know ahead of time. I will gather enough alms from people to
give you so you do not leave disappointed.”

Hearing the monk's stern voice, the thief was already terrified. And now,
the monk's compassionate tone, as well as his incredible invitation to return,
had completely taken him by surprise. His hands had gone numb, and the
blanket and utensils had slipped and fallen to the floor. He was about to flee,
disoriented, without taking any precautions.

anything, when the monk sternly ordered him, "You will have to leave
with whatever you had stolen!" And, please, close the door before I leave so
that I do not freeze from the cold!” The hapless thief! The monk's
commanding voice had cast a hypnotic spell over him, compelling him to
obey his commands like a robot. He grabbed the blanket and utensils once
more and dashed out of the hut, shutting the door behind him.

Unfortunately, the thief was apprehended by some villagers by dawn,

who recognised the monk's blanket that the thief was carrying. Enraged that
the thief had broken into the innocent monk's house, they bound him and
dragged him before the village council to have him punished. The village
council was also irritated after learning of the thief's misdeed. After all, the
monk was a revered figure throughout the village. Everyone agreed that he
deserved to be severely punished. While the villagers were deliberating on
how to punish the thief, word of his arrest and impending punishment
reached the monk. Without wasting time, he dashed to the village council and
exclaimed, pointing to the thief, "This man is no thief!" My brothers, you are
making a mistake.

Who said he stole my utensils and blankets? The truth is that when he
came to see me last night, I was the one who gave them to him with great
affection. He is, in fact, such a kind man that he shut the door of my hut on
his way out to keep the cold out. So, please release him right away!”

The village council had no choice but to release the thief now that the
monk had endorsed his innocence. So, despite the fact that the thief had
escaped punishment and been set free, the monk's compassion had captured
his heart. He sobbed bitterly at the monk's feet as the village council
dispersed. He pleaded, hands folded in reverence, "Forgive me, O wise one!
Also, consider

“Please accept me as your humble servant.” The monk flatly refused him,
but the thief persisted in his requests. Moved by his change of heart, the
monk finally relented and accepted the thief's servitude, and began walking
towards the monk's hut. Needless to say, the stolen utensils and blankets, as
well as the thief, made their way back to the monk. When they arrived at the
hut, the monk burst out laughing. The thief, taken aback by the monk's
laughter, stared at him with his mouth agape. With great difficulty, the monk
said to the thief, "Did you understand my ruse?" Not only have my stolen
belongings been returned to me, but they have also brought a servant with
them! Remember, a monk will never make an unfavourable deal.”
 Vincent's Immense Painting
You have almost certainly heard of the legendary Dutch post-
Impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh, who is widely regarded as one of
the most influential figures in Western art history.

Vincent's lifelong passion was painting. A single stroke of his brush

would bring life to a blank canvas. And the sheer joy he derived from the
myriad colours that took shape under his deft fingers gave his paintings an
inimitable quality. He had never painted with the intention of accumulating
wealth, status, or fame through his work. He painted for the sheer love and
joy of painting, so it is no surprise that his works are incomparable.

As a result, Vincent spent all of his waking hours doing what he did best:
painting. He would set aside a painting once it was finished and start a new
one. And when his small studio could no longer accommodate his finished
canvases, he gave them to his friends; in fact, he would take the paintings
himself and hang them in their drawing room!

His friends, on the other hand, were philistines who could not help
themselves.

sympathise with Vincent's motivation. So, as soon as he left their house

after hanging his painting, his friends would take it down and store it in some
dark and dusty corner of their home! 'Why spoil the beauty of the drawing
room?' they might reason. But Vincent's passion for painting remained
undiminished, and he continued to pursue it with zeal. When his paintings
accumulated, he would return to a friend's house and present them to him. To
please Vincent, the friend would hang it on his wall, only to dump it in a
corner of his house the moment he left. Vincent had no idea he had
previously hung his paintings on those same walls.

Vincent was hiking up a hill one day when he came across something that
took his breath away. It was late in the evening, and the sun was about to set.
The green hills took on a golden hue as they were bathed in the iridescent
glow of the setting sun. What a spectacular show it was! Enthralled by the
breathtaking beauty of the landscape, Vincent decided to immortalise it in a
painting. As a result, Vincent trekked up the hill every day for months to
capture the ethereal beauty of the setting sun on canvas. Such zeal was bound
to produce amazing results.

And, indeed, Vincent's sunset painting turned out to be a masterpiece. It

captivated the world's attention, propelling him to international fame and
success. Soon after, there was a high demand for his old paintings, and they,
too, began selling for a high price. It was also a windfall for Vincent's friends,
as the paintings, which they had previously dismissed, were now proudly
displayed in their living rooms.

Some of them even made a fortune by selling those paintings at

exorbitant prices!
 When God Walks alongside You
Once upon a time, there lived a devout man who spent years performing
penance in order to please God. God appeared before the man, pleased with
his devotion, to grant him a boon. Overwhelmed by God's unexpected
appearance, the man had no desire to ask Him for anything. Finally, after
God insisted, the man asked God to be with him at all times and in all
circumstances. And look what happened! His wish was granted right away.
The man noticed an extra pair of footprints walking beside him wherever he
went. This truly was a miracle! The man could not believe his eyes as he
gazed down at the footprints in awe and wonder. He realised it was indeed
God who was walking alongside him!

The man walked with a spring in his step, his faith and confidence
soaring to the heavens. God had decided to remain with him indefinitely!
What more could he want out of life? However, there was a nagging worry in
the back of his mind: "What if God abandons me?" As a result, he was
always on guard. To assuage his doubts, the man would occasionally
purposefully walk through a jungle or on a muddy path to confirm God's
presence beside him. And when he saw the extra pair of footprints next to his
own, he would not only feel relieved, but also say a quick prayer of thanks.

Financially secure, the man led a happy family life with his wife and two
sons, enjoying all the world's comforts. The man was not only a true devotee
of God, but he also led a well-established and prosperous life. The cherry on
top was that God was now his constant companion.

However, as the saying goes, the only constant in life is change. The tide
changed in the man's life at some point. Both of his sons died unexpectedly
one day in an accident.

accident. His wife's mental equilibrium deteriorated as a result of the

shock of losing both of their young children.

Naturally, the man was taken aback by the unexpected and tragic turn of
events. He was unable to concentrate on his work and, as a result, suffered
significant losses in his business. He became completely overwhelmed by
difficulties, and his life became a series of misfortunes. He even began to
question himself, 'Life has nothing else to offer me, so why not devote the
rest of my life to worshipping God?' He renounced the world and went into
the forest to live the life of a monk as soon as this thought crossed his mind.
While walking in a depressed mood, his gaze was drawn to the ground and he
noticed that there was only one pair of footprints. The man was taken aback.
'So, even God has abandoned me now!' he reflected. His grief and dejection
turned into rage, which he began to direct at God. 'You, too, have abandoned
me in my hour of need!
Oh! You are such a jerk! You are, in fact, worse than a human being! You
are not deserving of my devotion! I have realised that renunciating the world
for you is pointless! I am going back to the real world and living a normal life
right now! 'I would rather live my worldly life!'
God, who was present within him, appeared instantly and spoke in a
reassuring tone, "My son, you are needlessly becoming disillusioned simply
because you saw only one pair of footprints." Take a deep breath and think
for a moment. Both of your sons died, your wife lost her mental
equilibrium.... did you think you would be able to bear such loss? No! I am
the one who has had to bear the brunt of all the adversities that have befallen
you. Take a close look; the two footprints you see are not yours. They are
entirely mine. I have been carrying you in my arms since your children died,
to keep you from falling into an abyss of grief and acting irrationally.”
 Alexander the Great is defeated by a
Monk!
Alexander the Great arrived on the Indian subcontinent in 326 BC and
conquered the North Western provinces of India in a very short period of
time. However, due to a rising mutiny in his army, he was unable to advance
further into the subcontinent and was preparing to return to Greece with the
enormous wealth he had plundered. Suddenly, an idea occurred to him. 'Since
I am taking so much wealth from India, why not take an Indian monk as a
token of this vast country?' he reasoned. After all, India's monks were well-
known throughout the ancient world.' He immediately ordered his soldiers to
capture a monk, and they quickly brought a monk named Dandyayana before
Alexander. Dandyayana, standing before Alexander, questioned why he had
been brought there in such a humiliating manner.

“Do not be afraid, O sage!” Alexander replied. I have brought you here
because I want to take you to Greece with me. I want to show my people
what it is like to be an Indian monk. Do not worry, I will treat you with great
respect.”

Dandyayana solemnly replied, "I appreciate your sentiment, O King! But

I am not interested in going to Greece!”

“Perhaps you are unaware, but I have the highest regard for monks and
fakirs,” Alexander immediately responded.

Come with me, and I promise you that not only will you be honoured in
my kingdom, but I will also construct a magnificent ashram in your honour.”
Dandyayana responded with a smile, "O King, do not waste your time trying
to tempt me, for monks can never be won over by temptation." Under any
circumstances, I will not accompany you to Greece.”

After being taken aback by the monk's words and seeing his firm
demeanour, Alexander laughed and mocked him, saying, "Listen to me! I
have conquered the entire globe. Nobody can prevent me from doing what I
want. So, when I decide to take you to Greece, all you have to do is show up.
And since you have no choice but to come, I recommend that you do so
willingly and accompany me!”

Unfazed by Alexander's arrogance and veiled threats, Dandyayana

responded gently, "it is one thing to conquer and plunder a kingdom, but to
forcibly take a monk against his will is quite another." So, dear king, you will
not be able to take me to Greece without my consent.”

Alexander, guffawing with pride and ego after his numerous conquests,
exclaimed, "What nonsense! Who is going to stop me? I am going to teach
you a lesson right now!” After saying this, he directed his soldiers to bind the
monk with a rope and transport him in a chariot. His command was
immediately carried out, and Dandyayana soon found himself bound by a
rope on a chariot. Alexander then approached the wise monk and arrogantly
hissed, "Do you still think I can not take you with me?"

“Yes,” Dandyayana stated emphatically.

Alexander was taken aback by Dandyayana's response and his calm

demeanour, and he demanded, "What makes you think so?"

“You have merely bound my body,” Dandyayana said calmly, looking the
King in the eyes. You certainly have the ability to do so. But tell me whether
you want my body or my ascetic consciousness. If you want my ascetic
consciousness, I can assure you that it will go silent once I arrive in Greece,
because it is under my control. As a result, all you will be left with is my
body. And what are you going to do with it?”

Alexander was astounded as he listened to the monk's words, which were

laden with profound wisdom. He had finally realised that while conquering
and plundering kingdoms was simple, conquering a monk's heart and taking
him against his will was a completely different matter. Alexander apologised
to Dandyayana for his rude behaviour and immediately released him.
 The Human Mind Is Like a Pandora's
Box
As we all know, friendship is the most beautiful relationship. And the
beauty of it is that it is unconditional. True friends are unconcerned about one
another's financial or social standing. They are friends because they accept
each other for who they are. Allow me to tell you a storey about two close
friends. One came from a wealthy family, while the other came from a lower-
income family. Despite their disparate backgrounds, their friendship
remained as strong as ever.

One day, it just so happened that the poor friend was in desperate need of
a scooter to purchase goods for guests arriving at his house that afternoon.
Because his wealthy friend owned a scooter, he decided to borrow it for the
day and quickly set out for his home. He would only taken a few steps when
he came to a halt, overcome by fear: 'What if my friend refuses to lend me the
scooter?' But then another thought entered his mind: 'No, he will not refuse
me.' After all, in all our years of friendship, I have never asked him for
anything. So why will not he lend me his scooter for a day?' But, as soon as
he dismissed that thought, his mind was assaulted by yet another. 'He will
emphatically refuse to lend me the scooter!' He is not as innocent as he
appears! I am sure he will come up with a slew of reasons to avoid giving it
to me. For example, he could claim that there is no gasoline in the scooter!
But if he does say that, I can always tell him to give me the keys and I will
get the gas filled.'

Assuring himself, he resumed his confident walk towards his friend's

house. Alas! It did not take long for his mind to wander back to mischief. He
began to think, 'I am sure he will come up with a slew of excuses to avoid
me.'

He lent me his scooter. His friendship is nothing more than a ruse. He

will not even hesitate to admit that his scooter's tyre is punctured!
Alternatively, he could say that he is expecting guests today, so lending me
the scooter is out of the question!'

He was agitated by the thoughts racing through his mind by the time he
arrived at his wealthy friend's house and angrily rang the doorbell.
Coincidentally, it was his wealthy friend who opened the door. The poor
friend's rage had reached a boiling point by this point, and he immediately
vented it on his rich friend. “I do not care if you and your useless scooter go
to hell! I have had enough of you, wealthy people! Nobody can ever be your
true friend! And I no longer want to be friends with you! Do you hear what I
am saying? Our friendship comes to an end right here, right now!” With that,
the poor friend stomped off. The rich friend stood at the door, perplexed by
his dear friend's unexpected appearance at his house and his sudden outburst,
scratching his head, wondering which scooter and which rich people he was
ranting about.

Meanwhile, his friend had already stormed out in a huff after venting his
rage.
 The Wonderful Mother
Thomas Edison's name is synonymous with numerous ground-breaking
scientific inventions that have now become an inseparable part of human
existence. However, few people are aware that his extraordinary mother,
Nancy, was the one who guided him and laid the groundwork for his
illustrious career.
Nancy's seventh child was Thomas. He was sent to school at the age of
seven, along with other children his age. He was, however, a naturally
inquisitive person, and this posed a problem for him at school. He was always
bombarding his teachers with questions, which they quickly grew tired of
answering. They could not take it any longer and summoned his mother to
school one day. They told her that her son was a very dull boy and
bombarded them with inane questions. Nancy was taken aback by the
teachers' assessment of her son. She was well aware that Thomas was not a
dull boy. Nancy thought his habit of asking questions indicated a thirst for
knowledge. Nancy realised that the teachers' complaint against Thomas was
completely without merit, and that they were, in fact, suppressing his natural
curiosity. She was so enraged at the teachers that she dragged him out of
school right away.

Thomas was enrolled in another school the following year, but his
inquisitive nature again drew the ire of his teachers. As a result, he was
enrolled in a third school the following year. However, neither Thomas's
habit of asking questions nor the teachers' attitude changed. It was only the
schools he attended that changed. Needless to say, Nancy was traumatised
and saddened by her son's early academic instability. She could not stand it
when people called her son dull or insulted him. She met him one day.

She would had enough and decided she would had enough. She dashed
off to Thomas' school and declared angrily to the teachers, "My boy is not
dull!" It is your observations and evaluations that are flawed! You can not see
my boy's natural talent and enormous potential!” Nancy immediately
removed Thomas's name from the school's rolls and took him home with her.

Nancy had been a teacher herself, and she knew how difficult it is for a
child to regain his self-confidence once it has been shaken. As a result, she
decided that she would no longer send Thomas to school and would instead
teach him at home. Thomas was deeply moved by his mother's love and faith
in him.

Little Thomas put his heart and soul into his lessons and studied
diligently at home under the tutelage of his mother. Soon after, he developed
a keen interest in science and technology, and he was particularly drawn to
conducting scientific experiments. His mother was always there for him,
encouraging him. Holding on to his mother's love and support, the day came
when he was hailed as a great scientist, with a world record of 1093 patents
registered in his name. His most significant invention is also included on the
list.

- the electric bulb, whose luminosity dispelled darkness and illuminated

the entire world. Edison was always grateful to his mother, Nancy, for being
a rock for him and being the primary motivator, instrumental to his success.
Edison once said of his mother's decision not to send him to school, "I was
deeply moved by my mother's decision not to send me to school anymore."
On that day, I promised myself that no matter what happened, I would never
betray my mother's trust in me or let her down. What did my mother do when
my teachers labelled me as a dull student? She refused to believe them and
instead dragged me out of school! What more could I ask for from such a
caring, wise, and devoted mother?”
 Remove Your Concerns by Smiling
It had been a dark and cold night. Despite the late hour, the light in one
room of the house across the street remained on. An anxious and distressed
man was pacing in his bedroom. His wife, who had awoken due to the noise
in the room, was taken aback to see her husband pacing the floor. Still lying
on the bed, she kept a quiet eye on him. His body language clearly showed
that he was stressed. The woman had never seen him in such a state before
and was naturally concerned, wondering what was wrong with her husband.
Finally, unable to remain silent, she inquired of her husband as to why he was
so agitated and tense.

“Actually, two months ago, I borrowed two hundred thousand rupees on

interest from our neighbour, Mr. Banerjee,” her husband replied, wistfully. I
have to return the money first thing in the morning tomorrow. But I have not
been able to make it happen. Mr. Banerjee, I know, is a stickler for time, and
he will be at our door first thing in the morning. I am at a loss for words; I
can not think of a way out of this situation.”

Even the wife became concerned when she saw her husband's
predicament. She, on the other hand, was blessed with a cheerful disposition
and could not be weighed down by worry for long. “Well, ideally, this should
not have happened,” she said calmly to her husband. But are you certain you
will not be able to arrange for the money by tomorrow?”

“Of course I am! That is why I am concerned. Otherwise, you know me; I
do not like being in such a situation,” the husband said, his voice tense as
ever.

“Of course, I know that,” the wife comforted. “However, take a little
more time to think about it. Perhaps you could come up with a solution.”

“I have tried everything, my dear,” the husband responded immediately.

There is nothing else that can be done at this point.”

“Well, if you can't, then so be it,” the wife said as she rose from her bed
and walked to the front door of their home. The husband was perplexed as to
where she was going at such a late hour. Just then, his wife turned to him and
said, "I will be right back." Before her husband realised what she was doing,
she had left the house and was ringing Mr. Bannerjee's doorbell. She was
unconcerned about the late hour. The brave wife had resolved to solve her
husband's problem as soon as possible. She put her ear to the door to hear if
anyone was approaching to answer it. Mr. Banerjee himself soon opened the
door slowly. At this late hour, he was surprised to see his neighbor's wife
standing on his doorstep. But before he could ask her what was wrong, she
greeted him and got right to the point, "Mr. Banerjee, did my husband borrow
two hundred thousand rupees from you?"

Mr. Banerjee replied, "Yes," with a puzzled expression on his face.

“Is tomorrow the deadline for him to return the money?” She inquired
further.

Mr. Banerjee replied in the affirmative once more, puzzled as to why the
woman was interrogating him at this late hour and in such an unprofessional
manner.

“Sorry, Mr. Banerjee,” the wife apologised, “but my husband has been
unable to arrange the funds.” So you will have to wait a few months longer
for it.” After saying this, she returned home, leaving Mr. Banerjee at the
door, perplexed as to why his friend's wife had come in the middle of the
night to inform him of this.

Meanwhile, the husband became even more agitated because his wife had
left the house in the middle of the night. 'Where has she gone at this hour?' he
thought. 'Has she gone somewhere to get the money?' His wife's calm and
reassuring demeanour had surprised him earlier, but before his mind could
form any further hypotheses, she returned. And before he could respond, she
said, "I met Mr.

Banerjee and informed him that you were unable to arrange the funds and
that he would have to wait several months for his money to be returned. So
now you go to bed and leave Mr. Banerjee to worry!”
 The Mouse and the Elephant
Sometimes a meeting of two opposing personalities is so amusing that
people continue to tell stories about it for aeons. Consider the storey of the
elephant and the mouse. In terms of size, they are diametrically opposed.
Interestingly, the two rarely cross paths, but no one has stopped them from
getting together, has not it? The elephant does occasionally run into the
mouse, and vice versa. When they do, their meeting is invariably the talk of
the town. An elephant was strolling down the road one day when his gaze
was drawn to a small mouse. An elephant almost never notices a mouse.
However, this elephant did. And he was taken aback to see such a small
creature scurrying around. The huge mammal gently stopped the mouse in its
tracks with his trunk and exclaimed, "Oh gosh! You are so small!”

The mouse's pride was visibly pricked by the elephant's remark. His
dormant inferiority complex surfaced, and he defended himself, saying,
"Actually, of late, I have not been keeping well; otherwise, I would have been
as big and strong as you!"
 The Crowning Glory
During the reign of Emperor Akbar in India, a soldier from his royal court
was sentenced to eat half a kilo of slaked lime. Clearly, he must have
committed a heinous crime, because no one can possibly survive eating such
a massive amount of slaked lime. Now that the sentence had been announced,
the soldier was required to obtain the slaked lime the following day and eat it
in front of everyone in Akbar's court. So, obeying the emperor's command,
the soldier went to a nearby shop to purchase the slaked lime.
The soldier, dejected and devoid of hope, asked the shopkeeper for half a
kilo of slaked lime. The shopkeeper, taken aback by such an unusual request,
wondered, 'Why would a person ask for half a kilo of slaked lime?'
Suspicious of something amiss, the shopkeeper demanded to know the reason
for the soldier's demand for such a large quantity of slaked lime. “As part of
my punishment, I have to eat half a kilo of slaked lime in the royal court
tomorrow,” the soldier replied somberly.

Feeling sorry for him, the shopkeeper pondered the situation for a
moment before saying, "Do not worry, my friend. I might be able to assist
you. If you follow my instructions, you will not be harmed. First, get a half-
kilo of clarified butter.”

The shopkeeper's words gave the soldier hope, and he dashed off to buy
the clarified butter. When he returned with it, the shopkeeper handed him half
a kilo of slaked lime and told him, "Tomorrow, just before you set out for the
royal court, eat half a kilo of clarified butter at home, and then half a kilo of
slaked lime in the court." However, keep in mind my advice: once you have
finished eating the

You must return home immediately if you slaked lime in court. If you do
not linger, your life might be saved.”

The soldier could not believe what he was hearing! The shopkeeper's
advice was like a lifeline for a drowning man. Taking the clarified butter and
lime in his hands, he thanked the shopkeeper profusely for his assistance and
returned home.
 Following the shopkeeper's advice, the soldier ate half a kilo of clarified
butter just before leaving home the next morning. When he arrived at court,
he ate the half kilo of slaked lime in front of the emperor. After completing
his sentence by eating the lime, the royal court granted him permission to
return home to spend his final hours with his loved ones.

As instructed by the shopkeeper, the soldier hurried back home and

immediately vomited the lime along with the clarified butter.

Although his health suffered and he felt weak, he was fit as a fiddle the
next morning. The soldier decided to report for duty the next day, full of
energy. The first man who saw the soldier approaching the palace screamed
and fled, believing he had seen a ghost.

The news of his return spread like wildfire among the palace staff within
minutes. Unbelieving what they had heard, they dashed to the soldier's
regular post to see him for themselves. Indeed, the soldier was standing
casually at his post, clearly in good health.

Everyone knew he had consumed half a kilo of slaked lime the day before
and were surprised that he had not been harmed.

The Emperor eventually learned of the soldier's survival. Akbar was taken
aback when he heard the news.

Immediately summoning the soldier, he inquired as to how he had

managed to remain alive.

Kneeling on the floor, his head bowed before the emperor, the soldier told
the emperor truthfully about his conversation with the shopkeeper, who had
advised him to consume half a kilo of clarified butter, which had saved him
from certain death. When Akbar heard the soldier's storey, he forgot about
the soldier's crime and the fact that he had escaped punishment. He was
instead thinking about the shopkeeper who had saved him. The emperor
summoned the shopkeeper to the court and appointed him as his Prime
Minister, impressed by his intelligence and foresight. Over time, the
shopkeeper rose to become one of Emperor Akbar's court's nine gems. Do
you remember who the shopkeeper was? His name was Mahesh Das, by the
way. The emperor later changed his name to Birbal.

- the man with a razor-sharp intellect. Years later, Akbar bestowed the
title of "King" on Birbal.
 The 'Greasy' Pot
A wealthy man once lived in a small village in India, and his wealth was
the envy of the entire village. Despite having amassed so much wealth, his
desire to expand his business and amass even more wealth did not wane. He
was also fortunate to have a loving family. Despite having everything a
person could want, he was far from content. He was dissatisfied with his life's
bleakness, devoid of joy and laughter.

A monk happened to stop by his house one day. After meeting the
wealthy man, the monk quickly realised that, despite having everything, the
man was unhappy with life. The rich man, seeing this as the ideal opportunity
to have his problems resolved, fell at the feet of the monk and lamented, "O
wise one! I have everything except happiness in my life. Please use your
great powers to bring happiness into my life!”

“It will take me only a moment to make you happy again, provided you
fulfil a condition!” replied the monk with a benign smile. “But I doubt your
ability to do so,” he said, arching his brows.

Sensing the monk's hesitation, the wealthy man stood up and declared
emphatically, "What are you saying, O wise one?" I am willing to go to any
length to achieve happiness in my life.” With a small smile on his lips, the
monk took out a small pot and handed it to the man, saying, "Alright then, fill
this pot with gold coins and jewels and bring it back to me."

The rich man quickly calculated in his mind that this was an excellent
deal; all he had to do was part with some of his wealth to achieve everlasting
happiness. Rushing

He went straight to his treasure vault and took out a handful of gold coins
and jewels, which he poured into the pot. However, the small pot remained
empty.

'Never mind, I have more than enough gold and jewels to fill this pot,' he
reasoned, filling the pot once more with valuables and gold coins. However,
despite filling the pot four or five times, it remained empty. The pot gradually
consumed almost all of his wealth, but it still showed no sign of filling up!
The monk's rugged countenance had softened slightly as he watched his pot
perform a magic trick and the man's bemused expression. It was
incomprehensible to the man. He had to keep his word because he had
promised the monk that he would fill the pot. So he continued walking to his
treasure vault, fistfuls of valuables in hand, pouring them into the pot.
However, the little pot devoured all of his wealth and remained empty.
Finally, the man, who had turned into a bundle of nerves, knelt at the monk's
feet and, hands folded in deep reverence, wailed, "O wise one! Please tell me
what the pot is made of. It has devoured my entire fortune, but it is still
empty!”

“My dear man, this pot is made of ambition and aspiration,” the monk
replied, laughing heartily. Even if you fill this pot with all of the wealth in the
world, it will still remain empty! You, too, are like this pot, insatiable and
greedy for more wealth. Your mind's and brain's ambitions have outstripped
all boundaries, so no matter how much money you make, you remain
dissatisfied. You already have far more money than you will ever need in
your life. You will stop chasing wealth the day you are able to break free
from the vicious circle of ambition and aspiration. Only then will you be able
to use your wealth to do something meaningful for yourself and others. And
only then, my dear man, will you find both happiness and contentment.”

Hearing such pearls of wisdom from the monk, tears welled up in the rich
man's eyes, and he exclaimed, "I have finally understood, O wise one!" But
now what should I do? All of my wealth has been devoured by your pot!”

The monk turned the pot upside down, laughing at the rich man's
helplessness. And look what happened! All of the rich man's gold coins and
jewels tumbled out! The rich man was overjoyed when he regained control of
his fortune. His life had been forever altered. He became resolute after
promising himself that he would follow the monk's advice. He made the
difficult decision to reduce his business activities and spend more time with
his family. He also began donating a significant portion of his wealth to
charities whenever possible. Finally, his efforts paid off, and his life changed
dramatically, bringing him everlasting happiness and contentment.
 When a person's anger is suppressed...
This is the storey of a successful businessman who owned a large
garment manufacturing company. He stormed out of the house one day after
a heated argument with his wife over a minor domestic issue. He had to stop
the argument in the middle because he needed to attend an urgent meeting.
However, he brought his belligerent demeanour to work with him. He could
not vent his rage on anyone because his wife was no longer with him. He
arrived at work suppressing his rage and in a bad mood. However, he was
unable to concentrate on the meeting due to his rage. Later, still enraged, he
was pacing up and down in his cabin, ruminating on his fight with his wife.
Just then, there was a knock on his cabin door, and the office manager
walked in, oblivious to what was in store for him.
The boss chastised his manager after discovering some errors in the report
on purpose. The poor manager, perplexed by his boss's behaviour, maintained
a stoic silence, trying to figure out what he had done wrong. With difficulty,
he walked out of his boss's cabin, suppressing his rage.

When he arrived at his cabin, he summoned the accountant, who was

carrying the books of account. After flipping through a few pages, the
manager chastised the accountant for some minor flaws. The accountant
became enraged after being scolded for no apparent reason. He went back to
his desk and immediately called his office assistant to vent his rage at him.
Obviously, the helpless assistant had no choice but to swallow his pride in
front of his superior and bear the insults. However, once the office assistant
arrived home, he was unable to control his rage and vented it on his wife.
What do you think the wife's reaction was? She ran out of the house and
yelled at her children who were playing in the courtyard for no apparent
reason.

Naturally, the children were perplexed as to why.

in the shadow of their mother's wrath They kept playing while

suppressing their rage at her. But as soon as they had the chance, they picked
a fight with a few other kids in their building. Thus, the unresolved conflict
between the company's owner and his wife had finally resulted in an
unnecessary fight between the children.
 The 'illiterate' Businessman's Wisdom
In Mumbai, there once lived a businessman who had no formal education.
He and his wife lived in a large mansion. He had to travel to Kolkatta for an
urgent meeting one day. Because the meeting was so important, the man had
made the necessary travel arrangements a day in advance. However, his old,
faithful watchman had a disturbing dream the night before he was to travel.
He had a dream that the plane carrying his boss from Mumbai to Kolkatta
had crashed, killing all of the passengers. The watchman went to the
businessman's house early the next morning and told his wife about his
dream. He asked her to prevent the businessman from travelling to Kolkatta.
When she heard the watchman's dream, she was terrified and immediately
called her husband, pleading with him to cancel his trip. Irritated and irritated
by his wife's repeated requests, the businessman, albeit reluctantly, had to
comply with his wife's wishes.

The following day, exactly as the watchman had predicted, the scheduled
flight from Mumbai to Kolkatta crashed, killing all on board.

When the wife heard the news, she not only thanked her lucky stars, but
she also immediately called the watchman to express her gratitude and gave
him a handsome reward. He more than deserved it. However, to everyone's
surprise, his boss, whose life the watchman had saved, immediately fired
him! His wife, taken aback, demanded an explanation for such a harsh
decision. Despite his lack of formal education, the man was wise and
intelligent. In a monotone response, he stated, "The watchman's dream and
the crash were merely coincidental." The important question, however, is
how the watchman could sleep while on duty. What will happen?

What if a thief tries to rob us while the watchman is fast asleep, lost in his
dreams?” The wife could do nothing but sympathise with the watchman
because she could not refute her husband's logic.
 The Forty-eight-legged Beast
Once upon a time, in a forest, lived a strange animal with 48 legs! It
would sway around the forest all day, lost in its own world, with a swaying,
whimsical gait. It walked with abandon at times, as if it were marching to its
own unique rhythm, like a joyful elephant. It was, however, not a slow
animal. Despite its numerous legs, it could run at breakneck speed when the
situation called for it. The animal's distinct characteristics had made it
extremely popular among the other animals in the forest. Alas! Its happiness
was fleeting.

It met a sannyasi who was passing through the forest one day, much to its
chagrin. Since aeons, sannyasis have been regarded as learned people. But
can a sannyasi ever refrain from giving an uninvited sermon with no rhyme
or reason? And how can a sannyasi be considered knowledgeable if he does
not find flaws in you? This sannyasi was no different from his
contemporaries.

The sannyasi stood for a moment, taken aback by the sight of the forty-
eight-legged animal. He had never seen anything like it before and was
awestruck by it. But, as previously stated, how can a sannyasi be considered
valuable unless he finds fault with even the most perfect of beings? Indeed,
the respect that sannyasis receive from their followers is based on this trait of
finding fault in others. Their businesses are based on the premise that their
words are the absolute truth, while everything else is false. So, compelled by
habit, the sannyasi closely observed the animal for a few moments before
commanding it to stop. The animal came to a halt in its tracks and bowed
reverently at the sannyasi's feet, just like humans. The sannyasi was pleased.

animal's motion and blessed it And then he started preaching! "You walk
as if you are unconscious," he told the animal. The poor animal was taken
aback when he heard this. “It is extremely important to always be aware of
your actions,” the sannyasi continued. When walking, pay close attention to
which foot lifts first and which one touches the ground. Bring your walking
process under control; otherwise, this unconsciousness will destroy you one
day.”

The poor, gullible creature! It looked down at its 48 feet and realised the
sannyasi was correct. 'I am really unaware of which foot I lift first and when,'
it thought. I should stop acting rashly before it is too late.'

As a result, the animal immediately began controlling and monitoring the

movement of its feet in order to walk precisely. When it finally managed to
control its movement, it was dismayed to find that it could not move even an
inch forward despite several attempts! The poor animal, who had been
flustered, had now become completely absorbed in the task of moving
forward. It worked for several hours, but to no avail. Meanwhile, the sannyasi
stood there smiling, taking great pleasure in the poor animal's anguish.

After several hours of toiling in this manner, the animal realised the
futility of its actions. 'Oh, just forget this awareness!' it thought. Why should I
put in so much effort now when I have been walking perfectly all my life?
Allow me to walk naturally, as I have always done.' But the poor animal was
in for a rude awakening! It had already expended excessive effort in
attempting to be aware of the movement of its legs. As a result, its legs had
lost their natural, rhythmic gait. It would already failed to walk
with'awareness.' And now, unable to move because it had forgotten its natural
gait, it stood transfixed in one place.

The poor animal was terrified, and with no solution in sight, he cried out
in desperation to the sannyasi, "Help! I am unable to walk! “What should I do
now?” But what could the sannyasi possibly do? His job was to preach,
which he had already done. With a solemn expression on his face, the
sannyasi told the animal, "There is nothing I can do to help you." It is your
past life's karma that has taken away your ability to walk.” The animal was
stunned to hear this, but before it could respond, the sannyasi casually walked
away, abandoning the poor animal to its fate. Time passed, but the poor
animal remained immobile, and after years of agony, it died in the same spot.