A beggar left his home in the morning. It was festive season, so he was hoping to get a lot of alms. He put a few grains of rice in his bowl. It is easier for people to donate something when they see the begging bowl a little filled, as it gives an impression that someone has also donated before them. As he entered the village, he saw the king coming.
The beggar became happy as he was going to beg from the king and he might get some big donation today. But, the king himself came down from the chariot and stood in front of him like a beggar. With his empty hands, the king started begging from beggar, "There is an economic crisis in our kingdom. Our astrologers have advised me to beg from each person of my kingdom. Only then everyone in my kingdom can be prosperous."
Now the beggar was puzzled. He was thinking of begging from the king but now the king was begging from him. He could not even say no to the king. With heavy heart, he took out a grain of rice and donated to the king. The king thanked him and moved ahead. Everyone in the kingdom was donating generously to king. The beggar received nothing that day.
The beggar was mourning for the loss of the rice grain and returned home. When his wife took the begging bowl, she saw a golden grain of rice. When she asked about the golden rice grain, the beggar became shocked and told everything to his wife. His wife said, "You missed the opportunity. Whatever we donate becomes gold, and whatever we receive as beggar becomes dust." That day onward the beggar pledged not to beg again and he started earning his livelihood honestly with hard-work. Soon he became prosperous. He started donating to needy people and became famous as a great philanthropist.
No comments:
Post a Comment