Followers

Friday, June 10, 2011

Never Satisfied


A poor weaver living in a village. He was good at the skill of weaving nice clothes. Seeing his work, a very rich merchant gave him a couple of orders to weave for his daughter's wedding. The weaver spent most of the time working on it and at the end, he presented it to the rich merchant. The rich merchant had promised a gold coin for the work but seeing the output, he was extremely pleased and presented two gold coins instead of one.

The weaver was happy and gave the two gold coins to his wife. The wife advised him to sell one gold coin and purchase more material for his business and being a smart wife she advised him to save the extra gold coin for a rainy day. The weaver accepted her plan and decided to hide the gold coin in a safe place. Since the weaver's family was poor and did not have any proper safe place to store the coin, he decided to hide the coin in the king's palace since there would be high security and nobody would be able to steal his hard earned gold coin. So, he hides the coin in small secret hole between the walls.

As he was sincere in his work he was able to receive more orders from the merchant and other villagers. So after a couple of years, his wife advises to take the hidden gold coin and buy a loom so that he will be able to expand his business. The weaver again likes his wife's idea and plans to take the hidden gold coin. It was peak summer time and the entire village is not able to bear the scorching heat of the Sun god. Nobody comes out of the houses. But the weaver with a loom in mind goes to the palace to take the golden coin.

The king who is also not able to bear the heat, is walking in the balcony of the palace. There was no air-conditioner at that time. The weaver wanting to start the loom was running to the palace, oblivious to the scorching summer heat. The king is surprised to see a person running in such a hot sun, especially when there is not a single soul to be seen outside. He then orders his assistants to bring this weaver to him. The king being a compassionate and good ruler tries to find out the weaver's problem. The weaver explains about the hidden gold coin. The king mercifully says that he will give two gold coins instead of that coin, so that the weavers need not toil himself in the hot sun. The weaver is pleased to accept the gold coin but still insists that he will take the hidden gold coin, since he will have two gifted gold coins, plus the hidden coin. The King understands his necessity for lakshmi and announces the weaver that he will give a bag full of gold coins and advises the weaver to take rest. The weaver is happy again to take the bag full of gold coins but again insists on taking the hidden gold coin. Interestingly the king feels sorry for the weaver and again raises his bid to two bags full of gold coins and requests the weaver to take rest and not to search for the gold coin in the hot sun. The weaver is so joyful and accepts two bag full of gold coins but still he is not able to let go the hidden gold coin.

The king is extremely confused now. Two bags full of gold coins and still the weaver is not satisfied. He had previously taken a vow that none of his subjects would go dissatisfied. So being extremely merciful he declares that half of his kingdom will belong to this weaver. The weaver jumps out of joy. The king is happy that the weaver forgot the gold coin now. All arrangements for giving half the kingdom is taking place. The weaver completely satisfied smiles at the king and asks him if he can make a request. The king is happy to grant anything to the weaver and promises that he will keep his word. The weaver smilingly asks that half of the kingdom in which the gold coin is hidden, so that he will finally have the coin and he will be richer than the king by a single gold coin.

The moral of the story is that, whatever we have in our life, we will never be satisfied. We will always be running behind material things and never understand the meaning of being self-content.