In a small village lived a trader named Edrick, who was known for being selfish and greedy. He watched only for accumulating wealth and belongings One day, a beggar came to Edrick’s door, asking for some coins to buy food.
Edrick yelled “ Go away and stop bothering me! I have no time for the likes of you. ” And he slammed the door in the beggar’s face.
After that week, Edrick was eagerly counting his final earnings when there was another knock at his door. He opened it to find a poor farmer whose wagon had broken down.
“ Please, sir, may I use some of your tools to fix my wagon? ” asked the farmer.“ I’ll return them as soon as I’m done. ”
Edrick look angrily and shook his head. “ clearly not! ” he snapped. “ Those are my tools, which I bought with my hard- earned capital. Be off with you! ” And formerly again, he slammed the door, ignoring the farmer’s hopeless pleas.
Over the coming weeks, Edrick rejected anyone who came asking for help or charity. “I owe nothing to any of you!” he would laugh. His heart had come as hard and cold as the piles of gold coins he loved fiercely.
Later, one night, robbers broke into Edrick’s house and stole nearly everything he had saved. Suddenly, he was poor and all alone, with nobody left to turn for his help.
In despair, Edrick went to the beggar and asked for some coins to buy food. “ Please help me in my time of need, as I should have helped you, ” Edrick requested. But the beggar smiled and said, “ You turned me down in my hour of need. You earn no sympathy “.
Next, Edrick went to the farmer and pleaded to borrow some tools to rebuild his life. “ You denied me aid when my wagon was broken, ” the farmer replied coldly. “ I’ll not help you now.
Rejected by the every people he’d scorned in the past, Edrick was deeply sad. At that time he realize that in his greediness, he’d neglected to make relations or show any kindness to others. No one was willing to come to his help when he was in need. For the first time, Edrick felt true guilt for his selfish ways. At that point of time, he sought to make amends by opening his bag and heart.
Moral: Greed isolates us, while generosity unites us.
As also mentioned in a verse from the Bhagavad Gita 12.13-14:
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्र: करुण एव च ।
निर्ममो निरहङ्कार: समदु:खसुख: क्षमी ।।12.13।।
सन्तुष्ट: सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चय:।
मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धि: यो मद्भक्त: स मे प्रिय:।।12.14।।
Which translates to:
One who is not jealous but is a kind friend to all living realities, who does not think himself a owner and is free from false pride, who is equal in both happiness and sorrow, who is tolerant, always satisfied, self-controlled, and engaged in spiritual service with determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Me such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me. For more interesting articles, please visit www.kidzherald.com
