God’s grace is essential

One day Krishna & Arjuna were taking their usual walk, when they came across an old man begging, taking pity on his condition, Arjuna gave him a bag of gold coins.

The man was overjoyed.

On his way to home, he was robbed by a thief in the forest.

He cursed his fate and the next day set off to beg again.

Arjuna & Krishna saw him again & got to know his story. Arjuna once again took pity and gave him a large diamond.

The man took it home and kept it in an old pot which had been unused for many years in order to keep it safe and went to sleep.

The next morning before he could wake up, his wife went to fetch water from the river & on her way back, she slipped and her pot broke.

She immediately remembered the pot at home which lay unused and brought it to fill it with water.

Just as she dipped the pot in to the river the diamond escaped the pot and went in to the river.

When she returned home the man was desperately searching the house for the pot & when he saw it in his wife's hands, he got to know what had happened. Dejected with what had happened, he once again left to go begging.

Once again Arjuna and Krishna saw him and when Arjuna heard of the unfortunate incident that had happened, he told Krishna , “O Lord, could you please be merciful upon him now?".

Krishna then gave the man two pennies and the man took them and walked away.

Arjuna then asked Krishna," My Lord, if gold coins and diamond could not change his condition, what good can two pennies do to him?".

Krishna smiled and replied, "let us see".

As the man walked home, he saw a fish that had just been caught by a fisherman and was struggling for its life.

He took pity on it and thought to himself, " these two pennies cannot fetch me food anyway, let me at least save the life of this creature"

 

He purchased the fish and was about to throw it in the river when he saw that the breathlessness of the fish was caused due to some large obstruction in its mouth and when removed it, it was the very diamond he had lost in the river. He was overjoyed and started shouting "Look what I found! Look what I found".

 

At this very time the thief that had robbed him in the forest was passing by and heard his shouts, he recognized the man and thought that man too recognized him and was thus shouting.

Fearing that the Brahmin may take him to be executed, he rushed to him and begged for his forgiveness and returned all the gold coins he had stolen from him.

The Brahmin was happy and walked away joyfully with all his wealth.

 

Lesson :

Until God’s grace is there, one cannot flourish.