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NandiSootra
close after placing that number of coins in it) with a merchant and went out on tour. In the mean time the merchant skilfully cut out the bottom of the noli, replaced the rupee coins with counterfeits (which are slightly thinner), and stitched it back. A few days later the owner of the noli returned and the merchant returned his noli to him. When this person returned home and opened the n, oli he was disappointed to see the counterfeit coins. He at once went to the court with the noli and the coins. The judge after hearing out his story asked about how many rupees he had placed in the noli. The man informed that he had kept one thousand rupees in the noli. The judge called for one thousand rupees and filled them in the noli. He found that the number of coins left out from the noli matched the length cut out from the noli. He believed in the truthfulness of the person. He summoned the merchant and odered him to give back the thousand rupees to the person. The merchant got a punishment as well.
4. Nanak - Once a person deposited one thousand gold coins in a sealed and signed bag with a merchant and went out on tour. He returned after many years. During this period the merchant skilfully removed the seal, replaced the gold coins with made to order brass replicas and sealed it back without leaving a sign.
When the owner of the bag returned, the merchant gave him back his bag. The man examined the bag and the seal and finding everything intact accepted the delivery. When he reached home, opened the bag and found brass coins he cursed his luck. He filed his complaint with the court' The judge summoned the merchant also. With both parties present he asked the complainant about how many years had passed since he deposited the bag with the merchant? The man informed that five years had passed. The merchant also confirmed this statement. Now the judge examined the brass coins and found that they had been made recently; at the most one year back. The merchant was caught in his deceit and was punished. The gold coins were returned to the rightful owner.
5. The Mendicant - Once a person deposited one thousand gold coins with a mendicant and went out on tour. A few days later he returned and asked for his coins from the mendicant who resorted to biding time. Even after a considerable time when the mendicant did not return the coins the man started searching for some way to recover his wealth.
While he was still thinking about it he came across some gamblers. During conversation when he told about his problem the gamblers assured him that they will help him recover his wealth from the mendicant. They gave him instructions and left. Next day they dressed themselves in ochre robes and disguised as mendicants went to that mendicant. They requested him - "We have these gold pegs which we want to deposit with you for safe keeping. We are going out of the town on a tour and our problem is that we have no place to keep these costly pegs. You are a saint and a truthful individual and have no fondness for wealth. What better person can we find than you?"
While the talks were going on the former depositor came there according to the plan. He said - "Revered once, please give me back my bag of one thousand gold coins that I had deposited with you before going on tour."
The mendicant thought that if he refused now, a scene would be created and these mendicants will not deposit their highly valuable pegs with me. He at once returned the gold coins to the man in order to impress the disguised mendicants with his honesty. The overjoyed man left for his home. Now the gamblers also left on some pretext. The mendicant realised that they had made a fool of him. Aagam- 44 - Nandi Sootra
~ 70 - Compiled by- Deepratnasagar
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