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NandiSootra
6. Chetak Nidhan - Two close friends once went out of the town into a jungle for some work. While they, were digging a hole at a spotin the jungle they found a pile of hidden treasure. The friends were elated to see so much of gold. One of them proposed - "Friend, we are extremely lucky that we have suddenly come across such a large treasure. But we will carry it home tomorrow only, and not today. This is because tomorrow is a very auspicious day." This man was crafty and the other one a guileless. This sincere one believed what was said and they both returned home. The crafty one returned to the spot during the night, took out the treasure and replaced it with a heap of coal.
Next day, at the appointed time the two friends went into the jungle and started digging for the treasure. Seeing coal instead the crafty one started crying profusely. In between, he would glance at his friend and utter - "How ill fated we are that we have been deprived of the treasure and given coal instead. The sincere one, though simple, was not a fool. He realised that his friend had played a trick on him. He at once resolved to teach his friend a lesson. However, he said - "Friend, don't be so distressed, one only gets what he is destined to. Come let's go home." And the two friends left.
The sincere one, after returning home, called an expert sculptor and got a statue of his friend in sitting posture made. When ready, he placed the statue in a room. After this he got two pet monkeys. When he had to feed the monkeys he would place the eatables on the shoulders, head or thighs of the statue. The monkeys would playfully jump and perch on the statue to eat. Within a few days they became so familiar with the statue and its connection with the food that whenever they wanted to eat they would come and sit in the lap or shoulders of that replica of a human figure. The sincere one would at once feed them.
When he was confident that the monkeys had perfectly learnt what he wanted, the sincere one day invited the two young sons of his crafty friend for lunch. The crafty was pleased to send both his sons. The sincere one fed them with loving care and hid them at a secret place with a heap of toys.
In the evening, by the time the crafty came to fetch his sons, the sincere one had already removed the statue and spread a mattress in its place. He asked the crafty to sit on the mattress. He then brought some snacks and placed before his friend. As soon as the crafty sat-down, two monkeys came from another room. One sat in his lap and the other on his shoulders and started playing. It appeared as if they were closely familiar with the crafty. The sincere one started giving snacks to the monkeys with a gloom clearly visible on his face.
The crafty asked with surprise - "Friend, what is the matter? These little monkeys came to me and are playfully eating as if they know me well."
The sincere one said - "I fail to find words, my friend! Why won't these monkeys recognise you? After all they are your sons. Cruel fate has turned them into monkeys."
The crafty turned white with shock. He stood up quickly, took hold of his friend's hand and uttered in dismay - "Friend! Is it a cruel joke! How can human beings turn into monkeys?"
"Friend, the ways of fate and karma are strange and powerful. When bad luck can turn gold into coal, why can't it turn humans into monkeys? It must be the fruition of your bad karmas."
Aagam- 44 -NandiSootra
Compiled by- Deepratnasagar
