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wealth and good moral conduct has more significance than health. Therefore, one must sacrifice anything and everything in order to preserve one's good behaviour.
Some musicians from another land travelled to a King's court. The King was extremely pleased with their act. He asked them to stay back in his kingdom and continue playing music for his entertainment. The musicians agreed. They were arranged to stay in a building next to the house where a merchant resided with his large family. The musicians performed at the King's court every day and for the rest of the time, they practised in their new home. The merchant's home would resonate constantly with the sounds emanating from that of the musicians. Sometimes the music and the songs that were being heard were even intoxicating. The merchant was dismayed. If the young daughter-in-law or young daughters of the house heard this kind of stimulating music, their minds would be polluted with passion and moral deterioration. He decided to safeguard everyone's good conduct and good thoughts at any cost.
He made enquiries and found out that the musicians were put up as his neighbours by the King himself so it would not be easy to remove them from there. However, he did not lose heart. He was prepared to pay any price in order to protect the righteous behaviour of his family. He took out some invaluable, rare gems from his treasure and filled a plate with them. He reached the King's court with this offering. The King was awestruck at seeing the luster of the gems. He asked, “O great merchant! What do you desire?”
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