Jain Story Book

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 77

FOUR DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW
In times of Lord Mahavir there was a well known trader named Dhanyadev in Rajgrihi. He used to import and export variety of articles and his caravans used to go to distant places. Indian term for caravan is Särthaväh. The trader was therefore known as Dhanya Sarthvah. His wife Bhadra used to take care of his manifold household affairs. He had four sons who used to attend to the different aspects of his vast business. All of them were married in well reputed families.
After some time his wife died. Dhanya therefore thought to distribute the work among his daughters in law. For that he wanted to know their inclinations, knowledge and wisdom. He was particularly keen to find the most intelligent and capable of them who could be the care taker of his entire household. For that purpose he once called them one after another and gave to each of them five grains of paddy. He told them to take best care of the grains and to give them back when he asked for the same.
The eldest of them was Ujjika. She had noticed the large storage of paddy in the house. She was not much concerned for five simple grains handed over by her father in law. She thought that the old man must be getting crazy to ask her to take care of five grains. She threw them away thinking that she could give him the five grains from the storage whenever he called for it.
The second eldest was Bhogavati. She too did not have any significance for the five tiny grains. She had however some regard for the old man. Therefore instead of throwing away the grains given by him, she ate them as Prasad from the father in law. Like Ujjikä, she also thought that she could give him the five grains from the storage when he asked for it.
The third was Rakshikä. She had regard for the old man and thought that whatever he did must be significant. She was used to obeying his instructions. She decided to keep the grains in perfect safety so that she could give the same back to him whenever he called for. She therefore carefully placed the five grains in a silk cloth, made a neat knot of the cloth, put the knot in her jewelry box and kept the box in a safe custody.
The youngest was Rohini. She had a high regard for her father in law and knew that he would not do anything without purpose. She wanted to find out the purpose of his instructions. She remembered that he had asked her to take best care of the grains. What can be better care of the paddy apart from sowing? she thought. She therefore sent the grains to her father and requested him to sow them in a carefully prepared bed. At the end of the season there came out five neatly grown ears each bearing about 100 grains. Rohini sent the message to grow all of them in a properly hedged section of a field. At the end of another season there came about 500 ears bearing too many paddy seeds. During the next season all of them were sown in a vast field resulting in tons of grains. Rohini instructed her parents to store them properly.
By that time Dhanya once again called his daughters in law and asked them to return the five grains that he had given. Ujjika went into the store, selected five neat grains and handed over to him. Upon enquiring by Dhanya whether they were the same five grains that he had handed over, she confessed that she had thrown them away and she had brought the grains from the store. Dhanya said, 'Is that so?' Then he called Bhogävati who too brought the grains from the store. Upon enquiring by Dhanya she confessed that she had eaten away the original grains and the grains that she was giving were from the store. Dhanya said O.K. to her.
Then he called Rakshikä and asked for the five grains. Rakshikä went to her treasure chest, opened the jewelry box, took out the knot and untying it she took the carefully preserved grains and handed over to the father in law. On enquiring by Dhanya she said that they were the same five grains that she had carefully preserved in her jewelry box. Dhanya complimented her for preserving the grains in safe custody.