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PRABUDHHA JIVAN
DECEMBER 2012
A story from Aagam Katha
Happiness and Peace cannot be achieved by cheating and possessiveness
King Nanda always used to respect the learned verses in the assembly. people. He once upon a time announced that a person Vararuchi was puzzled. He was very nervous. The presenting a new stanza or verse will be presented other members were also against Vararuchi. one golden coin per stanza as a prize.
So then Vararuchi also being greedy thought of some A learned Brahmin Vararuchi used to present 800 other idea. stanzas every day in the assembly of king Nanda and
He used to go to the river Ganges every night and get 800 gold coins every day as prize. The intelligent
hide a bag of hundred coins. The next morning he would secretary of king Nanda named Shatkal was worried go to the river and pray and then find out the bag of about the treasury of the king. He was intelligent as coins and declare that the river Ganges was pleased well as shrewd person. He thought of winning the en- with the pravers and presented him the bag of coins. emy with the help of the his intelligence.
This idea worked for some days. Shatkal had seven daughters and two sons. He had
The secretary was more intelligent than the Brahtrained his children very well. He had given them good min so he told one of the servants to go to the river education as well as good culture. He called his eldest Ganges at night and keep a watch if the Brahmin was daughter Yaksha and told her about his worries. seen. If the Brahmin hides something then the servant
Yaksha being intelligent immediately understood the should find it out and bring it to the sercretary. problem of her father and conveyed him her full sup- One night the servant was waiting at the bank of the port. They all were ready to obey his orders.
river Ganges and saw the Brahmin carrying and hiding Shatkal knew about the intelligence of his daugh- something. After the Brahmin went the servat picked it ters. The eldest one was able to repeat what she hears up and went to the secretary and gave away the bag. once. The second one could repeat what she heard Next day morning king Nanda, the secretary and twice and so on... Thus the seventh one could repeat many other people went to the river to watch Brahmin what she hears seven times. Shatkal told his daugh- reciting prayer and getting reward from the river ters to repeat what the Brahmin utters.
Ganges. All the seven daughters agreed and accepted the Vararuchi recited the prayer. After some time he challange.
entered the river to get the bag but he could not find it. The next day Vararuchi came to the assembly and
Then Shaktal showed the bag to the Brahmin and uttered one new stanza praising the king.
said, 'Here is your bag'. The Brahmin was ashamed The secretary asked him, are all these verses new and speechless. His secret was known to every body. ones?'
He then left the city for ever. Proudly the Brahmin said, 'Yes Sir.'
Moral : The cheating never remains secret. CheatAnd what if they are the old ones?'
ing and possessiveness do not give happiness and "How can they be old? Today only I have written peace to any body. and compossed them.'
Gujarati : Pujya Muni Shri Vatsalydeepji 'Wrong. My Daughters also know them.'
English Translation : Pushpa Parikh Yaksha and all the other daughters recited the
ההה
HAPPINESS . No one has a right to consume happiness without Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of producing it.
darkness, and the word “happiness' would lose its • Happiness often sneaks in through a door you don't meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. know you left open.
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