Money Equal Happiness

Once a beggar went to a farmer’s house to beg for food. While waiting for alms, the beggar saw that when the farmer came home, the farmer’s wife washed his hands and feet, and his children came to him and hugged him. After this, the farmer sat down to eat food.

Meanwhile, the farmer’s wife came out and gave some bread to the beggar. After getting alms, the beggar left.

While going on his way, the beggar started thinking, “What kind of life do I have? Walk like a dog all day long and ask for alms. When I reach home, no one is there waiting for me.

That farmer.. what a beautiful house he has. He has a wife, who prepares food for him and children who love him. He is living a happy life..”

Here farmer while eating food said to his wife, “Our bull has become very old, it can not do any work anymore.

I need to arrange some money to get work done. I will go to Mahajan’s (a moneylender) house and get some money on loan from him.”

After the farmer finished eating, he went to Mahajan’s shop and pleaded for so some on loan. Mahajan agreed. He took out a bag from an iron vault and after counting, gave money to the farmer.

After taking the money, the farmer left for his house.

On his way back home, the farmer started thinking, “I don’t have any money in the house. On requesting so much, Mahajan gave me some. He has hundreds of rupees. How good his life is…”

Mahajan used to own a small shop. He used to bring clothes from a big shop in the city and sell them in his shop.

The next day, Mahajan went to the city to buy clothes. There he bought clothes from the shop of Seth (a merchant) in the city.

While sitting there, waiting, he saw that many letters had come in. Some were from Bombay, some from Calcutta. He got to know that, Seth had made a profit of lakhs.

Mahajan kept seeing this. After he left Seth’s shop, he started thinking on his way, “What do I own… Just owning some thousand rupees, I am called Mahajan but look how much this Seth owns.. His profit for just a day is in lakhs. In reality, he is a happy one..”

On the other side, Seth just received a letter showing a loss of rs.5 lakh in business.

While Seth was worrying about this loss, just then his servant came and said, “Today, there is a feast at Baron’s (a nobleman) place. You have to go. The motor is ready.”

Seth climbed the motor and went to the palace. There he saw that grand arrangements were made. Collectors, commissioners, and many wealthy people were present to attend that feast.

So many notable prestigious people were there, that no one would pay attention to Seth.

While returning, Seth thought, “I am also rich but I got scared by the loss of 5 lakhs. This is not a happy life… He must be living a happy life.”

Now when the feast was over, Baron got a headache. When the doctor came, he was lying in his room. When the doctor inquired, he came to know that Baron was stressed because many letters had come at home about losses he had in business.

The doctor prescribed him medicine and left.

After the doctor left, Baron peeped through the window and looked down, there he saw a beggar going. The beggar looked like he was having fun.

Seeing him, Baron thought, “In reality, he is happy. He doesn’t have to worry about gain or loss in business. He is the only one who is happy..”