Page 7 - JAIN ONLINE

Once upon a me, in a city there lived a merchant Soulomon Patel! He isn't aware 'This merchant is a far-wi y
named '' Clever karma''. His overcrowded shop with a
brimming queue of customers made him very rich. He had
ini ally started the business at a very small scale on the
strength of loans. But slowly and gradually, he earned more
and more money, making himself wealthy and affluent. Right in
the middle of the city, he erected a grand and charisma c
bungalow for him. Haughty “Clever karma”, intoxicated by the
pride of wealth, walked an inch above the ground. He used his
wealth-force to deceive and cheat others and in turn earn more
money. Now grabbed in the clutches of wealth, he lost the
courage to safeguard the values and virtues.
Really, the craving for worldly pleasures makes a man
weak and feeble. The madness for money and tempta on for
sensual pleasures like bungalow etc. makes him forget the
prime and prominent duty of human life. Due to lack of
courage, he gets mesmerised and slipped in sensually
favourable condi ons. He becomes incapable of developing
the courage to follow virtues like abs nence, penance,
celibacy, noble character, truth, honesty etc.
Once, a Patel from a neighbouring village came to this
city. His name was 'Soulomon Patel'He roamed in this city and
looked and gazed at various a rac ons of the market.
Gradually, Mr Patel reached the city square and suddenly his
eyes went on the magnificent bungalow of Clever Karma
merchant. “Oh!” he got astonished and amazed looking at the
fabulous beauty. In the mean me, chitcha ng with the city
folks, he heard some praises of Clever Karma “This great
grandeur is the product and proof of his unusual skill and talent
that made him swoop from 'rags' to 'riches'“Mr Patel then
thought in his mind “Oh! Is that so? He is so clever and wise! Till
now he fooled many, but today I'll trick him and show my
might” See the des of thoughts arising in the mind-sea of Mr
12
business tycoon and a world-trapper. He holds the whole world
in his ght catch. He is just out of limits for a villager like him'.
Mr Patel walked in the merchant's shop and started
some leisure talks with the merchant. When both burst into
laughter, he sought the opportunity and asked him in a
humorous tone, “Listen, Clever karma merchant! If you allow
me to take as much things as I can from your bungalow, shop
etc. from morning to evening, then I'm ready to do whatever
you say.”
Merchant said, “What are you saying, Mr Patel? Do you
want to make me a beggar? A er you take away all my
valuables, what would I be able to do!” Mr Patel ridiculed,
“What happened? You got afraid? The world calls you a super
wise person! Where has your wisdom escaped? Why did you
stop answering? Think for a way around. Say, what would you
like?” Merchant snapped back, “ Mr Soulomon Patel, is it so?
Then listen carefully, I accept it, but in return, you'll have to
stay here becoming my life-long slave with your family. Do you
accept this?”
For a moment, Mr Patel was taken aback, “What?
Lifelong slavery?” But immediately a consoling thought struck
to this worm of wealth. He thought “Once let me empty his
treasure and fill my house. A er that, let him make me his
slave, I am ready to stay. But when he would be gasping for
even a single morsel, then how would he be able to lend us
food and salary?
On the contrary, he'll have to beg from us. At that me, I
would myself make him my slave because he won't be able to
ask me for my wealth. Because I alone would be his slave, not
my wealth.”
Mr. Soulomon Patel 13