The Four Treasure-Seekers
Moral of the story: Greed only brings misery.
Brahmins lived in a certain town and were very good friends. However, they were extremely poor and struggled to make ends meet.
They talked about their difficult situation and decided, “Let’s leave this place where we are suffering in poverty. Let’s go somewhere else and try to become prosperous.”
After saying goodbye to their friends and family, they began their journey. After traveling for some time, they reached a new town where they decided to stay for a while.
In this town, there was a temple dedicated to Shiva, the God of death, located on the bank of a river. They bathed in the river and then worshiped in the temple. It was here that they met a Yogi, a holy man, and they decided to go with him to his hermitage.
The Yogi asked them, “Who are you? Where do you come from? Why did you come to this town?
They explained their situation to the Yogi, saying, “We embarked on this journey to earn money. We are so poor that we would have died if we stayed in our town. Since you are a wise and accomplished Yogi, we believe you have special powers. Please show us the way to earn money.”
They continued, “We are devoted to you and are ready to follow any path you suggest. Please help us.”
Seeing their desperate condition, the Yogi agreed to help. He took out four cotton wicks and gave one to each of them. He said, “Hold the wick in your hand and follow the path that leads to the Himalayas. Keep walking until one of you accidentally drops his wick. The place where the wick falls will be where you find hidden treasure. Dig it up and return home with the treasure you find.”
The four Brahmins received the Yogi’s blessings and began their journey towards the Himalayas.
They travelled for many days until one of them accidentally dropped his wick. He dug at the spot where the wick had fallen and discovered a treasure chest filled with copper. He excitedly told his friends, “Look! There is so much treasure here, more than the four of us can carry. Let’s gather it and go home. We are rich now! You don’t need to continue any further.”
The other three Brahmins discussed among themselves and replied, “You were meant to find this copper treasure. We might be destined for even greater riches. You can take all the copper you want and return home. We will continue our journey to see what else we might find.”
Thus, the Brahmin collected his treasure and started travelling homewards, while the rest of the three Brahmins continued their journey with their wicks in their hands. They travelled for few more days, when one of them dropped his wick accidentally. He dug the place where the cotton wick had fallen, and uncovered a treasure filled with silver. He asked his friends, “Come on! There is too much treasure for even three of us to carry. Let us collect, and go home. We are now rich! You need not go any further!”
The other two discussed and said, “You were destined to this silver treasure. We may be destined to richer treasure. You may collect all the silver you can and return home. We will continue with our journey.
The fourth Brahmin responded, “Foolish! You don’t see what’s happening. First, we found copper, then silver, and now gold! Each of you was destined to find these treasures. Next, I am sure I will find an even richer treasure of diamonds and pearls. You can go home, but I will continue my journey. I am certain I am meant to find an even greater treasure.”
His companion replied, “You can continue your journey, but I won’t go home. I will stay here and guard this gold treasure, and we will return home together once you come back.”
So, the fourth Brahmin continued his journey with his wick in hand. After traveling alone for a few more days, he became very tired. He was suffering from the intense heat and became extremely thirsty. Soon, he lost his way and started wandering in circles.
Trying to find the right direction, he came across a man with a spinning wheel around his head. The man’s body was covered in blood.
The fourth Brahmin was so thirsty that instead of helping the man, he asked, “Please tell me where I can find some water. Whoever you are, with a wheel around your head, please tell me quickly.”
As soon as he said these words, the wheel moved from the other man to the fourth Brahmin. It started spinning around the fourth Brahmin’s head, causing unbearable pain.
He cried out, “What is happening? Why has the wheel attached itself to my head? Please tell me how I can get rid of this.”
The man who was freed from the wheel replied, “When someone carrying a magical cotton wick comes here and speaks to you, only then will you be freed from this wheel, and it will attach itself to him.”
He explained further, “I don’t remember how long I have been here. During the reign of King Rama, I got a magical wick from a Yogi to escape poverty. Out of greed, I continued my journey even after finding treasure. I met a man here under similar circumstances, and that’s how the wheel moved from his head to mine. You will be free from hunger, thirst, aging, or death, but you will have to endure the pain.”
He continued, “Kuber, the God of wealth, created this device to prevent anyone from approaching this place and stealing his treasure. Only a man with a magical wick can enter this place.”
So, the man who was freed from the wheel left the place. The fourth Brahmin was left alone. His companion, worried because his friend was taking so long to return, decided to follow him. He eventually reached the spot where his friend was suffering in pain, with blood all over his body and the wheel spinning around his head.
The third Brahmin asked, “What happened to you? How can I help you?”
With tears in his eyes, the fourth Brahmin replied, “This was my destiny. This is the result of my fate.” He then explained the entire story of the wheel to his friend.
Seeing that there was nothing he could do to help, his companion prepared to leave. He said, “Even though you are a scholar, you couldn’t control your greed. You wanted diamonds and pearls when you already had gold. There is no point in staying with you, as no human can help you now. I must leave this place.”
So, his friend began his journey back home, leaving the fourth Brahmin all alone.
Moral of the story: Greed only brings misery.