Work it out

It was raining. Seth Jaimal had come to the market by a horse-carriage and it could have carried him back to his home, but for the return journey the driver demanded a quarter rupee more than the fare fixed for the travel from the town to the market.

Jaimal was not willing to give that much more. He was hopeful of finding a porter to carry his luggage for half that amount. He had lately been out on a pilgrimage and had spent a little more than he had budgeted. He was determined to save as much as he could.


"Look here, fellow, will you carry my luggage up to Haripur?" he asked a poor man who was returning from the market after making some small purchases.

"Up to Haripur? I must be paid a quarter-rupee,” said the man.

“No, only half of that.”

"Then carry it yourself.” The man rebuffed him as he turned his back on him.

Jaimal kept asking several people, but none was willing to carry it for less than a quarter-rupee.

The rain had stopped. Seth Jaimal decided to carry his burden himself. He lifted it all right, but could hardly walk a few steps with the weight. He sat down panting.

All the while a young Sadhu who sat under a tree was observing him. The Sadhu knew the millionaire Seth Jaimal, but the Seth did not know him.

"Sethji," the Sadhu called out, “Will you let me carry your luggage?"

The Seth looked at him suspiciously. “But, mind you, I will not give you more than two annas!”

"That won't do,” said the Sadhu.

"All right, I'll give you three annas, not a paisa more!”

"That won't do either. In fact, I will not help you unless you agree to my terms,” said the Sadhu.

"What are your terms?”

'You must narrate to me the glories of God or you will hear me narrate them to you on our way. I don’t need any money," said the Sadhu.

Seth Jaimal found the condition rather amusing. “All right, you carry my luggage and also tell me whatever you wish to,” said the Seth.

They began to walk. The Sadhu went on telling him about the very purpose of life and about the joys of seeking God. At first Seth Jaimal only pretended to hear him while remaining absorbed in his own thoughts.

But he did not know when the Sadhu claimed all his attention. By the time they reached the Seth's home after an hour, Jaimal felt that the time he spent in the Sadhu’s company had been most rewarding to him.

"Sir, I have been a sinner in making you bear my sack. I thought I was clever, but now I know what a fool I am!” said Seth Jaimal.

"You are clever, though you are not wise,” calmly commented the Sadhu.

“What is your advice to me?”

"Offer your cleverness to God. He may turn it into wisdom," said the Sadhu

The hermit then departed. Seth Jaimal could not decide how to offer his cleverness to God, but at least he began to pray to God and tell him that he was offering his cleverness to Him.

Shortly thereafter the Sadhu died and then died the Seth. The Seth's spirit was led to the court of Yama.

“You have an hour's good deed to your credit against years of bad deeds.
Now, for your sins, you must suffer hell for a long time, but for your hour's good deed,
which was being in the company of a Sadhu, you can dwell in heaven for a day. Which experience do you want first?" asked Yama.

"Where does the Sadhu's spirit dwell?" asked Seth Jaimal.

"In heaven, of course!" said Yama.

..........

...........
A day passed, but the officials of Yama could not take him away. He was
protected by the Sadhu's aura.

"All right," said Yama, "let him skip hell. Let him be there till he is
reborn on earth."

WHAT IS THAT THE SETH WOULD HAVE ASKED YAMA?