Written by London swaminathan

Date : 2 September  2015

Post No. 2118

Time uploaded in London : 19-39

None has grown richer by envying

And no one has lost by not envying –Tirukkural 170

Envy destroys one’s wealth and leads one to evil deeds – 168

The Goddess of Good Fortune (Lakshmi) cannot bear the sight of envious people

Whom she will turn over to her elder sister (Alakshmi, Jyeshtadvi) — 167

There were two Brahmins, one is an illiterate and another is a learned. Both of them visited the king in the neighbouring county. The king treated them well and gave them equal respect. He gave them a gold coin every day. But the learned Brahmin was very jealous about the illiterate getting the same respect like him. When the illiterate Brahmin was gone to his room, he told the king, “Oh, King, don’t you know the proverb that says ‘give your daughter knowing the family (Gotra) and give money knowing the person (Paatra)’? Moreover that illiterate Brahmin has got two concubines. I am very learned and yet you give me the same treatment. Then he went home.

Next day both of them came to see the king. Now the king gave three gold coins to the illiterate and only one coin to the learned Brahmin. He became very angry and waited till the other person gone. He told the king, “Even after I explained to him his characterless life and his lack of knowledge in scriptures, you gave him three gold coins and only one gold coin to me. Why are you insulting the learned like this?”

The king replied, “Look, learned Brahmin! I am paying according to the needs, not according to your knowledge. You only told me that he has a larger family. I don’t want him to suffer.”

The Brahmin went home confused!

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