Yuvacharya Mahashraman
A Moral Way Of Life
Morality leads to happiness. A moral society is a healthy society. Immorality leads to unhappiness and it makes an unhealthy society. Immoral act even by animals is to be condemned.
Once, there lived a poor merchant in a village. He had a donkey, on which he used to carry the various items to sell in the neighbouring villages. Once he loaded the donkey with salt. On their way, they came across a stream. While crossing the stream, the donkey slipped and fell down. The salt dissolved in the water. The load on the donkey's back became lighter and now it was easier for him to walk. The donkey thought that this way is an easy way of lightening his load.
The next day again the merchant loaded the donkey with salt and was heading to the village. They came across the same stream. This time the donkey slipped deliberately. The salt dissolved again.
The owner could not bear the loss and got very angry. He wanted to punish the donkey, so the next day he loaded the donkey with cotton and headed for the same stream. When they came across the stream, the donkey slipped again on purpose. This time the cotton soaked up water and became very heavy. The donkey could not get up.
The merchant started to beat the donkey with a stick. With great difficulty the donkey somehow able got up. After this the donkey thought of shamming.
It is said - "Where there is hard work, there is no poverty. One, who chants the mantras, does not accumulate sins. One, who observes silence, does not engage in disputes. One who is awake does not feel frightened."
