The Wealth of Contentment: A Tale of the Sadhu and the Merchant

A modest sadhu by the name of Raman lived in a peaceful village at the base of the Himalayas. He was well known for leading an ascetic lifestyle and being content with the bare minimum that life had to offer. Raman held to the profound wisdom that the hunger of the soul surpassed the hunger of the body.

One day, a prosperous trader by the name of Arjun walked through the community. Despite having a large fortune, Arjun's hunger for more money was insatiable. Raman's wisdom was known to him, so he sought his advice.

Arjun begged the wise sadhu, "Teach me the way to real contentment." Despite my infinite wealth, my heart is still unfulfilled.

Raman noticed Arjun's wealth and the hunger that consumed his soul. "Beware, Arjun, for the desire for wealth is insatiable," he warned. One who constantly wants more is never truly satisfied. True wealth, as opposed to material abundance, is found in the richness of the heart.

But Arjun ignored the sage's advice because he was consumed by his desire for wealth. He insisted on accumulating more wealth because he thought it would satisfy his inner need for fulfilment.

Over the years, Arjun accumulated a large fortune. But strangely, his dissatisfaction increased. He wanted more the more he accumulated. He eventually went back to the village, weighed down by his possessions, and asked Raman for advice once more.

Raman said with a sympathetic look, "The hunger you feel is not for food, but for fulfilment. Understanding that material possessions are transient but inner peace is eternal is true wealth.

Arjun finally grasped the sage's teachings after becoming humbled and enlightened. He gave away his wealth to those in need, finding comfort in giving. When the once-rich merchant realised that his desire for material wealth was a road away from true fulfilment, he realised the richness of a contented heart.

The lesson of the tale is that those who are obsessed with acquiring material wealth may end up being spiritually impoverished. True wealth is found not in our material possessions but rather in our inner peace and compassion for others.

The Village of Wealth and Kindness

There once was a small village where everyone lived in abundance and enjoyed the blessings of wealth. The majority of the homes were plain and natural, in keeping with the village's modest beginnings. Only two people, Savita and Sarita, struggled to make ends meet despite this wealth, though.

Savita and Sarita's daily routine involved providing their labour in exchange for meagre meals to various households. Sadly, the villagers were not kind and frequently required them to work longer hours than necessary in exchange for their food.

Sarita got sick one fateful day and couldn't go to work. Savita didn't let her friend's absence stop her from carrying out her daily tasks. They had no idea that today would bring about a shocking disaster.

Suddenly, a downpour of rain came down, devastating the village with a flood. Everyone fled to their homes in fear and panic. Savita, however, was caught in the ruthless floodwaters and was fighting for her life. She cried out for assistance, but the villagers turned a blind eye to her frantic cries.

Sarita, in spite of her illness, heard Savita's cries for help in the midst of this heartless indifference. Compelled by compassion, she gathered all of her energy and ran to help out her friend. Sarita pulled Savita out of the raging waters with amazing bravery, and they clung to a strong tree branch for safety.

The villagers felt guilty as they witnessed this selfless display of bravery. They acknowledged their mistake in taking advantage of these two kind individuals who had worked tirelessly to help them during their time of need.

Moral:

This story shows us that genuine riches are found in the compassion and kindness we show to others rather than in material wealth. When faced with difficulty, our willingness to lend a hand to those in need, even when it inconveniences us, is what defines our character and improves society.

----- THE END -----

The In-Flight Adventure of the Truly Unbeatable Boxer

Once upon a time, there was a boxer who was convinced he was unbeatable. He'd never lost a single match in his life, and his ego had grown to Superman proportions as a result.

This arrogant boxer found himself on a plane, soaring through the skies one day. However, just as he sat down, the pilot's voice crackled over the intercom, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, we regret to inform you that we are experiencing some turbulence due to bad weather." Please wear your seat belts for your own safety."

In his unwavering confidence, the boxer reasoned, "Why should I, the unbeatable Superman, bother with a mere seat belt?"

As the plane continued to sway and jolt, a lovely air hostess approached him and asked, "Sir, could you please fasten your seat belt for safety reasons?"

"Superman doesn't need a seat belt," the boxer retorted with a smug grin. "I'm unbeatable!"

This back-and-forth continued, with the persistent air hostess attempting to persuade the boxer of the importance of wearing his seat belt. Every time, the boxer insisted, "Superman doesn't need a seat belt."

Finally, the flight attendant had had enough. "Well, sir, just to let you know, Superman doesn't need a plane to fly either!" she replied, frustrated and with a twinkle in her eye.

The entire plane burst out laughing, and even the boxer couldn't stop himself from laughing at the witty response. From then on, he realized that even unbeatable boxers must follow the laws of gravity, turbulence, and seat belts when flying in friendly skies.

The shelter of Kindness

 A little bird and her chattering children once lived in a green forest during the rainy season. The raindrops danced through the leaves, creating a calming melody as the forest was alive with activity. The small bird was aware that a relentless and unforgiving downpour might come. She therefore made the decision to find her children shelter.

She noticed two tall trees standing side by side on a nearby hill. She fluttered up to the first tree and asked it kindly, "Dear tree, may I and my children take refuge beneath your branches until the rain subsides?" with hope in her heart.

The first tree, with its strong trunk and thick canopy, cast a downward glance at the tiny bird and her young. I'm sorry, little bird, but I'm unable to provide you with shelter. Please go elsewhere for shelter.

The bird was discouraged by the first tree's unkindness, but she did not give up. She hopped over to the second tree, which was small and modest, and addressed it in the same way: "Dear tree, may I and my children take refuge beneath your branches until the rain subsides?"

The second tree, who was friendly and welcoming, smiled and replied, "Of course, little bird! It would be an honour for me to house you and your kids. Please, come and find refuge here.

The little bird and her chicks were grateful and relieved as they were sheltered by the second tree's protective branches from the relentless rain.

A violent storm raged through the forest as the downpour continued. Every living thing was put to the test as a result of the lightning and howling wind. The first tree, which had turned away the bird and her young ones, was powerless against the fury of the storm. The tree fell with a thunderous roar as a result of its roots, which were not strong.

Now protected from the branches of the second tree, the small bird said to the downed tree, "You see, my dear friend, you are bearing the consequences of your actions. When I needed shelter, you refused to give it to me; as a result, the storm has now destroyed you.

The fallen tree apologised to the bird in a humble reply. I did not provide shelter for you and your family because I knew that my roots would not be able to withstand this heavy rain.

Now the bird is aware of the first tree's motivation—his desire to protect her and her family. 

The moral of the story is: "It's important not to assume the worst when someone declines your request because a refusal sometimes hides a hidden favour in disguise."

A real good time

Mike and Alice had been invited to an exclusive Halloween party. Unfortunately, Alice developed a severe headache just as the event was about to begin. She insisted on Mike attending the party on his own, not wanting to ruin his evening due to her discomfort.

Although Mike, being the loving and dedicated husband he was, objected at first, Alice persuaded him that he shouldn't miss out on the fun just because she couldn't. She assured him that she would take some aspirin and rest, and she encouraged him to go have fun.

Alice awoke feeling surprisingly refreshed and pain-free after taking the aspirin and sleeping for an hour or so. She decided to attend the Halloween party despite the fact that it was still early in the evening.

Alice saw an opportunity to have some fun while her costume was hidden. She wanted to watch Mike and see how he acted when she wasn't there, because he had no idea what her costume looked like.

When Alice arrived at the party, she immediately noticed Mike, who was disguised by his mask, dancing energetically on the dance floor, twirling with various partygoers and sharing flirtatious moments.

Alice approached Mike skillfully, channelling her own seductive charm, causing him to abandon his dance partner and shift his attention to her.

Given their strong bond as husband and wife, Alice let Mike take their flirtation as far as he wanted.

Mike eventually leaned in and whispered a provocative proposition into Alice's ear, to which she quickly agreed. They quietly slipped away to one of the parked cars and had an intimate encounter.

Alice quietly left the party and returned home just as the clock struck midnight. She carefully removed her costume and crawled into bed, anticipating Mike's explanation for his behaviour.

When Mike returned home, Alice remained awake and asked him how the party went. "Oh, you know, the same old thing," Mike, ever the devoted husband, replied. When you're not with me, I never have a good time."

Curious, "Did you dance much at the party?" Alice inquired.

"I didn't dance a single dance, actually," Mike chuckled. As soon as I arrived, I ran into some friends, and we spent the entire evening playing cards in the den."

Alice couldn't stop smirking. "Well, I must say, the person who borrowed your costume seemed to have quite a fantastic time!" she remarked.

Mystery of Beard

Mukesh is married to Geeeta but he is having an extra-marital affair with another girl called Meeta.

One afternoon when Mukesh was with Meeta, she asked that he shave his beard.

"I do like your beard, Mukesh, but I would really love to see your handsome face." Meeta said.

"My wife loves this beard, honey." Mukesh replied. "I couldn't possibly shave it. She would kill me."

"Oh, please..." Meeta purred.

"Really, I can't." Mukesh replied. "My wife loves this beard!"

Meeta asked once more, and Mukesh sighed and finally gave up.

That night, Mukesh crawled into bed while Geeeta was sleeping.

Geeeta stirred, felt his face, and said, "Oh, Mahesh, you shouldn't be here! My husband will be home any time soon!"

Kenny & the Dead Donkey

A city boy, Kenny, moved to the country and bought a donkey from an old farmer for $100.00. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day.

The next day the farmer drove up and said, "Sorry son, but I have some bad news, the donkey died last night."

Kenny replied: "Well then, just give me my money back."

The farmer said: "Can't do that. I went and spent it already."

Kenny said: "OK then, just unload the donkey."

The farmer asked: "What you goanna to do with him?"

Kenny: "I'm going to raffle him off." (Note: To raffle is to sell a thing by lottery - draw lot -! to a group of people each paying the same amount for a ticket)

Farmer: "You can't raffle off a dead donkey!"

Kenny: "Sure I can. Watch me. I just won't tell anybody he's dead."

A month later the farmer met up with Kenny and asked, "What happened with that dead donkey?"

Kenny: "I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at two dollars apiece and made a profit of $998.00."

Farmer: "Didn't anyone complain?"

Kenny: "Just the guy who won. So I gave him back his two dollars."

God's Boxes

I have in my hands two boxes,Which God gave me to hold.He said, "Put all your sorrows in the black box, And all your joys in the gold."

I heeded His words, and in the two boxes,Both my joys and sorrows I stored,But though the gold became heavier each day,The black was as light as before.

With curiosity, I opened the black, I wanted to find out why, And I saw, in the base of the box, a hole, Which my sorrows had fallen out by.

I showed the hole to God, and mused, "I wonder where my sorrows could be!"
He smiled a gentle smile and said, "My child, they're all here with me.."

I asked God, why He gave me the boxes, Why the gold and the black with the hole?
"My child, the gold is for you to count your blessings The black is for you to let go."

A Story on Friendship

Once upon a time, there was a brave soldier who served his country. He decided to return home to his parents after serving in the military. As he called them from his city, his voice was filled with excitement.

"Mom and Dad, I'm on my way home, but I have a question for you." During my service, I made a dear friend, and I want to bring him home with me."

"Of course, dear," his parents replied warmly. "We'd love to meet your friend."

"There's something important you should know about my friend," the soldier said after a brief pause. During the war, he was severely injured. He stepped on a landmine and lost both his arms and legs as a result. He doesn't have anywhere else to go, and I'd like him to come live with us."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that, my son," his mother expressed concern. Perhaps we can assist him in finding suitable nearby accommodations."

"No, Mom and Dad," the soldier insisted, "I want him to live with us."

"Son, what you're asking for is a significant responsibility," his father cautioned. Taking care of someone with such difficulties may cause disruption in our lives. We must consider our own plans and routines. Perhaps we can find another way to help him. You should return home so that we can discuss this further. He'll undoubtedly find assistance elsewhere."

Disappointed, the son quietly hung up the phone. His parents never heard from him again. A few days later, they received a harrowing phone call from city police. Their son had tragically died after falling from a building. The police suspected it was a suicide attempt.

The parents, overcome with grief, ran to the city police. They were taken to the city mortuary to identify the body of their son. They did recognize him, but to their surprise, they also discovered that their son had only one arm and one leg.

In this touching story, the parents' initial reaction mirrors that of many of us. It's easy to love and care for those who are attractive or who bring us joy. When confronted with people who may annoy or challenge our comfort, our natural instinct may be to keep our distance. We may prefer to avoid those who do not conform to our standards of health, beauty, or intelligence.

Fortunately, there is someone who does not pass such judgment on us. Regardless of our flaws and differences, there is a love that embraces us unconditionally and welcomes us into a forever family.

Friends are like rare jewels; they make you smile, inspire you to succeed, listen when you need to be heard, and offer encouraging words. They welcome us with open arms. Show your friends how much you appreciate them, and treasure the invaluable gift of friendship in your life.

Chance favors the prepared mind

A traveler was stumbling through the desert; desperate for water, then he
saw something, far off in the distance. Hoping to find water, he walked
towards the image, only to find a little old peddler sitting at a card table
with a bunch of neckties laid out.

The parched wanderer asked, "Please, I'm dying of thirst, can I have some
water?" The man replied "I don't have any water, but why don't you buy a
tie? Here's one that goes nicely with your clothes. "The desperate man
shouted, "I don't want a tie, you idiot, I need water!"

"OK, don't buy a tie. But to show you what a nice guy I am, I'll tell you
that over that hill there, about 5 miles, is a nice restaurant.Walk that
way, they'll give you all the water you want."

The man thanked the peddler and walked away towards the hill and eventually
disappeared out of sight.

Three hours later he returned. The man at the card table asked, "I told you,
about 5 miles over that hill. Couldn't you find it?"

"I found it all right. They wouldn't let me in without a tie."

The Burnt Biscuits

When I was a kid, my mom would prepare special breakfast every now and then. And I remember one night in particular, after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned.

He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!" You know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else.

What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other’s faults - and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!

We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!

"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own."

God Bless You..... Now, and always....

So Please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burnt one will do just fine.!.!.!.!

11 hints

It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is more painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let that person know how you feel.
A sad thing in life is when you meet someone who means a lot to you, only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be and you just have to let go.

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.
It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.
It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.
Don't go for looks; they can be deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it only takes a smile to make a dark day seem bright.
Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be; because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to.
Always put yourself in the other's shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other too.

A careless word may kindle strife; a cruel word may wreck a life; a timely word may level stress; a loving word may heal and bless.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, ends with a tear. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live life so that when you die...you are the one smiling and everyone around you is crying..
Always remember- Life is precious, don't let it slip by...

Roles in Heaven:

Brahma Systems Installation
Vishnu Systems Administration & Support
Lakshmi Finance and Accounts consultant
Saraswati Training and Knowledge Management
Shiva DBA (Crash Specialist)
Ganesh Quality Assuarance & Documentation
Narada Data transfer
Yama Reorganization & Downsizing Consultant
Chitragupta IDP & Personal Records
Apsaras Downloadable Viruses
Devas Mainframe Programmers
Surya Solaris Administrator
Rakshasas In house Hackers
Ravan ! ;Internet Explorer WWWF
Lakshman Support Software and Backup
Hanuman Linux/s390
Jatayu Firewall
Dronacharya System Programmer
Vishwamitra Sr. Manager Projects
Valmiki Technical Writer (Ramayana Sign off document)
Krishna SDLC ( Sudarshan Wheel Development Life Cycle )
Arjun Lead Programmer (all companies are vying for him)
Abhimanyu Trainee Programmer
Draupadi Motivation & Team building
Bhima Mainframe Legacy System
Duryodhana Microsoft product Written in VB
Karna Contract programmer
Dhrutarashtra Visual C++
Gandhari Dreamweaver
100 Kauravas Microsoft Service Packs and patches

Today I decided to quit...
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I quit my job,
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My Relationship,
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My Spirituality...
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I wanted to quit my life.
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I went to the woods to have one last talk with GOD.
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"GOD", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
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His answer surprised me...

GOD Light
"Look around", GOD said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good careof them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo." GOD said.

"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo see. I would not quit." GOD said.

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Comparedto the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant... But just six months later the bamboo rose toover 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what itneeded to survive. I would not give any of my creationsa challenge it could not handle." GOD said to me.

"Did you know, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don't compare yourself to others. " GOD said.

"The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful. Your time will come." GOD said to me."You will rise high"

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" GOD asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned

"Yes." GOD said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest and bring back this story.

I hope these words can help...

**************
Moral of the Story

Keep Faith in your Heart... Never Give Up...

Some times... Some work need more time to achieve... Give time... Keep patience

Always concentrate on Goal... Never think about when you will achieve your goal. Just do your job.

Give your 100% efforts without any doubt.

Success is not a goal. You work for your goal not for success. Remember, Success is the fruit of your work done.

working hard to solve

One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route.

No problems for the first few stops, a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well.

At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a guy got on. Six feet eight, built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground.

He glared at the driver and said, "Big John doesn't pay!" and sat down at the back.

The driver was five feet three, thin, and basically meek... Naturally, he didn't argue with Big John, but he wasn't happy about it.

The next day the same thing happened -Big John got on again, said "Big John doesn't pay!" and sat down.

And the next day, and the one after that, and so forth.

This irritated the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of his size.

Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building program, karate, judo and all that good stuff.

By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; So on the next Monday, when Big John got on the bus and said, "Big John doesn't pay!" the driver stood up, glared back and screamed, "And why not?"

With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied, "Big John has a Bus pass."

Moral of the story: First be sure is there a problem before working hard to solve one

The Box Of Kisses

The story goes that some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper.

Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy."

The man was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found out the box was empty. He yelled at her, stating, "Don't you know, when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside? The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They're all for you, Daddy."

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness.

Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child. It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and, whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

BUS 54

A blonde was visiting Washington, DC for the first time. She wanted to see the Capitol building. Unfortunately, she couldn't find it, so she asked a police officer for directions.

"Excuse me, officer, how do I get to the Capitol building?"

The officer replied, "Wait here at this bus stop for the number 54 bus. It'll take you right there." She thanked the officer and he drives off.

Three hours later the police officer returned to the same area and, sure enough, the blonde is still waiting at the same bus stop. The officer got out of his car and said, "Excuse me, but to get to the Capitol building, I said to wait here for the number 54 bus. That was three hours ago. Why are you still waiting?"

The blonde replied, "Don't worry, officer, it won't be long now. The 45th bus just went by!"