There was once a wealthy businessman who was deeply concerned about his fun-loving and lazy son. The father wanted his son to understand the value of hard work and become responsible. One day, he called his son and said, “Today, I want you to go out and earn something. If you fail, you won’t have your meal tonight.”
The boy, unaccustomed to any form of work, was scared by his father’s demand. Crying, he went straight to his mother, who couldn’t bear to see him upset. In her attempt to help, she gave him a gold coin. That evening, when his father asked him what he had earned, the boy promptly handed over the gold coin. The father then instructed him to throw it into a well, and the boy obeyed without hesitation.
The father, being wise, guessed that the gold coin had been given by the boy’s mother. The next day, the father sent his wife to her parents’ house and once again told his son to earn something. This time, the boy approached his sister, who gave him a rupee coin from her savings. When the father asked for the coin and told him to throw it into the well, the boy again complied without resistance.
Realizing that his son was still relying on others, the father sent the sister to her in-laws’ house. Now left with no one to turn to, the boy was forced to go to the market in search of work. A shopkeeper offered to pay him two rupees for carrying a trunk to his house. The boy, having no choice, took up the task. By the time he finished, he was drenched in sweat, his back ached, his feet were trembling, and there were rashes on his shoulders.
When the boy returned home and handed his father the two rupee note, the father once again told him to throw it into the well. Horrified, the boy cried out, “Father! My whole body is aching, and I have rashes on my back. How can you ask me to throw my hard-earned money into the well?”
The father smiled and explained, “One feels the pain only when the fruits of hard labor are wasted. On the earlier occasions, you had no problem throwing the money into the well because you didn’t earn it. Now you understand the value of hard work.”
The boy was transformed. He vowed never to be lazy again and to safeguard his father’s wealth. Pleased, the father handed over the keys to his shop, promising to guide his son in business for the rest of his life.
Moral of the Story
Life’s best lessons often come from the hardest situations. The value of hard work can only be understood through personal effort and perseverance. Wealth, if not earned through labor, is often taken for granted.
Spiritual Lesson
This story mirrors the principle of karma-yoga in the Bhagavad Gita (2.47): “You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions.” The joy of labor lies in the work itself, not merely in the rewards it brings. By putting in sincere effort, we grow stronger, wiser, and more fulfilled. Hard work purifies the mind and builds character, making us stewards of our own success.
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