Stories

JINDATT

In the city of Pottanpur, there lived a wealthy merchant named Jindatt whose wife’s name was Purna. He was not merely a follower of the Jina path but also a great donor and considered any chance to make charity as an omen of good luck.

One day, an Acharya had come to the city, when Jindatt visited him in the company of fellow citizens and accepted the vow to fast every alternate day and recite Pratikraman twice daily.

The goddess of fortune is the most fickle and least dependable, and no one can be sure as to when she comes in and when she moves out.  Jindatt was a man of wealth and affluence, but with a turn in his fortune, he became poor and could not have even the barest of subsistence.

One day his wife suggested that it might be worthwhile to go to her parents, borrow some money and start business afresh.  The idea didn’t appeal much to Jindatt, but as his wife was insistent, very reluctantly he agreed.  Purna gave him a packet of fried chickpea powder for his meal on the way.

The trip did not disturb the merchant’s vow to fast every alternate day.  The day he started was for him a day of fasting.   On the second day, at noon, he sat down on the bank of a lake and diluted some chickpea powder in a cup of water.  Then, washing himself, he sat down to break his fast.

He thought “When at home, I take my meal only after giving a portion of it to some pious seeker.  But where do I get a seeker here ?  Luckily, however, his thought-process worked, and he saw a Muni coming in his direction.  The Muni’s body was very lean and emaciated because of the frequent practice of month-long fasts, and even on that day the Muni had come to seek food after one such fast.  Jindatt bowed before him and prayed that the Muni might partake a portion of his meal. The prayer was accepted.

On the fourth day, Jindatt reached his father-in-law’s house.  After the usual reception and meal, he apprised his father-in-law of the purpose of this unusual visit. It is a great irony of life that prosperity makes a friend of everybody, but not so adversity, which is a real testing time, when one may distinguish a friend from an indifferent onlooker. The father-in-law held consultation with the members of his family, even the family deity, and regretted inability to extend any financial help.

Extremely disappointed, Jindatt turned his steps homeward.  Nearing his own city, he started to guess the reaction of his wife when she would hear of her father’s refusal.  He felt somewhat mortified and ashamed.  But to avert the first shock of their meeting, he picked up a bag full of pebbles from the bank of the river, placed the bag on his head, and returned home.

Purna eagerly received the bag from her husband and rushed to her bedroom to see what it contained.  And what a surprise, it was full of precious stones and gems.  She thought: “How very considerate my father must have been.  He must have taken pity on our present situation and given all these.”

Then she took one precious stone and went to a grocer’s shop to mortgage it and bring some provisions. She cooked various delicacies and served them on the table.

Jindatt was taken aback to see so many cooked items served on the table.  He said, “My dear ! We are already in heavy debt.  Why did you borrow again to prepare so many delicacies for me ?”

Purna smiled and said,  “Why, I borrowed nothing.  My father has given you so many precious stones and gems, and I have sold only one of them to get necessary provisions.”

This was a real surprise to Jindatt, who had actually brought nothing from his father-in-law.  So he rushed to the bedroom, and to his surprise he saw that the pebbles he had collected and brought home had all turned into precious stones.  Then he turned to his wife and said,  “My dear, the gems you see haven’t come from your father’s home; a gift of chickpea to a Muni has turned pebbles into precious stones.”

Eventually, the stones were sold in the market, and this brought the couple a large fortune.  They were wealthy once again.  This event gave a great boost to their faith in the efficacy of gifts and charities, and henceforth these became an unforgettable part of their daily life.

   The End

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