Many years ago, we, my dad and myself, had been to Tirupati as we had some work at Sri Venkateswara University. Then we left for Tirumala along with an influential friend. The friend helped us to get a quick and easy 'darshan' at Tirumala. On an impulse, I told my dad that I would like to stay overnight at Tirumala. We could get easily get a cottage. We hired a 'Godrej Nav-Tal' lock and key from a nearby petty shop after making a cash deposit of Rs.300/- and moved into the cottage. The atmosphere at the hill was serene and peaceful and I loved it.
The next day morning we vacated the cottage and went to the petty shop to return the lock and settle accounts. We got back our deposit and left for the bus station. The queue for the bus to Tirupati was long and it appeared it would take a long time to get into the bus. Fortunately for us, through the Railway Reservation Counter at Tirumala, we could get into a bus quickly, circumventing the queue.
As our bus was half way through, I opened my bag to look for something. I was shocked to see the lock and key there; somehow we have forgotten to return them; the shopkeeper also obviously forgot it. I did not know what to do. As you are probably aware, the buses from Tirumala to Tirupati do not have a conductor and they do not stop in between. I did not remember the name or address of the shopkeeper. So there was no way of returning the lock and key. I felt terribly sorry and realized that there was nothing I could do. So the lock and key came into my possession. I was using them for some time. When my kid brother, opened a shop, I gave him the lock and key. He was using it.
Then one morning when he went to open the shop, he found the lock broken and everything inside the stop stolen. The thief or thieves did not leave even a small chocolate. It was a clean sweep. When I heard the news, I was upset.
It occurred to me that there was some connection with misbegotten lock and the theft. The lock was not rightfully ours. We did not cheat the shopkeeper intentionally. Still there was a price to pay. For a 300-rupee lock, we had to pay more than Rs.10,000 worth materials. You can say we repaid it along with heavy interest. Generally, the dispensation of justice is not that simple. Still let us not forget the Law of Karma holds good for everybody and nobody can escape it. If you do something bad, you cannot escape the consequences; sooner or later, you will have pay for it.
You read, hear and see about people acting greedily, adopting all sorts of foul means, taking possession of other people's wealth. You can only pity them; for, they don't know that they will have to repay it with heavy interest; in the process, they will have to experience a lot of pain and misery. When you find that even rightfully got wealth do not remain with you for long, this covetousness is pointless and plain stupidity. If only people know this, there will be less greed and covetousness in this world.
The next day morning we vacated the cottage and went to the petty shop to return the lock and settle accounts. We got back our deposit and left for the bus station. The queue for the bus to Tirupati was long and it appeared it would take a long time to get into the bus. Fortunately for us, through the Railway Reservation Counter at Tirumala, we could get into a bus quickly, circumventing the queue.
As our bus was half way through, I opened my bag to look for something. I was shocked to see the lock and key there; somehow we have forgotten to return them; the shopkeeper also obviously forgot it. I did not know what to do. As you are probably aware, the buses from Tirumala to Tirupati do not have a conductor and they do not stop in between. I did not remember the name or address of the shopkeeper. So there was no way of returning the lock and key. I felt terribly sorry and realized that there was nothing I could do. So the lock and key came into my possession. I was using them for some time. When my kid brother, opened a shop, I gave him the lock and key. He was using it.
Then one morning when he went to open the shop, he found the lock broken and everything inside the stop stolen. The thief or thieves did not leave even a small chocolate. It was a clean sweep. When I heard the news, I was upset.
It occurred to me that there was some connection with misbegotten lock and the theft. The lock was not rightfully ours. We did not cheat the shopkeeper intentionally. Still there was a price to pay. For a 300-rupee lock, we had to pay more than Rs.10,000 worth materials. You can say we repaid it along with heavy interest. Generally, the dispensation of justice is not that simple. Still let us not forget the Law of Karma holds good for everybody and nobody can escape it. If you do something bad, you cannot escape the consequences; sooner or later, you will have pay for it.
You read, hear and see about people acting greedily, adopting all sorts of foul means, taking possession of other people's wealth. You can only pity them; for, they don't know that they will have to repay it with heavy interest; in the process, they will have to experience a lot of pain and misery. When you find that even rightfully got wealth do not remain with you for long, this covetousness is pointless and plain stupidity. If only people know this, there will be less greed and covetousness in this world.
At least, I have learnt my lesson.
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