Story 10

Once upon a time, Amarasakti ruled the city-state of Mahilaropyam in the south of India. He had three witless(stupid,मूर्ख) sons who became a matter of endless perturbation(worry,चिंता) for him. Realizing that his sons had no interest in learning, the king summoned(call, बुलाना) his ministers and said:

“You know I am not exhilarated(happy,खुश) with my sons. According to men of learning an unborn son and a stillborn son are better than a son who is a dimwit(stupid, मूर्ख). What good is a barren cow? A son who is stupid will bring opprobrium(dishonour,अपमान) to his father. How can I make them fit to be my successors? I turn to you for advice.“

One of the ministers suggested the name of Vishnu Sharman, a eminent(great,महान) savant(scholar,विद्ववान) enjoying the veneration(respect,आदर) of hundreds of his disciples. “He is the most adroit(competent,सक्षम) person to tutor your children. Entrust them to his care and very soon you will see the change.“

The king summoned Vishnu Sharman and pleaded with him “Oh, venerable scholar, take pity on me and please train my sons into great scholars and I will make you the lord of hundred villages.“

Vishnu Sharman said “Oh, king, listen to my pledge. Hundred villages do not tempt me to vend learning. Count six months from today. If I do not make your children great scholars, you can ask me to change my name.“

The king promptly(immediately,तुरंत) called his sons and handed them to the care of the learned man. Sharman took them to his monastery where he started teaching them the five strategies (Panchatantra). Keeping his word, he finished the task the king entrusted him in six months. Since then, Panchatantra became popular all over the world as children‘s guide in solving problems of life.

Click here for story 9

Read more »

Nebulous meaning

Read more »

The Pot of the Wit story 9

Once Emperor Akbar became very angry(indignant,गुस्सा) at his favorite minister Birbal. He asked Birbal to abandon(leave,छोड़ना) the kingdom and go away. Accepting the command of the Emperor, Birbal left the kingdom and started working in a farmer’s farm in an unacquainted(unknown,अनजान) village far away under a different identity.

As months passed, Akbar started to miss Birbal. He was struggling to solve many issues in the empire without Birbal’s advice. He regretted a decision, asking Birbal to leave the empire in anger. So Akbar sent his soldiers to find Birbal, but they failed to find him. No one knew where Birbal was. Akbar finally found a maneuver(trick,युक्ति). He sent a message to the head of every village to send a pot full of the wit to the Emperor. If the pot full of wit can not be sent, fill the pot with diamonds and jewels.

This message also reached Birbal, who lived in one of the villages. The people of the village got together. All started talking about what to do now? The wit is not a thing, which can be filled in the pot. How will we arrange for diamonds and jewels to fill the pot and send to the Emperor? Birbal who was sitting among the villagers said, “Give me the pot, I will fill the wit in one month’s end”. Everyone trusted Birbal and agreed to give him a chance. They still didn’t know his identity.

Birbal took the pot with him and went back to the farm. He had planted watermelons on his farm. He selected a minuscule(small,छोटा) watermelon and without cutting it from the plant, he put that in the pot. He started looking after it by providing water and fertilizer perpetually(regularly,नित्य). Within a few days, the watermelon grew into a pot so much that it was infeasible(impossible,असंभव) to get it out of the pot.

Soon, the watermelon reached to the same size as the pot from inside. Birbal then cut the watermelon from the vine and separated it with the pot. Later, he sent a pot to Emperor Akbar with a message that “Please remove the wit without cutting it from the pot and without breaking the pot”.

Akbar watched the watermelon in the pot and realized that this can only be Birbal’s Work. Akbar himself came to the village, took Birbal back with him.

Moral: Don’t hasten(fast,जल्दी) the decision. Think tenacious(hard,दृढ) to find a solution for the strangest situations.

click here for story 8 

Read more »

robust

Read more »

Prefix with words

Read more »

Abolish

Read more »

Ubiquitous

Read more »

Editorial with vocab part 2

click here for subscribe our youtube channel

Read more »

The Fall and Rise of a Merchant STORY 8

In a city called Vardhamana, lived a very dexterous(efficient,कुशल) and felicitous(prosperous,संपन्न) merchant. 

The king was aware of his abilities, and therefore made him the administrator of the kingdom. 

With his efficient and astute(intelligent,बुद्धिमान) ways, he kept common man very happy, and at the same time he impressed the king on the other side. Such a person, who can keep everybody happy, is rarely found. 

Later, there came a time that the merchant's daughter was getting married. He arranged for a opulent(lavish,खर्चीला) reception. 

The merchant not only invited the king and the queen, who obliged by attending, but he also invited the exhaustive(entire,सम्पूर्ण) royal household and all respected people of the kingdom. 

During the reception, he ensured to provide his guests with the best of treatments. He gave out gifts to guests to show them respect for attending to his invitation. 

A servant of the royal household, who used to sweep the palace, was not invited but attended the reception. 

He took a seat which was reserved for royal nobles, not meant for common invitees. 

This made the merchant very disgruntled(angry,गुस्सा). He caught him by the neck and ordered his servants to have him thrown out. 

The royal servant felt very insulted, and could not sleep all night. He thought, "If I can have the king to disfavour this merchant, I will have my vengeance(revenge,बदला). But what can I, a common fellow, do to detriment(harm,हानि) a egregious(powerful,प्रबल) person as him". Thinking such, he abruptly(suddenly,एकायक) had a plan. 

Several days later, the servant was sweeping the floor near the king's bed early in the morning. He observed that that the king was still in bed, half awake. The servant started mumbling, "Good heavens! The merchant has become so nonchalant(carefree,लापरवाह) now that he dared to embrace the queen!" 

When the king heard this lying in his bed, he jumped up and asked the servant, "Is it true? Have you seen the merchant embrace my queen yourself?" 

The servant at once fell at the king's feet, "O Master, I was gambling all night. I feel drowsy for I didn't sleep last night. I don't know what I have been mumbling, but I said anything fallacious(improper,अनुचित), please forgive me." 

The king spoke no more, but the servant knew he had sowed the seed of distrust. The king thought, "It can be true! The servant moves about the palace freely, and so does the merchant. It is feasible(possible,संभव) that the servant has seen something." 

The king was troubled with jealousy. From that day onwards, he withdrew his favours from the merchant and even forbade him to enter the palace. 

One day, when the merchant was entering the gateway to the palace, he was stopped by the guards. The merchant was surprised due to this sudden change in the king's attitude. 

The servant was nearby, and mocking shouted at the guards, "Ho Guards! That merchant is favoured by the king. He is a powerful person. He can have people arrested or released or even thrown out, just like he had me thrown out of his daughter's reception. Beware, for you may suffer the same fate." 

On hearing this, the merchant understood that the servant has caused all this trouble somehow. He felt melancholic(dejected,उदास), and returned home upset over the incident. 

He gave everything a second thought, and then he invited the royal servant to his house. He treated the servant with utmost respect, and flattered him with gifts and garments. He said kindly, "O friend, that day I did not have you thrown out due to anger, but it was improper of you to occupy the seat reserved for the royal nobles. They felt insulted, and out of compulsion I had to throw you out. Please forgive me." 

The servant was already flattered with all the gifts, and he was full of joy, "Sir, I forgive you. You have not only expressed your regrets, but also honoured me with utmost respect". 

He ensured the merchant, "I will prove you how clever I am. I will have the king favourable towards you, like he was before". The servant went back home. 

Early next morning, when he started sweeping the floors of the palace, he waited till when the king was lying half-awake. 

When the opportunity came, he started sweeping around his bed and started mumbling, "Our king is crazy, he eats cucumber in the lavatory!" 

On hearing this, the king was taken aback. He got up angrily and shouted at the servant, "What nonsense do you talk about? Had you not been by royal servant, I would have punished you dearly. Have you ever seen me doing such thing yourself?" 

Once again the servant fell on his knees and prayed, "O Master, please forgive me if I said something improper. I was gambling all last night and didn't sleep. I feel drowsy and I don't know what I have been mumbling." 

The king thought to himself, "I have never eaten a cucumber in the lavatory. What he mumbled about me is ridiculously false. Surely then, what he mumbled about my trusted merchant the other morning must have been ridiculously false too. It was improper of me to mistreat the merchant." 

He wondered, "After all he has been so efficient in the whole administrative system, that without him it has become slack." 

Thus, having considered carefully, the king invited the merchant to the palace and flattered him with gifts, jewels and garments. He re-appointed the merchant to his previously held position, and favoured his services as before. 

The wise indeed say:
One should treat one and all, even the lowest, with respect.

CLICK HERE FOR STORY 7

Read more »

Subscribe our video channel for upcoming video

Read more »

The Cracked Pot - story 7

A water bearer in India had two enormous(large,बड़ा) pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was quintessential(perfect,उत्तम) and perpetually(always,हमेशा) delivered a full portion of water at the end of the prolonged(long,लंबा) walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years, this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own deficiency(imperfection,कमी), and despondent(miserable,दुखी) that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived(understand,समझना) to be a bitter fiasco(failure,असफलता), it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you”.  The bearer asked, “Why? What are you ashamed of?”  The Pot replied, “For these past two years I am able to deliver only half of my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you don’t get full value for your endeavours(efforts,प्रयासों)”.

The water bearer felt melancholic(sorry,उदास) for the antiquated(old,पुराना) cracked pot, and in his benevolence(compassion,दया), he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to annunciation(notice,सुचना) the alluring(beautiful,सुन्दर) flowers along the path.”  As they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this exhilarated(cheered,खुशी प्रकट करना) it somewhat.  But at the end of the trail, it still felt abominable(bad,बुरा) because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to embellish(decorate,सजाना) my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws.  We’re all cracked pots.  In this world, nothing goes to waste.  You may think like the cracked pot that you are inefficient or useless in certain areas of your life, but somehow these flaws can turn out to be a blessing in disguise.”

click here for story six

Read more »

Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2017

Mere legislation is not adequate(enough,पर्याप्त) to eradicate(remove,हटाना) superstition from society, but laws do have the utility value of curbing(control,नियंत्रण) the prevalence(spread,फैलाव) of inhuman rituals and practices. The Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2017 has been approved by the State Cabinet and is likely to be introduced soon in the Assembly. this as just an ‘anti-superstition bill’, as what it seeks to inhibit(prohibit,निषेध) are actions that offend human dignity, result in the exploitation(शोषण) of gullible(innocent,भोले) and vulnerable(weak,कमज़ोर) people or cause harm to them. Organising macabre(horrid,भयंकर) rituals, offering magical cures and threatening people, under peril(risk,जोखिम) of incurring divine or supernatural displeasure, are covered by this law, even though these can be treated as offences under the Indian Penal Code too.

It is not uncommon to read reports of disturbing rituals. Among the rituals the Bill outlaws is the practice of walking on fire, branding children, and piercing one’s tongue or cheeks. One must denounce(condemn,आरोप) acts that harm women in the name of exorcism(magic,जादू), it is education and awareness that can truly liberate a society from superstition, blind faith and abominable(hateful,घिनोने) practices in the name of faith. Until then, the law will have to continue to identify and punish acts that violate the people’s right to life, health and dignity.

Read more »

Birbal’s Khichri (Rice) story 6

On a cold winter day, Akbar and Birbal took a walk along the reservoir(lake,झील). A thought came to Birbal that a man would do anything for money. He articulated(expressed,व्यक्त) his feelings to Akbar. Akbar then put his finger into the lake and immediately alienated(removed,हटाना) it because he trembled(shivered,कंपकपी) with cold. Akbar said, “I don’t ponder(think,सोचना) a man would spend an exhaustive(entire,सम्पूर्ण) night in the cold water of this lake for money.” Birbal replied, “I am sure I can find such a person.” Akbar then challenged Birbal into finding such a person and said that he would reward the person with a thousand gold coins.

Birbal searched far and wide until he found a Impecunious(poor,गरीब) man who was desperate enough to accept the challenge. The poor man entered the lake and Akbar had guards posted near him to make sure that he really did as promised. The next morning the guards took the poor man to Akbar. Akbar asked the poor man if he had indeed spent the night in the lake. The poor man replied that he had. Akbar then asked the poor man how he managed to spend the night in the lake.

The poor man replied that there was a street lamp nearby and he kept his attention affixed on the lamp and away from the cold. Akbar then said that there would be no reward as the poor man had survived the night in the lake by the ardency(warmth,गर्मी) of the street lamp. The poor man went to Birbal for help.

The next day, Birbal did not go to court. The king wondering where he was, sent a messenger to his home. The messenger came back saying that Birbal would come once his Khichri(Rice) was cooked. The king waited hours but Birbal did not come. Finally, the king decided to go to Birbal’s house and see what he was up to.

He found Birbal sitting on the floor near some burning twigs and a bowl filled with Khichri(Rice) hanging five feet above the fire. The king and his attendants couldn’t help but laugh.

Akbar then said to Birbal “How can the Khichri(Rice) be cooked if it so far away from the conflagration(fire,आग)?”

Birbal answered, “The same way the poor man received heat from a street lamp that was more than a furlong away.”

The King understood his blunder(mistake,गलती) and gave the poor man his reward.
click here for story 5

Read more »