A merchant was as wealthy as he was charitable. He always organized yagnas and pujas.
He donated everything he had in a yagna. Now, he didn't even have enough money to support his family.
The merchant's wife suggested that a wealthy businessman lived in a neighboring town. He bought the virtues of others. He should go to him and sell some of his own and get some money so he could restart his business.
The merchant had no desire to sell his virtues, but under pressure from his wife and concern for his children, he agreed. His wife made four rotis and gave them to him to eat on the way. The merchant continued walking and reached the town where the merchant, who bought the virtues, lived. He was hungry.
Before entering the town, he decided to eat. As soon as he took out the rotis, a female dog appeared with her three newly born puppies. The bitch had given birth in the forest. It was rainy season, and the children were small, so she couldn't leave them and go to town.
The merchant felt pity. He gave a loaf of bread to the bitch. The bitch devoured it in a flash, but she was still gasping with hunger.
The merchant fed the bitch a second loaf, then a third, and then all four. He drank only water and went to the merchant. The merchant told the merchant that he had come to sell his virtue. The merchant was busy, and he told him to come in the evening.
That afternoon, the merchant went home for lunch and told his wife that a merchant had come to sell his virtue. Which of his virtues should I buy?
The merchant's wife was very devoted and accomplished. She meditated and noticed that the merchant had fed the bitch today.
She told her husband that buying his virtue, which he had earned by feeding bread to an animal, was the best virtue he had ever earned. The merchant came again in the evening to sell his virtue. The merchant said, "I want to earn the merits of the sacrifice you performed today."
The merchant laughed. He said, "If I had the money for the sacrifice, would I come to you to sell my merits?"
The merchant said, "Today, by feeding a hungry animal, you saved its life and the lives of its children. I want that merit."
The merchant agreed to sell his merits. The merchant promised to give him diamonds and pearls equal to the weight of four loaves of bread. Four loaves were made and placed on one pan of the scale. The merchant placed a bundle full of diamonds and jewels on the other pan, but the scale didn't move. Another bundle was called for, but the scale still didn't move. When the scale didn't move even after placing several bundles, the merchant said, "Sethji, I've changed my mind. I don't want to sell my merits anymore."
The merchant headed home empty-handed. He was afraid that he might start a quarrel with his wife as soon as he entered the house.
He picked up some pebbles from where he had fed the dog and put them in a bag.
When he arrived home, his wife asked him how much money he had earned by selling his virtues. He showed her the bag and said he would open it at night, after dinner. He then went to the village to borrow some money. His wife, who had been impatient ever since she saw the bag, opened it as soon as her husband left.
Her eyes widened. The bag was full of diamonds and jewels. When the merchant returned home, his wife asked, "Who paid such a high price for his virtues? Where did so many diamonds and jewels come from?"
The merchant suspected that his wife was taunting him, but the glow on her face didn't suggest it. The merchant said, "Show me where the diamonds and jewels are." His wife brought the bag and turned it upside down in front of him. Priceless gems fell out. The merchant was astonished.
Then he told his wife everything. The wife regretted forcing her husband to sell his virtue in times of adversity.
They both decided to set aside some of the money and start a business. They would add the proceeds to the business and invest it in public welfare.
God tests you. In this test, He most evaluates the qualities you are proud of. If you pass the test, God bestows that quality upon you forever. If you fail, God begins searching for someone else worthy of that quality.
Therefore, even in times of adversity, one should trust in God and follow the right path. Pebbles and stones can be precious gems for you too!
Top 3 Lessons
- True virtue is proven in adversity, not comfort.
- Small acts of kindness can yield large, unintended benefits.
- Don't abandon moral principles for short-term gains.
Life-Management Tips from the Story
- Prioritize core values when making difficult decisions.
- Rely on patience and perseverance during financial hardship.
- Involve support systems (family, community) but don't compromise on ethics.
Business-Management Tips from the Story
- Build a reputation through consistent ethical behavior—long-term returns are better than quick gains.
- Reinvest profits back into sustainable ventures and public welfare.
- Don't compromise core principles for quick capital; find creative, value-aligned options.
Inspirational Points
- Kindness shown to the most vulnerable can change your destiny.
- Loyalty to good causes invites unwanted luck.
- Difficulties can reveal your true character and strengthen it.
Self-Help Tips
- When under pressure, pause and think before making moral decisions.
- Perform small acts of kindness daily to build moral strength.
- View difficulties as tests that reveal and hone your own strengths.
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