The Priest’s Good Deed and Its Reward

One day, Lord Krishna and Arjuna were taking a walk. On the way, they saw a poor priest begging for help. Feeling sorry, Arjuna gave the priest a bag full of gold coins.

The priest was very grateful and started walking home. On the way, he saw another poor man asking for help, but he ignored him—he just wanted to get home quickly with his treasure.

But before he could reach home, a thief stopped him and stole all the gold. The priest returned to begging.

The next day, Arjuna saw the same priest begging again. Surprised, he asked what had happened. The priest told him everything. Arjuna, feeling bad, gave him a diamond ring this time.

The priest was happy again and headed home. Just like before, he saw someone in need—but ignored him again.

When he reached home, his wife was asleep. So he quietly placed the ring in an empty pot in the kitchen and went to rest. Later, his wife unknowingly took that same pot to the river to collect water. As soon as she dipped the pot, the ring washed away with the water.

When the priest woke up and looked for the ring, he found only water. His wife had no idea about the ring and said it must have been lost in the river. The priest, heartbroken, went back to begging.

Again, Arjuna saw the priest begging and was shocked. He shared the story with Krishna and asked, “Lord, I gave him gold and diamonds, but nothing helped. How will he ever be happy?”

Krishna smiled and gave the priest just one copper coin.

Confused, Arjuna asked, “How can this small coin help him when even gold and diamonds couldn’t?”

Krishna replied, “Just wait and watch.”

On the way home, the priest thought, “This coin won’t buy me a meal... but maybe I can use it to help someone.”

Just then, he saw a fisherman selling fish. The priest bought one fish with his coin, planning to set it free in the river.

He put the fish in a pot of water he always carried. But to his surprise, the fish struggled and coughed up a diamond into the pot!

Excited, the priest rushed to the river to release the fish and found the diamond shining in the pot. He shouted with joy, “I got it! I got it!”

Just then, the same thief who had robbed him earlier passed by. Thinking the priest had recognized him and might report him, the thief panicked. He ran to the priest, apologized, and returned the bag of 100 gold coins.

The priest stood there in shock and happiness. Arjuna, watching it all, turned to Krishna and said, “Now I understand, Lord. You always know what’s best.”

Moral:
When you have the chance to help others, don’t ignore it. Kindness always comes back to you—often in the most unexpected ways.