Weekend Story-The Beggar And The Fish

Once, Lord Krishna and Arjuna were walking along a forest path. They came upon a beggar sitting by the wayside, wailing in grief and poverty. Arjuna was moved with pity and gave him a bundle of gold coins.

The beggar clutched it tightly, whispering, “At last, my suffering is over.” But on his way home, a thief pounced and snatched it away. By evening, he was back on the same road, blaming fate and the world for his loss.

The next day, Krishna and Arjuna passed that way again. Seeing him still in misery, Arjuna offered him a precious gem. This time, the beggar ran home and hid it secretly in an old earthen pot, afraid even his wife might know. That night, when she went to fetch water — unaware of what was inside — the pot broke, and the gem slipped into the river, lost forever. The beggar, when he awakened, discovered his loss and cried that fate was cruel.

The following day, Krishna and Arjuna again saw the beggar in the same state of misery. Krishna quietly gave him two nickels.

Arjuna was incredulous: “What good will two paise do him, when my gifts of gold and gem could not change his fortune?” Krishna only smiled.

Now, as the beggar walked along, he saw a fisherman with a fish trapped in his net, gasping for life. Something stirred within him. Moved by compassion, he bought that fish with the two nickels, placed it gently in his begging bowl, filled it with water, and carried the fish toward a river to release it.

As he released the fish into the river, the fish spat out something into the water. To the Brahmin’s astonishment, it was the same precious gem that he had lost. Overcome with joy, he cried out, “Found it! Found it!”

By chance, the robber who had earlier stolen his gold was nearby. Hearing the cry, he assumed the beggar had recognized him, and in fear begged forgiveness and returned all that he had stolen. So, the beggar got back both the gem and the gold.

Arjuna, amazed, asked Krishna: “What is this mystery? What you could achieve with just two paise, I could not by giving so much!” Krishna explained:

“When you gave, the beggar thought only of his own welfare. But when I gave him two paise, he used them thinking of the suffering of another (the fish). That act of compassion awakened the universe’s response. When someone acts selflessly, even a small seed can yield great fruit. Helping others is my work — and when one does my work, how can I not do theirs?”

Thus, the beggar regained everything — not through grand gestures or wealth, but through a humble act of compassion and generosity.