Fate or Luck?

A serene Indian village scene with a grandfather in traditional South Indian attire sitting under a banyan tree, narrating a story to attentive children
Grandfather shares stories under the banyan tree in a tranquil South Indian village.

Grandfather sat back in his easy chair after a good dinner, feeling quite happy and content with life. As he sat there, his mind began to dwell on various Sanskrit verses, describing how fortuitous events have such a bearing on one’s life.

“What are you thinking about, grandfather?” asked one of his inquisitive grandchildren.

“I was just trying to remember an old story of a melon filled with pearls,” replied grandfather.

“It sounds wonderful. Do tell us the story,” exclaimed Rajan, his eldest grandson.

“Well, come closer and listen carefully,” said grandfather. “My story goes back many centuries.”

There was once a king named Narayan, who never took anything for granted and was inclined to test everything he heard to see if it was true or false.

King Narayan tests the old saying about fate by filling a melon with pearls in his grand palace.
King Narayan tests the old saying about fate by filling a melon with pearls in his grand palace.

One night, as the king lay on his bed, he recalled an old Sanskrit verse that said fate predetermines everything, whether it be good fortune or ill fortune.

The king decided then and there to test this old saying. So he called a servant to fetch him a melon. As soon as the fruit was brought, he took a knife and scooped out the flesh, then filled the melon with pearls.

The next morning, when his priest came to bless him, the king made the priest a gift of the melon.

The priest left the palace, rather disappointed at receiving an ordinary melon as a gift, especially since his garden was full of melons. Then, he noticed the old fakir alongside, looking at the silver coin he had received, ensuring it was real silver.

“I wonder,” thought the priest, “if that fakir will exchange his silver coin for this delicious melon.” The fakir, who was rather fond of melons, readily agreed, and the two men departed, quite happy with their bargains.

The old fakir, finding a nice shady spot by the roadside, sat down to enjoy his melon. Imagine his surprise when he discovered it was full of pearls!

The fakir, astonished by his discovery, finds pearls hidden inside the melon
The fakir, astonished by his discovery, finds pearls hidden inside the melon

Being honest, he hurried back to the palace and told the king how the priest had sold him the melon for his silver coin. “Behold, the melon is full of pearls!” he exclaimed.

“Fate destined that you should find those pearls,” chuckled the king. “So, keep them, my good man.”

Grandfather smiled as he finished his story. “So, you see, children, you cannot go against fate, whether it brings you good luck or bad luck.”

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