Wiser Than the Pundit

The Renowned Astrologer

Once upon a time, there was a famous astrologer in Vijayanagar. There was no book on astrology that he had not studied. Even kings from distant lands consulted him before undertaking any important work. His predictions about marriage, war, epidemics, and other significant events rarely went wrong, earning him widespread praise.

A Passion for Agriculture

The astrologer had a deep love for agriculture. When he wasn’t wandering about providing consultations, he was in his fields, supervising the farming activities.

The Washerman’s Warning

One afternoon, while the astrologer’s servants were cleansing and measuring the corn in his fields, Ballu, the washerman, happened to pass by. He shouted at the astrologer, “Punditji, arrange to carry the corn to your house as soon as possible. There will be a storm after sunset.”

The astrologer laughed and replied, “How can there be a storm today? The south wind is blowing now, and there isn’t even a patch of cloud in the whole sky. Besides, I know all about the influences of the heavenly bodies on the earth at this moment; they do not indicate rain!”

The Storm Arrives

“Punditji, I don’t know about your heavenly bodies, nor do I care. But I warn you, it is going to rain soon after sunset. Take care if you please!” said Ballu as he walked away.

“Fool!” muttered the astrologer, feeling indignant, “He is teaching me about rain and all that!” He instructed his workers to disregard the washerman’s warning and continue gathering and measuring the corn.

However, no sooner had the sun disappeared than the sky darkened. Before the astrologer could comprehend the situation, a terrible storm broke out. Along with frequent lightning and thunder, a fierce wind blew, causing the astrologer’s corn to be swept away. His servants ran helter-skelter, seeking shelter.

The Lesson Learned

The astrologer thought to himself, “If only I had paid heed to the washerman’s warning, my corn would have been saved. But how did the washerman know about the impending storm? He must have heard it from someone more learned than myself. But who could that be? I must go to the washerman and ask.”

The storm subsided by morning. The astrologer hurried to the washerman’s hut and admitted, “Well, Ballu, I was a fool to dismiss your warning. But tell me, who is the learned man who predicted the storm to you?”

“Learned man?” laughed the washerman, pointing to his donkey. “See, Punditji, hours before a storm, the donkey suddenly begins to shiver and brings its legs closer, hiding its tail between its legs. Observing my donkey doing this, I knew that a storm was approaching.”

The astrologer was perplexed, asking, “But is this not strange? How can a donkey know what we scholars do not?”

“That is not for me to say!” the washerman replied. “The cock crows before sunrise without fail. Does it have a clock? Birds and animals, sir, have their own way of knowing about upcoming events.”

Wisdom in Nature

The astrologer stood there, admiring the washerman’s simple yet profound explanation. The servants, who had witnessed the accuracy of the washerman’s prediction, began to proclaim, “Our washerman is wiser than the astrologer!”

When people approached the washerman about it, he said, “Not I, my donkey is wiser than the astrologer!”

And when people questioned the astrologer, he smiled and remarked, “Nature is wiser than me. The donkey expressed something inherent in nature. All animals, all men, express some aspect of universal nature!”

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