Ram’s Judgement

Dharm was a wealthy landlord in a certain village. When he celebrated the wedding of his son, Jit, he borrowed an elephant from his friend Madho.

The Incident

After the wedding, Dharm instructed his men to lead the elephant back to its owner’s stables. Unfortunately, the elephant died on the way.

The Apology

Worried about the situation, Dharm hurried to Madho’s house and said, “Friend, I am sorry that the elephant has died. I can either get you a new one or pay you for the value of the dead animal.”

Madho’s Demand

Madho exclaimed, “No, I want the very elephant! Anything else won’t do.” Dharm explained his inability to bring the elephant back to life and offered to buy another, but Madho remained adamant in his demand.

A Complaint to the Magistrate

Eventually, Madho went to Ram, the Magistrate, and complained about Dharm. When Dharm was summoned to the court, he presented his account of what had transpired.

Justice Ram’s Verdict

Ram believed that Dharm was in the right since the elephant was old and had probably died of old age. He informed Madho that he would deliver judgment the following day and whispered some secret instructions to Dharm.

The Next Day

The next day, Madho arrived at the court on time, but there was no sign of Dharm. Ram turned to Madho and said, “Dharm has not appeared. Go and find him.”

A Visit to Dharm’s House

Madho went to Dharm’s house and called out to him but received no reply. Noticing the door was closed, Madho pushed against it. At once, a loud noise of pots falling to the ground ensued. Dharm opened the door and exclaimed in great annoyance, “Madho, look what you have done! You have broken pots that have been in my family for decades. Now what am I going to do?”

Seeking Compensation

Madho offered to pay for the broken pots, but Dharm refused the offer. He insisted he wanted his old pots back. Consequently, the two men returned to Justice Ram, who laughed when he heard about the new incident.

The Resolution

“Madho, give back Dharm the same pots you broke, and I will make him return the same elephant to you,” Ram declared. Madho realized that he was being paid back in his own coin and left the court without a word, wearing the expression of a defeated dog.