Selecting The Bride Groom
The Eminent Scholar and His Foolish Son
Long ago, there lived an eminent scholar renowned for his vast knowledge of scriptures. The king of the land honoured him appropriately for his wisdom. Unfortunately for this great man, his son, Ramakrishna, turned out to be a dunce and a fool. Even as he grew to manhood, his foolishness remained unchanged, making it difficult for him to find a suitable bride. No one in the land was willing to give their daughter in marriage to him.
A Diligent Search
This state of affairs deeply troubled the father. After a diligent search, he arranged a match with the daughter of another scholar from a distant land. The father of the maiden welcomed him cordially and placed several books in front of Ramakrishna, hoping to gauge his knowledge. However, Ramakrishna naively asked, “Oh! Who is the author of this?”
The Fool’s Departure
The people present quickly lost interest in him. They sent Ramakrishna away without further ceremony, for after all, who would want an ass for a son-in-law?
The King’s Daughter’s Challenge
Meanwhile, a certain king was searching for a suitable bridegroom for his beautiful daughter. She declared, “Father, I will marry the man who can answer my questions.” The king’s heralds went forth, announcing the princess’s desire, and many suitors came forward.
The Princess’s Arithmetic Problem
To each suitor, the princess posed a brief arithmetic problem: “A certain hermit planted a lotus in a pond. The next day it split into two, and then four. On the third day, it became eight. Each day thereafter, the number doubled. In thirty days, the pond was full of lovely lotuses. Now, can you tell me on which day the pond was half full?”
The Clever Answer
As the princess began counting, some suitors shouted out answers—“Fifteenth day” from one and “Tenth day” from another. As she counted to two, a suitor sitting in the corner called out lazily, “On the twenty-ninth day, the pond was half full.”
A Surprise Marriage
Needless to say, the princess was impressed and eventually married him, proving that wisdom is sometimes found in the unlikeliest of places.
A Call to Action
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