Wish Fulfilled

Rajan and Roopnath were two brothers. Rajan, the elder brother, was selfish and greedy, while Roopnath was naive and indifferent.

After their father’s death, Rajan desired to keep all the property to himself. However, the villagers did not allow him to do so. He was obliged to allow Roopnath to occupy a small portion of the house.

Roopnath had to labor hard to feed his wife and children. In contrast, Rajan took to money lending. He charged heavy interest from the borrowers and lived luxuriously, while Roopnath was always in need. He often had to borrow from Rajan. When Roopnath failed to repay the debts, Rajan took over the portion of the ancestral house that Roopnath occupied, forcing him to move into a small hut.

The Encounter

One day, Roopnath went to work in a distant village. Unable to return home at night, he slept on the outskirts of a forest and resumed his journey at dawn. Soon, he reached the bank of a lake, where he spotted a golden lotus bud swaying in the gentle breeze. As he marveled at the exquisite bud, the sun rose, causing the bud to bloom into a magnificent flower.

Unable to resist the temptation, Roopnath plucked the flower. Immediately, his eyes dazzled, and a luminous feminine figure appeared before him.

Roopnath greeted the figure with folded hands. “I am the deity of this forest,” she said. “Every morning, a lotus blooms for me in this lake. The one you plucked was meant for me. Return it to me, and I will grant you a boon.”

The Request

Roopnath, filled with regret, said, “Pardon my foolish deed, O deity of the forest, and kindly accept the lotus from me.” The deity accepted the lotus and said, “I am pleased with you. Ask for a boon, and it will be granted!”

Roopnath pondered for a moment before responding, “O deity! You know what a poor man lacks—happiness. Grant me that none in my family will ever be unhappy!”

The deity smiled and replied, “You are clever. Everyone wants happiness, but they often chase after things they believe will bring it. When those desires don’t fulfill them, disappointment follows. You are fortunate. I grant you happiness.” With that, the deity vanished.

A New Life

Roopnath returned home a contented man. Remarkable changes soon unfolded in his household. Whatever he earned proved more than sufficient for his family. His wife and children never complained, and he managed to repay all his debts and even build a small house for himself.

Rajan was surprised by these changes and speculated that Roopnath must have found some hidden treasure. However, he knew Roopnath would not hide anything from him if asked.

Curious, Rajan approached Roopnath. “Brother, how is it that you no longer come to me for loans? What has caused this sudden change in your fortune? Please tell me everything honestly.”

Roopnath replied, “I have nothing to hide. We are happy with what we earn and have no desire for wealth. That is all!”

The Greedy Pursuit

Though Rajan recognized the truth in Roopnath’s words, he was not satisfied. “You speak the truth, but not the whole truth. Tell me, how have you become so incredibly happy?”

Roopnath recounted the tale of the lotus in the lake and his encounter with the deity.

Excited by the story, Rajan returned home, fixated on what boon he would ask of the goddess. He hardly slept that night and set out for the lake before dawn. He soon spotted a lotus bud and plucked it as it bloomed with the sunrise.

The deity appeared, but she was not pleased. “The lotus is meant for me. Return it,” she demanded.

The Dark Turn

Rajan scoffed, “I will give it to you if you grant me a boon, not before!”

The deity, looking disgusted, asked, “What boon do you seek?”

Rajan replied, “Grant me that whatever I think will come true!”

<p“Let it be so,” said the deity as she vanished with the flower.

Filled with joy, Rajan exclaimed, “How wonderful it would be if this mango tree could provide me with sweet, ripe mangoes right now!” Instantly, mangoes appeared, and he devoured them to his heart’s content. Back at home, he said, “I think I need a palace!” And indeed, a palace manifested before him. He wished for luxurious dishes, and they were immediately made available.

Later that evening, Rajan’s wife went to Roopnath’s house to boast about their fortune. It was dark when she began her return home. Rajan, idle at home, saw a dark figure approaching but could not recognize her in the gloom. He felt a chill of fear, thinking the shadow could be a ghost. As he stared, his wife instantly took on the appearance of a ghost.

“The ghost is coming to kill me,” Rajan thought. In a panic, he fled, and the ghost lunged at him, killing him instantly. This was the final outcome of the boon Rajan sought.

With no child to inherit his wealth, Rajan’s palace and riches were passed on to Roopnath.