Shandili and Sesame Seeds

Panchtantra Stories

Shandili and Sesame SeedsBrihat begins the story thus, "One day, I sought hospitality from a Brahmin for sacred ceremonies in the monsoon season. This kind Brahmin offered me a space in his house in return for the services I rendered which he found useful in his rituals. One day, during this arrangement of my stay, I heard the Brahmin and his wife discussing their plans for the day. The Brahmin told his wife, "From today, the Sun commences his northward journey. This time of the year, the rich and pious people offer gifts to Brahmins. I will go to the next village to collect the offerings. At the same time, it will be proper for you to invite a Brahmin as a guest and offer him food in the name of the Sun." "The wife flew into a rage and told him, "How can I offer anything to anyone in your poverty-stricken house? Aren’t you ashamed to make such a suggestion? I have wasted my entire life as your wife. I haven’t tasted a good meal so far even on a single day. Nor do I have any jewellery."  "Though taken aback, the Brahmin quickly recovered and said, "Such words are not becoming of you. The learned say that if you share even half of your meal with a mendicant, you will get whatever you wish in life. What good the rich reap by liberally giving away, the poor get by parting with even a cent they have. The giver deserves to be served even if he is poor. But a rich miser is shunned. It is like the well and the sea. People drink the water from the well and not the sea. We must always give to him who deserves. Greed can only destroy a person."  "How is it?" asked the wife.  "The husband then told Shandili the story of the hunter and the greedy jackal.