Rebirth

Jai Srimannarayana Do you believe in rebirth? Do you believe donkeys are called beasts of burden? If you want to know this, we must know the story of a wealthy merchant. Some people are wealthy but don't pay bills on time. They keep postponing in settling bills. Once there was a wealthy merchant. He had a washerman. Those were the days a washerman used to perform all other works apart from washing clothes. This wealthy man made him work from morning till evening but never paid on time. Those were the days barter system was going on. So payment was in any form and this merchant used to pay him in the form of rice grains. One day the washerman's son-in-law came to his house. So he asked his master to pay for him. Today is Friday, so I can't pay for you. You better take our leftover food from our house, said the master. The washerman scolded himself for working there and left his house. After a few years, the merchant died and was born as donkey in washerman's house. Those were the days washerman used donkeys for carrying clothes. At first, the donkey did not know who it was in its previous birth. The merchant's son came to the washerman to give his clothes for washing. The moment it saw him, it not only recognized its son, but also came to know about its previous birth. Since then, it was going daily to its son's house and was moving around his bed. At first, he did not take it seriously. The donkey wanted to convey something, but couldn't. It shed tears. Then his son got a doubt and met a fortune teller. He explained everything to the fortune teller about the donkey's behavior. How long has it been moving around your bed? asked the fortune teller. Since the day it saw me at Washerman's house, said the boy. The fortune teller closed his eyes and counted something and said, Do you know who the donkey is? continued. In its previous birth, it was your father. Washerman's son could not digest the fact. That night, while he was sleeping, saw his father in his dreams. He said, My dear son, do you know the reason for my birth as donkey? I exploited our washerman by not paying him well. God punished me in this way. If you want to relieve me from this form, please pay him until he is thoroughly satisfied. He did exactly what his father told him to do. The washerman was shocked and said, How mean your father used to be. How broad-minded you are. I am thoroughly satisfied with your payment. God bless you. As soon as he said so, the donkey died. To relieve him from the state of confusion, the merchant's son explained everything to the washerman.