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Once upon a time there lived a rich man. Though wealthy, he led a moral life. He donated money to build temples, funded education and marriage for the poor, fed the Sãdhus and the hungry and helped the diseased. He thus helped the poor and needy in his society, and also contributed to the spiritual upliftment to his level best.

He had a Guru in the same city, whom he visited daily. The Guru advised him good principles. His wife had died soon after giving birth to their child. He lived happily with his son, until sorrow struck him -- he suffered from a severe illness.

After examination, the doctors told him that he would live only for a year or two. He had lived a prosperous, moral life, had sought a Guru and had received ‘upadesa’ from his Guru. His life was one of fulfillment. He had no qualms about his death. The thought of his young child's future and education bothered him.

He also worried that there should be a responsible person who could take care of his wealth and pass them over to his son at the right time. He did not believe in his relatives or friends. He was tired of thinking of a responsible person who could take care of his wealth and hand them over to his son at the right time.

He had immense faith in his Guru. He told his Guru, “Swami, I am affected by a severe disease. Doctors say that I may not live beyond a year or two. My son is just two and a half years old. I am not able to find a trustworthy person who can take care of my wealth, bring up my son, give him good education and when mature enough, pass all my wealth to him. I believe in you completely. So I request you to accept that responsibility yourself."

The Guru replied, "It is fair son! However, I am an ascetic who has renounced worldly attachment. How can I receive your wealth and pass it on to your son? Spiritual practices like 'japa', 'dhyãna' etc. keep me busy. Is it enough if I just receive your wealth? Should not I take care of it? I do not have the capacity and time to take care of your wealth. I am helpless!”

But he did not give up. Seeing him to be desperately in need of a care taker, the Guru asked, “Do you trust any body in this city to a little extent?” The wealthy man told the name of the person and added, “ He is a good person with a good behavior and from a good family. He is a wealthy man himself. So he would not eye for my wealth. Among all the other people, I trust him better.”

The Guru said, “Write out a will that you would give away all the wealth to him and also entrust the responsibility of bringing up your son to him. Don’t write that the man should handover all your wealth to your son in future. Include that the man could give what ever he wishes to your son.” Knowing that there would be some meaning in his Gurus words, the wealthy man prepared the will according to his Gurus guidance.

He thus wrote the will that read “ I entrust all my wealth to the elderly man. I also entrust the responsibility of bringing up my son and educating him. When my son is at the right age, the elderly man can give whatever he wishes to my son as wealth.” Every one signed the witness for the will. Just as the doctors had predicted, the wealthy man passed away in a few days.

The elderly man took care of the wealthy mans son. The son grew up to be wise and well educated. He also was at the right age and maturity.

Human mind is never stable. Inspite of being a wealthy man, he was attracted by the wealth. His qualities (character) changed. He nourished the thought of appropriating all the wealth.

One day the boy said, “Can I now have all the wealth that my father had left behind. I am capable of taking care of them now.” The elderly man replied, “Look at the will that your father has written. He has told that I could give you what ever I wish. You will own the small house that you are living in now. Consider that the money that was spent on your education was what I spent for you. I do not intend to give you anything more. I wish to give only this house to you as ordained by the will signed by so many witnesses.”

The boy felt dejected that he could not inherit the his father’s property and felt he had to find out a way to get the rightful property so that he can continue performing the good deeds done by his father.

He complained to the king. The king read the will and observed that the will said that the caretaker could give what ever he wished to the boy. He also came to know that the father had written the will with the guidance of his Guru who was a Mahãtma and understood the deep inner meaning in the will. He called for the elderly man and said, “Do you know what is written in this will? It is said that you could give his son what ever you want. But have you not retained whatever you wanted and given him only the house? So, now, keep only the house for yourself and hand over all the other property to the boy. What ever you wished to possess, you should give it to the boy. That is the crux of the will. So give all the other wealth to the boy.” Thus was the judgment from the king.

How much of foresight the Mahãtma should have had on human mind and the way it thinks, to have asked the wealthy man to write such a will!

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