The Merchant's Son Who Bought One Verse

In a certain city lived a merchant named Sagaradatta. His son paid a hundred rupees for a book in which only this one verse was written: "A man receives the wealth that is to be his; not even a god can turn it aside. So I neither grieve nor wonder — what is ours does not belong to another."

Sagaradatta asked: "Son, what did you pay for that book?" — "A hundred rupees." His father said furiously: "Fool! A hundred rupees for a book with one verse in it! With judgement like that, how will you ever earn anything? From today do not set foot in my house." And he threw him out.

He went abroad and settled in another city. Some days later a citizen asked him: "Where are you from? What is your name?" He answered: "A man receives the wealth that is to be his." Whoever asked got the same answer — and so the whole city came to call him Praptavyamartha, What-Is-Destined.

In that city was a princess named Chandravati, of marriageable age. At a great festival, walking with her friends, she saw a handsome prince and was pierced through. She sent her friend: "Tell him I am dying for the sight of him; let him come to my chamber tonight." The prince agreed: "I shall climb to your palace by a rope tonight." But afterwards he thought better of it — one should not do what brings dishonour — and he did not go.

That same night Praptavyamartha, walking about, came below that palace and saw a rope hanging from the wall. Out of curiosity he climbed it. In the dark the princess took him for the prince and married him by gandharva rites. Afterwards she asked: "Who are you?" He said: "A man receives the wealth that is to be his." She understood that this was not the man, and sent him away.

He went out and lay down in a ruined temple. A watch-officer had come there to meet his mistress and asked: "Who are you?" He got the same answer. The officer said: "This place is deserted; go and sleep at my house." He went — but lay down on a different bed from the one he had been shown.

In that house was the officer's daughter Nikamini, who had told her lover to come to that very bed. In the dark she took him for her lover and married him by gandharva rites. Asked afterwards, he gave the same answer. She thought: "This is what comes of an act done without thinking," and sent him out.

In the morning he was walking along the road when a bridegroom named Varakirti came by with music and a wedding party, and he joined them. They reached a merchant's house where the marriage was to be held. Just then a maddened elephant broke its chains and came through; there was uproar and everyone scattered in all directions — the bridegroom among them.

Praptavyamartha saw the bride left alone by the altar, wild with fear. He took her right hand, stood his ground before the elephant, and saved her.

When the wedding party came back and the bridegroom claimed the bride, she said: "This man saved my life; no other man will take my hand." The dispute went to the king. The king asked Praptavyamartha for his story; he recited that verse. Hearing it, the princess Chandravati remembered — and so did the watchman's daughter — and both said: "What is ours does not belong to another."

When the king had learned the whole of it, he gladly gave him his daughter Chandravati with a thousand villages and installed him as heir apparent. He brought his parents and all his family and settled them there, and lived long in enjoyment.

That is why I say: what is destined arrives — so there is neither grief nor wonder in me.

प्राप्तव्यमर्थं लभते मनुष्यो देवोऽपि तं लङ्घयितुं न शक्तः । तस्मान्न शोचामि न विस्मयो मे यदस्मदीयं न हि तत्परेषाम् ॥

Moral: A man receives the wealth that is to be his; not even a god can turn it aside. So I neither grieve nor wonder — what is ours does not belong to another.

From the Panchatantra, Book II — The Winning of Friends.