बात लाख टके की
Summary
A prince, known for his love of learning, spent vast sums to acquire knowledge from various scholars, depleting the royal treasury. His father, the king, exiled him. The queen, heartbroken, hid three lakhs worth of jewels inside three sweets and gave them to the prince as provisions. Upon reaching a new city, the prince saw a shop selling "intelligence." He paid one lakh of his jewels for the advice: "Leave a thousand tasks and eat on time." He paid another lakh for: "If you see someone's adultery, cover it." He paid his final lakh for: "Do not work for a man who is weak in the ear." Now penniless, the prince stayed at a serai opposite a wealthy merchant's shop. The prince had a perfect memory. One day, the merchant was distressed, unable to find a debtor's account in his ledgers. The prince, recalling the accounts from memory, told him the exact ledger, page, and balance due. Impressed, the merchant hired him as his head clerk. The prince's skill doubled the shop's profits. Later, the prince saw the merchant's wife in adultery with a clerk. Remembering the second lesson, he covered them with his shawl and left silently. The adulterous pair plotted to frame the prince. The wife told her husband that the prince had tried to assault her, showing the shawl as proof. The enraged merchant wrote a letter to the city magistrate ordering the bearer's execution. He gave the sealed letter to the prince to deliver. On the way, the prince was invited to a wedding feast. Remembering the first lesson, he decided to eat first. During the meal, he opened the letter and read it. He then altered the letter, changing the description of the criminal to match the clerk. After eating, he delivered the letter. The clerk was executed, and the prince was saved.
Conclusion
The document illustrates how wisdom, once acquired at great cost, can transform a prince's fortunes. After being exiled and spending his entire inheritance on three seemingly simple lessons, the prince uses this hard-won knowledge to secure a position as a chief accountant. His ability to recall details and his adherence to the principle of discretion, learned at the "shop of wisdom," allow him to excel and increase the merchant's profits. However, this success creates enemies among jealous clerks and leads to a false accusation of assault. The story's outcome hinges on the prince's application of the third lesson—not to work for someone who is gullible—as he is sent with a letter ordering his own execution. This demonstrates that the true value of wisdom lies not in its cost, but in its practical application to navigate complex social and professional dangers.