Sitaraman, the audit officer moved with Ramesh not as a superior, but as an elder friend.
The cooperative society was running a silk sari weaving unit at Kanchipuram.
After they had landed at the office of the society and conveyed the purpose of their visit to the Managing Director of the society, the Managing Director assigned Varadarajan, a senior executive of the society, to get them the records and documents required for the audit.
Varadarajan sat with them throughout, getting them the records and documents sought by them.
Varadarajan sat with them throughout, getting them the records and documents sought by them.
In the evening, Varadarajan took the duo to some temples.
"As you may be aware, Kanchipuram is a temple town. This town more than a hundred temples, including 108 Siva temples, 15 Vishnu temples and temples for other gods like the Sun, Yama etc. These include 15 Vishnu temples whose glory was sung by the Alwars, the Vaishnavite saints and 11 Siva temples sung by the Nayanmars, the Saivite saints. According to ancient texts, this place is one of the 7 holy places that would offer salvation to the soul. The renowned Sanskrit poet Kalidasa has described Kanchipuram as the foremost among all the towns. I will take you to as many important temples as I can, during the few days of your stay in this town" he said
After Sitaraman and Ramesh had returned to their hotel, Ramesh asked Sitaraman, "Sir! We have come here to audit the accounts of the society. But, the society people pay for our food. Additionally, Mr. Varadarajan took us to a few temples in a car. Is it right on our part to accept this kind of hospitality from people whose accounts we are auditing?"
Sitaraman looked at Ramesh for a moment and then said, "The question you have raised is pertinent. But, this society is run well. There will be no malpractices here. If it were an organization that follows questionable practices or fudges the accounts, I won't accept its hospitality. Providing food to the visitors and taking them out for sight-seeing are considered acts of courtesy, by a person or an organization. Though we are auditors, we are also treated as visitors by this society, whose accounts we are auditing. If we decline these gestures, we may be considered discourteous. If we detect lapses or wrongdoings during the audit, we don't have to overlook them, just because we have accepted the society's hospitality. In other words, we don't have to feel indebted to someone, because he gave us a good lunch!"
The audit was completed in four days. As mentioned by Sitaraman even at the beginning of the audit, there were no irregularities in the accounts of the society. There were some minor lapses, which Sitaraman brought to the notice of the Managing Director, after completing the audit. He told the Managing Director that he would mention those lapses in his report and that if the society rectified them and confirmed to the government that the lapses had been rectified, there would be no problems.
When they took leave of the Managing Director, he gave two packets to Sitaraman.
Sitaraman said, "Thank you" and received the packets.
After returning to the hotel room, Sitaraman gave one of the two packets to Ramesh.
"What is this, sir?" asked Ramesh.
"Gift" said Sitaraman, with a smile.
"Gift" said Sitaraman, with a smile.
"What is this gift? Why are they giving it to us?"
"What gift can you expect from an organization that produces silk saris? It should be a silk sari. Open the packet and see for yourself."
Sitaraman then opened the packet that had a label carrying his name. "They have labelled the packets. So, the two gifts could be different" he said.
The packet contained a silk sari. Even from its appearance, it could be seen that it was an expensive sari. It had a price tag, showing the price of the sari as Rs.21,375."
"They have not removed the price tag, since they want us to know the value of the gift!" said Sitaraman. "Would you like to open your packet here or would you prefer to open it after reaching home?'
"I don't want to take this, sir" said Ramesh.
"Let us first open the packet and see what is inside" said Sitaraman. He then opened the packet carrying Ramesh's name on the label. It also contained an expensive silk sari. The price tag mentioned the price as Rs.10,275.
"They have given me such an expensive gift!" exclaimed Ramesh.
Sitaraman then opened the packet that had a label carrying his name. "They have labelled the packets. So, the two gifts could be different" he said.
The packet contained a silk sari. Even from its appearance, it could be seen that it was an expensive sari. It had a price tag, showing the price of the sari as Rs.21,375."
"They have not removed the price tag, since they want us to know the value of the gift!" said Sitaraman. "Would you like to open your packet here or would you prefer to open it after reaching home?'
"I don't want to take this, sir" said Ramesh.
"Let us first open the packet and see what is inside" said Sitaraman. He then opened the packet carrying Ramesh's name on the label. It also contained an expensive silk sari. The price tag mentioned the price as Rs.10,275.
"They have given me such an expensive gift!" exclaimed Ramesh.
"I thought you might feel that your gift is less valuable then mine. But, you are grudging their giving you a gift!"
Ramesh recalled how his wife Gita had a fascination for saris. Whenever she went for shopping, she would explore expensive saris, by looking at them and touching them. But, she would buy only a low-priced sari.
"Why should I spend a lot of money on saris? I can save that money and spend it on the children that will be born to us" she would tell Ramesh.
"Why should I spend a lot of money on saris? I can save that money and spend it on the children that will be born to us" she would tell Ramesh.
Gita had no silk saris, except for one silk sari that her parents had bought for her at the time of her marriage. She would often tell Ramesh, "Silk saris costing one lakh rupees and above are available. I don't want to buy such expensive saris. But, someday, I should buy a moderately priced silk sari."
However, considering their state of finances, Gita had been postponing fulfilling her desire. She satisfied herself by looking at and feeling expensive silk saris, during the times she visited textile shops to purchase some clothes.
'If I give this silk sari Gita, she will feel excited. She will be doubly happy that she has been able to get a silk sari, without making her husband empty his purse, for paying its price.
However, considering their state of finances, Gita had been postponing fulfilling her desire. She satisfied herself by looking at and feeling expensive silk saris, during the times she visited textile shops to purchase some clothes.
'If I give this silk sari Gita, she will feel excited. She will be doubly happy that she has been able to get a silk sari, without making her husband empty his purse, for paying its price.
'However...'
"Sir! Don't mistake me. Can I return this gift to the society?"
"Why do you want to do this? This is a small thing. We are not taking a bribe from them for covering up their lapses. We have done our job honestly. This is a gift they have given us out of their goodwill for us. Present it to your wife. She will be happy."
"Yes, sir. She will be happy. In fact, she has been craving to buy a silk sari. I can also be happy about fulfilling a small wish of her. But I don't want to lose the greatest joy, for the sake of this petty joy."
"What is the greatest joy?"
"I believe that the greatest joy in life is to live on what I earn by doing an honest job, without harbouring any desire to get anything from the other person. Don't mistake me for saying this. This is my outlook in life" said Ramesh, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
"I won't mistake you. I have been considering myself a man of integrity. But your standard of morality is much higher. Keep it up. Instead of returning this sari to the society, I can take it. But, I want the Managing Director of the society to know that you didn't take the gift. I will ring up to the Managing Director and ask him to send someone here, to take the gift back" said Sitaraman.
"I won't mistake you. I have been considering myself a man of integrity. But your standard of morality is much higher. Keep it up. Instead of returning this sari to the society, I can take it. But, I want the Managing Director of the society to know that you didn't take the gift. I will ring up to the Managing Director and ask him to send someone here, to take the gift back" said Sitaraman.
"Thank you for understanding me, sir" said Ramesh.
Thirukkural
Section 1
The Path of Virtue
The Path of Virtue
Chapter 18
Not Coveting Others' Belongings
Not Coveting Others' Belongings
Verse 173 (In Tamil)
siRRinbam vehki aRan alla seyyArE
maRRinbam vENdubavar.
maRRinbam vENdubavar.
Meaning:
Those who desire the highest bliss will not act crave for the trifle pleasures that other people’s money can give.
(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'kAnchip pattuduththi' by the same author)
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