18 - Honesty In Work

It so happened one day. Devba told Abjibhai, ‘Son! Now you have grown up. Try to help your father more in his work.’ Abjibhai replied, ‘All right Ma. Now onwards I will work longer hours in the fields.’

Panchabhai requested, ‘Son, I will take care of the fields. If you could go and work in other people’s fields, we could get some money.’

Abjibhai agreed, ‘Yes father, from tommorow, I will work in other people’s fields.’ Next day Abjibhai got up early and went to someone else’s fields to work. Other workers were also working there.

One of them asked, ‘Abjibhai, How come you are here?’ Abjibhai replied, ‘To cut the crop.’ Another worker said jokingly, ‘Bhagat, would you cut the crop or sit in meditation?’ They all laughed. Abjibhai did not respond. He began to work with extra speed. Noticing this, a worker said, ‘See, He is working fast. Let us work faster.’

But nobody could overtake Abjibhai in speed. Abjibhai alone finished the work of four to five persons. One of the workers noticed that Abjibhai had been working continuously and he did not stop to rest.

He came to Abjibhai and adviced, ‘Abjibhai, take rest for sometime the owner would not object.’ Abjibhai replied, ‘The owner pays us to work. So, we should not work lazily. We should work honestly. In the evening, I will go home and take rest.’

Other workers were tired after working for sometime. One of them said, ‘The owner is not around. Let me sit down for a short while. I am really tired.’ The other one also sat down. The third one sat down in the middle and whispered something in the ears of both of them.

Abjibhai was busy working one of them went running to the owner. He complained to the owner, ‘Sir, Bhagat is spoiling the crop. He is not cutting it properly.’ The owner was alarmed, ‘Really? Let us go and see.’ Jealous workers felt happy. They thought that the owner would scold Abjibhai.

The owner came and checked up. Abjibhai was working properly. Both the jealous workers were sitting down. The owner noticed this. He praised Abjibhai, ‘Wow! you have finished a lot of work.’ He scolded the worker who had gone to complain. Why do you come with false complaints? Bhagat has worked more then all of you together.’

He also scolded the people who were sitting down. ‘Why are you sitting down. Go back to work.’ Shouted he. They tried to defend themselves. They said, ‘Just now we sat down! Whole day we were working.’

The owner said, ‘I know whenever I am not around you all sit and chat. Only Abjibhai works whole day.’ They were quiet. In the evening, the owner paid more money to Abjibhai. He told, ‘Bhagat, you are very honest. Other workers work lazily. Today you have finished a lot of work. I am very glad. There are some grains in cart. Please, take that also. You have finished a lot of work.’ The workers who were teasing Abjibhai and working inefficiently got less money and they did not receive any grains.

They regretted their misbehaviour. They apologized Abjibhai. They prayed to Abjibhai, ‘Bhagat, we are sorry. Please, forgive us. Now onwards we will never trouble you.’ Abjibhai accepted their apology. He said, ‘It is all right. But if we work honestly, without laziness, it pleases the owner.’ They unanimously agreed, ‘Yes, we have realized it today.’

Difficult words:
To object - To disaprove
To whisper - To say very softly
Alarmed - Fear aroused by feeling of danger
Unanimously - In complete agreement

Points to ponder:
- Shreeji Maharaj has mentioned in Vachanamrit that one must avoid laziness and idleness.
- Abjibhai teaches us that we should avoid laziness in any work and should perform it with honesty then we get the best reward.

Exercise

Answer the following questions:
1. What did Devba mention to Abjibhai?
2. Why did Abjibhai go to someone else’s fields?
3. How did the workers tease Abjibhai?
4. What did Abjibhai say to the worker?
5. Abjibhai worked equivalent to how many workers?
6. What did the jealous workers achieve?

Fill in the blanks:
1. If you could go and work in _____________ fields, we could get some ____________.
2. Bhagat, would you cut the ____________ or sit in ____________.
3. The owner pays us _____________ to work. So we should not work ___________.
4. Bhagat, you are very _____________.