In times of Lord Mahavir there was a well known trader named Dhanyadev in Rajgrihi. He used to import and export variety of articles and his caravans used to go to distant places. Indian term forcaravan is Särthaväh. The trader was therefore known as Dhanya Sarthvah. His wife Bhadraused to take care of his manifold household affairs. He had four sons who used to attend to thedifferent aspects of his vast business. All of them were married in well reputed families.

After some time his wife died. Dhanya therefore thought to distribute the work among hisdaughters in law. For that he wanted to know their inclinations, knowledge and wisdom. He wasparticularly keen to find the most intelligent and capable of them who could be the care taker ofhis entire household. For that purpose he once called them one after another and gave to each ofthem five grains of paddy. He told them to take best care of the grains and to give them backwhen he asked for the same.

The eldest of them was Ujjikä. She had noticed the large storage of paddy in the house. She wasnot much concerned for five simple grains handed over by her father in law. She thought that theold man must be getting crazy to ask her to take care of five grains. She threw them awaythinking that she could give him the five grains from the storage whenever he called for it.

The second eldest was Bhogävati. She too did not have any significance for the five tiny grains.She had however some regard for the old man. Therefore instead of throwing away the grainsgiven by him, she ate them as Prasad from the father in law. Like Ujjikä, she also thought that shecould give him the five grains from the storage when he asked for it.

The third was Rakshikä. She had regard for the old man and thought that whatever he did mustbe significant. She was used to obeying his instructions. She decided to keep the grains in perfectsafety so that she could give the same back to him whenever he called for. She thereforecarefully placed the five grains in a silk cloth, made a neat knot of the cloth, put the knot in herjewelry box and kept the box in a safe custody.

The youngest was Rohini. She had a high regard for her father in law and knew that he would notdo anything without purpose. She wanted to find out the purpose of his instructions. She remembered that he had asked her to take best care of the grains. What can be better care of thepaddy apart from sowing? she thought. She therefore sent the grains to her father and requestedhim to sow them in a carefully prepared bed. At the end of the season there came out five neatlygrown ears each bearing about 100 grains. Rohini sent the message to grow all of them in aproperly hedged section of a field. At the end of another season there came about 500 earsbearing too many paddy seeds. During the next season all of them were sown in a vast fieldresulting in tons of grains. Rohini instructed her parents to store them properly.

By that time Dhanya once again called his daughters in law and asked them to return the fivegrains that he had given. Ujjikä went into the store, selected five neat grains and handed over tohim. Upon enquiring by Dhanya whether they were the same five grains that he had handed over,she confessed that she had thrown them away and she had brought the grains from the store.Dhanya said, „Is that so?‟ Then he called Bhogävati who too brought the grains from the store.Upon enquiring by Dhanya she confessed that she had eaten away the original grains and thegrains that she was giving were from the store. Dhanya said O.K. to her.

Then he called Rakshikä and asked for the five grains. Rakshikä went to her treasure chest,opened the jewelry box, took out the knot and untying it she took the carefully preserved grainsand handed over to the father in law. On enquiring by Dhanya she said that they were the samefive grains that she had carefully preserved in her jewelry box. Dhanya complimented her forpreserving the grains in safe custody.

Then came the turn of Rohini. When Dhanya asked for those five grains, she replied that she hadsent them to her father and needed cart loads for bringing the same back. Dhanya feignedamazement and asked her why she needed that much transportation for bringing back those fivegrains. Thereupon Rohini told him how they were grown season after season. Dhanya was verypleased. He was sure that the girl would not only maintain the prosperity and reputation of thefamily but would also extend the same. He said that she had taken true care of the grains. Hecongratulated her for rightly understanding the purpose of his handing over those grains.

The next day he called all the family members for distributing the work. The entire managementand planning was entrusted to Rohini; custody of the treasury and other valuables was entrustedto Rakshikä who had properly preserved the grains; kitchen work and cooking were entrusted toBhogävati who had eaten away the grains and the work of cleanliness and garbage was handedover to Ujjikä who had thrown them away.

This story tells us how the discretion and wisdom can lead to growth and prosperity. There ishowever a special religious significance of this story. Five grains stand for the five Anuvratas andthe father in law stands for the preceptor who asks every one to carefully and meaningfullyobserve those Vratas. Some people are like Ujjikä who do not attach any importance to theVratas and cast the teaching of preceptors to the wind. Some are like Bhogävati who listen to thepreceptors but do not realize the usefulness of the Vratas. Most of the people, who go for thesermons, belong to this category. They carefully listen and like the sermon but do not take homeanything. Some are like Rakshikä. They understand the importance of the Vratas and carefullyobserve the same. But they do not realize that Vratas are meant for the realization of true Self.

Very few people are like Rohini who realize the importance of Vratas. For them externalobservance of Vratas is only a means to the true realization of Self. They observe them to anever increasing extent and try to figure out to what extent they are helpful in getting rid of theinner enemies of craving and aversion. As the grains sown in the ground lose their identity anddevelop into a plant, so the observance of Vratas too is meant for the growth of the spiritualvalues.

This story was told by Sudharmäswämi to Jambuswämi. He told at the end that only the soulsbelonging to the last category proceed on the path of liberation.