THE WEAVER’S SHORTSIGHTED WISH
In a quiet little village, there lived a poor weaver named Mandharaka. No matter how hard he worked, he barely earned enough to feed his family. One day, burdened by his troubles, he wandered into the nearby forest. There, he unexpectedly met a kind-hearted Yaksha—a celestial being—who offered to grant him a boon.
Mandharaka was overjoyed but unsure what to ask for. Wanting to make the best choice, he hurried home to consult his wife. She thought for a moment and said,
“If you had two heads and four arms, you could weave twice as fast, finish more work, and earn more money. That would solve all our problems!”
Trusting her advice, Mandharaka returned to the Yaksha and made this unusual request. The Yaksha smiled and immediately granted the boon. To Mandharaka’s amazement, he now had two heads and four arms! Feeling proud and excited about the future, he walked back to his village.
But when the villagers saw him, they were terrified. To them, Mandharaka looked like a fearsome demon. Panic spread quickly, and without thinking, they attacked him with sticks and stones. The poor weaver, who had only wished for prosperity, was killed on the spot—destroyed not by enemies, but by his own short-sighted wish.
Moral: Quick fixes and shortsighted decisions may seem promising, but without foresight and wisdom, they can lead to disaster instead of lasting growth.
