A miraculous plate of gold was once found in a Banaras temple. It was written on the plate that it was a gift from heaven to him who loved the most. People from all walks of life would assemble to claim the plate as the priests had proclaimed that it would be bestowed on the one who would prove to be the most merciful and virtuous of the lot.
Thrice the plate was awarded to the one they thought was the most deserving but each time it turned to lead. Later the reward of god again turned to gold. A horde of poor and disabled beggars lay all about the streets and near the gates of the temple, expecting a bountiful of alms, deluding gold from the claimants. Their expectations were realized when the claimants who hoped and wished to win the gift, donated generously.
Alas! It was not true altruism or benevolence for none stopped to say a word of comfort to the poor. For two years whenever the plate was rewarded it turned to lead the moment the person touched it. At last one day their arrived a simple peasant who was not even aware of the contest for the gift of god. He visited the temple to fulfill a promise. When he saw the pitiful state of the poor beggars his heart was filled with passion and his eyes with tears.
At the gate of the temple he encountered a blind beggar and implored him to bear his troubles bravely. He also comforted him by praising god who would take care of him. The priest who held the plate of gold was moved. He summoned the peasant and gave him the plate. The peasant was taken by surprise. He knelt and prayed to god with his head bowed over the plate while god poured his love and affection on him.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
A miraculous thing happened. The plate shone with thrice its lustier and remained of gold. The gift of god was bestowed upon the peasant.
To Sum Up:
A plate of gold inscribed with a message, to be gifted to the most virtuous person as a gift from god was once found in a temple. The priest awarded it thrice to people believed to be virtuous and merciful. Alas! It turned to lead. The poor that thronged the temple were bestowed with gifts by many people expecting to win the gift of God. However none stopped to comfort the poor. Two years later a peasant unaware of the contest arrived at the temple- Moved at the sight of a blind beggar he began to comfort him saying that God would take care of him. The priest summoned the peasant and bestowed the plate- the gift of God to him, the plate never changed to lead. The peasant thanked God as he poured his love and affection on him.