A Shopkeeper had just opened his shop when a woman came and said, “Sir, here are your ten rupees.”
Shopkeeper looked at the poor woman questioningly, as if asking, “When did I give you ten rupees?”
Woman replied, “Yesterday evening, I bought goods worth ₹70 and gave you ₹100. By mistake, you returned ₹40 instead of ₹30.”
Shopkeeper placed the ten-rupee note on his forehead respectfully and said, “Tell me one thing, sister. While buying the goods, you were bargaining so hard for a discount of just five rupees, yet now you have come back to return ten rupees?”
Woman smiled and said, “Bargaining to reduce a price is my right, but paying less than the agreed amount is a sin.”
Shopkeeper was surprised and said, “But you didn’t pay me less – it was my mistake that you got extra. Even if you had kept the ten rupees, it wouldn’t have mattered much to me; small losses like this happen all the time.”
Woman replied softly, “It might not matter to you, but it would weigh heavily on my conscience. I would know that I had knowingly kept your money. I actually came last night to return it, but your shop was closed.”
Shopkeeper, amazed, asked, “Where do you live?”
“I live in Sector 8,” she said.
Shopkeeper was stunned, “You came all the way, 7 kilometers, just to return ten rupees?”
Woman replied calmly, “Yes, because if you want peace of mind, you must do what’s right. My husband is no more, but he taught me one thing: never keep even a single penny that belongs to someone else. God may ask for that account anytime and if not me, my children might suffer for it.”
After she left, the businessman immediately took out ₹300 from his cash box, got on his scooter, and told his worker, “Take care of the shop. I’ll be back soon.”
He went to another shop in the market, handed ₹300 to the shop owner, and said, “Here are your three hundred rupees. Yesterday, when you bought goods from me, I accidentally overcharged you.”
Shop owner laughed and said, “You could’ve returned it next time I came to your shop. Why come so early in the morning?”
Shopkeeper replied, “What if I died before you came again? You didn’t even know I owed you ₹300. It’s better to clear accounts now – who knows when God will ask for the final reckoning, and I wouldn’t want my children to suffer for my mistakes.”
Shopkeeper left, but his words shook the shop owner deeply. Ten years ago, the shop owner had borrowed ₹3 lakh from a friend who died the next day. His friend’s family never knew about the loan, so he never repaid it. Over time, greed had silenced his conscience.
Now, remembering the businessman’s words – “God may ask for the account anytime and our children may pay for our wrongs” – he couldn’t find peace.
After days of turmoil, his conscience awakened. He withdrew ₹3 lakh from the bank and went to his late friend’s home. His friend’s widow, struggling to raise her children by working as a maid, was shocked to see him fall at her feet and hand her the money. Tears filled her eyes – she blessed him for his honesty.
That widow was the same woman who had gone twice to return ten rupees to the shopkeeper.
Learning:
Those who live with honesty and integrity are tested by God, but He never abandons them. He always listens – maybe not immediately, but definitely in time.
1.Honesty is the greatest wealth:
That woman proved that honesty is far more valuable than money. It defines a person’s true character.
2. Every deed is accounted for:
We may think no one sees us taking what’s not ours, but God does. The result of our deeds always comes back – to us or to our next generation.
3. Peace of mind is greater than money:
True happiness doesn’t come from wealth, but from living a righteous and just life. Both the woman and the businessman showed this truth.
4. Good deeds inspire others:
Just as the woman inspired the businessman and he, in turn, inspired the shopkeeper – good actions spread like ripples, changing society for the better.
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