The seed of honesty

A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.

Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.

He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you.”

The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. “I am going to give each one of you a SEED today – one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.”

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed.

Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn’t have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by — still nothing in Jim’s pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn’t say anything to his colleagues, however… He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil – He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.

Jim told his wife that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right.

He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful — in all shapes and sizes.

Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.

Jim just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown,” said the CEO. “Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!”

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front.

Jim was terrified. He thought, “The CEO knows I’m a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!”

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed – Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, “Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!”

Jim couldn’t believe it. Jim couldn’t even grow his seed.

“How could he be the new CEO?” the others said.

Then the CEO said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead – it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!”

* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment.
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective.
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
* If you plant faith in God , you will reap a harvest.

So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later..

“Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back”

Law Of Karma

After Kurukshetra war,

 Dhritrarashtra asked Krishna,

 “I had 100 sons.

 All of them were killed.

Why?

Krishna replied, 

“50 lifetimes ago, 

You were a hunter.

 While hunting, 

You tried to shoot a male bird. 

It flew away.

In anger, 

You ruthlessly slaughtered the 100 baby birds in the nest.

Father-bird had to watch in helpless agony.

Because you caused that father-bird the pain of seeing the death of his 100 sons,

 You too had to bear the pain of your 100 sons dying.

Dhritarastra said, 

“Ok,But why did I have to wait for fifty lifetimes?”

Krishna answered, “You were accumulating

' Punya' during the last fifty lifetimes to get 100 sons - Because that requires a lot of Punya . 

Then you got the reaction for the 'Paap' (sin) that you have done fifty lifetimes ago.”

Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita (4.17) "Gahana Karmano Gatih"

The way in which action and reaction works is very complex. 

God knows best which reaction has to be given at what time in what condition.

Therefore,

Some reaction may come in this lifetime,

Some in the next and Some in a distant future lifetime.

There is a saying,

“The mills of God grind slow*
but
They grind exceedingly fine.”

*So, every single action will be accounted for*,

 *SOONER OR LATER*

Srimad Bhagavatam gives example:

If we have a cowshed with 1000 calves andIf we leave a mother cow there,

She will easily find out where her calf is among those thousands. She has this Mystical Ability.

Similarly, 

*Our karma will find us among the millions on this planet.* 

*There may be thousands going on the road but only one meets with an accident*

*It is not by chance,*

*It's by KARMA.* 

Thus,

The LAW OF KARMA works exceedingly fine.
it may be SLOW TO ACT
but
NO ONE CAN ESCAPE 

So be very careful about your words, actions and thoughts ...  !!

A Mother Child conversation

Mother:
I fought with death when I was giving birth to you. I spent sleepless nights when you were sick and crying. I never ate without feeding you first. I bore so many pains to bring you to the stage that you are in today. How will you repay me my child?

Child:
When I grow up, I will find a good job and earn lots of money for you so you can enjoy the pleasures of this world.

Mother:
Your father is doing this already and I do not expect this from you too. By the time you are earning I will be old and will not be in need of any worldly luxuries.

Son:
I will find a pious lady and marry her so she can cook for you and take care of you.

Mother:
That is not her duty my son and neither should you marry for that reason. It is not compulsory on her to do any service to me, neither do I expect this from her. Your marriage should be for you, a companion and a comfort for you as you go through this journey of life.

Child:
Tell me mother how can I repay you then?

Mother:
(With tears in her eyes) Visit or call me often. A mother only requires this much from you while she is alive.
Then when I die give me your shoulder and bury me.
Whenever you perform prayers, supplicate for me. Give out in charity
Remember your every good deed will benefit me in the hereafter so be good and kind always.
Fulfill the rights of all those around you.

The sleepless nights and pains I took to bring you up was not a favour to you but was for my creator. He blessed me with you as a beautiful gift and as a means for me to attain His pleasure. Your every good deed becomes my repayment._
Will you do it my child...?