In a quiet place, there was a holy man named Godly who lived in a monastery. He had made a lot of money by selling special clothes and doing special prayers for people. Because he didn't trust anyone, he always kept his money close to him, day and night. He knew that having money could bring a lot of worries, whether you were trying to get it, keep it, spend it, or lose it.
There was a tricky man named June who liked to take money that wasn't his. When he saw Godly's money, he started thinking of ways to get it. He knew he couldn't just break in or walk in; he needed to be sneaky. He decided to pretend to be Godly’s student because then Godly might trust him and he could get the money.
So June went up to Godly, said a prayer, and acted very respectfully. He told Godly he knew that life was short and he wanted to do something good so he wouldn't have to worry about coming back to life again and again.
Godly liked what he heard and told June that it was great he wasn't attached to worldly things, especially at a young age. He said that if you’re truly good when you're young, you'll be good when you're old.
Godly then told June about a special prayer that could make everything better after life. June pretended to be very interested and asked Godly to teach him more.
Godly agreed to help but said that June shouldn't come into his room at night because both of them needed to learn to live without wanting too much. He told June that many things could go wrong if you're not careful, like getting too attached to money or not treating people right.
June agreed to everything and started doing small jobs for Godly, like massaging his feet and bringing him things he needed. But Godly was still very careful and kept his money with him all the time.
After a while, June started to think that no matter what he did, Godly wouldn't trust him with the money. He wondered if he should do something really bad to get the money, like hurting Godly.
One day, a young man came and invited Godly to come to his village for a special event. Godly decided to go and took June with him. On their way, they had to cross a river. Godly took the money out from under his robe, wrapped it up, and told June to watch it while he went to do something.
As soon as Godly was gone, June grabbed the money and ran away.
The moral of the story "Godly and June" from the Panchatantra revolves around the themes of greed, trust, and the consequences of deception.
In the story, a holy man named Godly accumulates a significant sum of money and becomes overly protective and mistrustful, always keeping his treasure close. June, a cunning character, notices Godly's treasure and devises a plan to steal it by gaining Godly’s trust. He pretends to renounce worldly desires and becomes Godly's disciple. When Godly finally trusts him enough to leave him alone with the treasure momentarily, June seizes the opportunity to steal it.
The key morals and lessons from this story include:
Beware of Excessive Greed: Godly's obsession with his wealth ultimately leads to its loss. His excessive attachment to material possessions blinds him to the true intentions of those around him, making him an easy target for deceit.
The Dangers of Naive Trust: Godly's naivety in trusting June without truly understanding his intentions highlights the dangers of misplaced trust. It's crucial to be discerning about whom to trust, especially when it comes to valuable possessions or secrets.
Consequences of Deception: June's actions represent deceit and manipulation. While he achieves his goal in the short term, the story serves as a cautionary tale about the unethical means of acquiring wealth and the potential long-term consequences of such actions.
The Importance of Discernment and Vigilance: The story encourages vigilance and discernment in both personal and financial affairs. It reminds us that not everyone who appears trustworthy or pious may have honest intentions.
Overall, "Godly and June" teaches about the pitfalls of greed, the importance of careful trust, and the perils of deceit, serving as a warning to be prudent and wise in our dealings with others.
