With a flower, even husk turns fragrant

Have you read my previous story? – When a mother decides

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On that day, a large crowd had gathered to hear the story about karma. They were all people from a coastal village called Solai Vanam. When the sage inquired about their work, they all mentioned that their occupation was fishing. In response, the sage began to tell a story about a fisherman.

The Sage narrates the story of Santhanu

In a coastal village, there lived a fisherman named Santhanu. His son, Sakthi, had just finished his schooling and was staying at home. At that time, Santhanu fell ill, so Sakthi told his father that he would take up the fishing work. Santhanu agreed to this.

Santhanu’s Son Taking Up the Fishing Tradition

Santhanu took Sakthi to the seashore and instructed him to worship the Mother Sea, followed by worshipping the Sun God. After that, Sakthi paid his respects to his parents. Then, Sakthi’s father gave him some flowers and told him to throw them into the sea. Once the time that Santhanu had mentally noted arrived, he took his son and rowed the boat into the sea.

Santhanu Teaches the Subtleties and Best Practices of Fishing

Santhanu first cast the net, caught some fish, and then released them back into the sea. When Sakthi asked why, Santhanu told him to observe everything and that he would answer all his questions in the evening. After finishing catching fish, Santhanu cast the net into the sea one last time, placing the caught fish in a separate spot on the boat. Then, they gathered all the fish and returned to the shore.

Events at the Seashore

As soon as they reached the shore, Santhanu sold the fish to the traders who had gathered there at a fair price. He took the fish he had set aside separately, placed them in a basket, and sat down. A short while later, a crowd of people came running toward him from somewhere. When they saw him, they were all very happy. With both hands, Santhanu generously gave fish to each of them. The people left joyfully. He then returned home with the same amount of fish that he had given to those people.

Explaining the Events While Fishing

In the evening, both father and son sat at the entrance of their home. At that time, Sakthi asked his father for an explanation of the actions he had performed in the sea that morning. Sakthi asked why his father delayed for a while before entering the sea. Santhanu explained that when the sun’s rays touch the sea, their cool touch falls upon the fish, causing them to jump energetically. Only then should they enter the sea.

When Sakthi asked why his father threw the fish from the first cast back into the sea, Santhanu explained that those fish had rested peacefully throughout the night and were weary. When caught in the net, they would lament, “Oh no, we’ve been caught in the net!” This would affect the prosperity of their family. Therefore, it was important to give the fish a chance to escape, allowing them to recognize the presence of fishermen and learn to protect themselves. The fish caught in subsequent nets would then be destined for them.

When Sakthi asked about the purpose of the final cast of the net, Santhanu explained that there are people in very poor conditions who long to eat fish but cannot afford to buy them. As representatives of the divine, it is their duty to help those in need. Hearing this, Sakthi realized the greatness of his father’s actions.

Sakthi Begins Going to the Sea

From the next day, Sakthi started going to the sea. His father guided him from the shore, showing him the exact time to enter the sea, and then left. From that day onward, Sakthi began to follow the path his father had shown him.

Afterward, he became deeply involved in the fishing profession. He got married, and a son was born to him. Seeing him prosper in life, some envious people created obstacles for him. Among them was a particularly malicious person. Joining hands with another person, who knew Sakthi well, he started doing some malicious work. The accomplice, in association with him, also became malicious.

The Villain’s Malicious Act

The villain gave Sakthi’s acquaintance a water pot, telling him that it contained poison. He instructed the acquaintance to pour the poison into the sea at the spot where Sakthi would cast the last net while fishing the next day. The acquaintance asked why, and the villain explained that the fish in that area would consume the poison and die. When Sakthi later gives those fish to the poor, some of them will die, and others will suffer from ill health. At that point, everyone would blame Sakthi, leading to him being ostracized by the community with a bad reputation. Hearing this, the acquaintance agreed to the plan.

Following Sakthi’s Boat with the Poison Pot

The next day, the villain’s accomplice joined Sakthi for fishing. However, Sakthi set a condition: “There should be no interference between your net and mine. You should not cast your net where I cast mine.” The accomplice agreed. As Sakthi cast his final net, he closed his eyes for a few moments to pray to the gods, something the villain already knew he would do. As soon as Sakthi closed his eyes, the accomplice poured the poison into the sea and threw the empty pot into the water. When Sakthi asked why, the accomplice replied, “The drinking water I brought became contaminated, so I threw it away.” He also claimed to have brought water in another pot for his own drinking. Sakthi cast the final net, caught the fish, and returned to the shore.

The accomplice consumes the poison

After reaching the shore, Sakthi sold the fish, distributed those meant for the people, and then stood on the shore watching the boat. For some reason, he remained suspicious of the accomplice. The accomplice, feeling thirsty, drank from the pot he had brought on the boat. A few moments after drinking the water, he collapsed unconscious on the boat. Observing everything from the shore, Sakthi quickly rowed the boat back to the sea and rescued him.

The Accomplice’s Reformation

Sakthi took the accomplice to a doctor and saved his life. Once he regained consciousness, the accomplice returned home. His wife questioned him sternly, and he confessed to his wrongdoing. He thought about asking Sakthi for forgiveness. However, his wife advised him otherwise, saying, “If you confess your mistake to Sakthi now, he might suspect you in the future whenever a problem arises, thinking you are behind it. Instead, change your heart and seek forgiveness from God.”

The Villain’s Transformation

Reflecting on everything that had happened, the villain regretted his actions when he heard of the accomplice’s fate. He realized that his deeds could have caused great harm and felt deep remorse. He resolved that if he wanted to be happy and peaceful like Sakthi, he too must do good for others. Determined to reform, he decided that he must change his ways.

In keeping with the saying “Even a husk associated with a flower becomes fragrant,” the villain and his accomplices, influenced by Sakthi’s good nature, decided to live righteously and became good people.

The Karmas of This Story

The people who had gathered there asked the sage which karmas in this story had produced their vibrations. The sage explained that both Sandhanu and his son Sakthi were influenced by the good vibrations of Chandra Karma (the karma associated with the Moon) and Rahu Karma. This is why nature itself caused the villain to pour out the water pot instead of the poison pot into the sea. The positive vibrations from these karmas protected their family well because they helped and gave fish to everyone. With this, the sage concluded the story of karma, wishing everyone well.

Are you curious to know more about Karma – Know karma in very simple terms here

Or simply read our short stories on karma. Or hear the tamil audio stories