There was once a man who did a lot of penance, prayer and he obtained a boon from God. A boon of a conch. Whatever he asked, the conch would give him. This was the boon.

The man was so satisfied to meet God that even though he had the conch, he never asked it to give him anything. But he still had it.

But his neighbour got so jealous that he also went in search of such a conch. So he also prayed and he met somebody who gave him a magic conch. He was told that this conch would give him DOUBLE of whatever he asked. The man thought, “This is better than my neighbour’s. Because if my neighbour asks for one apple, he will get one apple. But if I ask for one apple, this will double it!”

So he took the conch and as soon as he came home he asked it for a bunglow. So the conch said, “Why one, take two..” The man said, “Ok, give me two. I will take two bunglows.”

Then the conch said “Why two, take four..” The man said, “Ok, give me four.”

The conch said, “Why four, take eight..”

So whatever this man would ask, the conch would simply double and offer it. The man said, “Now I’m hungry, give me an apple.” The conch said, “Why one apple, take two.” When he agreed to take two, it offered him four. When he agreed to take four, it offered him eight.

It would simply double whatever he asked and would not really deliver anything!
Finally he got so frustrated, he broke the conch and threw it away.

So often in life we look for happiness in things that promise it but don’t deliver. We ask for bigger houses, better cars, more money, bigger designations hoping that these will bring us more happiness, unaware of the fact that in reality WE are the SOURCE of happiness.

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