In a bustling city in India, there lived a man named Arjun. Arjun was acutely aware of his limitations. His business skills were modest, and he possessed no remarkable talents. Despite his best efforts, he could never attain the luxurious lifestyle he yearned for: a beautiful house, fabulous cars, and enchanting girlfriends. Arjun was a devout Hindu and believed in karma and rebirth. He convinced himself that if he led a virtuous life, God would reward him in his next incarnation with the wealth and pleasures he desired but could not achieve in this lifetime.

Arjun dedicated himself to living a life of piety and righteousness. He performed his duties diligently, helped those in need, and adhered strictly to his moral principles. He avoided vices, abstained from harmful behaviours, and practised daily prayers and meditation. He believed that by living such a virtuous life, he was earning divine favour and securing a prosperous and enjoyable next life.

Years passed, and Arjun’s life came to an end. He died with a hopeful heart, confident that his next life would be filled with the luxuries he had always dreamed of. However, fate had different plans for him.

Arjun was reborn as an orphan. He was abandoned at birth and found by monks from a secluded monastery. The monks took him in and raised him according to their strict and austere way of life. The monastery was far removed from the material world Arjun had longed for. Instead of fine silks and sumptuous meals, he wore simple robes and ate coarse bread. The monastery’s life was one of silence and contemplation, with the monks speaking only for twenty minutes each day.

As Arjun grew older, he often reflected on the life he had left behind. In his prayers, he lamented his fate, questioning why God had placed him in such a starkly different existence from what he had hoped for. He had lived a virtuous life, expecting divine rewards, but found himself in a life of deprivation and silence.

One night, as he lay in his simple bed, a dream came to him. In this dream, a divine voice spoke, revealing that his life of great sanctity had indeed earned him this existence. The voice explained that true virtue and spiritual purity were their own rewards, far removed from the fleeting pleasures of wealth and luxury. Arjun’s previous life of piety had entitled him to a life free from the distractions and vices of the material world, allowing him to focus on spiritual growth.

Arjun awoke with a heavy heart. The realisation that his expectations and desires had been misguided weighed heavily on him. He had sought material rewards, but his true reward was spiritual purification, something he had never valued.

One evening, as he sat by the well in the monastery courtyard, he gazed up at the stars. The silence of the night enveloped him, and a profound sense of despair settled over him. He whispered to the heavens, “Life is not fair.” The stars twinkled back indifferently, offering no comfort or answers.

Arjun spent the rest of his days in the monastery, his heart heavy with the knowledge that his desired life was never meant to be. His soul wrestled with the divine justice that had placed him in a life so far removed from his dreams. In the stillness of the monastery, he found a harsh truth: life’s fairness is not measured by one’s desires but by a higher, often inscrutable, divine wisdom.
A wisdom that cared not for him.