TITLE : A Scholar and an Illiterate Boatman

In a small village once scholar was crossing a river on a boat . The weather was very pleasing . The river was very cool and calm . The scholar was enjoying a lot . The boatman was a simply illiterate man . His bookish knowledge was nil ........

The scholar started talking to him when he was sailing the boat . The scholar asked the boatman whether he had read the Gita and whether he could explain the verse of the Gita . The boatman replied that he had heard about that but had not read that . The scholar than said that he had wasted one fourth of his life . The scholar again said “But tell me have you read the Arthashastra  ?”Again the boatman showed his ignorance . The scholar than undervalued the boatman and arrogantly said , ‘ Then my friend , you have wasted tow –fourths of your life . It was about to dark as the sun was going to set . Noticing the sun the scholar again asked the boatman if he knew the reason behind the sun rise and sun set . Being helpless the boatman again expressed his ignorance . The scholar haughtily said “ Then my friend , you have wasted three –fourths of your life .”

After sometime suddenly a thick could covered the sky and a storm rose from the river bed . Being anxious the boatman asked the scholar “ Sir do you know swimming ?” No I don’t know how to swim “ the scholar answered with anxiety . The boatman said with a sigh of relief “ Then my friend I see your whole life is going to be wasted and meaningless . “