Raghulal was a poor farmer of Motihari village wherePyarelal was a wealthy moneylender. He amassed his wealth mostly by cheating the native villagers. It is notas though they were unaware of his tricks, but as there was none else to turn to when the need was urgent, theyallowed them selves to be cheated. So much so, the onewho borrowed money became poorer while the one wholent became richer.
The method adopted by Pyarelal was simple. Hedid away with promissory notes. "Why should we sign documents?" he would say. "You need money, and I giveit to you. When you have money, you repay. But you payme my interest without fail, that's all I insist." At the endof the year, the borrower would be left with no doubt that he had paid a larger sum than what he had borrowed, and he still would not have repaid the actual sum heborrowed! The borrower would be totally ignorant of the arithmetic of his dealings with Pyarelal.
Raghulal found himself at his wit's end. Wheneverhe didn't have any money to give the money lender,Pyarelal would take away quantities of grain fromRaghulal's granary; other times, he would have grabbed little bits of the farmer's small field; sometimes, Raghulal would have even parted with some of his cooking vessels.Once when Pyarelal did not see Raghulal for days together,he went to his house. The poor farmer came out andsaid, "I've only these rags left on my body, and I don'thave a second set for a change. What shall I do?"
Pyarelal had a ready answer. "Why don't you go toRam for help? He had been very kind to me. I shall come back some days later," he said and went away.
‘I shall search for Ram. If he has helped Pyarelal, then he'll certainly help me,' Raghulal assured himself andgot ready to go in search of Ram. He walked and walkedand did not find a person with whom he could enquirehow to reach Ram. He then came upon someone looking like a priest. "Would you please tell me where I can findthe kindly Ram? I shall give you one of the three rotis Iam carrying."
The man did not even take a second look at the rotihe was extending and went away mumbling. Raghulal continued to walk and a little later saw a personwho was wearing the holy ash on his forehead. He offered him a roti and asked him. "Where can I find Ram? I'm sure you would lead me to him." The man accepted the rotireadily and said, "I'm sorry I don'tknow Ram. I know only Shiva." Hethen walked away, without offeringa word of thanks.
Raghulal walked, now hungry and tired. He couldhave eaten the rotis and taken some rest, but he did not, hoping that someone mighthelp him and he would share the rotis with him.Soon, there came hisway a poor man in rags,and looking equally tired.He told the man, "I'm looking for Ram and I was told that he would help me." He then opened his bundleof rotis.
