I read this amazing soul-searching Short story – Couldn’t Cheat when I was a student in the 3rd grade. This story made such a deep impact on me and my thoughts that I turned into a different person.
I believe it is one of the great stories for children – and every parent should read it as their bedtime story. In their tender age, they adapt the things easily and such stories reshape their personalities.
Note #1 – I have forgotten the name of the author of this story, so I have written this completely in my own words (dialogues, some characters, morals etc) almost, but I kept the essence of the story totally in it. My words can match with a real story, but I have no idea of it. I just wanted to make it look good and touching. Thus I called this short story – couldn’t cheat as it justifies the essence of the story.
Note #2 – This short story was in the Hindi language. I still remember sort off my teacher telling us this in class. My favourite thing in school was listening to good stories attentively and my teachers using simpler words to explain the meaning to the whole class. That was one of the things I always loved in school and I never knew someday I was gonna do this on a larger scale…
I named the main character Shravan inspired by Shravana Kumara from the greatest Poem ‘The Ramayana’. His life changes the course of events and sets Shri Rama in exile to learn archery and self-knowledge to slay the demon king – Ravana.
Short Story – Couldn’t Cheat
It was the time of Ancient India when students used to go to Gurukul (school) and remain there until they wouldn’t complete their whole education. However, at the end of their education, they often used to give something in return for the priceless knowledge they would get from their Guru.
One fine day somewhere in Ancient India’s Gurukul, all students saw their Guru pretty much tensed. Something was eating their Guru inside of him, which clearly showed on his face. Students asked their Guru about the reason for his tension. Guru, however, did not want to bother his students with his problems, so he ignored them. Nevertheless, Guru was deeply touched by seeing the love of his students for those who wanted to do something for him.
“Before telling this to you, my children, Will you be able to complete a work for your Guru?” asked the Guru
“We will do anything for you, O! my Gurudev (students use it for their Guru (Teacher), Dev means divine soul),” said one student
All children assured they will do anything to chin up their Gurudev. That would be an honour to do it.
“Ah! Okay, my beloved children. As you know I have a daughter in her 20s and her age is about to get married. Being a very poor man, I am unable to manage things to marry her in a good way.” said the Guru
God blessed Guru’s daughter with divine beauty. Nature used to sing songs of her glorifying beauty and her presence was enough to blossom the barren lands.
“We want to help in any way we can, just give me permission to do work,” said a student
“But, it’s very big work and my soul isn’t allowing me to say it to you,” said the Guru
All students showed their immense love and became successful in convincing their Guru to let them help him in his time of need.
“Your love for me has melted my heart, I am so blessed being Guru of you all,” said the Guru. “ If you all bring some utensils from your home, it would be very helpful in arranging a better marriage party. It will help me to serve food to guests.”
“This is a very little work to do, Gurudev. We all will do it,” said a student
“But, there is one condition with it. Would you all follow it?” asked the Guru
“Which condition, Gurudev?” asked a student
“You have to steal them from your homes without telling your parents,” said the Guru
“But, if we tell our parents then there would be much better help from them,” said a student
“I do not want them should think me a beggar for asking something for his daughter’s marriage. Do you want that your parents think me a selfish person too, my students?” said the Guru “If any of you is unable to do it, I will understand. My love for him will not decrease a bit”
“We will do this work for you, Gurudev. Your work shall be done by us” all students hollered in excitement.
Students went to their homes that night to steal some utensils for their Guru. Their education was over and they got a chance to visit their homes after long years of studying in their Gurukul. Next month, their loyalty to their Guru was put to the test.
A month passed like a blink of an eye…
All students marked their presence with utensils, except one student named Shravan who came empty-handed. He became the subject of laughter and hatred in the eyes of the rest of the students.
Shravan was the most beloved student of his Guru. Being very shy, he used to remain with his Guru only and often kept a distance from the other students. This thing of him had never been liked by any student. They used to judge him and spoke ill of him on his back. Shravan often spent most of his time servicing his Guru. For Shravan, his Guru was his all holy scriptures. Worshipping his Guru, for Shravan was like offering his prayers to the Almighty itself.
“Don’t you love your Guru? O! My beloved Shravan,” asked the Guru.
“He isn’t worthy of your love, Gurudev,” said a student.
“He is a rotten egg who couldn’t do such small work for you. He does not love you at all. He not even respects you,” said another student in anger.
The eyes of Shravan filled with tears listening to all these words and were telling an untold story as to why he couldn’t do the work of his beloved Gurudev. Everyone was busy judging him without knowing why Shravan couldn’t do the work. All were seeing him as the object of hatred and arrogance without knowing the truth.
Shravan ran and fell at his Gurudev’s feet, and began crying loudly.
I am sorry, Gurudev. I am so sorry. I tried my best to do your work, but I couldn’t able to do it at all,“ said Shravan while crying.
“But, you only had to steal some utensils. I believe it wasn’t a big thing to do. All of my students did for me, except you,” said the Guru. “Don’t you love me?”
“I do, Gurudev, I do with all my heart. I do more than words could describe, more than you could ever imagine,” said Shravan.
“Then why you didn’t do my work if you love me so much?” asked the Guru.
“To do your work O! My Gurudev, I went home to steal some utensils. I took them with me to the darkest places where even my own shadow left me. I took them with me in the deepest of rivers, took them in the caves where no one was there other than me. But… but, I failed to find out the place where my soul wasn’t seeing me stealing and doing wrong work” said Shravan while crying “ I tried to cheat my soul at my best, but I failed all the time in doing it. My soul was watching me all the time.”
Moments of silence clothed the whole place.
“If you had told me to earn something for you, I would have earned the world. But, my soul didn’t allow me to do this work. You always taught us this and I don’t know if I am a good student or not, but I did what you taught me. What my soul spoke to me,” said Shravan while sniffing.
Guru’s eyes filled with tears and they rolled down his cheeks. He helped Shravan to get up who was holding his feet for not being able to do his work.
“Today, I am the most blessed person in this world. My student, you, my beloved child, finally understood what is the real meaning of life,” said the Guru with pride. “I always taught you this and you are the only one who managed to pass my exam.”
Guru addressed the disciples who were in shock and feeling ashamed.
“Remember students, there will come a time when you will be tested during the different walks of life. You would able to cheat anyone in this world, but there would not be any place that you will find to cheat your soul,” said the Guru.
Guru cleared the tears of Shravan with his hands and tousled his hair with love and affection. He again addressed the whole class “We often judge others before knowing the truth. We never see the reality and often make it by ourselves. Remember my children, judging only defines us in the end, not anyone else. It shows what we can think and how we see things,” said the Guru “Today, how much I am blessed be. O! dear Shravan, because I am the Guru of thee.”
Guru offered the marriage proposal of his daughter to the most honest person in this whole world, his beloved, Shravan who proved his Guru right at the time of the test.
Moral – The Title Short Story – Couldn’t Cheat is possibly one of the great stories for children since it teaches them to stay true to their true selves. No matter what happens in life, we should always remember our True Nature and True Self. We can cheat anyone in the world, even our parents, siblings, spouses, children, teachers, and friends – but we can never cheat ourselves. It’s impossible and futile. Many people when they are on the deathbed and when the life flashes for them, find the terrible things they did with others, but it’s too late.
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P.S. – We have not written the Short Story – Couldn’t Cheat. All the credits of the story are to the rightful owner. Another aim to put up such short stories is to inspire students from ESL (English as Second Language) countries to develop reading habits and improve their worldviews. Voxcel is an educational platform, thus we make efforts so they can change lives.
We aim to not only teach IELTS and English language courses or help the students/clients to travel the world or secure their visas, but we ensure that we impart wisdom to them and in this way, we grow with them together.
Nonetheless, education begins with children who need to listen to great stories; hence, we have been actively putting up great stories for children and kids so their parents can tell them some meaningful things in a memorable way. Let be The Vachak for them. Let’s be The Vachak and tell stories. Let’s Express Infinity!
Voxcel aims to impart not only world-class IELTS coaching but also we look forward to develop the overall personality of our students.