The King’s Coins

King Janaka’s court was filled with jewels, golden arches, and silken canopies. Yet that day, it felt colder than the Himalayan wind. A humble sage named Shilaka stood before the throne, his robes ragged, his eyes serene.

Janaka had invited sages from across Aryavarta to seek counsel on an urgent dilemma. His treasury overflowed after a victorious campaign, but his ministers urged caution. “Store it for the future,” one said. “Expand your armies,” another advised.

When Shilaka was asked, he simply asked back, “What is gold for, O King?”

“To protect my people.”

“Then why does your gold sleep, while your people go hungry in nearby forests?” the sage asked, pointing beyond the palace walls.

The court fell silent.

“Gold kept idle,” he said softly, “is like Ganga water trapped in a pot — pure, but wasted.”

Janaka’s pride stirred. “I’ve built temples. Sponsored yagnas. What more should I do?”

Shilaka bowed. “A true giver doesn’t count coins. He counts hearts healed.”

That evening, Janaka ordered half his treasury be used to build wells, granaries, and free kitchens in drought-affected lands.

Years later, Valmiki would write of King Janaka not just as a father to Sita — but as the king whose wealth reached where his feet never did.

Moral:

Wealth, when hoarded, is just metal. When shared with wisdom, it becomes legacy.

Inspiration:

"What's the use of being rich if you won't spend your gold to do good for other people?" - Maharishi Valmiki