Recognizing the Truth

A lover of truth recognizes truth wherever it is, whether it lies within his circle or outside it.

Shri Ram Ratan Kapila had a refrigerator business in Delhi, and Shri Moti Ram Sarraf was a jeweller in the same city. The two were great friends. They usually went out for a walk together in the morning and then returned home together.

One day the two were walking in an area of Delhi. Shri Ram Ratan Kapila saw something shining by the side of the road. He thought it was a piece of glass and picked it up just for fun.

After their walk, they returned home. Shri Ram Ratan Kapila went to the basin to wash his hands and thoughtlessly put the object to one side.

Shri Moti Ram Sarraf then went to the same wash basin to wash his hands. He caught sight of the object, and as soon as he saw its glitter, he recognized it as a diamond. So, he picked it up, washed it, and took it to Shri Ram Ratan Kapila. His friend was astonished to hear that it was a diamond. “I thought it was only a piece of glass,” he said. “It is just as well I did not throw it away.”

Shri Ram Ratan Kapila was not ignorant of diamonds. He had a diamond necklace at home, kept in a special cupboard with great care. However, he could not recognize a diamond lying on the road.

Both men were familiar with diamonds. The difference was that Shri Moti Ram was a jeweller. Therefore, he could recognize a diamond wherever it was. However, Shri Ram Ratan Kapila only knew the diamond in his own familiar necklace. He did not know how to recognize a diamond outside the necklace he was familiar with.

A real jeweller is not just one who recognizes a diamond on his necklace; a real jeweller recognizes a diamond wherever he sees it. In the same way, a lover of truth recognizes truth wherever it is, whether within his circle or outside it.