In the small Indian city of Sravasti, a weary stranger arrived one hot day. He was a Brahman, a holy man devoted to prayer, who had renounced all worldly comforts. He carried only a staff and a bowl for offerings, dressed in a simple loincloth with matted hair.
People were moved by his apparent piety and gave him money and jewels, which he accepted despite his vow of poverty. Over time, he became famous for his wisdom, and people paid generously for his advice. Soon, he grew rich.
However, the Brahman became a miser. He secretly hoarded his wealth in a hole at the root of a great tree in the forest, often skipping the midday siesta to admire his treasures. To the public, he maintained the guise of a poor, holy man.
One day, he discovered his hidden treasure was gone. He was devastated and enraged, convinced a local had stolen it. In his despair, he declared he would travel to a holy place by the river and starve himself to death.
The news spread, causing distress in Sravasti. The townspeople tried to dissuade him, but he was determined. As he set off, he was met by the wise and beloved King Prasnajit, who had heard of the theft.
The king promised to recover the treasure or repay its value from his own purse. He learned the location of the hiding place and then devised a clever plan. Returning to his palace, he pretended to be ill and summoned all the town's doctors.
Questioning each doctor about their patients, he finally found one who mentioned treating a merchant named Matri-Datta with juice from the nagaballa plant. The king immediately summoned the merchant and asked who had fetched the plant. Matri-Datta named his servant.
The terrified servant was brought before the king. Without accusation, King Prasnajit simply asked, "Where are the gold and jewels you took from the hole in the roots of a tree when you went to find the nagaballa plant for your master?"
Overwhelmed, the servant confessed and offered to retrieve the treasure. The king let him go alone. The servant returned late that evening with the heavy sack. King Prasnajit, showing mercy, simply said, "Go back to your home now, and be a thief no more." The servant, profoundly grateful, reformed his ways.
The Brahman, overjoyed at the news, rushed to the palace. The king returned his treasure but admonished him to use it better and refused to hunt for it again. When the Brahman complained about the thief going unpunished, the king dismissed him, stating the matter was closed. The story ends with the Brahman taking his treasure away, his future unknown.