Wisdom Story Hub

Once upon a time, in the land of Silbaripuram, there was a period when small streams and rivers used to flow into a vast backwater. In one of those streams, a large group of similar fish lived together. Within that group, there were not only small and big fish but also some very old ones. One day, a very active and lively fish said to the others, "We have been living in the same place for a long time. There are many hardships here. It is full of rocks, and occasionally, there are flash floods, landslides, and whirlpools." At that moment, another fish supported this, adding, "Moreover, the children who come to catch us with fishing rods are also a nuisance." However, the oldest fish in the group said, "Everything you say is true. Still, God has given us the ability to overcome all these difficulties." Despite this, after a few days, as a result of the majority's decision, they all went along with the current and reached the river below. Just then, they ...

 Once upon a time, the Silbaripuram kingdom experienced a severe summer. For all the animals in the forest, the only source of water was the Silbaripuzha (Silbari River). One day, just as a lion came to drink water, a tiger also reached the riverbank. Both looked at each other and roared. The lion said - "I am the king of the forest. I am also the lord of this river. You may drink after I have finished." The tiger growled - "In all the forests of this land where there are no lions, we tigers are the kings. For centuries before you, tigers were the kings of this forest! Mine is a dynasty with a long tradition. You drink after I have finished, or we can drink together." Hearing this, the lion roared in challenge. "No matter what you say, a tiger is always a tiger, and a lion is truly a lion!" Both became furious. It was certain that a fierce battle would take place. Immediately, birds, squirrels, and monkeys gathered on the branches of the trees to watch. Th...

 Once, that young man had a matter of offering a vow at an ancient temple in a far-off land. It would take many days to travel there. Then his mother said, "How can I send you alone such a long distance? At this age, I can't even walk along with you." Still, the mother didn't find any peace of mind. That woman prepared her son's bundle, packed rice and water and clothes in it. However, just before he was about to leave, the mother noticed a large crab wandering in the courtyard. Suddenly, she caught this crab in a pot, closed it, and gave it to her son. Without asking why, the son obeyed his mother. The young man set off on his journey. After walking a long distance, he grew tired and leaned against the root of a tree in its shade. He opened his cloth bag and drank water. He ate food. But soon, he fell asleep due to exhaustion. At that time, a cobra slithered to enter a hole in the roots. However, it saw the cloth bag as an obstruction in front of the hole. It kno...

 Once upon a time, there was a farmer who owned a large paddy field. After the harvest, he would gather all the rice straw in a large room and feed it to his cattle. One day, while he was taking out the straw, his old watch fell from his hand and landed in the straw in the room. He searched for it for a long time but could not find it. A neighbor's child who had come to buy milk asked the farmer about the matter. The child was intelligent and had an idea. He asked the farmer to sit outside the room and then closed the door. After five minutes, the child opened the door and came out with the watch. The farmer was amazed. "How did you find the watch?" he asked. "I closed the door and stood there silently for a while. Then, I listened carefully for the faint ticking sound of the watch. Finally, I found the exact location." the child replied. We all have times in our lives when we need to stay silent. Times when we can't say right or wrong in front of other peop...

 Long time back, when Silbaripuram was just a thick jungle, innit? No tigers or lions and all in that forest. But, loads of elephants were roaming about. One day, around ten young tuskers were munching away, when an old lady elephant came along and said, "Listen up, children! Don't you all go towards that slope on the hill. Naughty humans have dug big pits and covered them up with dry leaves. If you fall into one of those trap pits, you won't be able to climb back out. Humans will catch you and take you away!" Listening to this, most of the elephants decided to give that area a miss. But, there was this one mischievous young tusker who goes, "How can those small humans catch strong fellas like us in this jungle? That's all just rubbish talk!" Just then, his mates tried to stop him, saying, "That elephant mum has seen more of the jungle than all of us put together. So, there must be something in what she's saying." Then, that young tusker tr...

  The King of Silbari presented a priceless ring to the Guru in a small wooden box. The Guru was a man of mystical knowledge. Just then, his right hand began to tingle. The right hand said to the Guru, "It is I who picks up food for you to eat. I want the ring." Immediately, the fingers on the hand began to rub against each other. When their quarrel caused a tingling sensation in the hand, the Guru opened his inner eye and asked, "What is your problem?" The thumb replied, "Look at me, Guruji... As the mother figure to the other four fingers, it is I who should receive the ring. People will hold me up as a sign of victory. I also need my strong nail to remove husks from grains. Because my ability is greater, I stand apart strongly from the other fingers on the palm. Everyone calls me the thumb, doesn't they?" Then, the index finger responded thus: "Even though he is a little stout, he is short. Look at me... I am the index finger that shows directi...

  Once, a Yogi from Nepal was invited to give a discourse in North India. Primarily, the people in this region were plagued by various cruelties, evil practices, and superstitions. Therefore, the Yogi arrived here at the request of an ashram. People gathered to listen to the Yogi's discourse. The essence of what he spoke was this: "I understand that there are many kinds of problems in this region. These are not solely your problems. The reason for various disturbances across the world is that human beings fall into different categories of character. Firstly, there is a group of cruel people who cause severe harm to themselves and others, posing the greatest detriment to society! The second category consists of those who do not destroy themselves but destroy others! Sadism is more prevalent among this group. The third category is slightly better. These are selfish individuals who live for their own affairs and comfort! It is a relief that while they do not benefit others, they ...

  Once upon a time, the land of Silbaripuram was rich with various farmlands. Shankunni, the chieftain, owned most of the land there, and nearly a hundred people worked for him. One day, an unknown disease afflicted all the crops in the chieftain's gardens, leading to extensive crop failure. Consequently, the chieftain faced difficulties even in paying his laborers. One night, the laborers' leader secretly convened a meeting in their hut. "Friends," he said, "there's no point in staying here under the chieftain anymore. It doesn't seem like we'll get paid regularly. After burning the diseased fields and planting new saplings, when will the chieftain start earning again?" The other workers agreed with him. "You're right," they said. "We should leave for the distant Kosala kingdom next night." They walked as a group through the night. After walking a considerable distance, they rested under a banyan tree. A sage, who was sle...

 Once upon a time, in the land of Silbaripuram, a divine guru and his disciple were on their way to visit a temple. As they walked, they saw a crowd gathered on the other side of the road. Along with the sight, they could hear the wailing of women. The guru and disciple inquired about the matter. At that, someone said, "The young man of that house has passed away. The entire family is in deep sorrow." Immediately, the disciple pleaded, "Gurudev, since this is an urgent situation, you can help this family. Please have mercy on them." The guru smiled, "I don't believe their love for this householder is genuine. I will test if his demise is truly unbearable for them, and then I shall bring him back to life." Both of them entered the house. The four children, the wife, the grandmother, and other family members were sitting there, grief-stricken and exhausted from weeping. The guru said to them, "Since his passing causes you such immense sorrow, I am g...

 Long, long ago, in a time when the land and forests of Silbaripuram were intertwined, King Vikram ruled the land. In the countryside stood a magnificent, tall tree. It was very tall with a single trunk, without branches, making it very popular with birds. This was because humans would not bother to quickly climb the tree to catch birds' nests or birds. Therefore, it contained many bird nests, eggs, and chicks. One day, an aged bird saw a vine climbing the tree and said to the tree, "Although this vine is small now, when it grows, it will hang down from your branches as a strong rope. At that time, humans might climb up using it and catch us. So, we must do something immediately." But hearing this, the tree burst into laughter, "What foolishness are you talking about? I, a strong tree, have nothing to fear from a vine. If you are afraid, fly away from here!" The bird said nothing more. Many months passed, and the fast-growing vine had climbed all the way to the ...

 Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Silbaripuram, there lived a renowned physician (Vaidyan). People from far and wide would come to him for various treatments. Gradually, along with his fame, arrogance began to creep into him. One day, as he started to dress a patient's wound, a mischievous idea struck him. He added a bit of chilli powder along with the medicine! Seeing the patient cry out in pain from the chili burning the wound, the Vaidyan secretly chuckled. This went on for several years. He continued this prank. One day, the Vaidyan was walking to a distant temple. On the way, he tripped over a stone and fell! Someone from a nearby house saw this incident and helped him up, leading him to their verandah. Then, they came with a herbal medicine and applied it to the Vaidyan's wound. Suddenly, the Vaidyan cried out, "Oh! I can't bear this stinging and burning! Where did you get this medicine from?" The homeowner replied, "My relative lives in Silbaripuram...

 Once upon a time, there was a good market in Silbaripuram. To reach this market easily, one had to take a single-track path next to the forest. The straight road would require a very long journey. Therefore, people chose this path. One day, a merchant was traveling along it. He had several bundles with him. In addition, he had a pouch of fruits tied at his waist. It contained 100 gold coins. As he walked, he didn't notice that this pouch of gold had fallen into the grass by the roadside. He unknowingly walked on. Some time later, two friends were walking and talking behind him. Then, the first friend saw the pouch. Suddenly, he bent down and picked it up. Then he excitedly said, "Today is my lucky day. I will live comfortably in a foreign land with this." Hearing this, the second friend said, "You shouldn't say that. We should say it is both our luck." Immediately, understanding its meaning, the first friend said, "I was the one who bent down and picke...

 Once, election campaigning began in Kerala. A prominent daily newspaper published an article praising a leading political leader. Here's a summary of what was written: The article featured a picture of the leader alongside a picture of an ordinary party supporter. Doctors had advised that this ordinary man's mother needed immediate surgery. It could be done at a famous hospital in Thiruvananthapuram at a low cost. However, patients were on a waiting list that stretched from one to two years. These patients were prolonging their days by taking strong medications. Feeling that things were going this way, the man sought a shortcut. He arrived at the prominent leader's house in the morning and obtained a letter addressed to the Thiruvananthapuram hospital authorities. His mother's surgery took place within the week he submitted the letter there. The woman was saved. This expression of gratitude was used by the journalists as an election strategy. The newspaper stirred up e...

 A long time ago, in the land of Silbaripuram, a guru's ashram was famous. However, a greedy moneylender emerged in that land, gradually becoming a wealthy landlord. The villagers couldn't withstand his exorbitant interest rates. Many who borrowed money lost everything and left for distant lands. Eventually, some people approached the guru and presented their complaints. The guru then said, "I don't have the authority to punish him. However, I'm giving him an opportunity that will either bring him immense wealth or lead to his ruin." The villagers dispersed. The next day, the guru sent for the moneylender and explained the situation to him at the ashram. Accordingly, the moneylender arrived at the guru's place early in the morning. They journeyed into the forest and finally reached the entrance of a cave. At that moment, the guru said, "Inside the cave is a treasure trove of gems the world has never seen. But you can only take one. The entrance will b...

 Once upon a time, there lived a common man named Ramu in the land of Silbaripuram. There, the monsoon season lasted longer than usual. Moreover, the summer rains were also strong. He always carried a large umbrella with him. One morning, a light drizzle began. Ramu, holding his umbrella, went to the temple. He was on his way to attend a wedding there. Later, the sun shone brightly. It was when he sat down for the wedding feast that his wet umbrella felt like a burden. He tried to place the umbrella on a table near the crowded area, but it didn't work. He tried to put it on his lap, but that didn't work either. Immediately, Ramu exclaimed loudly, "Damn! This umbrella has become such a nuisance!" He leaned the umbrella against the leg of the table. A colony of ants, which permanently resided under that table, started climbing onto the fabric of the umbrella. They lined up and rested in the folds of the fabric. After the wedding feast, Ramu walked back home with his umb...

 Somu was a merchant in the land of Silbaripuram. As his business grew, Somu decided to expand it to several other places. For this, more money was needed. At that time, he brought along a friend named Cheeran for the business. However, Cheeran was a traitor. After a few years, he betrayed Somu, took the money, and fled to a nearby village. Somu was overcome with a desire for revenge. He had also hidden a dagger in the folds of his dhoti. His aim was to find Cheeran and kill him. While rushing about in a frenzy, Somu grew tired. He fell asleep under a banyan tree he saw by the roadside. A sage returning from the nearby temple sat down next to Somu to rest. When Somu awoke, the sage introduced himself. Somu's desire for revenge had not subsided at all. Seeing this, the sage said, "You can easily kill your friend. However, you will not be able to escape from the land of Kosalapuram. You will rot in a dark prison for the rest of your life. Now, you decide. Should both of you be d...

 Once upon a time, in the ashram of Silbaripuram, a Guru had ten disciples. It was his teaching style to incorporate many small experiments and observations related to their studies. One day, he called his disciples and said, "Tomorrow morning, all ten of you must go to the mango tree by the riverside. There will be many fallen mangoes on the ground. Each person must bring three mangoes to me here." The next morning, all ten of them went there. Since it was early morning, no one had yet arrived at the large mango tree to collect mangoes. The disciples each picked up three mangoes and started walking back. As they neared the ashram, an elderly neighbor woman asked, "My children, who will give me a mango? I didn't eat dinner last night. I'm very hungry." Immediately, one disciple said, "We can't give this to you, Mother. We can't disobey the Guru." Eight of the others supported him, saying, "That's right. Not even one mango out of th...

 Long ago, in the village of Silbaripuram, most households suffered from hunger. Wages for work were very low. Moreover, the main farmlands were under the control of the royal palace, and the rest belonged to a few landlords. Ramu, a daily wage laborer, was always living in poverty. His family consisted of his wife and four children. When they ate their meals, there was never any fish or meat. Their curries were usually just chili powder and chutney. Ramu often found work on the land of his neighbor, Cheeran, a fishmonger. One day, Cheeran told Ramu, "I will be away for a week. My assistant will look after the fish shop. You can take home any leftover fish that doesn't get sold." Ramu was in the habit of obeying his boss's words. When he told his wife and children about this, they were overjoyed. His wife said, "It's been ages since we had fish curry!" But Ramu said nothing. He did as Cheeran had told him. But in the evening, he brought a basket of lefto...

 When Hodja was a child, even in his youth, he loved jokes and witty arguments. In his village, he especially enjoyed the pleasant morning chill that made it so comfortable to sleep wrapped in a blanket. However, his father did not like the habit of waking up late. One day, his father came and woke him up while he was still sleeping. He reluctantly sat up in bed. His father then said, "Son, if you wake up late like this in the morning, we won't get any good fortune." He asked, "What do you mean we will get, father?" His father then said, "Once, I was returning from the night market. I didn't see anything valuable lying on the road. However, that morning, I had to go down the same road for some work. That's when I found a purse with 100 gold coins lying on the road. Tell me, wasn't that good fortune for waking up early?" At that, Hodja burst into laughter. "In that case, the person who walked by that road even earlier must have lost the...

 The definition of Yoga as "Yogas Chitta Vritti Nirodha" (the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind) often confuses people. When we say that Yoga is about stopping the "vrittis" of the mind, it doesn't mean you have to eliminate all thoughts. Rather, it means getting rid of irregular, unnatural, or harmful thoughts. Meditation and pranayama are excellent for this. Even in yogasanas, ancient sages would perform poses like Vrikshasana (tree pose) to keep their minds from wandering. By focusing on balancing, distracting negative thoughts would disappear. Chanting mantras and prayers can also be used to remove these negative thoughts. Though it may sound like ancient mythology, in a time without technology or equipment, sages and yogis left us with a wealth of knowledge. When foreigners scientifically prove these very same things, they become "super science"! First, you shouldn't wait to practice meditation until your mind is in complete chaos, beca...

 Once, Mulla Nasruddin and two of his friends were on a journey. All their food ran out during their trip, and they were very tired. They were struggling as they didn't have anything for dinner. Eventually, a passerby gave them a large loaf of bread. They sat under a big tree with it, and that's when a new problem arose. Who would eat the bread? All three of them claimed they were the hungriest. They also didn't have the patience to split it into three. Just as it seemed the argument would escalate, one person said, "Let's all sleep tonight, and whoever has the best dream will get this bread as a prize." All three of them agreed. This was because they could lie about their dreams to trick the others. When they woke up, the first man said, "I dreamt of Allah." The second man said, "I dreamt I was sitting on Allah's heavenly throne." Then, Mulla Nasruddin said, "Allah appeared to me and told me to eat the bread as soon as possible, a...

 Once upon a time, the kingdom of Silbaripuram was a dense forest. All kinds of animals lived there in abundance. One day, a black monkey was greedily eating a fruit he found on the ground. Suddenly, a lion, who had been stealthily approaching, pounced on him! However, the monkey narrowly escaped and grabbed a vine on the nearest tree, climbing to safety. But when he reached the top, the monkey was startled! A tribesman had tied the vine to the branch to collect honey, and he was in the middle of his work. Meanwhile, the disappointed lion looked up from below. After a moment of thought, the lion realized that humans were tastier than monkeys. So, the lion used a trick: "Hey, black monkey, that's a human who will destroy your entire species. He's the one who makes a black monkey 'rasayanam' (elixir) and sells it. So, bite and scratch him and throw him down!" However, the monkey pretended not to hear. The lion changed his tactic: "Hey, human, if you don...

 Once upon a time, a farmer and his wife had a fever but were walking to the market for business. Since they were unwell, they didn't carry anything and put sacks full of goods on the donkey. The youngsters under a banyan tree looked at them and said, "Look! They are not carrying a single load to help that poor animal." On the second day, the wife had a thorn stuck in her foot, so she was sitting on the donkey while the farmer walked. When the youngsters saw this, they said, "What a shameless man, making his wife sit on the donkey while he walks with the load." On the third day, due to back pain, the farmer rode the donkey while his wife walked with the load. The youngsters found fault with this too, saying, "How cruel he is! He's making his poor wife walk with the load." On the fourth day, the donkey fell sick. They gave it a rest and let it walk empty. Both of them carried all the loads. The youngsters then said, "What utter fools! They'...

 Once upon a time, in a village called Silbaripuram, there lived a merchant named Ravunni. A man named Keshavan lived and worked in his household as a servant. One day, Ravunni's business earned an unexpectedly large profit. He immediately called Keshavan and said, "Hey, you need to invite all those who love me. You must arrange a grand feast and a party for them." Keshavan immediately went out to the road in front of the house and shouted, "Oh no! Somebody please run here! The house is on fire!" Many people from the neighbourhood heard his loud cries, but no one paid any attention. However, a few passersby and a couple of acquaintances ran and gathered in the courtyard. Just then, Ravunni opened the door and came out. Keshavan said to his master, "You told me to invite only those who love you. So, to find out how many people would come to help during a crisis, I went out and shouted like this!" Ravunni agreed, "That's right. The people who co...

 Once upon a time, the entire land of Silbaripuram was rich with farmlands. Paddy fields stretched out like green carpets and were a common sight. From the land of Kosalapuram, a man named Ravunni migrated here. He bought some farmlands and started his own paddy cultivation. Though he lacked experience, he didn't let that bother him. The first year, he got an average yield. The second year, the amount of rice decreased slightly. He then realized there was a nuisance of field birds all over the place. "These are the reason my rice yield is low. I must chase all of them away from this area." During the next harvest season, when the paddy grains appeared, Ravunni lit firecrackers to scare the birds away. He spread a net and caught one, tying it to a long stick. As he kept a strict watch, the birds avoided the area and went to other fields. After the next harvest, he got the lowest amount of rice he had ever had. He was very confused. To solve the problem, Ravunni visited a p...

 Professor M.K. Sanu, or Sanu Mash as he was fondly known, was a towering figure in Malayalam literature. From a young age, he was deeply influenced by Sree Narayana Guru and Kumaran Asan. This is why lines from Kumaran Asan's poem, 'Nalini,' were almost always on his lips: "An-ya-jee-vanu-tha-ki swa-jee-vi-tham dhan-ya-mak-ku-ma-ma-le vi-ve-kikal" which means, "Those who make their lives purposeful by serving others are the wise." This motto truly defined Sanu Mash's life. However, once, this very couplet earned him ridicule from a teacher. When Sanu was a school student, a teacher came to the class and asked each student to write down what they wanted to be in the future. While other children wrote down big professions, Sanu wrote the couplet mentioned above. The teacher read it aloud in class and mocked him. Despite this, Sanu did not change his lifestyle. On another occasion during his school days, there was a public speaking competition on the t...

Once, Lord Buddha and his disciple Ananda were going to a distant temple. After walking just a little distance, the disciple felt tired. At that time, he asked, "Guru, how much more time will it take to reach there?" The Guru said, "One hour." After they walked and one hour passed, they saw a passerby coming. Ananda asked, "How much time is needed to walk and reach the holy temple?" He looked at Ananda, and after a few moments, said, "It will take one hour to reach there." They again walked forward. The next hour also passed. At that time, a woman was coming from the opposite direction. When Ananda repeated the same question, the woman said, "You have to walk for one more hour." However, even in the next hour, they did not reach the temple. At that time, the disciple murmured to himself, "Anyway, so many hours have already passed by now. Now there is no need to ask anyone else. The temple cannot be too far." With that hope, ig...

 A father and son lived together in a house. The son had a bad habit of sleeping in late, so the father wanted to teach him a lesson.  He said, "Once, on my way back from a distant market, I had a lantern with me. The entire path was empty. I reached home at midnight.  Then, at 4:30 in the morning, when I walked on the same path to a wedding far away, I found a bag with 100 gold coins in it. So, if you walk early in the morning, you will also find fortune like this." But after hearing this, the son said something that made the father admit defeat. The son then went back to sleep. Question: What did the son say? Answer: The father found good fortune when he walked in the morning. However, someone else who walked in the morning experienced the misfortune of losing that bag!

 Once, some ministers came before the king with a complaint. It was about a man named Karinkannan. They said, “If anyone goes for any work after seeing this man, they will surely face difficulties and losses! So, he should either be exiled from the land or put into prison.” The king summoned Karinkannan. To test whether there was any truth in this, the king decided to keep him in the next room. Early next morning, without anyone else noticing, the king looked at Karinkannan first. After sending him away, when the king stepped into the courtyard of the palace, a coconut fell on his foot and crushed his toe. Immediately, on the very same day, the king ordered that Karinkannan be executed at 5 p.m. When one minister returned from a journey and heard about this, he spoke something to the king. Hearing that, the king released Karinkannan. Question: What did the minister say? Answer: “When the king saw him, only his toe got hurt. But when Karinkannan saw the king, he was sentenced to dea...

 Once, the king and his ministers went hunting on horseback through a forest. On their way back, they came to a place where the path split into three different ways. They knew that one of these paths led to the palace. However, they were confused and didn't know which one was the correct way. Just then, a boy came along. The king asked, "Which way goes to the palace?" The boy replied, "None of them go." When the king became angry, the boy explained his reasoning, and the king gave him a reward. Question: What was the boy's reason for saying that? Answer: No path can walk to the palace on its own. You have to walk it yourself.

 The ministers became resentful after hearing the truthful predictions of the astrologer. They told the king many fabricated stories about the astrologer. Believing them, the king came up with a trick to have the astrologer executed. The king asked the astrologer, "You must make a prediction to prove whether you are a fake astrologer or not. When will you die?" The astrologer was immediately shocked! If he gave a specific day, the king would kill him before that day, proving the prediction wrong. If he said he would die soon, the king would kill him later, again proving the prediction wrong. In either case, the king would declare his prophecy false and have him killed. However, the clever astrologer made a prediction. The king admitted defeat and let him go. Question: What was that day? Answer: The day before the king's death. The king was afraid that if he killed the astrologer, the very next day the prediction would come true, and he would die.

 Once upon a time, Ramu was returning from the market. He was tired. So, he leaned against a large tree and fell asleep. A pigeon was sitting on a high branch of that tree. After a while, a woodpecker came and sat on a dry branch below it. When the woodpecker pecked hard to eat an insect inside the dry branch, a dry stick broke off and fell on Ramu's head. At that moment, the woodpecker flew away. Ramu woke up, looked angrily, and threw the stick at the pigeon he saw, knocking it down. When the pigeon explained that the woodpecker had dropped the stick, Ramu said, "Still, you made a mistake here." Question: What was the pigeon's mistake? Answer: The pigeon should have known in advance that the woodpecker's presence would cause harm and flown away!

 Once upon a time, there was an ashram in the land of Silbaripuram. There, Guruji had six disciples. One day, the guru said to them, "The kitchen at the ashram is out of firewood. Each of you go to the forest, collect one bundle of dry wood, and bring it back." Five of them walked through the forest and collected firewood. But a disciple named Ramu, wanting to please the guru, broke the firewood into equal pieces, arranged them neatly, and tied them into a beautiful bundle. Moreover, he chose only branches that would burn quickly and provide good heat. They arrived at the ashram and showed their bundles of firewood to the guru. Ramu pushed his bundle forward with great anticipation, but the guru said nothing. After a while, Ramu muttered, "I did that job so much better than the others. The guru didn't even notice." His face was gloomy. The next day, they were sent to the forest to bring back flowers for the puja. This time, Ramu was not paying extra attention an...

 Ramu has two buckets. The first bucket holds 7 liters of water. The second bucket holds 4 liters. The only measurements marked on the buckets are 7 and 4. However, Ramu needs to measure exactly 10 liters of water. He can pour out water and refill the buckets. At the same time, no other containers or measuring cups are allowed. Question: How can Ramu measure exactly 10 liters of water? Answer: First, fill the 7-liter bucket completely with water. Then, pour water from it into the 4-liter bucket until it is full. The 7-liter bucket will now have 3 liters of water remaining. Next, empty the 4-liter bucket. Then, pour the remaining 3 liters from the first bucket into the second bucket. After that, fill the 7-liter bucket completely with water again. So, 7 + 3 = 10 liter !

 It was Ramu's hobby to collect various things from nature. One day, he bought a big glass jar from the market. He took it to the riverside and observed the area carefully. He decided to fill the jar with the fine sand and the colourful stones from the riverbank. Then, he got confused about one thing. How should he fill it to fit the maximum amount of sand and stones?  * First, some sand, then stones, and then more sand.  * First, the stones completely. Then, pour in the sand.  * First, half sand, then half stones.  * First, the sand completely. Then, stones. Which is the correct answer: 1, 2, 3, or 4? Answer: 2. First, put in the stones completely. Then, pour in the sand. Only then will the sand particles settle down and fill the jar to its maximum capacity.

 This is a story from the life of the world-renowned writer Paulo Coelho . It was a time before Paulo had found fame. He wandered in search of new experiences and insights. During his many travels, while passing through Greece , he ran out of money. He felt an immense hunger and stopped in front of a small hotel. Since he had no money, he just looked inside from the street. At the same moment, the hotel owner noticed Paulo. He understood the situation. The owner came out, brought Paulo inside, gave him a meal for free, and sent him on his way. Many years later, Paulo had grown into a famous writer. He once felt the desire to see the old hotel owner and return the favor. But when he reached the old location, the hotel was no longer there. He was told that the owner lived on a farm 200 kilometers away. Paulo went there, met him, and asked, "What can I do for you?" The man immediately replied, "That day, you came to me because you were overcome with hunger. I helped you whe...

 Once upon a time, the eastern side of Silbaripuram was a dense forest. However, the western side was a town filled with houses and people. One day, while a crow was searching for food in the forest, a rival spotted cuckoo mocked him. "You only eat rotten and dirty food from the garbage. I only eat fruits. Look at how beautiful my feathers are. Your black appearance is ugly!" This hurt the crow deeply. He decided to ask other birds for their opinion. When he asked the sandpiper, it replied: "I am beautiful enough. But because of my heavy body, I have to walk on the ground to hunt for food, and I live in fear of being attacked by monitor lizards and humans. You don't have these problems." He then saw a heron, which was more beautiful. It said: "My beautiful white feathers are a threat to my life. Humans can aim from very far away and shoot me down with a slingshot. No one will hunt you." When he saw the sparrow, it said: "If I build a beautiful nes...

 Ramu got a promotion to a new position at his company's new office. A one-month training period was required for the job. On his last day in the old office, Ramu went to see the company director. In the room, a large number of books were stacked on the table. Ramu was asked to sit down. The director then started searching for a book. After searching for a while, he handed a book to Ramu. But Ramu refused it, saying, "Sir, I already have this book." Later, when he told his friends about this, they gave various opinions:  1.It was disrespectful of Ramu not to take the book.  2. Ramu could have just taken the book and kept it on a shelf.  3. The director would not have known whether Ramu used the book or not.  4. Ramu could have taken the book and given it to someone else for free.  5. Let the director give it to someone else.  6. Ramu could have asked for a different book instead.  7. It was good that Ramu did not take a book he did not want. Which...

 Once upon a time, in the land of Silbaripuram, a man named Ravunni would go to the riverside every morning to fish. Even if he caught more than one fish in his net, he would only keep one and shake the rest back into the water! One day, a stranger passing by was astonished to see this. He asked Ravunni, "What foolishness are you doing? Why did you give up the four larger fish that were in your net, especially when they were bigger than the one you're holding?" Ravunni said calmly, "This one is plenty for today's fish curry." The stranger scoffed, "Hey, why don't you sell the other fish in the market and start a fish business?" Ravunni asked, "And then what?" The stranger replied, "Gradually, with the profits from the business, you can buy a big house and some land." Ravunni asked again, "And then what?" The stranger laughed, "Man, you can then live a very comfortable life and relax for the rest of your days!...

 Once upon a time, in the village of Silbaripuram, there lived a very miserly rich man named Ravunni. As his wealth grew, so did his miserliness. He was unmarried and had once told someone that if he got married, his expenses would increase. Years went by, and Ravunni started suffering from various illnesses. Among them, a toothache also appeared. He had four of his front teeth extracted and replaced with four dentures. On his way back, a stranger smiled at Ravunni. But Ravunni pretended not to have seen him. He was afraid the stranger would feign familiarity and ask him for money. From that day on, the stranger would smile at Ravunni every day he saw him. After two weeks, Ravunni smiled for the first time. The stranger was very happy. He was never seen on that path again. When Ravunni became bedridden, none of his relatives came to see him. But the day Ravunni died, the stranger performed all the funeral rites like a relative. The villagers stared at him in surprise. No one asked ...

 At one point in time, Hodja Mulla was living in the town of Akşehir in Turkey, working as the caretaker of an inn. One day, Emperor Huzur and his followers unexpectedly came by. Since they were tired, they entered Hodja's inn to rest. Hodja was very happy. He bowed respectfully and asked, "Huzur, what should I bring for you to eat?" The emperor replied, "Bring me ten fried chicken eggs." Hodja immediately gave them to the emperor. They tasted so delicious that Huzur asked, "Hodja, what price should I pay you for this food?" Hodja said, "100 gold coins!" Huzur was shocked to hear that. "What are you saying? 100 gold coins for just ten eggs? These eggs aren't rare!" At once, Hodja said, "That's true, Huzur. The eggs are not rare. But Huzur coming here is a rare thing!" The emperor burst out laughing, gave him the hundred coins, and left.

 Once upon a time, when Mullah Nasruddin Hodja was the royal court's cook, he was known for cooking dishes that catered to the Emperor's every whim. One day, the Emperor declared, "I'm tired of eating meat curries. For a while, I only want to eat vegetables." Hodja made the necessary arrangements. He brought the finest brinjals and prepared a delicious curry for the Emperor. The Emperor tasted it and exclaimed in surprise, "Hodja, I think this brinjal is the king of all vegetables!" Hodja agreed immediately, "Indeed, Your Highness! Its flavour is truly extraordinary." The Emperor continued, "The aroma and taste of this curry are unparalleled by any other vegetable." Hodja nodded in agreement again, "You are right, Your Highness. This is the undisputed number one in the world of vegetables." And so, for a week, brinjal curry became the main dish. However, after eating it continuously, the Emperor lost his interest in the curr...

 Once upon a time, in the town of Silbaripuram, a new assistant professor named Ramesh started his job at a college. He entered the classroom filled with high hopes. However, many of the students at this government college had various bad habits. Despite his excellent teaching, he painfully realized that the students were not paying any attention. So, during the very first month of his job, he took a few days off and booked a room at a lodge facing the beach. In the evening, he went to the beach and looked into the distance of the sea, thinking - 'Referring to the syllabus is not helping. Some students cut my classes to go to the cinema. Others just roam around the campus aimlessly. These students don't even pretend to listen!' Feeling disheartened by these negative thoughts, he made a decision—he must leave the town. He decided to apply for a transfer to some underdeveloped government college the very next day. The next morning, he stuffed his clothes into a small bag. Bef...

 Hoja Mulla used to crave different kinds of food at different times. This was because after attending grand feasts, he would get cravings for such food for a while. Once, on his way back from a party, his mind was full of butter. Hoja had just eaten some delicious dishes made with butter. As soon as he entered the house, he asked his wife, Amina, "Hey, do we have any butter in the kitchen? The taste is fantastic. If you make a dish with it, it will be wonderful. It will improve your eyesight and make you more beautiful." His wife replied without much enthusiasm, "It's been a long time since we bought butter. Why don't you go to the market and get some?" In an instant, he said, "Eating food with butter will make you fat. And it might also upset your stomach." Hearing this, Amina was astonished. "First you praised butter as a good thing. Now you say it's bad. Why are you talking like this?" Hoja laughed and said, "If we have butte...

 Once upon a time, Mulla Hoja was working as a servant in a rich man's mansion. One day, his master asked him to go to the market and buy ten chicken eggs. Hoja wasn't a big fan of bringing eggs, because you have to be very careful to make sure they don't bump into each other and break. And Hoja, well, his mind was often on other things. So, Hoja came up with a trick—he decided to buy five eggs today, and the remaining five when he went to the market again tomorrow. He figured half the eggs would only need half the caution. But the master noticed that there were only five eggs in the kitchen and he got angry. "What an idiot you are! I asked for ten and you brought back half! You are a foolish servant who doesn't take any precaution." The next day, the master fell ill. He immediately asked Hoja to go get a doctor. Hoja grumbled to himself, "Now my master cannot call me careless anymore." Hoja came back with the doctor, and he also brought along two ot...

 One day, Mulla Hoja met a music maestro on the road. The musician invited Hoja to his house. His aim was to show off his musical heritage and instruments to Hoja. Hoja understood this perfectly. Inside the house, every room was filled with different musical instruments. The maestro showed each one to Hoja. But Hoja wasn't particularly interested in any of them. The maestro played each instrument for him, but Hoja was thinking of something else: "I wonder if I'll get something to eat here?" Then, with a hint of arrogance, the maestro asked, "Which instrument's sound did you like the most?" Hoja slyly presented his own request: "The sound I like the most is the one made when serving food clashes against a plate!"

 Long, long ago, in the land of Silbaripuram, a merchant named Ravunni was returning from the market in his horse cart. It was his custom to buy a large number of chickens from the market once a month for his ancestral home. In the cart pulled by two horses, many chickens were inside a net. The horses were struggling to pull the cart. Seeing this, a big rooster among the chickens asked the horses, "Why are you two struggling so much to pull this cart? Is our master going to give you extra food today?" The horses replied, "Oh, this is our job. We get the same amount of food on days we work and on days we don't." Immediately, the rooster got angry and shouted, "You two are just fools! This is completely unfair. You should tell the master that more work deserves more food!" One of the horses asked, "How should we tell him?" The rooster quickly replied, "We roosters crow loudly wherever we see injustice!" As soon as he said that, the ro...

 This is a classic Mulla Nasruddin (Hojamulla) story. Once, Hojamulla was walking in the rain with an umbrella. Just then, he saw a scholar from the area running by. Should he let this opportunity to teach the slightly arrogant scholar a lesson pass by? Hoja stopped the scholar and said, "Rain is a blessing from Allah. Why are you trying to run away from it?" The scholar had no counter-argument. He nodded in agreement and walked slowly, getting drenched in the rain. When he got home, he came down with a fever. A few days later, the scholar was walking with an umbrella in the rain. Just then, he saw Hoja running in the rain. The scholar was astonished by this. The same Hoja who had just a few days ago called the rain a blessing was now running to avoid it? "Hey, Hoja, stop running. Don't you want the blessing of the rain?" Without stopping, Hoja immediately shouted, "The rain is indeed a blessing. But I am running while stepping wide so as to not trample on ...

 Here are a few stories that show off Hoja's sense of humor. One day, Hoja was walking along a path. He had been invited to a wedding at a rich man's house, so he was wearing his best silk clothes. He was also wearing the most beautiful turban he owned. As he was walking proudly, a stranger approached him from the opposite direction and asked, "Could you please read this letter for me?" Hoja replied, "I don't know how to read this." Hearing this, the stranger scoffed and said, "I thought a person with such an expensive turban would know how to read." Immediately, Hoja felt angry. He took off his turban, placed it on the man's head, and said, "Huh! Now you try to read it with the turban on!" On another occasion, Hoja had to travel on a sailing ship. There were twenty passengers along with the captain. During the journey, a very strong wind began to blow. No matter how the captain changed the direction of the sail, it seemed like th...

 Hoja Mulla has many stories where he makes clever moves, but there are also many times when he says and does foolish things. Here's a story of Hoja's foolishness. Once, Hoja got the news that a donkey race was being held in the town. He told his wife, "Don't give our donkey any food for two days. I have to take it to the race in town." His wife, Amina, was obedient. He arrived at the race with the hungry donkey. The contestants mounted their donkeys, and the race began. Suddenly, from atop his donkey, Hoja showed a stick with food tied to it in front of the donkey. Thinking it could get the food in front of it, the donkey galloped forward, leaving the other donkeys behind. But did Hoja give it the food? After running for a little while, the starving donkey collapsed! Seeing Hoja fly off it and fall to the ground, the spectators jeered at him! When Hoja got home, his wife made fun of him. Hoja then said, "That donkey didn't understand the cleverness I sho...

 There are many popular jokes about Hodja Mulla, which are a mix of his wit and philosophy. Here are a few of them.  * Once, when Hodja went to the market, he had a large rooster for sale. Seeing this, a man asked, "Hodja, how old is this rooster?" Hodja replied, "I don't know. If you ask the rooster, it will tell you."  * Hodja's poverty troubled him in many ways. Because of this, he used to borrow money even from people he didn't know. One morning, Hodja went up to a man and asked, "Do you recognize me?" The man said, "No." Hodja continued, "That's good. A while back, I borrowed some money from you."  * Once, while Hodja was traveling on horseback, a man asked, "Where are you going on that horse?" Hodja replied, "Where would you go if you saw a horse?"  * A scholar tried to mock Hodja and asked, "Hodja, what do you value more, money or intelligence?" Hodja said, "Since I have intellig...

 We can read some humorous situations from Hodja's life:  * One day, Hodja was on his way to the market with his donkey. The donkey went up the slope very quickly but stopped and slowed down on the way down. At that moment, Hodja said, "You have no intelligence at all." Immediately, the donkey frowned in a questioning manner, looking at Hodja as if to say, "Who is the donkey here?"  * Hodja tried to sell his old house. When a person came, Hodja said he would give him the house for a hundred dinars, including everything. The person then asked, "How much did you price the house at?" Hodja replied, "I don't know that. But the price of the dog tied in the front yard is a hundred dinars."  * Once, while Hodja was riding on his donkey, a traveler asked, "How much is your donkey worth?" Hodja immediately replied, "If you want, you can buy both of us (the donkey and Hodja) together. Just pay the price of one."  * One day, as H...

 Once, the religious cleric in Mullah Hodja's town was critically ill. He had tried many different treatments, but nothing had worked. One day, his servant said, "There is a possibility of curing your illness. Everyone says that the divine Hodja has many different abilities. Shall I call him?" He agreed. Accordingly, Hodja arrived. Hodja looked at the cleric and said, "First, pray a thousand times, 'Oh my God, save me.' Then, pray a thousand times, 'Oh my devil, save me.'" Hearing this, the cleric trembled with anger. "What? Do you mean I should call the devil to cure my illness?" Hodja calmly replied, "I don't know whether it will be God or the devil who comes to cure your illness, do I?"

 The people of Hodja's area were unhappy with the verdicts given by the judge. This was because even for small offenses, cruel punishments were being handed out. Hodja hated him. Yet, when the judge fell ill and was bedridden, a servant came to Hodja's house to seek his help. This was because there was a rumour among the people that Hodja possessed some divine powers. Hodja and the local people arrived at the judge's house. Hodja said, "The judge is a dead man. So, what can I do?" Immediately, the people were astonished. "Hodja, what are you saying? He is still very much conscious. Didn't you see him open his eyes and look at you?" Hodja continued, "A person without a heart is already dead. Haven't all of you said many times that the judge is heartless?" Hearing this, the judge felt ashamed as he remembered his corrupt tenure. And so, Hodja finally expressed the resentment he had held in his heart for years.

You might have read in the news about a prominent leader and educationist from Kottayam district who recently passed away following a car accident. What caught my attention was the specific cause of that tragic accident. While starting and moving the car forward, his shoe got stuck between the brake and the accelerator. This caused the accelerator pedal to get pressed down suddenly, making the vehicle surge forward and crash into a pillar. To avoid such incidents, it is often suggested not to wear footwear while driving four-wheelers. The Potential Risks: Design Hazards: Many types of footwear have extra width, long laces, or flaps. These can easily get snagged on the three pedals (clutch, brake, and accelerator). Tactile Feedback: Sensory nerves end at the tips of our toes. Driving barefoot allows for better precision, speed, and sensitivity in controlling the pedals compared to wearing heavy footwear.  Reaction Time: Thick-soled shoes can slightly delay the time it takes to switc...

It was a time when the lion ruled as the King of Silbaripuram forest. One day, as usual, the lion went out for a hunt. Suddenly, a fox crossed his path! Realising he was in trouble, the fox quickly used his wit to come up with a trick. "Oh, King of the Jungle! I am more than happy to surrender myself to you. However, just a while ago, I saw a donkey nearby who is quite plump and fleshy. Instead of me, let me bring that donkey to you," the fox pleaded. Hearing this, the lion replied, "In that case, lead the way to the donkey. I will be right behind you. Make sure you bring him before me." Both of them walked along until they reached a donkey grazing nearby. The lion hid behind a large tree. Meanwhile, the fox pretended to graze on the grass so the donkey would notice him. The donkey approached the fox cautiously. At that moment, the fox said, "I am giving up my life as a fox and going to live like a sanyasi from now on. Let us live the rest of our days as close ...