Will you lend money to a stranger?

Not very long ago, a merchant by the name Savchand lived in a village of Vandhali in Gujarat. He had a big business of import and export. He had 12 ships that would carry goods to other countries to sell. In return, they would carry back the local goods of the country. 

Once his ships did not return on the expected date. He waited for a couple of days. A week passed but there was no news of his ships. The merchant was now very concerned. The rumor spread in the village that all of the merchant’s ships had sunk. Villagers thought the merchant would go bankrupt. People who had kept money with the merchant panicked. They went to him and asked him to return their money. The merchant started returning the money as much as he could from his reserve. He was left with little money.

A landlord from the nearby village had one lakh rupees with the merchant. His son told the news about Savchand and his ships. He asked his father to go and recover the money before it’s too late. 

The landlord also got suspicious. He rode his horse and came to the merchant’s shop. He asked Savchand to return his one lakh immediately as he needed it to send his son aboard. The merchant panicked a bit as the amount was big. He knew he had to return the money but the timing was bad. He did not have much money left. He requested to the landlord –

“The amount is big, it will take me 3-4 weeks to arrange. Please give me some time.”

The landlord replied – 

“If I return empty-handed, my son will quarrel with me and both of our relationships will unnecessarily get sour.”

The merchant understood, no one would want to board a sinking ship. He did not want to create animosity with the landlord. He started to think about the solution. Something struck his mind, he had heard of a big merchant in Ahmedabad by the name Somchand. He was renowned and well known in the business community. However, Savchand had never done any business with him or even met him. He thought of writing a draft to Somchand. He told the landlord  – 

“If you want the money immediately you will have to go to Ahmedabad, I will give the draft which you can show there, and take your money.” 

Landlord agreed. Savchand prayed to God and wrote the draft to Merchant Somchand in which he mentioned to lend one lakh rupees to the landlord on showing this draft. 

While he was writing the draft he started thinking – 

“Neither I know merchant Somchand, nor there I have done any business dealing with him. Will he agree to lend one lakh rupees?“

His heart pained and tears rolled down his eyes. Two of his teardrops fell on the draft and smudged some of his writing. Taking the name of God, he handed over the draft to the landlord.

The landlord immediately rode his horse to Ahmedabad. It did not take him much time to locate the well-known merchant’s office. He went and handed over the draft to Somchand. When Somchand read the draft, he could recollect anyone by name Savchand or having done any business with him. He started wondering, who had written this draft. 

He asked his accountant to check if there was an entry in the name of merchant Savchand. Account searched all the records but did not find any entry. Somchand started wondering and read the draft 2-3 times. Just then his attention went to the teardrops that had smudged some words. He understood the situation. He felt it was his dharma to help a fellow businessman at the time of need. 

He asked the accountant to handover one lakh to the landlord. The account was taken aback, he asked – 

“How can we lend money without any account? Whose name should I create the entry?”

“Write it under expenses” replied Somchand.

This human life is useless if one cannot help someone at the time of crisis. He felt happiness deep inside for having gotten that opportunity. 

The accountant unwillingly handed over the amount to the landlord. The landlord was happy. He returned to Vanthali and told merchant Savchand that he had received the money. Savchand thanked God and merchant Somchand’s godliness for having helped a complete stranger. 

In a few days, merchant Savchand’s ships which had stopped at an island to avoid a major cyclone returned. Savchand sold all the goods and raised a good amount of money. He took the landlord and went to Ahmedabad to return the amount to Somchand.

He met Somchand and told him about the one lakh rupees which he had taken. Merchant Somchand asked his accountant to check if there was any pending entry in the name of merchant Savchand. 

The accountant said – 

“Yes we had loaned one lakh rupees to him but there is no entry in his name. The amount was taken as an expense entry” 

“So there is no outstanding entry in the name of Sri Savchand, right?” asked Somchand to his account to clarify. The accountant confirmed there was no entry. 

Somchand turned to Savchand and said – 

“Sir, There is no loan in your name. I’m a Jain too, I don’t accept any money which is not rightfully mine.” 

Merchant Savchand was shocked and surprised at the same time. He said to Somchand – 

“What are you saying? This is your money. I had loaned it from you. If I take it back, I will be the biggest sinner. I will go to hell!”

Both merchants were adamant on their stand. The Landlord, seeing this, felt a deep respect for both the merchants. 

They decided to take the matter to the local guild. People were surprised by listening to this unique case. Finally, both were asked to contribute and donate the amount to construct a Jain temple at mount Shetrunjay. Even today there is a peak in their name which is famously known as – “Sava-Soma Peak”.