My family and I had finished a pleasant meal at a roadside food stall and I was buying some candy from a vendor while I waited for everyone to freshen up before we moved on. I was in good spirits and casually picked up an attractive candle I believed my wife would enjoy, lit the candle and held it in my hand as I selected the candies. I moved towards the merchant, cash in hand, and he chuckled about the lit candle as he counted and placed the candies in a bag. I blew out the candle placing it in the bag. “500 rupees”, piped the merchant. I was astounded and suddenly wide awake to my own foolishness. I had lit the candle and never considered to ask the price. My fate was sealed and my spirits were indignant. “I won’t pay that!”, I said. “I am calling a policeman” cried the merchant. Mayhem ensued.
Taking me aside the policeman acknowledged the merchant’s good fortune in finding me as a customer that morning as his daughter was to be married in two days and money was tight. My family returned to see me surrounded by my own consternation, the market merchants and the policeman. I was standing my ground but the sand was quickly shifting.
Somewhere inside I heard this thought. Consider this as the work of Ganesh, the god of commerce and fortune. Hmm.. I turned to the merchant, saving face, and suggested that Ganesh had moved me to light the candle in the first place so I could make this great purchase on the auspicious day of his daughter’s wedding. Everyone smiled and thanked Ganesh. I paid and the merchant thanked me. He handed the bag of candies and the candle to my wife with a blessing.
Did the god exist? Was Ganesh there before I lit the candle? Did I manufacture the god to support the ethical decision? Or even, was the god a key part of establishing honesty and fairness between the merchant and myself? Or did I need the god to save face in an embarrassing moment?
I joined my family and moved on.
Pop. I awoke from my dream and quickly wrote down this story before it faded in the early morning sun.
