Once, there lived a greedy King called Srinjayaa. He had only a daughter and no son. He felt about it badly.
So, he asked the Brahmins, and they told him that if he worshipped Narada Muni, he could get his desire fulfilled.
So, one day, when Narada Muni came to Srinjayas palace, Srinjayaa worshipped him.
He prayed to Narada Muni for a son.
When Narada Muni asked the King what sort of a son he desired, the King replied, saying, that he wanted a beautiful, intelligent, healthy son, from whose mouth pearls should fall, as he cries or speaks.
Narada Muni blessed the King and went away.
Soon, a son was born to the King, by the blessings of Narada Muni.
Pearls started falling from the childs mouth, every time he spoke or cried.
The Palace was filled with the pearls. Even the doors and walls of the Palace were inlaid with jewels.
The story of this miracle child, spread like wild fire.
A gang of robbers in the forest, came to know about this child, and they decided to kidnap the baby.
One night, they stealthily entered the palace and took away the child.
When the King came to know of this he was extremely in distress.
Hes ent the royal soldiers to search out for the child.
When the gang of robbers heard the Kings command, they decided to leave the child, as they were afraid of the soldiers.
All the robbers agreed, but one of them disagreed. He suggested that the child be cut into pieces, for, every drop of the childs blood could also change into a pearl.
Accordingly, they cut the child to pieces.
But, to their dismay, they couldnt get a single pearl from the childs blood.
By then, the royal soldiers surrounded the robbers.
They bound the robbers and brought the robbers before the King.
TheKing came to know of the tragic end of his child son.
The King realized that his greed had ultimately ruined him.
( Story from the Mahabharata )
Moral of the story:
In Srimad Bhagavatam, 11th canto, Lord Sri Krishna while instructing Sri Uddhava, told him the story of a Brahmana in thecountry of Avanti.
The Avanthi brahmana speaks the following verse (SB 11.23.18-19).
steyam himsaanrtam dambhah kaamah krodhah smayo madah
bhedo vairam avisvaasah samspardha vyasanaani ca
ete pancadasaanarthaa hy artha-mulaa mataa nrnaam
tasmaad anartham arthaakhyam sreyo-rthi duratas tyajet
“Theft, violence, speaking lies, duplicity, lust, anger, perplexity, pride, quarrelling, enmity, faithlessness, envy,and the dangers caused by women, gambling and intoxication are the fifteen undesirable qualities that contaminate men becauseof greed for wealth. Although these qualities are undesirable, men falsely ascribe value to them. One desiring to achieve thereal benefit of life, should therefore remain aloof from undesirable material wealth.”
We find in the above story also that the Kings greed for material wealth has led to so many undesirable things like envy,theft, violence on the child, perplexity for the King, so on and so forth.
Whereas on the other hand, as said in the aboveverse, if one desires to achieve the real benefit of life (sreyah-arthi), he should have intense greed for it as quoted belowin Caitanya caritamrta-Madhya lila 8.70:
“Pure devotional service in Krishna consciousness cannot be had even by pious activity in hundreds and hundreds oflives. It can be attained only by paying one price – that is, intense greed to obtain it. If it is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay.”