A Man Who Knows the Price of Everything but the Value of Nothing
Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value
of nothing. Even small children can tell you the price of the latest phone, the
new shoes and the costly toy. Ask the same child the value of a tree, a river
or a grandmother’s blessing, and you get a blank face. Everything has a sale, a
discount, a coupon or a bargain. We bargain with the vegetable seller for two
rupees, but we never bargain with the air we breathe. Nobody has given us “buy
one sunrise, get one free” offer yet, but give them time.
The sad part is that most of the things we price so
carefully have no real value in life. And the things with real value, like
nature, water, clean food, relationships and the oneness of this whole
universe, have no price tag at all. They are not cheap. They are priceless.
What the Scriptures Say
Hindu scriptures knew about this problem thousands of years
ago. In the Katha Upanishad (Chapter 1, Verse 27), young Nachiketa is sitting
in front of Yama, the god of death. Yama offers him long life, cattle, gold and
kingdoms. Nachiketa refuses and says that a man can never be satisfied with
wealth. Imagine a teenager refusing unlimited credit card from death himself.
Today we cannot refuse even a free mug with company logo.
Another beautiful anecdote is in the Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad (Chapter 2, Section 4, Verse 2). Sage Yajnavalkya wanted to leave
home and divide his wealth between his two wives. Maitreyi asked him a simple
question: if the whole earth filled with wealth was hers, would it make her
immortal? He said no, it would only make her life like the life of rich people.
Maitreyi answered that she has no use for what cannot make her immortal. She
asked for knowledge instead. So the lady who got offered the whole bank balance
asked for wisdom. This is real value.
The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 16, Verse 21) says that lust,
anger and greed are the three gates to hell. Greed is the one that makes us
count everything in money, so it deserves special attention.
Nature, Water and Food: Free but Not Worthless
The Prithvi Sukta of the Atharva Veda (Chapter 12, Hymn 1,
Verse 12) says, “Mata bhumih putro aham prithivyah”, meaning the Earth is my
mother and I am her son. If someone sells his mother in the market, we call him
heartless. But we sell the forests, pollute the rivers and still feel proud of
our “development”.
The Rigveda (Mandala 10, Hymn 9, Verse 1) praises water with
the words “Apo hi shtha mayobhuvah”, meaning waters are indeed givers of
happiness. Today we respect a bottle of water only because it has a brand name
and a price, and the river outside is just a drain.
The Taittiriya Upanishad (Chapter 3, Verse 2) says “Annam
Brahma”, food is Brahman. Our ancestors bowed before the plate before eating.
Now we take photos of the plate, post them and leave half the food in the
dustbin.
Relationships and the Real Offering
In the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 9, Verse 26), Bhagavan Krishna
says that whoever offers Him a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water with love, He
accepts it. Think about it. A leaf and water have almost zero price, yet
Bhagavan accepts them because the value is in the love, not in the cost. Many
people today give expensive gifts on birthdays but cannot give ten minutes of
real time. The gift is costly, the relationship is cheap.
Oneness: The Highest Value
The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 6, Verse 29) says that the wise
person sees the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self. The Maha
Upanishad (Chapter 6, Verse 71) gives us “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, the whole
world is one family. When we understand this, the question of “mine” and
“yours”, “profit” and “loss” becomes very small. You cannot put a price on your
own family, and the universe is that family.
Symbolism and Meaning
The Gita’s leaf, flower, fruit and water are symbols. They
show that the divine does not need expensive things. The Katha Upanishad also
talks about two paths, shreyas (what is good for us in the long run) and preyas
(what is pleasant now). Price tags mostly belong to preyas. Value belongs to
shreyas. The wise person, the dhira, chooses shreyas.
Life Lessons
- Before
buying something, ask whether it adds value or only adds to the cupboard.
- Treat
water, food and trees with respect, not as free items without importance.
- Give
time and attention to family. They are not available on discount later.
- Wealth
is a tool. It is not the goal of life.
- Be
content with what you have, because the mind that only knows prices always
wants the next sale.
Modern Day Relevance
Today online shopping, flash sales and social media show us a world where everything is for sale, including attention and even self-respect. People are rich in gadgets and poor in peace. Water crisis, pollution, lonely old parents and stress are the bill we pay for ignoring value. The teachings of the Upanishads and the Gita are not old stories for temple only. They are practical advice for this moment.
It is okay to know the price of things. We live in a world with rent and school fees. But if we know only the price and forget the value, we become like a man who counts the coins carefully and loses the whole treasure. The scriptures ask us to look deeper: the earth, the water, the love of family and the oneness of all life. They have no price, because they are worth more than everything with one.