Once upon a time, in a quiet little village, there lived a sculptor with his wife and children. He was known as the finest sculptor in all the surrounding villages. His skill was unmatched—every statue he carved looked so beautiful and lifelike that people would travel from faraway places just to see his work.
But there was one problem. Many merchants came to buy his sculptures, and they always tricked him. They would bargain and buy them for very low prices, then resell them for great profit. The sculptor never realized the true worth of his art.
Just as Hanuman in the old tales once lived without knowing his own strength, this sculptor too lived without knowing the value of his hands’ creations.
His wife noticed this and grew upset. Because he sold his sculptures cheaply, their family suffered. Their living conditions never improved. Meanwhile, the merchants who resold his statues grew rich.
Whenever his wife heard about this, she argued with him. She tried to guide him at every sale: “Ask for this price. Don’t give it for less.” But he never listened. He ignored her.
Finally, in her anger, his wife took their children and went back to her mother’s house.
Only then did the sculptor realize his mistake. Alone and troubled, he thought, Maybe I should have listened to her. I must change. But even after this, whenever merchants came, they still bargained hard. No matter what price he quoted, they forced him to sell cheaply.
Worry filled his heart. If this goes on, my wife and children will never return to me.
That night, as he lay in bed, a vision came to him. A beautiful Goddess appeared in his dream, and just looking at her brought peace to his heart.
The next morning, inspired, the sculptor carved a statue of the Goddess he had seen. It was so lifelike, so divine, that the Goddess herself appeared before him.
“You have carved my image so beautifully,” she said. “I am pleased. Ask for a boon, and I shall grant it.”
Falling at her feet, the sculptor said, “My wife and children have left me because I have no money. For years, I have carved statues, but I have earned so little. Merchants cheat me, even when I ask for a higher price. I don’t know how to live. Please make me rich. If I have wealth, my family will return, and I will be at peace.”
The Goddess smiled. “As you wish. You shall be rich.”
At once, his home and life were filled with wealth. But the Goddess added, “Do not make sculptures for some time.”
The sculptor was puzzled. “Why, Goddess?”
“You will understand later,” she said. “For now, live happily with your wife and children.”
The sculptor agreed. Soon, word reached his wife. Hearing that he was now rich, she and the children returned joyfully. Together, they lived happily. His respect in the village also grew—people invited him to preside over functions, and everyone honored him.
Merchants came again, hoping to buy statues. But when they asked, the sculptor told them, “No, I have stopped. I no longer need to sell sculptures.”
The merchants were disheartened. His skill was unmatched, and no other sculptors’ work compared. Without his statues, their trade collapsed.
They gathered together and decided to beg for forgiveness. One by one, they came to him. “Please forgive us. We cheated you by buying your work for low prices. That was our mistake. We became rich because of you, but now we are ruined because you stopped. If you don’t make sculptures again, our families will starve. Our businesses have ended.”
The sculptor listened and sent them away, saying, “I will think and give you my answer.”
That evening, he turned to his wife. “What should I do?”
“Do what your heart tells you,” she replied.
He then knelt before the statue of the Goddess. “I obeyed you and stopped sculpting all this time. But now, they are suffering. Show me the right path,” he prayed.
The Goddess appeared once more and said, “You may start again.”
The sculptor asked, “Why did you forbid me before, but now allow me?”
The Goddess answered, “Because earlier, neither you nor the merchants valued your work. Your wife prayed for you every day, asking me to protect you. I wanted you to first realize your own worth. When you yourself don’t value your art, how will others value it? Now you know your worth. And so do they. That is why I tell you—create again.”
With tears in his eyes, the sculptor understood. He resumed his craft, this time selling his statues at a fair price. The merchants bought them honestly, and both he and they prospered. His family was happy, and peace filled his life.
Moral
If you do not value yourself, others will not value you either. Never underestimate your own worth. Stand firm, respect your hard work, and the world will learn to respect it too.
