In a peaceful village lived two friends, Karthik and Rohan. Karthik was a hardworking young man who had spent years saving every penny to open a small grocery store. Rohan, on the other hand, was always restless and felt bitter whenever he saw anyone else succeeding.
As time passed, Karthik’s business flourished. He began to wear neat, fine clothes and enjoy nutritious, delicious meals with his family. When Rohan saw this, a dark feeling grew in his heart. Instead of being happy for his friend, he thought, 'How can Karthik afford such luxuries so easily? He must have done something dishonest to get this wealth.'
One afternoon, Rohan saw Karthik dressed in a brand-new shirt, enjoying a grand feast at a local restaurant. Driven by jealousy, Rohan started whispering to the villagers, 'Don't be fooled by Karthik's appearance. He must have stolen or cheated to afford such fine clothes and food. He is not a good man.'
The rumors spread quickly, causing much distress to Karthik. However, the villagers knew Karthik’s integrity. When they looked closely at how Karthik had built his life through honest labor, they realized that Rohan’s accusations were baseless. Rohan’s attempt to bring Karthik down only revealed his own low character and small-mindedness. He lost the respect of the entire village.
