Lord Yama’s chair

Lord Yama’s chair

There was a marriage in Indra’s home. So Yama and all his people had to attend it. But since there should be some one to open the door when people come to heaven, they left Chithra Guptha to guard the gate of hell and heaven. Yama told him not to allow anybody inside heaven during his absence. Two hours after Yama left to Indra’s home, Chithra Guptha heard a knock at the door. He just peered outside and found a poor lame tailor outside the heaven. Chithra Guptha told him, “Hey tailor, you wait outside till Lord Yama comes back.” Then the tailor requested in a very humble voice, “Sir, I am lame and have been good all my life. If I stand outside my legs will start paining. Please allow me in to the heaven.” Chithra Guptha read his books and told the tailor, “You are not a good man. You have taken money out of many shirts, which have been given to you for repair. So I cannot allow you inside heaven. If Lord Yama comes back and he decides to pardon you, then you can come inside heaven. “ But the tailor persisted, ’Sir, all that money fell on my table while I was repairing the shirts. When the owners came, they did not ask for the money. So I am not responsible for that. Also, if you admit me in to heaven. I will stitch a very good shirt to Lord Yama, before he comes back.” Chithra Guptha took pity on the tailor and decided to admit him in to the heaven. He told him, “You be sleeping here. When Lord Yama comes here he would decide whether to send you to heaven or hell.” Then Chithra Guptha went inside his house and closed the door.

The tailor slowly started seeing round heaven. In one big room, he saw several chairs. One of the chairs was a golden chair. He wanted to sit on the chair and see. Since there was no body else, he went and sat on the chair. Suddenly he saw the world. He saw a Dhobhi taking money out of the pocket of his shirt, which he had given him for washing. He got very angry and threw his own chair on the Dhobhi. Suddenly he saw that Lord Yama was returning. He went to a corner and hid himself. When Lord Yama came, he straight came to the room where the tailor was hiding. He saw that his golden chair was not there. He called Chithra Guptha and asked him, “ Where is my golden chair? Did you allow somebody in to the heaven when I was absent?” Chithra Guptha asked for the Lord’s pardon and brought the tailor in front of Lord Yama. Lord Yama asked him, “Where is my golden chair?” The tailor then told him, “Sir, one Dhobhi was stealing my money from my shirt, which I had given for washing. So I got angry and threw the chair at him.” Then Lord Yama told the tailor, “How many times have you stolen money from the shirts given for repair? Had I thrown my chairs at you, there would not be any chairs in heaven. You got angry because some body was stealing your money. So I am asking you to go to hell.” The tailor was then sent to hell.