Ours is a world full of inequalities. The more we look around us, the more obvious it is that there isn’t enough of everything for people to be happy. Not enough food, water, clothes, houses, even gold, cars, gadgets! The list is long and never-ending. But what if we imagine a world where there is no scarcity at all? Would people be happy then? Surely, the world designed for the gods would be such a place?
Kubera, the god of wealth, once visited Kailash to see Lord Shiva and his family. Kubera was everything that Shiva was not. Shiva was an ascetic and led the lifestyle of one. Kubera, on the other hand, was a god who indulged in excesses. When he saw Ganesha in Kailash, Kubera’s heart went out to him. The boy clearly has a giant appetite, thought Kubera. How could he be satisfied eating the meagre food that his hermit father provided?
So Kubera told Ganesha that he was willing to let him eat one meal from his kitchen. “This is a favour I’m doing for your father,” said Kubera, smiling broadly. Ganesha smiled back at him and accepted the invitation. Kubera’s kitchen, as expected, was large and bountiful. “Eat all you want!” said Kubera grandly. Ganesha didn’t say a word. He took a plate and began filling it. Kubera settled down in a comfortable spot to observe him. In no time at all, Ganesha was done with his food! “I want more!” he said, rubbing his stomach. Kubera nodded indulgently. “Nobody’s stopping you!” he said. Ganesha took large helpings of everything he could see. Especially the sweets!
“Mmm… delicious!” said Ganesha, grinning. When his plate was empty, Kubera got up, thinking Ganesha was done. “I’m not finished yet!” said Ganesha aggrieved. “But...,” said Kubera and stopped. How could one person eat SO much? However, he had made a promise to Ganesha and he didn’t want to go back on his word. Kubera sat back and watched as Ganesha waltzed around the kitchen sampling this and that, taking any food that caught his fancy. Slowly, Kubera began to worry. The food was getting over! The sweets had already run out and barely a handful was left of the huge mountain of rice.
Kubera’s kitchen could easily feed an army for a week and here was one child who was threatening to consume all of it in a single meal!
When the last grain of rice had been eaten and every pan had been scraped to the bottom, Ganesha turned to Kubera and said, “Is that all?” Kubera nodded, unable to say a word. “But I still want more food!” sulked Ganesha. Kubera’s heart quailed. “I-I will buy you more food,” he said. He opened his treasury and sent out men to buy food for Ganesha. “His stomach is a bottomless pit!” Kubera muttered to himself. What had he got himself into? But no amount of food that his men brought could satisfy the elephant-headed child. At last, Kubera pleaded with Ganesha to stop. “Enough! Please! I will lose all my wealth if you don’t stop!” he said. Ganesha smiled. “Do you know what the difference between you and my father is?” he asked. Kubera shook his head. “You try to give more food but he tries to reduce hunger,” said Ganesha. “It is not enough if there is more of everything. One should also know when there is enough of everything.” Kubera hung his head in shame. “Don’t worry,” said Ganesha, laughing. “That was still a wonderful meal!”