Managing Loans, Building Security: Yogesh’s Financial Journey
This week on Money Matters, we met Yogesh, an IT professional with over 12 years of experience. Yogesh prefers not to show his face on camera, and we fully respect that. He joined us to share his financial story—one that many middle-class families in India can relate to.
Introducing Yogesh
Yogesh is 32 years old, married, and currently living in government quarters with his wife. He recently bought a house worth ₹26 lakhs and is preparing to move in soon. Like most first-time homeowners, he has taken on a substantial home loan, along with a couple of other loans, which has led to some financial stress.
His monthly take-home salary is ₹46,000. His wife has just finished her degree and is not yet working. On top of that, she is pregnant, and they are expecting a baby in about six months. Naturally, the family’s financial responsibilities are about to grow.
Yogesh’s Loans at a Glance
Here’s a breakdown of Yogesh’s current loans and EMIs:
Home Loan: ₹26 lakhs @ 7.9% interest, EMI of ₹19,000 (30 years).
Personal Loan: ₹2 lakhs @ 16% interest, EMI of ₹5,838 (4 years).
Mobile Loan: EMI of ₹2,346 (10 months remaining).
Add household expenses of roughly ₹9,000, and his monthly budget looks very tight. That totals to ₹36,000+ in fixed monthly obligations, against his ₹46,000 income.
Currently, Yogesh has about ₹1.75 lakhs in the bank, of which ₹1.4 lakhs will go toward the house possession payment soon. He also has an RD (recurring deposit) of ₹35,000. Beyond this, his savings and investments have been depleted—he liquidated everything to make the down payment.
The Real Problem
On paper, Yogesh’s numbers balance out. He earns enough to cover his EMIs and household expenses. But the issue lies deeper:
No savings buffer left – All savings and investments have been drained.
Dependence on loans – Any unexpected need (like medical expenses during his wife’s pregnancy) could push him into taking another personal loan.
Long-term risks – A 30-year home loan could mean paying nearly ₹70 lakhs back to the bank for a ₹26 lakh loan.
This is a financial trap many fall into—focusing only on EMI affordability without accounting for related costs (registration, brokerage, furnishing, appliances, etc.) that come with home ownership.
The Guidance
Here’s the step-by-step roadmap that was discussed for Yogesh:
1. Build an Emergency Fund
Goal: ₹1.5 lakhs over time, to cover 4–5 months of expenses.
Start with his existing ₹35,000 RD and the ~₹34,000 that will remain in his account after possession.
Save ₹10,000 per month via a liquid or debt mutual fund (easily redeemable within 24–48 hours).
Within a year, he will have ~₹1.8 lakhs as a safety net. This becomes critical with a baby on the way.
2. Prioritize Debt Management
The personal loan @16% is very expensive. Instead of putting the full ₹10,000 into investments, split it:
₹5,000 towards SIP (systematic investment plan).
₹5,000 towards extra payments on the personal loan.
This strategy can help close the personal loan in ~2 years instead of 4.
3. Tackle the Home Loan Smartly
A 30-year loan at 7.9% can nearly triple the repayment amount. But with discipline, Yogesh can cut this drastically:
Pay one extra EMI every year.
Increase EMI by 10% every year as his salary grows.
Doing just these two things can reduce the loan term from 30 years to just 11 years—saving ~₹27 lakhs in interest.
4. Protect the Family
Get a life insurance cover of at least ₹1 crore (will cost around ₹20,000 annually at his age).
Rely on his corporate health insurance for now, but consider a top-up after the baby arrives.
5. Grow Investments Over Time
Once the personal loan is closed and the emergency fund is secure, shift investments to equity mutual funds.
A simple ₹10,000 monthly SIP, increased by 5% annually, compounded at ~15%, could give Yogesh nearly ₹6 crores by retirement at 60.
Key Lessons from Yogesh’s Story
Home buying needs real math, not just EMI math. Down payment, registration, furnishing, and hidden costs can wipe out savings.
Emergency funds are non-negotiable. Without them, even a small crisis pushes families into expensive personal loans.
Debt strategy matters. Costly loans must be paid off early; long loans like home loans should be shortened with smart repayment hacks.
Insurance is protection, not expense. With a family, life and health insurance are must-haves.
Start investing early. Even ₹10,000 monthly, with discipline, grows into crores over decades.
Final Words
Yogesh’s story is one of ambition, responsibility, and lessons learned. Buying a home is a dream for every family, but it must be done with careful planning. The key is discipline—saving consistently, paying off high-interest loans early, and building an emergency cushion.
With these steps, Yogesh can not only manage his present obligations but also secure his family’s future, become debt-free much earlier, and still build a substantial retirement corpus.
Congratulations, Yogesh, on your new home. With patience and planning, you’re on the path to true financial freedom.
👉 If you found Yogesh’s story insightful, share it with someone who is planning to buy a house. It might save them from financial stress down the line.
On June 30, 2017, just before midnight, India witnessed one of its most dramatic economic announcements: the roll-out of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Heralded as a “one nation, one tax” reform, GST was presented as a transformative step that would ease compliance, reduce corruption, and bring benefits to the poor and the middle class.
Fast forward eight years. On September 22, 2025, the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the so-called “Savings Festival,” accompanied by advertisements, announcements, and even a televised address by the Prime Minister. Prices of daily-use items—from soaps and toothbrushes to biscuits and tea—were promised to fall. But as always, the real question lingers: are ordinary Indians truly saving more, or is this just another headline-driven celebration?
Rahul Gandhi in Bhogal vs. Nirmala Sitharaman in Laxmi Nagar
The story begins in December 2024, when Rahul Gandhi visited a small grocery shop in Bhogal, Delhi. Sitting behind the counter, he listened to the shopkeepers narrating their struggles with GST. One trader compared it unfavorably to VAT, saying they were now paying four times more tax and spending half their working hours filing returns. Small businesses, already operating on razor-thin margins, felt crushed under compliance and costs.
Ten months later, in September 2025, Finance Minister Sitharaman visited the shops of Laxmi Nagar. Accompanied by two junior ministers, she distributed flowers, smiled for cameras, and heard selective feedback about the supposed benefits of the new GST rates. But unlike Gandhi, she did not sit down to hear the raw frustration of shopkeepers. The timing and optics left many asking: had the government finally begun listening, or was this just political theatre ahead of festivals?
GST’s Eight-Year Journey
When GST was launched, Prime Minister Modi assured the nation that this system would simplify taxation and benefit the poor. Yet the lived experience was different. Prices of essentials rose. Compliance burdens skyrocketed. Traders who once operated freely were forced into a maze of returns and invoices.
For eight years, opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi repeatedly demanded course correction. They argued that high GST rates were inflating poverty, squeezing the middle class, and shrinking India’s consumption-driven economy. Their warnings went unheeded.
Only in 2025—eight years later—did the government announce massive rate cuts. Goods that once attracted 12% or 18% GST suddenly fell into the 5% slab. Some essentials like milk, curd, and paneer were exempted entirely. Personal care products, stationery, and packaged food items all saw reductions. The narrative shifted from “compliance and efficiency” to “celebrating savings.”
But this raises a haunting question: why did it take eight years of hardship before these cuts were made?
The “Savings Festival” or a PR Exercise?
The government declared September 22, 2025, as the start of a “Savings Festival.” Newspapers ran full-page ads thanking the Prime Minister. FMCG companies announced price cuts of ₹1 to ₹20 on biscuits, noodles, and tea packets. Insurance companies promised lower premiums. Hotels highlighted reduced GST on rooms, pitching tourism as more affordable.
And yet, reality was more complicated:
Old stock still on shelves: Shopkeepers explained they could not sell products at new prices until old stock was cleared.
Negligible savings: A ₹10 biscuit packet reduced to ₹9 may be important for the poor, but is it truly festival-worthy relief?
State-level losses: With items moved into lower slabs, states now face revenue shortfalls. Andhra Pradesh alone estimated a ₹20,000 crore loss. How will they recover it? By raising other levies?
Middle class squeeze: Reports show India’s middle class is shrinking. Even Nestlé’s CEO admitted FMCG sales are falling due to reduced purchasing power. If incomes aren’t rising, will small price cuts revive consumption?
The “festival” may therefore remain limited to headlines and advertisements rather than people’s wallets.
The Forgotten Promises of 2017
If one looks back at the headlines of July 2017, the déjà vu is striking. Then too, the government promised that soap, toothpaste, milk, medicines, and biscuits would become cheaper. Now, in September 2025, the same list of items is being read out again.
This repetition exposes a deeper problem: for eight years, ordinary Indians did not feel the promised relief. If the GST system was truly designed for the poor, why did it take almost a decade to reduce their burden?
The government insists that the new GST rates will deliver a “double bonanza” for the poor and middle class. But if a single bonanza was promised in 2017 and never materialized, can the public trust the double promise in 2025?
Health Insurance and the GST Narrative
Interestingly, alongside tax relief on daily goods, insurance companies are using this moment to advertise cheaper premiums. With GST on health and term insurance slashed, companies are wooing consumers with promises of affordability.
But here lies a contradiction: while insurance is indeed essential—covering hospital bills, securing families against financial shocks—its affordability is not determined only by tax. Household budgets, disposable incomes, and employment security matter far more. Without stronger economic fundamentals, GST relief on insurance may remain symbolic.
The Opposition’s Case
Congress leaders argue that GST has been “Gabbar Singh Tax”—a villain that robbed people of income and dignity. Rahul Gandhi consistently pressed for a standard 18% cap, a demand the government ignored until now. He also linked GST’s flaws to larger structural issues, such as India’s weak manufacturing sector compared to China.
His critique: GST widened inequality, burdened small traders, and hollowed out India’s middle class. And the government’s sudden embrace of rate cuts, in his view, proves that his warnings were always valid.
What Lies Ahead?
The GST “Savings Festival” arrives with fireworks, advertisements, and political symbolism. But the deeper questions remain:
Are savings real or superficial?
Will a ₹5 or ₹10 reduction in consumer goods significantly improve monthly household budgets?
How will states cope with revenue losses?
Will they raise other taxes to make up for reduced GST collections?
Has India’s middle class already shrunk too much?
With stagnant wages and inflation eroding incomes, will lower GST rates revive demand?
Is this a reform or a rebranding?
If the government itself admits that GST needed correction, does it also accept that the 2017 rollout was flawed?
Conclusion: Between Memory and Celebration
The government wants citizens to celebrate a “Savings Festival.” But perhaps what India really needs is a “Memory Festival.” A festival where citizens recall what was promised in 2017, compare it with what is being promised now, and judge for themselves what actually changed in eight years.
Savings are welcome. Relief is necessary. But without accountability, transparency, and honest reporting, festivals risk becoming spectacles. For a country where 80 crore people still rely on free ration, the question is not whether biscuits are ₹1 cheaper, but whether the economy has created jobs, raised incomes, and secured futures.
Until then, headlines may celebrate—but wallets will decide the truth.
Donald Trump has just delivered what may be the single biggest jolt to India’s IT sector in recent memory. A shock so severe that its aftershocks will be felt from Silicon Valley to Bengaluru, and from Patna to Pune.
The announcement came late Friday evening when the U.S. President signed an executive order creating a new immigration program under the name “Project Firewall.” Overnight, the dream of Indian engineers and students who looked to America as their land of opportunity has turned into a nightmare.
What Changed? From ₹6 Lakh to $100,000 a Year
Until recently, renewing an H-1B visa cost roughly ₹6 lakh (around $7,200). Under Trump’s new order, that figure skyrockets to $100,000 a year (over ₹83 lakh).
This is no minor policy tweak. It’s a financial wall designed to push foreign workers—most of them Indian—out of the U.S. tech ecosystem.
Companies aren’t going to foot such a massive bill for every employee. And if they do, they’ll simply slash salaries to recover the cost. The math is brutal: thousands of Indian engineers in the U.S. are staring at job losses, with many possibly being forced to return to India almost overnight.
Panic on Both Sides of the Ocean
The ripple effects were immediate:
Advisories went out inside American tech firms.
Lawyers were flooded with frantic calls.
Families back in India grew restless, unsure if their loved ones would even keep their jobs.
Engineers currently traveling outside the U.S. were told to return within 20 hours or risk being denied entry altogether.
What was once a steady stream of middle-class Indian families building better futures abroad has suddenly become a flood of anxiety.
The Politics of Labels
At the heart of this order lies something more insidious than just money.
The official White House memo justifying the hike brands the H-1B program as “abused” and accuses foreign workers of harming American jobs and even threatening national security.
Let’s be clear: most H-1B holders are Indian. For decades, they’ve been the backbone of U.S. tech firms, paying billions in taxes, boosting the housing market, funding schools, and keeping hospitals staffed. Yet today, they are being recast from talent to infiltrators.
It is the same language we’ve seen elsewhere—whether in U.S. politics around Mexican immigrants or in Indian politics around “infiltrators” closer to home. The playbook is the same: use fear to win votes.
A Failure of Indian Diplomacy
This is not happening in a vacuum.
In June 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Washington and announced, to loud applause, that H-1B renewals would now be processed within the U.S., no longer requiring a trip back to India. Crowds cheered, “Modi, Modi.”
Fast forward to September 2025, and those same H-1B workers are staring down the steepest visa wall in history. What happened to that pilot project? Where is the promised relief?
India’s foreign policy, often showcased as a string of hugs, handshakes, and photo-ops, has been reduced to silence in the face of this crisis.
The Bigger Picture: Project Firewall
Trump’s choice of name isn’t accidental. In computing, a firewall blocks outsiders from entering your system. By calling this crackdown Project Firewall, the message is clear: keep Indian engineers out.
The comparison to his much-discussed “big, beautiful wall” with Mexico is unavoidable. The same metaphor, the same politics—only this time, aimed squarely at Indian talent.
And let’s not forget: Indians make up 72–73% of the entire H-1B pool. No community is hit harder.
The Human Cost
This is not just about policy or numbers.
It’s about:
Families who took out massive loans to send their children to U.S. universities, now left staring at closed doors.
Five hundred thousand Indian professionals currently on H-1B visas, half of whom could be forced to return.
Remittances worth $35 billion a year flowing from the U.S. to India, now at risk.
Entire neighborhoods in Bihar, Andhra, and Tamil Nadu where one U.S. paycheck supports multiple families.
The dream of global mobility is collapsing into the nightmare of sudden deportations and shrinking futures.
Can India Respond?
At the very least, India’s government should be holding press conferences, spelling out what this means for its citizens, and taking a strong diplomatic stand. Instead, there is silence.
When it comes to tariffs, sanctions, or defense deals, Washington speaks and New Delhi listens. When it comes to Indian engineers being labeled infiltrators, where is the outrage?
The truth is uncomfortable: foreign policy built on personal friendships and photo-ops was never real policy. It was always theater. And today, that theater is being exposed for what it is.
Conclusion: A Dark Day for India’s Engineers
For decades, ordinary Indian families sent their children to study and work abroad, believing hard work would bring upward mobility. That belief powered India’s IT boom and changed the fortunes of millions.
Now, those same families are being told to pack up and return. But the jobs, salaries, and opportunities that took them overseas simply do not exist in India.
This isn’t just a visa crisis. It is a dream crisis.
Project Firewall has revealed the fragility of India’s global standing and the vulnerability of its brightest minds. The question is: will India confront this reality—or once again drown it out with applause?
“Can India grow at a consistent rate of 11.41% for the next 25 years?”
This is not just a question of numbers, but of dreams and the ground reality. Without such growth, the vision of a “Developed India” by 2047 may remain only a slogan.
Who Really Pays the Taxes?
Over the last 15 years, the tax burden has shifted heavily onto the shoulders of ordinary citizens.
Earlier, 65% of government tax revenue came from the public.
Today, that share has risen to 80%.
Corporate and producers’ share has fallen from 35% to just 15%.
The middle class and the poor now bear the weight of taxation—through GST, excise duties on fuel, and income tax.
The Struggles of Everyday Life
Small shopkeepers and salaried employees alike find themselves trapped:
With monthly incomes of ₹10,000–₹15,000, it’s nearly impossible to manage household expenses.
Inflation keeps rising, savings keep shrinking.
Families are forced to sell land or borrow money even for basic healthcare and education.
The Challenge of Per Capita Income
India’s per capita income is only $2,381 (₹2.1 lakh annually).
Developed nations average $14,600 (₹12.2 lakh annually).
Former RBI Governor C. Rangarajan says that to bridge this gap by 2047, India would need 11.47% GDP growth every year for 25 years—an almost impossible feat.
The Growing Weight of Debt and Gold Loans
Average household spending rose from ₹42,000 in 2022 to ₹56,000 in 2025.
Household debt increased by 23% in just two years.
Gold loans surged by 71%—showing that families are pawning generational savings simply to survive.
Inequality and Corruption
While crores of Indians rely on free rations, politicians, bureaucrats, and corporate elites sit on mountains of black money. Raids uncover crores in cash and jewelry, yet the burden always falls on the honest taxpayer.
The Silent Crisis of Farmers
Kashmir’s apple growers tell another side of the story:
Highway closures and lack of crop insurance caused them losses worth hundreds of crores.
Millions of families tied to this industry are suffering quietly.
Yet such stories rarely make it to the headlines or political discourse.
The Real Questions
India’s economic debates are often distracted from core issues:
Should we be content with flashy GDP numbers?
Why is the middle class carrying the tax burden while corporations escape?
Why is questioning corruption or inequality branded as “defamation”?
If citizens stop asking questions, answers will never come. And remember—the real “intruder” emptying your pocket is not across the border, but within this unequal economic system.
✍️ Conclusion
India’s dream of progress can only be realized when the weight of growth is shared fairly, when the pockets of ordinary citizens are protected, and when we openly discuss the realities—not just the rhetoric.
Amrit Bharat Express: Easing Migration or Stopping It?
I can’t say it with absolute certainty, but I can say with confidence: Bihar has received more new trains in just these few election months than it did in the past eleven years combined.
Right now, India has nine Amrit Bharat Express trains running. Eight of them either start from Bihar or pass through it. And this has sparked a peculiar debate:
What happened to the promises of stopping migration?
Were these trains launched to ease migration—or to accelerate it?
Because the issue was never just about trains. The issue was always migration.
Trains and Bihar’s Politics
Trains have always been central to Bihar’s politics. Leaders like Ram Vilas Paswan, Nitish Kumar, and Lalu Prasad Yadav earned praise by introducing new trains. But post-2014, that political relationship faded. Slowly, the demand for new trains went silent.
And now, when there is no public outcry, Amrit Bharat Express trains are being launched one after another.
For a state like Bihar—where leaving and returning is a way of life—any new train feels like good news. But Amrit Bharat Express is not just any train. Its shiny new paint and redesigned coaches create a thrill, a sense that something new is on the rails.
But when politics starts selling you thrill in the name of progress, it’s important to unwrap the package. Because often you’ll find more salt than almonds.
“World Class”? Really?
We’re told these are world-class trains. But are they?
Delhi to Patna: Sampoorna Kranti Express → 13 hours
Mumbai to Saharsa: Amrit Bharat Express → 38 hours
If this is “world class,” then what were the older trains?
The government flaunts features: new seats, bio-toilets, LED lighting, charging ports. But are these really “world-class” in 2025? Even tea stalls have CCTV cameras today.
What matters to workers and migrants is speed. Time is money for those who travel home on short holidays, often losing daily wages. But Amrit Bharat takes longer, not shorter, to complete the same journeys.
The Politics of Stops and Speeds
Why are these trains not running daily? Why do they stop at exactly those constituencies that matter during elections?
Take the Gaya–Delhi Amrit Bharat Express:
Time: 19.5 hours
Fare: ₹560
Compare it with the Netaji Express:
Time: 15.5 hours (4 hours faster)
Fare: ₹520 (cheaper)
So what exactly makes Amrit Bharat “special”?
It seems less like a gift to workers and more like a pre-election spectacle.
The Irony of Comfort
In 2006, Lalu Yadav launched the Garib Rath—an AC train at lower fares, aimed at poor migrants. Nineteen years later, in 2025, the Modi government launches a non-AC Amrit Bharat Express from the same Saharsa.
Progress should have meant giving workers air-conditioned comfort at affordable rates. Instead, we have trains with non-AC general and sleeper coaches being dressed up as “world class.”
Is this development—or just clever branding?
Migration Made Convenient
Let’s face it: these trains are not stopping migration. They are making migration more convenient.
Because neither are jobs being created in Bihar, nor are wages improving in cities like Surat and Mumbai. The only thing ensured is that migrants can keep leaving and returning—without creating political unrest.
Amrit Bharat Express, then, is not a train against migration. It is a train for migration.
The Bigger Question
Why now? Why suddenly, in the months before elections, do Bihar’s tracks fill with new trains?
Why does a state with one-third of households earning less than ₹6,000 a month get new non-AC sleeper coaches instead of real job opportunities?
The truth is: these shiny trains are election promises on wheels. They give the appearance of development while keeping the structure of migration intact.
And Bihar knows this. Its people know the difference between a train that makes headlines and a train that makes their lives better.
So let us ask again:
Are these trains really for Bihar’s progress—or just for its votes?
1:
Non-Acceptance of Negativity:
Buddha teaches that insults and anger are like gifts. If you refuse to accept them, they remain with the giver, protecting your inner peace. (Illustrated by Buddha's response to the abuser).
2:
Restraint as Active Strength:
True strength lies not in reacting with anger, but in consciously choosing restraint, compassion, and silence. It's mastery over mind, speech, and action, not passive avoidance. (Buddha's core teaching and Chandrak/Kumar/Malav's lived example).
3:
Restraint is a Lifelong Practice:
Transformation isn't instantaneous or permanent without effort. Restraint requires continuous, daily practice in all aspects of life (eating, speaking, thinking) and persistence through repeated failures. (Chandrak's ongoing tests, Kumar's water pot lesson, Buddha's lamp analogy).
4:
Inner Transformation Creates Outer Change:
Mastering oneself through restraint is the foundation for positively influencing others and transforming society. Personal peace radiates outward, fostering dialogue, forgiveness, and harmony. (Chandrak changing his village, Kumar's centers, Malav converting Agnivesh).
5:
Conquering the Self is the Greatest Victory:
True victory isn't over external enemies, but over one's own anger, ego, and impulses. This internal victory brings lasting peace and is the source of genuine influence and societal change. (The recurring theme from Buddha to Chandrak to Kumar to Malav's final teachings).
Bonus:
The ultimate teaching: 1: When the mind says speak, keep silence. 2: When the heart says run, stop. 3: When the ego says win, embrace someone. (The concise essence of a restrained life).
Story
Very long ago. Gautam Buddha went to a village with his disciples to give a sermon. There was a young man there who was jealous of Buddha’s knowledge and influence. He wanted to humiliate Buddha so that people would stop respecting him. One day, while Buddha was teaching the villagers, that young man came and started abusing him in front of the whole assembly. He used foul words, insulted him, and even called him a hypocrite. The entire gathering was stunned. The disciples became angry and said, "Lord, permit us, we will teach this arrogant man a lesson." But Buddha smiled and said, "No, stay restrained." Then Buddha looked at the young man and said, "Son, if someone wants to give a gift and the other person does not accept it, then with whom does the gift remain?" The young man thought for a moment and said, "It stays with the one who gave it." Buddha calmly replied, "Exactly so; the foul words you spoke to me, I did not accept, so those foul words are still with you." Silence fell over the assembly. The young man was ashamed, tears rolled from his eyes. He fell at Buddha’s feet and began to ask for forgiveness.
Buddha caressed his head and said, "When anger is answered not with anger but with restraint and compassion, only then does peace come to society. Restraint is true strength."
After that day, the young man who had come to insult Buddha was completely transformed. He not only became a follower of Buddha but also began trying to walk the path of restraint. His name was Chandrak.
Chandrak now attended Buddha’s sermons every day, meditated, and practiced restraint, yet changing one’s nature is not easy. One day some children saw him meditating and started teasing him. One child came up and said, "Hey Chandrak, now you’ve become a saint? Even though everyone knew how angry you used to be." The other children laughed. Anger arose in Chandrak’s mind, but he immediately remembered Buddha’s words—if a gift is not accepted, it returns to the giver. Chandrak closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and smiled. After a while the children saw that he had become absorbed in meditation without saying a word. They quietly slipped away. Within Chandrak, the flame of restraint had begun to burn. Another test: A few months later, Buddha set out on a journey with his disciples. When they reached a village that had once been terrorized by robbers, the village head came to invite them. He said, "Lord, in our village there was a robber named Angulimal; you had changed him too. Bless our village." Buddha smiled and decided to stay there. Chandrak was with them. An old woman came and fell at Buddha’s feet. Crying, she said, "Lord, my son has left the path of restraint. He is lost in gambling and drink. Will you talk to him?"
Buddha looked at Chandrak and said, "Chandrak, will you meet that young man?" Chandrak was surprised; it was the first time Buddha had entrusted him with guiding someone else. But he bowed his head and said, "As you command, Lord." The youth was very arrogant and proud.
When Chandrak reached him, the youth laughed and said, "O saint, come to teach me? First tell me the story of your own life!" Chandrak calmly told his past—how he had been angry, proud, and arrogant; how he had insulted Buddha, and how Buddha’s restrained gaze had changed his life. The youth was silent for a while, then said, "Can a person really change?" Chandrak replied, "Everyone can change, if they understand themselves and practice restraint. Restraint is not bondage, but inner strength." From that day the youth kept coming to meet Chandrak. Gradually he began to change. He distanced himself from gambling and drink, and one day he also came to see Buddha. Depth of restraint: One night during a meditation retreat, Buddha asked his disciples, "What is restraint?" Many answers came— not to be angry, to avoid greed, to remain calm. Buddha smiled and said, "Restraint is not merely controlling anger. It is watchfulness over mind, speech, and action. When the mind thinks something bad, restraint recognizes it and stops it; when speech is harsh, restraint makes it sweet; when hands wish to strike, restraint shows them the path of peace." Chandrak asked, "Lord, if a person repeatedly makes mistakes, repents, then makes mistakes again, can restraint enter him?" Buddha looked at him deeply and said, "Restraint comes through practice and practice through continuity. Just as dripping water carves stone, so practice one day changes even a hard nature. The most important thing is not to give up." Chandrak’s test: Time passed. Chandrak had become an ideal disciple, but life’s tests never end. One day while travelling, a man told Buddha and his disciples to move off the road. When they refused, the man became furious. He pushed Chandrak. The disciples were startled. Anger rose in Chandrak, but he kept restraint. He stood still. Humbly he said to the man, "Brother, we do not wish to block anyone’s way. If our presence has caused you trouble, please forgive us; we will move aside at once." Tears came to the man’s eyes. He said, "I have seen many saints, but seldom have I seen such restraint as yours." Buddha smiled. He who conquers himself is the true victor. Final lesson: Chandrak’s life had changed. He had become a living symbol of restraint. From village to town people listened to him and were transformed. One day he asked Buddha, "Lord, should I now return home? Should I light the lamp of restraint in my own village?" Buddha said, "The lamp that has lit itself will spread light wherever it goes." Chandrak returned, and in his village a tradition of restraint and peace began. Teaching: This story teaches us that restraint is not a one-time act; it is a way of life. One who keeps restraint not only elevates his own life but also raises others. The life of Buddha and the stories of his disciples prove that self-control is the first step to self-development. After returning to the village Chandrak began the work of restraint and practice. On the first day when he arrived, people looked at him with contempt. An old farmer mocked, "Is this the same Chandrak who used to burn like fire with anger? Now become a priest of peace?" Chandrak bowed humbly and said, "Yes, I am the same, but now I am on the journey to know myself. I have burned much in the fire of anger; I have come now to turn that burning into coolness." Gradually he began teaching meditation to the village children, telling stories of restraint to the youth, and serving the elderly. After a few days the atmosphere of the village began to change. Where once abuse and fights were common, now showers of peace and cooperation were visible. Old test, new path: One day a man from the village itself, Dharmadutt, who had once been Chandrak’s bitter enemy, came to insult him. In the village square, before everyone, Dharmadutt said, "Chandrak, you wander about as a holy man? Have you forgotten you once insulted my mother? Today in my eyes you are a hypocrite." The whole crowd was silent. All eyes were on Chandrak. He neither panicked nor became angry. In a calm voice he said, "Dharmadutt, I admit I have made many mistakes in the past. If any word of mine has hurt you, I ask forgiveness from my heart. The first rule of restraint for me is to renounce ego." Dharmadutt was dumbfounded. The very man he had come to insult was joining his palms and asking forgiveness. This scene touched people’s hearts deeply. Within days Dharmadutt himself became Chandrak’s disciple. Effect of meditation: Chandrak built a small hut near the village where daily meditation and talks were held. He said the practice of restraint should be done not only in difficult times but every moment—while eating, speaking, walking, thinking. One day a woman came; her son stole and raged at home. She said, "Teach my son restraint, I am exhausted." Chandrak asked her to come after three days. On the third day she returned; Chandrak called the boy and gently asked, "Do you think someone can always cook for you, give you clothes, endure your lies and stealing? Your childhood will end." The boy lowered his head and said, "No." Then will you become one whom people fear or whom people love? The boy said, "Whom they love." Chandrak smiled and said, "Then restraint is your path. One who keeps restraint becomes worthy of true love." The boy bowed his head at Chandrak’s feet. This was the same Chandrak who once insulted others with harsh words, and today he was lifting people with love, restraint, and compassion. Chandrak’s inner journey: One day while meditating, a question arose within: Have I really changed, or am I still deceiving myself? He decided to go and ask Buddha. He set out for Bodhgaya. After many days he reached Buddha, bowed, and asked, "Lord, how does change become permanent? Often doubt arises within." Buddha smiled, lit a lamp, and said, "Chandrak, as long as this lamp burns, darkness cannot come, but if not tended it can go out. Change is the same; it needs daily ghee of practice and wick of restraint, only then will the lamp burn forever." Tears were in Chandrak’s eyes. He understood that this practice would continue lifelong. There is no final destination in self-building, only the journey. Final scene: Time passed. Chandrak grew old, but in the village his place had become that of a guru. Children called him Baba Sanyam. One day he called a young disciple and said, "Son, conquering the world is easy, but conquering oneself is the hardest. Yet whoever conquers himself, wherever he goes, spreads peace—this is the fruit of restraint." He closed his eyes and breathed his last. There was silence in the village, but within a light had spread—the light of restraint. Though Chandrak was no more, his teaching, his life, and his restraint lived on in people. Although Chandrak had aged in body, his restraint, his thought, and his inner strength had become sharper than ever. People of the village called him Sanyam Baba. His ashram was now not just a meditation center but a school of peace. Every morning villagers gathered there. Some sought control over anger, others to teach discipline to their children, still others balance in life. Chandrak listened to all, smiled, and spoke a few lines that changed the direction of life. One day’s incident: One day a wealthy merchant brought his son. The boy was arrogant, proud, and selfish. The merchant said, "Baba, I have given him wealth, education, comforts, but he loves no one, knows no humility. I leave him with you; change him." Chandrak smiled and said, "Restraint cannot be forced on anyone; it arises from within, but I shall try." The youth, named Kumar, said on the first day, "Baba, you are old; what will you teach? I want to learn nothing." Chandrak gave no reaction. He simply smiled, placed in Kumar’s hand a thin rope and an earthen pot filled with water, and said, "Every morning when this pot is completely empty, bring it to me and until then do not speak a word." Kumar first took it as a joke, but he did as told. Effect of silence: On the first day when the pot emptied he brought it to Chandrak without a word. Second day the same, third day the same. Gradually the process became habit. Where he once spoke at every little thing, now during that morning hour he kept silent. Silence increased his attention; attention led to thought, and thought to inner peace. One day he asked, "Baba, why are you only teaching me to stay silent?" Chandrak said, "Because the first restraint is of speech. When you gain control over your words, only then can you win over thoughts and actions." Kumar bowed his head. Inner revolution: Kumar had changed greatly. All day he served Chandrak, meditated, and taught village children. One day outside the village an angry youth slapped an old farmer. People ran to beat the youth, but Kumar stepped in. Stopping them he said, "One in anger is blind. If you punish him in the same blindness, what difference will remain?" The youth began to cry. Kumar embraced him. Chandrak watched from afar, closed his eyes, and smiled within. The seed of restraint was now bearing fruit. Chandrak’s final teaching: One evening Chandrak called Kumar and other disciples. "Restraint is not merely a weapon of self-defense but the power to save society. When restraint is within you, it begins to spread around you." Kumar asked, "Baba, if the mind ever wavers, what should be done?" Chandrak said, "Then remember, no answer is greater than silence, no practice greater than breath, no victory greater than forgiveness." That night Chandrak sat in meditation and left his body. A smile of peace was on his face. The whole village wept, yet felt proud that their village had seen a saint who had lived restraint. Years later Kumar himself had become a guru. He built centers of restraint across the land, teaching how to avoid anger, desire, delusion, and pride. One day a youth asked, "Gurudev, what is the greatest victory in the world?" Kumar pointed silently to the hair on his head, then to his palm. The youth did not understand. Kumar smiled and said, "One who keeps his head—thoughts—and his hands—actions—in restraint has conquered the world." Without lifting a sword Kumar had become renowned as a great ascetic and teacher. From every corner people came to learn the path of restraint and peace. Scholars, merchants, even royal family members came to his ashram, but with height came greater tests. The path of restraint looks simple yet is hardest within. Seed of ego: One day a young man named Malav came to the ashram. His face was radiant but his eyes held deep conflict. He said, "Gurudev, I have learnt meditation in many places, done yoga, practiced penance, but peace does not come. All say you can change life. I wish to stay with you for a year." Kumar smiled and said, "Peace is not found outside but within, but first tell me: can you leave your knowledge?" Malav was startled. "Why? Can knowledge also be an obstacle?" Kumar said, "When knowledge becomes ego it is the greatest obstacle. The first step of restraint is to drop the illusion of being knowledgeable." Malav bowed and began living in the ashram. At first he was irritated by strict rules, silence, and service work; he felt above it all, but gradually Kumar’s humility, the power of silence, and the atmosphere of restraint began to touch him. Hour of test: One day there was a great uproar in the ashram. A rich man from a neighboring village, Suresh, accused Kumar’s disciples of stealing from his fields. He declared, "Your restraint is a show, your disciples are hypocrites. If you have truth within, hand over your dear disciple to me." Malav knew the accused were innocent. The other disciples were angry, but Kumar was calm. He signaled silence and went to Suresh and said, "Brother, if you believe my disciples are guilty, I am ready to come with you. Let us go before the village court." Suresh was shaken. His face dropped in shame. He said, "Before a sage like you my false words cannot stand. Forgive me." Kumar smiled and said, "When the lamp of truth burns within, the storm of lies cannot last long. Restraint is the greatest shield of truth." Malav watched and the knots within him began to loosen. End of ego: One evening after meditation Kumar told all disciples, "Tomorrow bring one pot each, fill it with water, and come to me. If any pot spills I will send that person back." Next day all came. Some pots were half full, some full; all walked slowly so no water would fall. Malav walked proudly. He had filled his pot completely and said, "See, Gurudev, not a drop spilled." Kumar smiled and softly asked, "Tell me, is the pot of your mind also as full without a drop of ego?" Malav was shaken to the core. He understood: restraint is not outward balance but inner silence, humility, and awareness. That day Malav placed all his medals, degrees, and honors at Chandrak’s samadhi and said, "Now I wish to learn as an empty pot." Kumar caressed his head and said, "This is the first step. Only when the pot is empty can the nectar of restraint be poured in." Change in society: Kumar now began sending disciples to villages. Each was given a lamp, symbol of restraint, patience, and compassion. He said, "Go to every village and set up a restraint center. There people will meditate and practice dialogue, forgiveness, and service." Gradually restraint centers sprang up across the region. Where quarrels once occurred, people now sat together to find solutions; where abuses flew, now peace chants echoed. Even the king heard and came to Kumar and said, "Gurudev, without lifting a sword you have changed the whole kingdom. How is this possible?" Kumar said, "King, for one who wins the war within, no external enemy remains, and when the whole society wins within, no external war is needed." The king bowed and ordered restraint centers in his palace. Final moments: Kumar had grown old. One day he called all chief disciples—Malav, Sudama, Priya, Anant, and others. He said, "My dear ones, the time has come for me to enter the final depth of silence. You must now carry this lamp forward." Malav said, "Gurudev, you taught us the meaning of restraint: patience in anger, forgiveness in insult, steadiness in sorrow, humility in success." Kumar replied, "And now to live it—this is my last wish. Remember, restraint is not merely to be learnt; it is the art of living. It is meaningful only when the world around you also changes because of it." Saying this, Kumar sat in meditation and entered samadhi. Legacy: Malav recorded the teachings on restraint and composed a scripture—Sanyam Sutra. Thousands of students later read it. The fire that had reached Chandrak from Buddha now spread worldwide through Malav and his disciples. Teaching: Restraint is the power that lifts a person from within. It is not just a virtue but the foundation of life. This story repeatedly reminds us that one who conquers himself is the true victor, and this victory begins with silence, patience, and forgiveness. After Kumar’s passing his teachings spread like a banyan tree across the region. Malav was now head guru of the Sanyam Sutra ashram. He did not want the flame Kumar had lit to go out. He not only preached restraint but emphasized living it in every person’s life. Thousands now came to his talks, yet challenges also grew. New problems arose—ego of wealth, political cunning, religious divisions. Malav knew these could be met not with swords but with restraint, yet this test was harder. A new challenge: A new sect had begun near the city. Its leader, Agnivesh, attracted youth by influence and harsh rhetoric. He claimed, "Mercy, forgiveness, restraint are for the weak. To move ahead in the world one needs power, competition, victory at any cost." Gradually his followers increased. They mocked restraint centers; in places they even burned restraint books. When Malav heard, his disciples were furious. "Gurudev, shall we still remain silent? They have insulted our gurus." Malav took a deep breath and said, "This is the test of our age. Restraint is meaningful only when faced with lack of restraint; else if we descend to their language, what difference remains?" Meeting Agnivesh: Malav decided to meet Agnivesh himself. All were surprised, yet they knew that when Kumar had kept silence against insult, the angry Chandrak had become Sanyam Baba; perhaps the same miracle would repeat. Meeting Agnivesh, Malav smiled and said, "I respect your power. You have leadership and energy, but have you ever turned that energy inward?" Agnivesh laughed. "Malav, your restraint is childish. This world runs on strength, not on compassion." Malav softly replied, "The day you need to be most powerful, that day you will need restraint the most." Agnivesh dismissed it, but the matter did not end. Agnivesh’s test: Some months later some of Agnivesh’s followers set fire to a village that opposed him. One follower, Krishna, and his mother were burnt. Agnivesh was shattered. Filled with anger he came to Kumar’s samadhi. A silent gathering was underway. All bowed to him. Malav came forward and said, "Now tell us, Agnivesh." Malav asked, "Has power given you peace?" Agnivesh wept. "Gurudev, forgive me. I did not know my fire would one day burn my own courtyard." Malav said, "This is the value of restraint. One who extinguishes his own flames does not need to set fires outside." That day Agnivesh called all his followers, entered the restraint center, and became a disciple. After this revolutionary event in society Malav’s message spread far and wide. Restraint was no longer a philosophical topic but a necessity of life. The number of restraint centers multiplied. Culture of dialogue, forgiveness, and service grew among people. A time came when anger, delusion, and violence had been replaced by peaceful councils, family unity, and social cooperation. Malav had grown old, yet his face, his smile, his restraint remained the same. Final discourse: One day he called all disciples—youth from many states, doctors, teachers, soldiers, farmers, housewives. Malav said, "Today I wish to give you the final lesson of the Sanyam Sutra. Three things will be the threads of your life. First, when your mind says speak, then keep silence. Second, when your heart says run, then stop. Third, when your ego says win, then embrace someone. This is restraint, this is life." The disciples fell silent. A youth asked, "Gurudev, how shall we keep you alive?" Malav smiled: whenever you smile in anger, remain humble in insult, and keep patience in difficulty, I will live within you. The immortal flame of restraint: Malav took samadhi at the same place where Chandrak rested. That land became Sanyam Van. Every year thousands come there to meditate, read the Sanyam Sutra, and better their lives. Times changed, ages changed, yet the lamp Buddha lit, carried first by Chandrak, then Kumar, then Malav, kept burning through the ages. Final lesson: Restraint is not merely self-restraint but the foundation of social restraint. It is the power that can keep silence in noise, awaken love in hate, and spread harmony in discord. One who keeps restraint truly wins. Friends, restraint is no ordinary word; it is life’s deepest practice. This story shows how an angry, egoistic man named Chandrak was transformed by Gautam Buddha’s compassion and touch of restraint. He not only changed himself but touched countless lives. Restraint means not merely stopping anger but recognizing every feeling within, understanding it, and converting it into peace. When someone insults us, shouting is easy, but answering with silence is true courage. When life is hard, giving up is easy, but staying patient is real penance. The journey of Malav shows change occurs when we look within. If people like Agnivesh, once symbols of ego and violence, can change through restraint, why not you and I? Whatever the time, if you have restraint, you can cross the greatest challenges with a smile. Remember: when words are bitter, keep silence; when insult comes, forgive; when the path is hard, do not stop but become steadier. This is restraint, this is Buddha’s message, this is the sign of being truly human. If you found this story inspiring, share it, light the lamp of restraint within yourself, and spread the light of peace in others’ lives. Thank you—keep restraint, for it is life’s greatest victory.
