Dushtagati: Fate of the Wicked
Even the powerful cannot escape karma
Two tales of powerful wrongdoers facing justice. In The Corrupt Minister, Tenali exposes a man who thought his position made him untouchable. In The Dishonest Judge, a man who sold justice learns that karma has a long memory. Both stories show that wrongdoing always catches up, no matter how long it takes.
The Corrupt Minister
Minister Durbuddhi was the second most powerful man in the kingdom, and he knew it.
For years, he had been accepting bribes from merchants who wanted favorable trade laws. He took money from nobles who wanted their rivals punished. He even sold government positions to whoever paid the most.
"Who will stop me?" he laughed privately. "The king trusts me completely. I am untouchable."
But one day, a young man came to Tenali with tears in his eyes.
"My father was a loyal soldier who died serving the kingdom," the young man said. "The king promised our family a pension, ten gold coins every month. But Minister Durbuddhi demands half of it as a 'processing fee.' When I refused to pay, he stopped the pension entirely!"
"Do you have proof?" Tenali asked.
"He's too clever for that. He never writes anything down. He makes people bring the bribe in person, privately. No witnesses."
Tenali thought carefully. Durbuddhi was protected by the king's trust. Accusations without proof would only get the accuser punished.
But perhaps proof could be created.
Tenali went to the king with a proposal. "Maharaja, I've heard that some merchants are unhappy with our trade laws. May I conduct a secret survey to find out what they want?"
The king agreed.
Tenali then visited several merchants he knew had paid bribes to Durbuddhi. "I'm conducting a survey," he said. "The king wants to know what would make trade easier. What would you ask for, if you could?"
The merchants listed their wishes: lower taxes, better roads, fewer inspections.
"And have you ever asked the minister for these things?" Tenali asked innocently.
"Oh yes," several said. "We've... contributed to the minister's charitable fund. He's very helpful to those who contribute."
"How much did you contribute?"
They named figures. Tenali wrote everything down.