A young boy sat quietly in a corner, his face downcast. When a wise, compassionate guru noticed his sorrow, she approached and asked kindly, “Why do you grieve, child?”

“Nobody values me,” he replied. “I’m worthless.”

The guru reflected. “Go to my private garden,” she said. “You’ll find a stone carved with Lord Vishnu’s image. Bring it to me.”

Obediently, the boy fetched the stone and handed it to her.

“Take this to the farmer’s market,” she instructed. “If someone asks the price, raise two fingers but say nothing. If they bargain, shake your head. Don’t sell it — return when you know its price.”

Soon, at the market, a woman approached. “How much for this?”

The boy raised two fingers.

“Two dollars?” the woman guessed. The boy shook his head.

“Twenty?” the woman offered. “That’s expensive for a centerpiece, but I’ll still take it.”

The boy refused to sell. He returned to the guru, surprised that someone even valued what he thought was worthless.

“Now take it to the museum,” she said. “And repeat the same.”

When the boy arrived at the museum, the curator examined the stone. After a pause, the curator looked up. “I’ll offer you $2,000.”

Stunned, the boy again raised two fingers in silence. When the curator pressed further, he shook his head and walked away.

He returned to the guru, pride brimming on his face, but the guru wasn’t done yet. “This time, go to the antique store.”

The dealer examined the stone with awe. “Who gave this to you?”

“The guru from the temple.”

“This is extraordinary. I’ll pay $100,000.”

The boy’s eyes widened. He raised two fingers, saying nothing.

“$150,000,” the dealer countered. Still, the boy shook his head.

“All right — $200,000. That’s my final offer.”

Overwhelmed by the price, he rushed back to the guru.

Smiling gently, the guru waited until he settled. She then spoke, “This is a century-old treasure worth more than $200,000. The woman at the market saw it simply as a decoration. The curator appreciated it. But only the antique dealer recognized its value.”

She looked into his eyes and added, “You would’ve happily sold it for $20. That’s what happens when you don’t know the worth of something — you risk undervaluing it.”

Then, the guru revealed the lesson:

“You are like this stone. When you let others define your worth, they’ll often undervalue you. But when you understand your own value, you will never feel worthless again.

“So love yourself. Know your worth. And as much as you can, stay close to those who see it too. That’s where true self-worth begins.”

A scriptural tale, retold by Sri Devi Om.