Summary: Powerful Moves | Class 6 English Alive PDF Download

Introduction

In ancient India, there lived a wise sage named Sissa, who was known as the inventor of chess, which was originally called chaturanga. The story revolves around a meeting between Sissa and King Sheram, who seeks to reward him for inventing the game of chess.

Detailed Summary

Once upon a time in ancient India, there lived a very smart and wise man named Sissa. He was known for being the inventor of a game called chess, which everyone in the kingdom, including the king, loved to play. Chess was a special game that made you think hard and use your brain.

One day, King Sheram was playing chess and wondered who had created such a fascinating game. A courtier told him that it was Sissa, a sage from his own kingdom. The king decided he wanted to thank and reward Sissa for his wonderful invention, so he sent his soldiers and courtiers to find him and bring him to the palace.

The next morning, Sissa came to the king's court. He was dressed in simple clothes, which surprised the king because he expected the inventor of such a great game to look more grand. But Sissa was humble and smiled kindly. The king told Sissa he could ask for any reward he wanted.

Sissa thought for a moment and then asked for some grains of wheat from the king’s granary. The king was surprised by such a simple request and offered him more, but Sissa insisted on just grains of wheat. He explained that he wanted grains for each square on the chessboard, starting with two grains for the first square, and then doubling the amount of grains for each following square. The king agreed, thinking it was a small request.

However, the task of counting and providing the grains as requested by Sissa turned out to be much bigger than the king had anticipated. The prime minister and the royal astronomer tried to calculate the total grains needed and soon realized it was an enormous amount. In fact, it was so much that the entire kingdom’s supply of wheat would not be enough!

The king struggled to believe this and tried to calculate the numbers himself. He realized that just for the last square, they owed Sissa about 18,446,744,073,709,600,000 grains of wheat! Even a huge granary wouldn’t be able to hold all that wheat.

Eventually, the king understood the wisdom behind Sissa’s request. He realized that Sissa was teaching him a lesson about the power of mathematics and how wisdom is more valuable than physical strength or appearances.

The next day, the king humbly apologized to Sissa for underestimating his request. Sissa forgave the king and explained that he did not really want the grains for himself but wanted to show that helping others brings more happiness than having lots of wealth.

The king learned an important lesson about humility and the true value of wisdom. He thanked Sissa for the life-changing lesson and Sissa left the court, leaving behind a wiser and more thoughtful king.

This story teaches us that wisdom is a powerful tool and often more important than physical strength or riches. It also shows how being clever can teach others valuable lessons about life.

Theme and Message

The story illustrates the power of wisdom over physical strength. Despite the king's initial impression of Sissa's simplicity, it is his intelligence and wisdom that ultimately impress the king. The story also highlights the importance of honesty, humility, and the fulfillment of one's word.

Difficult Words and Meanings

Sage - a wise person

Courtier - an attendant at a royal court

Retinue - a group of advisors or assistants

Demeanour - outward behavior or bearing

Exasperated - irritated or annoyed

Astronomer - a scientist who studies celestial objects and phenomena

Cubic - relating to a three-dimensional shape or volume

Humble - modest or unpretentious

Contentment - a state of satisfaction or happiness