Knowledge's Worth

Adishankar was a well renowned scholar who had total mastery over the scriptures. But he was also full of himself and disdainful of others..
One day he was crossing the mighty Ganga in a small boat. Overwhelmed by the might of the river he began to recite the scriptures. The boatman listened attentively for a while and then gently asked the scholar what was he saying.
Adi, disturbed from his reverie, asked impatiently
'What are you saying, dont tell me you have never heard of the scriptures'
The boatman folded his hands and nodded his head
'Sir I am a poor illiterate boatman, what would i know of the scriptures'
'How pathetic' said the scholar, 'half your life is totally wasted if you haven't made the effort to learn the scriptures'
The boatman felt humiliated but knew his place so he quietly continued to row the boat. A little later the weather turned rough and the boat was buffeted by mighty winds and threatened to capsize. The boatman warned the scholar that they may have to swim ashore. The scholar was horrified and said he didn't know how to swim.
The boatman quietly replied
'Sir, I am afraid your whole life is wasted if you haven't made the effort to learn how to swim'