Hare krsna
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila PrabhupadaI
There was a small kingdom in which strangely enough all people where quite happy and very healthy. In
course of time both the ruler and ruled grew proud of this rare good fortune and claimed it to be a reward
of their personal righteousness. Since all of them were healthy, there was no physician in the kingdom.
One day, a physician came to its capital city and was happy to find that there was no other physician to
compete with him in his profession in the whole kingdom. But whenever he entered into conversation
with the people and enquired after their health, they would say: "Oh! We are brahmajnanis, no illness can
touch us. We are the fortunate few chosen by God and blessed by Him with health and happiness. Why do you tarry here, better go elsewhere to earn your living".
The physician however did not want to leave the city and was also hopeful that this snobbery of the people
will not last long.
Once the king suddenly fell ill. The physician was summoned to the royal presence. He was pleased that
God had given him an opportunity to display his talent. He treated the king with reverence and great
attention. The king was slowly but steadily improving.
However, he said: "Sir, I really thank you for your treatment but can you not cure me quickly? I am not
used to lying down like this for days together".
The physician wanted to teach the king and the people a lesson. He said: "Oh king, there is a quick cure,
but I am afraid, I may not be able to get what I want for preparing the medicine".
The king said: "you need not doubt the capacity either of my ministers or my people. They will be ready to
procure anything you may require. They are all brahma jnanis. They will not bother about any type of strain or sacrifice on their part to get their beloved king cured. Come, tell me what you want".
The physician said: "My Lord! I am glad that you are so confident". I require 1/4 pound of flesh from the
body of a brahma jnani - that is all".
"Oh. How simple", exclaimed the king. The king immediately sent word to his minister and commanded
him to get at once 1/4 pound of flesh of any brahma
jnani in the city".
The minister returned very late in the evening, very sad and dejected. The king asked eagerly "Why so late? Come on, where is the flesh?".
The minister pleaded, "Oh! King, I am sorry, I could not get what you wanted. When I made the people know of what you need, everyone said: 'Oh, I am not a brahma jnani. Do you think that brahma jnanis will be found in cities such as this?' How can we say confidently that we are all brahma jnanis?".
The king was surprised to hear this and looked at the physician pitiably.
The physician said: "Oh king, do not feel sad. This is the way of the world. One may claim to be anything
but to actually live up to that high ideal is extremely difficult. You are now recovered. Nothing is wrong with you. I need no human flesh. I planned this little drama, only to let you know the truth. Pardon
me".
Reflection
Each person is "three in one", i.e. what he thinks of himself, what others think he is and finally, what he
really is.
Truth cannot be hidden behind the mask for a long time, one day when the mask falls, the true colors of a
person would come to light.
One should be honest with oneself ,keep our conscience clear and clean always!!Our conscience is the mirror which reflects both our good and bad actions. We must keep that mirror clean of the dust of hypocrisy.
One can hide anything from this world, but nothing can be hidden from one's own conscience which has thousand eyes and is a witness to every action performed at every moment of our life, so one needs to be worthy of looking at one's own eyes.
Comments