Long back, there lived a rich merchant, Ramarai in the city of Ratanpur near Himmatnagar (Guj.) One day he thought, ‘I have so much of wealth and property. I should show it to the king so that he may know that I am not an ordinary person.’ The rich man discussed this with his four sons and daughters-in-law. All agreed except the youngest daughter-in-law, who was a satsangi. She said, “Whenever we take recourse to external things for happiness, we have to face sorrow.”
All ignored her advice. After several entreaties by the rich man, the king finally accepted his invitation for dinner. The rich man, who wanted to attain happiness by impressing the king, served him various dishes in dinner. The king was greatly satisfied, but the ego of the one who satisfied him was yet to be satisfied. Ramarai then led the king to his secret treasury in the basement. As the door was opened, the king was astonished to see a vast treasure of precious stones, diamonds, jewellery, beautiful untensils studded with gems etc. He exclaimed, “Wow……….. so many jewels! Fantastic, Sethji! You are really the richest man in town.”
The rich man was satisfied. He led the king further to other rooms and showed him many costly gold ornaments which were inherited from his father and fore-fathers. The king was dumbstruck. He thought, ‘I am a king only for name’s sake. It is the fellow who is wallowing in royal glory!’ Outwardly, the king praised the rich man while within he was thinking of how he could usurp his wealth. The king came back to the palace and narrated the whole thing to his minister and disclosed his intention as well. The minister and disclosed his intention as well. The minister said, “Your Highness! I have an idea. Call Ramarai and tell him that one who possesses wealth but lacks in wisdom, is not eligible for possessing wealth. Ask him two questions which he would not be able to answer after placing the condition that his wealth will be taken over by the State if he fails to answer the questions.” The king liked the minister’s idea.
The very next day the king called the rich man and said, “Ramarai! You have a great amount of wealth. So much of wealth should be in the possessions of those who are wise. People who lack wisdom cannot preserve wealth. In that case, it is the duty of the State to preserve such property. I will ask you two questions. If you don’t give the wealth in your possession will be against the rules of the State. The question is-what goes on increasing and what goes on decreasing?”
The king put these questions to the rich man as his intention was not good. He wanted to usurp the rich man’s wealth. As soon as he heard the questions, Ramarai started to tremble. He was dazed. He asked for a day’s time and came home somehow and narrated the whole matter to his family. All were shocked. They all remembered the youngest daughter-in-law, ‘Daughter! Now you tell us what should be done. We will do as you say.”
The daughter-in-law became calm for a moment and said, ‘Don’t worry. I shall give the answer.’ Her sympathetic words of truth consoled them. All were reassured.
The next day the daughter-in-law said, “Father! Go to the royal court and tell the king the even your youngest daughter-in-law will answer his questions.”
Ramarai reached the royal court and said, “Your Highness! Your questions were very easy, and even my youngest daughter-in-law will answer them. She will come here in a few minutes.
In the meantime, the daughter-in-law arrived with a bundle of grass in one hand and a bowl of milk in the other. She gave the bowl of milk to the king and placed the bundle of grass before the minister.
The king was perplexed. He said: What are you doing? She said, “You are as intelligent as a child. So you need milk. And the minister is as intelligent as a bull. So he needs the grass.” The king was enraged but the daughter was living Vedanta in practice. She said, “O king! We are your subjects. I am the daughter to him. Therefore, I am a daughter to you as well. It is not right for you to be enraged with your daughter.”
The king said, “How can you call me a child?”
“Father, What else can we call a person who follows others’ instigations and gets ready to exploit his subjects? And tell me, isn’t such a minister like a bull, who gives such counsel without thinking of the consequences, and makes the king take such a decision as would taint his name and glory? You are well acquainted with history. Those kings, who amassed wealth by exploiting their subjects, are counted among demons and others, whose hearts bled for their subjects, have attained to divinity. O King! You know this very well.”
All hailed her as she said this. She further said, “O King! You had asked two questions, “What goes on increasing and what goes on decreasing?’ The answer is- Desire goes on increasing while the life span goes on decreasing.”
Ramarai said, “O King! My daughter has answered both of your questions. Now what is your command?”
The King said, “You are my old friend. The wealth of the subjects already belongs to the king. I was misguided, please forgive me. This minister does not deserve to stay in my kingdom. I banish him from here.”
One, who hankers after external objects of pleasures to gratify their desires, and thus wastes his life, has not achieved anything great and rare but he, who avails himself of the company of saints, and practices Brahmavichar, enquiry on the nature of Brahman, has achieved that in life, and has availed fully of the benefits of a life which is decreasing every moment.
All ignored her advice. After several entreaties by the rich man, the king finally accepted his invitation for dinner. The rich man, who wanted to attain happiness by impressing the king, served him various dishes in dinner. The king was greatly satisfied, but the ego of the one who satisfied him was yet to be satisfied. Ramarai then led the king to his secret treasury in the basement. As the door was opened, the king was astonished to see a vast treasure of precious stones, diamonds, jewellery, beautiful untensils studded with gems etc. He exclaimed, “Wow……….. so many jewels! Fantastic, Sethji! You are really the richest man in town.”
The rich man was satisfied. He led the king further to other rooms and showed him many costly gold ornaments which were inherited from his father and fore-fathers. The king was dumbstruck. He thought, ‘I am a king only for name’s sake. It is the fellow who is wallowing in royal glory!’ Outwardly, the king praised the rich man while within he was thinking of how he could usurp his wealth. The king came back to the palace and narrated the whole thing to his minister and disclosed his intention as well. The minister and disclosed his intention as well. The minister said, “Your Highness! I have an idea. Call Ramarai and tell him that one who possesses wealth but lacks in wisdom, is not eligible for possessing wealth. Ask him two questions which he would not be able to answer after placing the condition that his wealth will be taken over by the State if he fails to answer the questions.” The king liked the minister’s idea.
The very next day the king called the rich man and said, “Ramarai! You have a great amount of wealth. So much of wealth should be in the possessions of those who are wise. People who lack wisdom cannot preserve wealth. In that case, it is the duty of the State to preserve such property. I will ask you two questions. If you don’t give the wealth in your possession will be against the rules of the State. The question is-what goes on increasing and what goes on decreasing?”
The king put these questions to the rich man as his intention was not good. He wanted to usurp the rich man’s wealth. As soon as he heard the questions, Ramarai started to tremble. He was dazed. He asked for a day’s time and came home somehow and narrated the whole matter to his family. All were shocked. They all remembered the youngest daughter-in-law, ‘Daughter! Now you tell us what should be done. We will do as you say.”
The daughter-in-law became calm for a moment and said, ‘Don’t worry. I shall give the answer.’ Her sympathetic words of truth consoled them. All were reassured.
The next day the daughter-in-law said, “Father! Go to the royal court and tell the king the even your youngest daughter-in-law will answer his questions.”
Ramarai reached the royal court and said, “Your Highness! Your questions were very easy, and even my youngest daughter-in-law will answer them. She will come here in a few minutes.
In the meantime, the daughter-in-law arrived with a bundle of grass in one hand and a bowl of milk in the other. She gave the bowl of milk to the king and placed the bundle of grass before the minister.
The king was perplexed. He said: What are you doing? She said, “You are as intelligent as a child. So you need milk. And the minister is as intelligent as a bull. So he needs the grass.” The king was enraged but the daughter was living Vedanta in practice. She said, “O king! We are your subjects. I am the daughter to him. Therefore, I am a daughter to you as well. It is not right for you to be enraged with your daughter.”
The king said, “How can you call me a child?”
“Father, What else can we call a person who follows others’ instigations and gets ready to exploit his subjects? And tell me, isn’t such a minister like a bull, who gives such counsel without thinking of the consequences, and makes the king take such a decision as would taint his name and glory? You are well acquainted with history. Those kings, who amassed wealth by exploiting their subjects, are counted among demons and others, whose hearts bled for their subjects, have attained to divinity. O King! You know this very well.”
All hailed her as she said this. She further said, “O King! You had asked two questions, “What goes on increasing and what goes on decreasing?’ The answer is- Desire goes on increasing while the life span goes on decreasing.”
Ramarai said, “O King! My daughter has answered both of your questions. Now what is your command?”
The King said, “You are my old friend. The wealth of the subjects already belongs to the king. I was misguided, please forgive me. This minister does not deserve to stay in my kingdom. I banish him from here.”
One, who hankers after external objects of pleasures to gratify their desires, and thus wastes his life, has not achieved anything great and rare but he, who avails himself of the company of saints, and practices Brahmavichar, enquiry on the nature of Brahman, has achieved that in life, and has availed fully of the benefits of a life which is decreasing every moment.
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