Price of Independent Life

            In a metropolitan city, there lived a family of four children and their parents. All four of them were boys who were of independent age to make their own living. They were unmarried and hence lived with their mother and father. The first son became a reputed doctor who rarely stays at home because of always being on call at the hospital or attending retreats with his friends. The second son worked as a flight engineer in a space organization and visits during holidays. The third son just graduated from an esteemed law university and hence wanted to pursue a career abroad and he too shortly left. The last son was not employed or pursuing education in any sector and stayed at home all day dilly-dallying. 

           On a festival holiday, all three sons came to visit the parents and stayed at home for ten long days. During this time, each of the three sons took a separate room and was on phone or working with a smart gadget and peeked out only for meal breaks. The last son didn't venture out and helped the mother with the household chores. The father had been bed-ridden for about a year due to partial paralysis. The three elder brothers bullied the youngest one saying he's good for nothing! He couldn't even achieve a decent job in life whereas they themselves are well-equipped. The youngest brother didn't pay heed to the words of his elder brothers and minded about his own business. At other times, they also harassed him by kicking off his food plate or wantonly spilling liquids asking him to mop it up. He bore such treatment in silence. 

           One day, the mother saw the struggle her youngest son has been going through from her other children and she decided to take action. She called all her children and placed a razor blade and an ax side by side and asked them to pick one which they would think is the most worthy. Bewildered at their mother's strange request, all four of them examined the objects. The razor blade was new and shined with sharpness, it even cut the third brother's finger whilst he was examining it. The ax was worn with use and looked old. The handle was made of wood and there seems nothing special in it. After inspecting for some time, the three elder brothers came to a joint conclusion. We think the razorblade is more worthy because it is brand new and cuts deep whereas the ax is old and hardy. The youngest brother said I'm unable to choose one higher than the other. 

           Hearing all their answers, the mother replied, "My dear sons, You picked the razor blade that I bought from the shop today morning. That old ax has been in our family since your grandfather's time. To me, the ax holds more value than the razor blade. But, to give an impartial view, even though the razorblade is sharp, it cannot be used to cut the wood. And whilst the ax is strong and hardy it cannot be used to cut the hair. Each serves its own purpose. Truth is, you cannot judge anyone at mere face value." Understanding where his mother is going with this, the youngest brother beamed with tears in his eyes. "All three of you have succeeded in life and made me proud but I rarely get to see you whilst your brother is yet to discover his potential, he has been of great help to me in taking care of your ailing father. I hope all four of you appreciate each other and live life with love and affection for it's always passing." The elder brothers recognized how they have been wrong and apologized to their youngest brother for the ill-treatment he had faced and promised to never let each other down.

Moral: Everybody Has An Unique Value

A Man and His Pet

                   There lived a wise woman in a village to whom all the village-dwellers come for advice and consultation regarding all matters of life. She also conducted classes for the young children of the village. One day, the wise lady took the children for excursion nearby the river-bank. The little children were so happy to roam around in the green grass, breathing in the fresh air, hearing the bird songs and trying to catch butterflies.
After playing to their heart's fill, the children gathered around the wise lady who was sitting under a big oak tree and asked, "Ma'am, teach us something new today." 

Bearing a smile, she pointed at a farmer grazing his cow on the fields. All the children turned in the direction of the farmer with curiosity in their eyes. The wise lady said, "When you see them both, the man and his pet, whom do you think is dependent more on the other?"
Immediately, the children replied "The cow, of course! If the farmer doesn't bring it out to graze, it goes hungry all day. If he doesn't bath it often, it might catch flies and sicken and die. The farmer is the master and the cow is dependent on him."
One of the littlest children timidly said: "The farmer is my answer, he is more dependent on it because it gives him milk to sell and profit from it."

The wise lady nodded at all their replies and said coyly "It seems they are both mutually dependent on each other, yes?
All the little kids nodded frantically. "Let's follow the farmer home." said the wise lady and gathered all her disciples. 
The cow too had done its grazing and the farmer started to untie its noose to take it home. The farmer and the cow walked ahead whilst the wise lady and her disciples followed after. 

While passing through the market, the wise lady borrowed a knife from the fruit shop and walked toward the farmer at a faster pace and cut the cow's noose. With no second to spare, the cow started to run wildly trying to escape the farmer. The farmer ran behind the cow calling to it frantically. The wise lady now turned around to her disciples and said "Do you see it now? The cow only wants to enjoy freedom. It's bound to the farmer only because he has made it bound to him by feeding it and taking care of its needs. The minute it got free, it only wanted to escape for it can find it's food by itself and take care of itself better than the farmer could."

All the children applauded the littlest child for getting the answer right. The wise lady patted his back too and said "My dear children, the lesson you learn today is this: A person keeps thinking about so many unnecessary things toiling his mind with frivolities believing that it is what makes him the person he is. It is only his choice that bounds all those trash inside him tampering with his performance. The minute a person doesn't care about it, it will all disappear making him more receptive to learning new things and thus furthering him in his purpose towards life like the cow escaping the farmer the minute he set it free."
The children thanked the teacher and went home musing about her words.

Moral: Empty Your Cup

Food for the Soul

                 Once upon a time, there lived a King who had nothing to complain about. For many years, he ruled his kingdom in a prosperous manner. All his subjects and his people were well satisfied and lived happily under the King's just reign. Over a period of time, the King married four times and had four wives. All four of them had individual chambers in his castle and lived gaily.

One day, the King fell sick and lay bed-ridden for about a week. Many gifted doctors came to treat the King from all over the Kingdom but none could identify the affliction of the King. All four of his wives were by his bed-side tending to his needs every day. After several visits from various doctors, the King lost hope and started counting his days to the grave. Many of his subjects and rulers from the neighbouring kingdoms came to visit the sick King. This disheartened the King even more and he ordered none inside his chambers except his wives. Many days passed thus.

One day, the King had a bad dream that depicted his impending doom. Terrified from such a nightmare, he woke up with palpitations. There was his fourth wife ready to bathe him with a wet cloth.

He turned to her and asked "My dear! I'm very afraid of dying alone. If I pass away, would you join me too in the afterlife?".

The fourth wife replied "O My King! I'm very sorry to tell you I can't accompany you in such a manner. You see, for I'm only your fourth wife who had borne no children for you. I'm very thankful that you have adorned me with jewellery and taken care of all of my wishes. But that's all I could do." 

The King was wrought with sadness hearing her words. Thereafter, he didn't want her visiting him and said so. She too left the place and never came back.

That day, in the evening, his third wife came to visit the King. She was the most beautiful of them all and whom the King had flaunted by taking her on visits to the country and the neighbouring Kingdoms. She honoured all the festivities with her presence beside the King.

The King stared at her for a long awhile and then asked "My darling! I think I might die soon. When I die, will you die with me also?"

The King's third wife replied in an indifferent manner, "My Lord, I'm grateful for all you've done for me. As repayment, I'm prepared to take care of you till you die, but the minute you do, I plan on marrying a second time." The King took a deep breath and controlled his grief.

This conversation was overheard by the second wife who was waiting at the chamber door. When the third wife left, the King asked her to not come back and gave his blessings to marrying another time. That night, the second wife entered into his chamber and laid out the bed for the King and when she was done she sat beside his headrest and said "My husband, My King, I'm very sorry to hear the words of your third wife"

The King opened his eyes with a tiny glint of hope and looked at her, "So, Will you be with me after I die?"

The second wife hugged the King and said softly, "I pray you to live a long life and do not succumb to this sickness. But, in case you do, I assure you I'll be there to give you a proper funeral. I say this out of utmost heaviness in my heart." The King lay silent for a long time and didn't reply and the second wife too departed the chambers.

That night, the King had little to no sleep. The next morning, his first wife came to his chambers to clear up the chamber-pot and seeing the King with sunken eyes, she kissed his forehead and stared into his eyes for what seemed like a long while then she said, "I heard that you had asked your other wives about escorting you after death. I wonder why you didn't ask me or did their answers convince you to travel alone?"

The King lay silent but tears started to roll down his eyes. Seeing this, she wiped them away and said "My Love! My Husband! My King! I've played with you in our childhood days, I was betrothed to you when you were a Prince and I became a Queen by your side and we've together seen many wars and ruled justly so far. I do not know what has hold of you now but I assure you, if this is your last day, then so shall it be mine. I had been through thick and thin with you and I will be so in the hereafter too."

Hearing this, the King cried shedding tears of realisation. "My Love! My First Wife! My Crown Queen! I've treated you in a far less manner than my other wives. You've borne my children and given these Kingdom future rulers and you've assisted me when there were hard times and now you are prepared to journey with me into the hereafter but, I've hardly done anything for you. I wish I had taken better care of you and spent more time with you. At this moment hearing your words, I want to live just to please you. By God! Let me live for you if I do hereafter" said the King and kissed his first wife's hand. Then he closed his eyes and slept a long sleep.

By the time he woke up, he felt healthy enough to leave his chamber. On consulting a doctor, the king was sure that whatever was troubling him had done it's due and the King will live for many more years to come. He visited his first wife and conveyed the joyous news and spent his remaining life with her happily.  

Every man in any walk of life, like The King in this story, has four wives as companions. The fourth wife is the Body of a person. The minute he stops caring for it, it will perish and won't support the person. 

The third wife is like a Property of the person. No matter how much he can flaunt it during his life, the minute he dies, it bequests itself into the hand of another. 

The second wife though caring and sympathetic is like Kith and Kin of a person. They can wish you well and send you off but never be with you after death.

The first wife though rarely taken care of will always be with the King like that of a Soul of a person. Hence, instead of indulging in mutual rivalry for piling up things of the world we must work towards harnessing and boosting the strength of the Soul which will matter at last.

              Moral: Prioritizing Importance of Inner Consciousness Pays Off.