It’s a pity that we are yet to find, or rather we are quite reluctant to use it after we have found, a raft to bring us to the other shore of good governance. The following story from the ancient wisdom of the Indian scriptures could be a raft to bring us to the other shore of good governance if we are willing to use it.
Would you like to comment on the story?
Please do it.
Once a king went to a saint and bowed at his feet. The saint smiled and asked, “Can you give me your entire kingdom?” The king agreed happily and with full ceremony crowned the saint. The new king ordered the prince to be beaten up by the servants and the queens were made maidservants while the maids were made the queens. The old king was asked to take the place of adviser while the advisers were sent out among the public. The prisoners were asked to be sentries and the sentries were put in jail. Everything was upside down. Everyone protested to the previous king but he was helpless.
After a few days the saint called the king and handed over the crown saying, “Enough. Now you play with your toys and let me play with my God.” When the king insisted on knowing why the saint had behaved as he did, the saint replied: “The prince was in the habit of beating his servants, your queens ill-treated the maids, the maids were jealous of the queens’ easy lifestyle, the advisers were not paying any heed to the public demands and you were expecting only praise from your advisers. So I made everyone step into each other’s shoes. A king should always realize what each person in his kingdom is going through. God has given you this responsibility. Rule for the public not for yourself. Work selflessly, without expectation, without desires, and let the Higher Power take care of the rewards.”
The above story is adopted from ‘Get Rid of Desires, Realise Your Self’ by Asaramji Bapu, one of the articles in the book, THE BEST OF SPEAKING TREE Volume 2
Once a king went to a saint and bowed at his feet. The saint smiled and asked, “Can you give me your entire kingdom?” The king agreed happily and with full ceremony crowned the saint. The new king ordered the prince to be beaten up by the servants and the queens were made maidservants while the maids were made the queens. The old king was asked to take the place of adviser while the advisers were sent out among the public. The prisoners were asked to be sentries and the sentries were put in jail. Everything was upside down. Everyone protested to the previous king but he was helpless.
After a few days the saint called the king and handed over the crown saying, “Enough. Now you play with your toys and let me play with my God.” When the king insisted on knowing why the saint had behaved as he did, the saint replied: “The prince was in the habit of beating his servants, your queens ill-treated the maids, the maids were jealous of the queens’ easy lifestyle, the advisers were not paying any heed to the public demands and you were expecting only praise from your advisers. So I made everyone step into each other’s shoes. A king should always realize what each person in his kingdom is going through. God has given you this responsibility. Rule for the public not for yourself. Work selflessly, without expectation, without desires, and let the Higher Power take care of the rewards.”
The above story is adopted from ‘Get Rid of Desires, Realise Your Self’ by Asaramji Bapu, one of the articles in the book, THE BEST OF SPEAKING TREE Volume 2
1 comment:
The problem is everybody knows what good governance is all about, but very few are committed to implement it!!
Post a Comment