Once Upon a Time…
There was a kingdom where the constitution allowed the king to rule only for five years. In those five years, the king could rule the way he wanted, with unlimited and absolute power. There was no opposition, no coup, and no election. No one could impeach or remove him. But, at the end of the term, the king had to be exiled and left in a forest on the other side of the river.
1st King
One of the kings lived those five years in sheer indulgence, enjoying everything he had. Soon, the five years were over, and the king was thrown into the forest full of wild animals. Then another king came to power.
2nd King
Knowing the fate of the earlier king, he was so scared that he could not enjoy anything. He was worried and afraid all the time. At the end of 5 years, even as he was being taken to the forest, he suffered a heart attack and died.
3rd King
The third king decided to enjoy everything for some time and worry later. After three years of indulgent living, he spent the rest of his time in worry and fear. And he too met the same fate as the others.
4th King…the Smart King
Subsequently, the next king who came to power was very bright and intelligent. He thought deeply about what had happened to the previous kings. He ruled justly and also enjoyed the royal comforts.
Everyone loved him. After five years, the subjects did not want him to leave. But he followed the words of the constitution and left happily. In fact, he even had the boat, which was to carry him to the other side, decorated beautifully. On the way, the boatman asked, “Oh King why are you so happy? All the others whom I took before you were so miserable. Do you know what horror awaits you on the other side of the river?”
The cheerful king explained that during the last year, he had planned and sent people there to clear the forest and build a brand new and vibrant kingdom!
Life Lessons for Us
All of us have a limited time to live. We have to choose how to make use of this time. A good number of people like to eat, drink and make merry without thinking until they are faced with death – like the first king.
Swami Chinmayananda tells us How to Face Your Life. Click the link to watch the video.
We cannot escape the realities of life. Unable to think correctly, most people do not know how to face such situations. Some get into depression or commit suicide. One person asked god what surprised him the most. God replied, “The most surprising thing is that people live as though they are never going to die, and when they die, it is as though they had never lived!” People generally ask if there is life after death. It is more important to know how to live – here and now. Read about A Life of Inspiration & Service – Swami Chinmayananda
Learn How to Fight the Battle of Life from Swami Chinmayananda.
Some people belong to the second category – they are always worried and afraid. Even in happy circumstances, they are worried may befall them. They are pessimistic and cannot enjoy anything in life. It is said, ‘borrow money from a pessimistic because he never expects it back!’ They are positive about only one thing – that things will not work out well. (Read about Positive Thinking.)
There is a third category of people who believe that bhoga (enjoyment) comes first and then yoga (discipline and spirituality.) They assume that one can remember god after retirement when there will be nothing else to do. They do not realize that bhoga is followed by roga (disease), not yoga. This results in viyoga (sadness.)
The fourth type is a wise man. He knows from the beginning that life is finite and any moment could be the last. He knows that he should live his life happily and productively so that it is a blessing for him as well as for others.
You may ask, “why should I remember that I have to die?” Well, it is like the deadline in business contracts. One has to remember the deadline and remain focused. Then the priorities are clear, and one is not distracted by meaningless activities.
Discover the Secrets of a Happy Life here.
Only an outline can be given here to indicate the right way of living. Each of us needs to think deeply about it. We have o know that our lifespan is limited, and we must have the clarity of mind to gain the infinite like that last king in your story who established another kingdom which had no limiting terms and conditions!
To master the art of living, stay tuned for our next blog – Life Is a Gift… Living Is an Art.
Reference: Life is a Gift, Living is an Art – by Swami Tejomayananda