Baba's Storytime - The Ruler and the Ruled

There is a story to illustrate the ideal relations between the ruler and the ruled. 

There was a king who was being anointed by the queen before he took an oil bath. While the queen was applying oil to the king's head, the king noticed in the mirror that the queen was in tears. He asked her the reason for her shedding tears. The queen said that while applying oil she had noticed some grey hairs on the king's head and the thought that the king was getting old had made her sad. 

That very moment the king also felt that he had enjoyed royal pleasures long enough and it was high time he repaired to a forest to devote himself to the matters of the Spirit. The king and queen summoned the ministers, entrusted the reins of the government to them and betook themselves to a forest to lead the life of ascetics. 

When the people heard about the decision of the royal couple, they felt that they could not live away from such noble rulers and decided to go to the forest en masse. They approached the king and prayed to him: “Why have you given up the kingdom? Is it because of any lapses on our part?" The king told them: "I have ruled the kingdom long enough. Now that I am old, I wish to devote the rest of my life to the thoughts of God." 

On hearing these words, the entire people wailed in anguish. They decided to perform penance in the forest. Queen's selfless concern for the people Brahma appeared before them and asked them what they wanted. As they were utterly unselfish, they prayed to Brahma to give their king a long life. Brahma granted their prayer. The people went in joy to the king and said that Brahma had granted him a long life and therefore he should return to the kingdom to rule over it for many years. 

The king started to go back to the capital. But the queen declined to accompany him. She said she would continue to stay in the forest. The people mistook the reason for the queen's decision. They thought perhaps the queen was angry because they had prayed only for the long life of the king and not for the queen. 

The queen was cast in a different mould. She was not concerned about herself. She performed a severe penance. Brahma appeared before her and asked what she wanted. She asked: "Is it true that you have granted the king a long life? Of what use is it, if the king alone has a long life, while the subjects are short-lived? I pray you should grant a long life to the people also." Brahma was so pleased with her selfless concern for the people that he granted long life to the people and the queen also.

(Quoted from the Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)