In ancient days everyone developed self-reliance and did not depend on the services of others.
During the reign of King Bhoja, the Queen used to take care of all the needs of the king,
including cooking and other domestic chores. Today people are lazy and depend on others for
many things which they can do themselves. The ancient rulers used to teach these lessons in self reliance
to their subjects.
When the Queen was attending on King Bhoja, she discovered signs of the greying of his hair
owing to old age. She felt sad about the onset of old age, but the King told her that these were the
first signs which showed that he should prepare for his final end.
There were four signs from
providence about what was in store for man. The first warning comes from grey hair. If this is
ignored, then cataract appears dimming the sight. The third message from providence is the appearance
of wrinkles. The fourth warning comes when the hands and feet begin to tremble. If all
these are ignored the final end comes at the appointed time.
Taking heed of the first warning the king summoned his Chief Minister and told him that he was
repairing to the forest for penance, leaving the affairs of the kingdom in the minister's charge.
The moment the subjects heard about the king's decision, they declared that they would leave for
the forest to do penance for securing long life for the king as there was no use their staying in the
kingdom without their loving and lovable king.
The people offered penance and the Lord
appeared before them and asked what they wanted. They said the Lord should bless their king
with long life. "So be it," said the Lord. The people announced with joy the Lord's boon to the
king that he would live for a hundred years.
The moment she heard this, the Queen sought the
king's permission to go to the forest for doing penance.
While the people wondered what had. prompted the Queen to go to the forest, the Lord appeared
before the Queen and asked what she wanted. The Queen said that long life for the king with no
such longevity for the people distressed her. She prayed that the people also should be blessed
with equal longevity.
Pleased with her high-minded prayer, the Lord said that not only the people
but the Queen also would be blessed with long life.
In those sacred days, the people and the rulers were equally broad minded and noble. The rulers
and the people matched each other in their goodness. The adage declares: 'As is the king, so are
the subjects." Today it is rare to find such rulers or such citizens. Each one is wallowing in one's
own selfishness.
(From the Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)
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