Three questions. A story by Swami

[Guest guest]

Light and Love

 

A king used to ask three questions of all the people who came to him. The

first question was "Who is the best of persons?", the second was "What is the

best time?" and the third, "What is the best of all actions?" The king was very

anxious to know the answers to these questions. The king was never satisfied

with the answers that he got from various people.

 

One day, he went to the forest for pleasure. He was moving about the hills

and plains and felt very tired. He saw an Ashram and wanted to take some rest

there. By the time the king reached the Ashram, a Sadhu was watering some

plants. This Sadhu saw that the king came there rather tired, so he stopped

watering the plants, ran up to the king and gave him some good fruit and cool

water.

 

At that time, an individual wounded all over the body, was brought to the

Ashram by another Sadhu. As soon as the Sadhu saw this, he went to the

individual, cleaned all his wounds and gave him some herbs which would cure the

wounds. He was also telling him sweet words which would console the person. The

king came to the Sadhu and wanted to express his gratitude and take leave of

him. The Sadhu blessed the king but the king was still troubled by his three

questions and wanted to see if the Sadhu could enlighten him on that matter.

 

The Sadhu stated that the answers to the three questions were contained in

the actions which the king had witnessed in the Ashram. The king requested the

Sadhu to elucidate the matter. The Sadhu said that when the king came to the

Ashram, he was watering the plants and that was his duty. At that time, on

seeing the king, the Sadhu had given up his duty and came to the king and gave

water and fruit. This was in accordance with correct traditions, as the king

was his guest. While relieving the king of his thirst and suffering, another

injured individual had come to the Ashram and therefore the Sadhu had given up

the duty of serving the king and went to the other individual and began serving

him.

 

Whoever comes seeking service from you is the best of individuals at that

time. Whatever satisfaction you can give him by serving him will be your duty

and this will be the best of work that you can do. The present, when you can do

something, is the most sacred of all time. You do not see the future as your

eyes cannot perceive it. Past has gone and you can do nothing about it. Thus,

the present time in which you can fulfil your duty, the service that you can do

to the person who comes to you and he who comes seeking your service are the

three best things. These are the answers to the king's three questions. (

Excerpts from: Sathya Sai Baba. The Divine Discourse "The Present is the most

Sacred of all Time," Summer Showers in Brindavan. May 1973, Brindavan).

 

Namaste - Reet