‘When a King met the mystic’

A mystic who never looked back…

Long ago, there ruled a King in an empire of great prosperity. He took great pride in his power and the wealth that came along with it. Yet, he was well admired by his people for the generosity he showed towards the poor.

One fine day, he came to know about a monk who lived on the outskirts of his empire. One of his trusted Minister talked highly of this outsider and informed him of the sharp glow and simplicity of the monk. Same admiration was shared by many to whom he inquired. The alien-ness of his life had a bewildering gravity about it. He wore minimal, stayed in a small hut on the bank of a river and no one to look after him. Five decades had passed by the man, time seemed to bother him least. He would occasionally go for a swim in the river, and mostly keep to himself.

All this information made the King curious and sadness crawled over him for he, somehow, felt sorry for the man who had so little. For the reason unknown, he just couldn’t get the poor monk off his mind. Giving up, he decided to visit him.

Monk, in his usual ways, didn’t pay much attention when the King’s mini caravan, in all its glory, made a thumping sound outside his crumbling hut. No one to receive him, King made his way inside the hut. The space inside just enough for them two, it lingered in King’s thoughts how uneasy he felt in the monk’s presence. King felt captured for the first time as he looked straight in the reaction-less eyes of the monk. Something just shot up his spine. Shrugging a bit, he bent his back as a mark of respect without realizing why he did so. Still, his heart could only feel misery in this down trodden place. Out of courtesy, King gave away a few coins and belongings before insisting on a visit to his palace. To his surprise, monk showed no resistance and accepted the offer. King was taken aback a bit but had no way to take back his offer. It would be meager of a King to withdraw the invitation.

At the palace, King arranged for a guest room for the monk to stay. King, out of courtesy, offered the monk to stay as long as he pleased. The service provided was imperial and unwavering. Monk looked ecstatic and showed no denial of the services provided. He lived as though he had lived there for ever. Although, King felt mesmerized in monk’s presence, a strange rush of doubt crept up his mind. It occurred to him as to what kind of a monk enjoys such royal treatment. He found it utterly difficult to picture him in this palace setting. It made him wonder if there was any difference between him and the monk, who prior to meeting him led a life of minimalism. Last few days, they consumed same food and shared same roof. There was no sacrifice put on show by monk in his ever growing stay and the King felt cheated.

King could no longer keep his urge to himself and decided to talk the matter with monk. ‘I am being faced with a doubt, a query’ said King.

‘I know’ replied Monk.

Unnerved King asked ‘What do you know?’

‘That you have been skeptical right from the moment I accepted your invitation’

‘Sorry, now that you know, could you explain what your monk-ness is all about and how you are any different from me?’

‘Let’s take a tour and you’ll have your answer’

Riding on horses, monk leading him beyond his empire, they made it to the periphery of the Kingdom. King, running out of patience, kept asking for the answer. He got none. Miles past his familiar place, he felt the fear of separation setting in. Unable to keep going, he stopped and waited for a reply. Monk obliged.

In his calm voice, Monk said ‘Emperor, see the difference if you can. In your flawless palace, I was there but your palace never made a home in me, it never entered. Why don’t you come along with me?

‘But I have my family, my empire waiting for me’

‘See the difference if you can. Once I decide to move ahead, I move, leaving behind the behind’

Feeling contrition, King asked if he would return with him to his palace.

‘I would have come, my dear, but your doubt will come back again. In your interest, I’ll just go ahead’

Saying this, the monk walked away, his figure diminishing and then vanishing in the woods.

Take away — It is possible to stay joyously detached in a world full of attachments.