Desire for Fame

By Sadhvi Nidhi Ji Shri  & Sadhvi Krupa Ji Shri

In a bygone era lived a king who was desirous of creating a name for himself. He was so obsessed with the idea of being remembered as a great man, that he spent 50 years of his life immersed in this thought. His kingdom was well endowed with riches and satisfied subjects. He however wanted to do one such thing the people would remember in times to come. For him, such an opportunity had not yet presented itself.

After several years of pondering, one such opportunity knocked on his door. His daughter was of marriageable age and he had selected a worthy groom for he. He decided that he would celebrate her wedding with such pomp show that everyone who attended it, would have something to talk about for years to come. It would be a memorable event in their lives and word of it would pass on from generation to generation.

After having consolidate his thoughts, he had a meeting with his close friends and the wise men of his kingdom. He essayed his thoughts o them and was eager for acknowledgment. Almost all his companions were in favour of his idea, except for an old gentleman. The old man said that no matter how well a guest is looked after, and no matter how opulent the wedding may be, hum trait was such, that it could find a fault even in the best of intentions and presentations. The king felt dejected on hearing this and he became even more determined in his efforts to create a name for himself. 

Grand preparations for the wedding began. The king let it be known to the assistants that there should be no flaw in the attending the guests, right from their reception to their departure. The opulence of the wedding hall, the food served to the guests, the various aspects of their entertainment, until the time they retired in bungalows made especially for them were faultless. The king wanted to prove the old man wrong. By not giving his guests an opportunity to find any fault in his services, how would they find any defects?

The wedding day finally dawned. The groom's family attended the wedding with stars in their eyes. They had never witnessed such grandeur, such courteous attention, such genteel subjects and such a generous heart. The wedding celebrations lasted for almost a week. Not one dish was ever repeated, not one item of entertainment was re-performed. Children had special programmes designed especially for them. Women were given utmost respect. The gifts that the guests were high, but such attendance and grandeur did not form part of their wildest imagination. They were completely satiated and were left speechless.

When it was time for the bride to leave her home, the groom's family were rich in their praise of all the arrangements made. Each one had words of eulogy and were greatly humbled them by the deferential reception given to them. As they were about to leave, the king overwhelmed them by his grand finale. He declared that he was indeed honored to have been of service to the groom, his family, his subjects and every other guest who had attended the wedding celebrations. In order to thank them, he requested each guest to partake of his riches. The wedding hall was lined with pots of rare precious pearls. The king asked each guest to take much of it as they desired.

This had a stupendous impact. The guests felt that they had been treated as kings, but this final shot left them spell-bound. Each one had field day, filling their pockets with the precious pearls. 

The king has instructed assistants to travel the distance with guests, back to their own kingdom. He also asked them to be alert for any remarks favorable or otherwise - and relay it back to him. The assistants were true to their words and kept their eyes and ears open. They heard only good things about the wedding celebrations. On the second day of the journey back, one of them heart a man discussing with a couple of others-

"The wedding be an affair worth remembering. The king left no desire unfulfilled. However, the last day when we were asked to partake of the pearls, he showed his true colors. The mouth of the earthen pot was so small, that one could not take a fistful of pearls. One only managed a couple. This last gift of the king was not in keeping with his generosity."

The attendants rushed back to the king and told him of what they had heart. The words of the old man rang like a bell in his mind. He realized the shortcomings of human nature and his own folly at chasing an egotist's dream. He henceforth pledged that he would not undertake such foolish venture, to fulfill a desire which gave you naught. If this venture was undertaken where all efforts were directed inwards, then the result would be unparalleled. Lord Mahavira's teachings urge mankind to follow such an inward venture.

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Information Courtesy : Mrs. Nandita Jain, 14, Alipur Road, Civil Lines, Delhi-110054, Tele : 392-4828/398-2413

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Mail to : Ahimsa Foundation
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