Whatever we want in life, even if we get it, can we be happy after getting it?  We have many desires, one gets fulfilled and the other comes in front.  We can never be satisfied.  When our desires are fulfilled then we start craving for more.  We always consider the happiness of others more than our own.  It is human nature to always compare oneself with others.

There was a king who was very fond of traveling.  Whenever he felt like roaming, he used to ride his horse and go towards the forest.  One day while roaming in the forest, he saw a monk.  The one who was dancing engrossed in his tune on the banks of the river.  He didn’t care about anyone.  The king stayed there for some time and went back to his palace.  The next day when the king went out for a walk, he felt like going back to see that monk.  And he went and sat on the bank of the same river.  Today he was seeing that the monk came to the bank of the river dancing.  He was rolling a lot on the sand lying on the bank of the river.  He was just singing hymns to God.  The monk was so happy that the king was surprised to see him. The monk was saying, God, you did not give me food today, have you forgotten?  It doesn’t matter when you remember me, give it. The king thought that he has never seen such a happy monk who is not worried about anything.

The king said to the monk, will you come to live in my palace?  Here you don’t even get food everyday. The monk got ready in one go.  The sage said, tell Rajan, where do you want to go?  The king was surprised to see this action of the monk.  The king thought that the monk would say that I am fine in this forest only, what about us, we roam around like this.  They eat whatever they get.  We sages don’t have any house.  But the monk did not say all these things even once.  Now the king’s mind started doubting about the monk.  Is she a hypocrite, she didn’t refuse me even once.  Will he harm us by going to the royal palace?  But what if he dies, he was a king.  If the monk had felt like going, then it would not have been in his interest.  He quietly brought the monk with him to the palace.  The respect that the king had for the monk had already ended.

The monk started living very happily after coming to the palace.  There he used to get good food and good clothes.  The bedroom was very comfortable to sleep in.  But his habit did not improve even after coming here.  He would have been in his fun as before.  In the same way, he used to worship God and dance a lot.  Along with him, all the people of the royal court danced happily.  But the king began to grumble in his heart.  The king thinks what is he worried about now.  You get good food, you get good clothes.  Why doesn’t it dance now?  8 months passed while doing this.  The king could not tolerate the habits of a hermit at all.  One day the king said to the monk.  You have been living in the palace for so many days, do you feel the difference between you and me.  Then the sage said that there is a lot of difference between you and me.  The king asked what?  Didn’t get married then, I will answer you at the same place where I used to live.

The king thought that it is good that I will leave him in the forest. Next morning, the king went to the forest with the monk. Both went and sat on the bank of the same river. Now the king asked, tell me what is the difference between you and me? Then the monk said, I will tell in the afternoon. It is afternoon, the king asked back. Then the monk said, I will tell in the evening. The king said that I should not go back to my house. My wife has children in the palace. My subjects are in the kingdom. I have to think a lot about all this. Then the monk said, this is the difference between you and me. There are no people in my life whom I can think of. I am not worried about food, if I get it, I will eat it. I have no respect. If people are happy with me then it is okay, if they are not happy then it is okay. I don’t care about anyone. Earlier also I was very happy on the banks of this river. It was your decision to take him to the Raj Mahal. When you asked me to walk and I got ready at once. I read the thoughts that arose in your mind at that time. Still I went with you. Why did you suffer for so many months with me? He would have told me this on the first day itself.

Now the king started realizing his mistake. The king said Maharaj, I made a big mistake. i misunderstood you Then the monk said no problem, this is the irony of our mind. We do not understand the value of that thing which we get easily. As soon as we get that thing it becomes insignificant in our eyes. Gets upset. That’s why before accepting everything that is affecting you more in life, ask your mind that how much do you need that thing.