True education extends far beyond the pages of a book. A pile of degrees doesn't guarantee wisdom. It's the curious mind that seeks knowledge from all corners, from the vast expanse of nature to the seemingly insignificant details of everyday life. In that spirit, here's a lesson gleaned from an unexpected source.
This past Sunday, I had the good fortune to attend
the morning Sringar Aarti Darshan at ISKCON. As fate would have it, there was
also a Bhagavad Gita class taking place, and I felt privileged to be a part of
it.
The session began, and as expected, the preacher, Shri Gaura Gopala Prabhu, started imparting the wisdom that the Bhagavad Gita teaches. He elaborated on human expectations and desires, and how they can disrupt a normal life. To illustrate this point, he shared the following story:
There was once a poor barber who would come to the palace every
week to cut the King's hair. Each time he came for his duty, he seemed filled
with happiness, leading a meaningful and content life.
Observing this, the King became curious. How could a poor barber
live such a joyful life, while he, the King, with all his wealth, could not
find contentment? He called his minister and asked, "How is it that a poor
barber leads a happy life while I, with all my wealth, do not? What is missing
in my life that he has?"
The minister, being wise, asked for a week to answer the question.
The following week, when the barber came to the palace, the King was surprised
to see him looking worried and restless.
Puzzled, the King asked his minister, "Why does the barber
seem so lost today?"
"Your Majesty," the minister began, "last night I
placed a bag brimming with gold coins right outside the barber's door. This
morning, when he emerged from his sleep and stumbled upon the bag, he eagerly
opened it and began meticulously counting the coins. To his astonishment, there
were only 99! Disbelief washed over him. He couldn't fathom the bag containing
a mere 99 coins – surely there had to be 100. He frantically searched for the
missing coin, convinced it had to be there somewhere. Even his wife joined the
frantic search, but alas, their efforts were in vain. This is precisely why the
barber appeared so lost and despondent this morning, his face etched with a
deep sense of worry."
"Why did you do this to the poor man?" the King
questioned.
"Dear Majesty, I did it to answer your question from last
week. When humans have nothing, they cherish life as a gift and find meaning
in every aspect. But when they begin to accumulate material wealth, they become
fixated on possessions. When humans conquer their expectations, they find joy
and contentment. However, when expectations dominate the mind, it leads to
disillusionment and depression."
The barber's tale left a lasting impression, prompting reflection on the true sources of happiness. Wow, right? Makes you think twice about chasing after more, doesn't it?
Here's the video offering a glimpse of the day visit to ISKCON.
Comments
Post a Comment