A Minister’s Virtue
“You are never wrong in your advice,” King Jaivir of Pushpagiri would often tell his minister, Ravindra.
“My lord, no man is perfect. I must be wrong somewhere,” Ravindra would humbly reply.
However, both the king and the minister were well aware that Ravindra was merely being modest. The king could not recall a single instance where the minister had given faulty advice.
A Fond Farewell
When the time came for Ravindra to retire, the king felt a deep sense of loss. He lavished gifts upon him and asked, “Is there anything more I can do to make you happy?”
“My lord, I have often heard you say that what you expect from your officers is complete faith in you. My son, Subodh, is well-qualified for any high position and has great faith in your wisdom. I would be glad if he could succeed me as your minister,” Ravindra replied.
A New Beginning
The king appointed Subodh to the position of minister, initially for a probationary month. Just two weeks later, the king summoned him to his private chamber.
“I have received intelligence that our neighboring king is planning an invasion of our land. What should we do?” the king asked.
“What do you think is the best course of action, my lord?” Subodh inquired, seeking direction from the king.
A Dangerous Course
“Well, we could thwart their plans by launching a sudden attack on their territory,” suggested the king.
“That is an excellent idea. Let us proceed,” Subodh replied.
“But if we do that, the world will perceive us as the aggressors,” the king observed.
“That is quite right. The world will never understand the motivations of the wicked neighbor,” agreed Subodh.
“I think the best course for us is to keep our army on high alert,” the king proposed.
“Nothing could be better than that, my lord,” Subodh commented.
Realizations and Revelations
“But is keeping them alert enough? Should we not lead them to the frontier and demonstrate our strength to the enemy?” the king asked again.
“That would indeed be the best course of action, my lord!” Subodh replied enthusiastically.
A little later, the king called his old minister, Ravindra, and reflected, “I have now realized that while complete faith in me is commendable in all officers, the minister must possess the ability to critically evaluate my proposals and actions.”
Ravindra understood the king’s meaning and replied, “My lord, you are correct. I now recognize that I had a weakness for my son, which led me to give you flawed advice. I have proven my own point that no man is perfect; I have indeed given you one wrong piece of advice!”
Both the king and the minister shared a hearty laugh, and the king appointed Subodh to a different position in another department.