Need for Humanity

Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time, a king was renowned for his justice and wisdom. One day, he went to the forest to hunt, and as ill luck would have it, he was separated from his men. Tired after the chase and bewildered because he was lost, the king staggered until he came to a lonely hermitage.

A Humble Encounter

The hermit was deeply praying when the king collapsed before him from exhaustion. Piteously, he implored the recluse for food, as he was hungry. Without opening his eyes, the hermit replied, “Fellow, stay here tonight by all means. The king of this land is just and wise. Therefore, whatever you eat here will taste sweet and nice.”

Unexpected Delight

The king blushed to hear his praise but did as he was bid. He gathered some wild fruits and leaves to eat, and to his great surprise, even the bitterest fruit tasted sweet! Soon his hunger was appeased, and after some time, he set out to find his lost companions. He found them anxiously searching for him, and together, they returned to the palace safely.

The Rise of Vanity

However, the king’s vanity began to rear its head. He wanted everyone to know what a just and honourable king he was. So, he invited all the lords and noblemen of his land to a sumptuous feast at the palace. He called his royal chef and ordered him to pick the bitter gourd from the forest and prepare a nice curry with it. The leaves of the neem tree were ground into a paste to make a pudding.

A Bitter Realization

The day of the feast arrived, and the king sat down to eat. But no sooner had he tasted the curry than he realized it was brackish and bitter. Quickly, he ordered his chef to serve the usual items, which were not bitter at all. Hiding his chagrin, the king waited until all the guests had departed. Then, he got on his horse and galloped off into the forest.

A Lesson Learned

Upon arriving at the hermitage, he jumped down from his horse and bowed to the hermit. Then he said, “Holy Sir, I am the king of this land. One night, long ago, I rested here, and everything tasted sweet. In explanation, you said that as the king was just and wise, everything would taste sweet. But when I took the same items to the palace, they tasted bitter. How could this happen?”

Wisdom of the Hermit

The hermit smiled knowingly and replied, “Up until that time, vanity had not entered your heart, and you ruled justly and well. But today, you have become vain and arrogant about your qualities. Hence, the sweetness of humility left you, and everything around you became bitter as before.”

A Change of Heart

The king hung his head in shame at his conceit and retraced his steps towards the palace, now a much chastened man.