The King’s Message

The king of Mahindhara was a fool, but luckily for him, he had a wise minister by his side at all times. One day, the king visited a town far from his capital, where he had established a Sanskrit academy. He gathered the academy staff for a meeting to share his thoughts.

It was night when the teachers met with the king. The principal began by praising the king in verse, and they all sat down to listen attentively. Suddenly, the lantern extinguished, plunging the room into darkness. “Light the lantern!” the king ordered his servant. Five minutes passed, and growing impatient, the king demanded to know the reason for the delay.

“My lord,” the servant replied, “I’m unable to find the matchbox in the dark!”
“Fool!” the king screamed. “If that is the case, why don’t you light the candle first? You can certainly locate the matchbox with the candle’s help!” Just then, the servant found the matchbox and lit the lantern. The minister observed the amused expressions on the teachers’ faces, who were beginning to appreciate the king’s unexpected wisdom.

However, the minister interjected, “Pundits, learned as you are, I’m sure you have not missed the significance of His Majesty’s comment. You must not expose the students to the lights of higher learning all at once. Start with a small lesson—comparable to a candle’s light. Then, gradually introduce them to the splendors of greater knowledge. Do you follow?”

“We do. We will remember this advice, especially because of the unique way it was imparted,” said the principal, while the others nodded in agreement.

By then, the king realized the mistake he had made. He quickly added, “That is it. I’ve delivered my message. You may disperse.”