The King’s Order
Once a king ordered his three ministers to take a bag and go to the forest to fill it with fruits.
The First Minister’s Approach
The first minister thought that since the king had ordered the collection of fruits, he must collect the best fruits available in the forest. He meticulously picked the freshest and most delicious fruits to fill his bag.
The Second Minister’s Approach
The second minister thought that the king, being a busy person, might not look thoroughly into the bag to check the contents. So, he collected whatever he could find, including both good and rotten fruits. His bag was filled with a mixture of good and bad fruits.
The Third Minister’s Approach
The third minister thought that the king would only see the size of the bag and not its contents. Therefore, he filled his bag with dried leaves and dust, ensuring it looked full without any real effort or quality control.
The Consequences
When the three ministers returned to the court, the king, without inspecting the bags, ordered that they be sent to separate jails for three months. They were only allowed to carry the bags they had filled with fruits.
- The First Minister: He could spend the three months in jail comfortably by eating the high-quality fruits he had collected.
- The Second Minister: He survived for a while on the good fruits but eventually fell ill from eating the rotten ones.
- The Third Minister: He had nothing nutritious to eat and could not survive the three months.
Moral of the Story
This story illustrates that we must face the consequences of our own actions. Our karmas, whether good or bad, will eventually find us and we will have to experience the results.
Lessons to Learn
- The Inevitability of Karma: “You will be suffering your own reactions after your karmas. Any single karma you perform, you have to suffer for it. Good and bad, everything, you have to face its reaction.”
As stated in Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva: “Amongst thousands of cows, the calf finds its own mother cow. Similarly, the results of our past karma (deeds), when fully ripened, will find us without fail.”
This Vedic instruction implies that just as a calf can find its mother in a large herd, our karmas will find us, regardless of where we are or what form we take.
- Devotion to Krishna: While undergoing the consequences of our karmas, it is essential to devote our time to serving Krishna. This service purifies our existence and helps us transcend the cycle of karma.
Mahatma Vidura explains how one should perform activities in this world in Mahabharata Udyoga Parva: “Do those activities during the day, which will make you pass the night in happiness; Do those activities during eight months of the year, which will enable you to pass the rainy season happily; Do those activities during youth which will ensure a happy old age; Do those activities during your life in this world, which will enable you to achieve eternal life after death.”
- Purifying Our Existence: By taking up the Krishna conscious way of life, we can purify our existence and ultimately go back home, back to Godhead.
Let us live our lives with the understanding that every action has a reaction, and by aligning our actions with devotion and service to Krishna, we can attain true happiness and liberation.
