Once upon a time, there was a rich King who had four wives.
The King’s Favorite: His Fourth Wife
He loved his 4th wife the most. He adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.
The King’s Pride: His Third Wife
He also loved his 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another.
The King’s Confidant: His Second Wife
He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidant and was always kind, considerate, and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through difficult times.
The King’s Neglect: His First Wife
The King’s 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her!
The King’s Illness
One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, “I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I’ll be all alone.”
He asked his 4th wife, “I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing, and showered great care over you. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?”
“No way!” replied the wife, and she walked away without another word. Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.
The King’s Second Attempt
The sad King then asked his 3rd wife, “I have loved you all my life. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?”
“No!” replied the 3rd wife. “Life is too good! When you die, I’m going to remarry!” His heart sank and turned cold.
The King’s Third Attempt
He then asked his 2nd wife, “I have always turned to you for help, and you’ve always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t help you out this time!” replied the 2nd wife. “At the very most, I can only send you to your grave.” Her answer came like a bolt of lightning, and the King was devastated.
The Loyal First Wife
Then a voice called out, “I’ll leave with you and follow you no matter where you go.” The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was so skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, the King said, “I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!”
Lessons
- Our Body: The 4th wife represents our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish on making it look good, it will leave us when we die.
- Our Possessions, Status, and Wealth: The 3rd wife symbolizes our possessions, status, and wealth. When we die, these will all go to others.
- Our Family and Friends: The 2nd wife stands for our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
- Our Soul: The 1st wife is our soul. Often neglected in our pursuit of wealth, power, and pleasures of the world, it remains with us wherever we go.
Reflection
This story serves as a poignant reminder to focus on nurturing our soul, which is our truest companion in life and beyond. We should take time to care for and develop our spiritual life, as it is the only thing that will follow us after death.
Prayer
Hare Krishna Mahamantra:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
PS: I humbly request all devotees to please forward and share this moral/instructive story so that everyone can benefit by hearing about Krishna and His dear devotees.
