Written by london swaminathan

Date: 10 May 2016

Post No. 2799

Time uploaded in London :–  18-33

( Thanks for the Pictures)

DON’T REBLOG IT AT LEAST FOR A WEEK!  DON’T USE THE PICTURES; THEY ARE COPYRIGHTED BY SOMEONE.

(for old articles go to tamilandvedas.com OR swamiindology.blogspot.com)

There was a shepherd in a remote corner of Iran. In those days the country was called Persia. He was very simple and spent all his time happily in shepherding. He just wore a tattered sheep skin. But he was extraordinarily brilliant. He was a great scholar who looked like a beautiful lotus in a muddy pond or like shiny a gem stone in the middle of barren rocks. He can be compared to Emperor Vikramaditya, the great wise king of India. Like Vikramaditya he knew the language of the birds and animals. He gave advice to anyone who came to him.

Slowly he was made the leader of the people living in that area. When his name and fame spread to the capital, the king also came to know about him. He was wondering whether the people simply exaggerate or there is some truth in the story. So he decided to meet in but in disguise. One day he set out to the cave in the far corner of his country dressed like a poor man in rags. He rode an old horse. His ministers also followed him disguised as travellers.

As soon as they came near the cave, they were received with all the hospitality. The shepherd gave them milk and cheese. Slowly they got involved in discussion on various topics. The king asked him who his master was. He told the king that he learnt all himself. Answering a question of the disguised king, he suddenly addressed him Oh! King!.

The king was surprised and asked him how come he knew that he was the king of Persia. He told him that his behaviour, voice, stance, look and the knowledge showed him that he must be a great king. Now the king was really impressed told him his knowledge shouldn’t be wasted and gave him the post of state governor. The shepherd accepted his offer.

Years rolled on. The governor turned shepherd was going to all the places with locked box. People were wondering what it contained and why he was holding it all the times. Slowly rumours were spread by jealous people. They said that he was stealing the money of the king or he may be pocketing the taxes or he may be accepting bribes and keeping them in the locked box. The rumour reached the ears of the king who rushed to his place.

As and when the king saw the locked box with him he became very angry and shouted at him and ordered him to open the box. He maintained his composure and quietly opened the box. All were eagerly waiting for that moment. People were imagining all the worst that could happen to the poor shepherd governor. But to their disappointment there was only his old sheep skin. Before any one asked him the reason for keeping it in a tightly locked box, he explained: “I don’t want to become arrogant and forget my humble past. I was happy being a shepherd, dressed with this simple sheep skin. I always wanted to remember my past.”

The king was more impressed now and offered him a bigger role of ruling a big region. Did he accept it?

There are two ends for the story:

1.He said ‘No’. He told the king that he was happy going back to his previous shepherding which kept him happy for ever.

2. He said ‘Yes’. He became the ruler of a bigger are and became more famous.

–subham–