Here is a simple story from past when there were Kings in India.
This is a story of a King who did not believe in God and so he wished to teach a lesson to his wise men in his court and stately advisors who believed in God. They always advised the King to be God conscious when he makes his decisions, this irked him immensely as his mind simply could not grasp the concept of God. So, he was keen to prove that his wise men were promoting a concept that they did not understand themselves.
One fine morning he called his court and declared that the wise men should find anyone who can convince him about the existence of God. If successful, they would be rewarded and if no one could convince him about the ways of God, then the wise men shall be dismissed and God speak will be forever forbidden in his Kingdom. He also put up three questions about God that had to be answered in a manner that would be convincing to him.
He further declared that wise men should consider 24 hrs as ample time to prove this as they had been preaching about God so fervently ever since he knew them.
This put all the wise men in a state of panic and anxiety, yes they believed in God and lived a life centered around this belief, however they never really thought of how they could prove the existence of God to a King. Especially one who was hell bent to prove God as a non-entity. They were not logic orientated and simply accepted the writings of the scriptures. One of the wise man was so depressed that he had almost accepted that they would not be able to find anyone who could be able to prove the ways of God to the King.
With the thought of being dismissed from the Kings court, he reached home and as a man who had lost the will to live sat in a chair looking out of the window. The glow from his face was gone, his eye lost the spark and the head was lowered. He was struggling that despite believing in the existence of God, he could not prove the it. He had more or less accepted the fate that was to come tomorrow and was witnessing the sunset with a heavy heart. That is when his daughter came up to him to inquire about his day and well-being. She immediately realized that the aura of his father was diminished , she sat beside him and put her hand on his lap and waited a moment to get in tune with his state of diminished energy and gently asked her father “What is the matter, father?” and allowed the question to sink in. She waited a few moments, just as she was about to leave, her father stopped her and narrated the entire incident with a heavy heart in a most childlike manner keeping his wise man hat aside.
After having heard the story the daughter said, “Is that it? Then there is no problem at all, I shall prove the ways of God to your King, don’t worry. Take me to the Kings court tomorrow?”.
The father had known his daughter as a child and as much as he wanted to believe that she may have the answer he could not build the faith and told her not to be naive, he was a King and many wise men of his court including himself were unable to answer his three questions. She replied “We have nothing to lose but try! If I can convince him all will be good, and we may get rewarded too and if not whatever he will decide we will accept.” The father was left with no choice and put his faith in the young girl and somehow, his heart felt lighter.
The next day was a brilliant sunrise with crisp and light air which had a coolness and fragrance that the wise man had never experienced before.
The man along with his daughter walked up to the court and en route both of them talked, greeted people, and made plans for the evening. They arrived at the court and a few moments later the King walked in and adorned the throne. The wise man’s daughter was surprised to see the King. As the reigning King had recently been crowned. She had heard that his intention was to make a meaningful impact in his Kingdom and the people’s lives. Without much ado the young King ordered the deliberations of the court to start, one by one the wise men were invited and they narrated their thesis on the existence of God and his ways, the King did not exercise patience and would interject and dismiss the theory abruptly and was building his conviction that there is no such thing a God.
The wise man looked at his daughter with confusion in his eyes, the daughter looked back at his father and with a firm loving glance put his father’s shaky heart at peace once again. She was the personification of poise and grace that day.
Soon after, the wise man was asked to come forward and share his narrative on the existence of God and his ways. There were 3 question that the King had asked that had be answered.
- Where is God and how do you realize his existence?
- How can we see God?
- What does he do?
The wise man stepped forward and bowed to the Young King and requested permission to allow his daughter to answer the three questions? The King looked at the young girl and then reminded the wise man that since he was the last of the wise men, and his failure would cost them their places in the King’s court and that the Kingdom would have to accept the King’s verdict, that is, God speak would be forbidden.
The wise man’s heart fluttered, and he glanced at his daughter, she caught the glace and send an assuring energy. He gracefully thanked the King for the reminder. The King granted permission for the wise man’s daughter to step forward and answer the three questions.
The young lady stepped forward gracefully, bowed to the King and requested permission from the King to start. Maintaining utmost humility, she told the King that for her to answer the three questions she needs the King’s to be supportive, understanding, open-minded and patient. The King was impressed by the young girls approach and with a sense of ease and comfort settled back into his throne and gave her his word that he would do as she requested. She further added that understanding God is a matter of going beyond the boundaries of sense and is more a case of appreciating Gods mysterious existence and ways. She further added this was particularly important for him to accept before she commenced her narrative.
The King who was now comfortably sitting and enjoying the moment in a relaxed state of mind could not but agree to the graceful girl’s humble request. The King was already convinced that this young girl would fail.
The girl started, looked at the court and sought permission from everyone in the court to commence her presentation. She said for her to answer three questions she needed a pot of milk and a candle. The court usher immediately got onto arranging the requested things. Whilst this was being arranged the King realized that the girl is standing uncomfortably and requested her to make herself comfortable, but the girl gratefully thanked the King and stood firmly with a clear intent.
The pot of milk and the candle arrived, and they were handed over to the girl.
The girl took the pot of milk and walked up to the King and asked him to verify what was the content and likewise went to everyone in the court to verify the same. Everyone confirmed that it was indeed milk. She then announced the verdict that everyone confirmed the presence of only milk in the pot. She then requested permission if she could ask the King a question, the entire court was taken aback because that was not part of the arrangement, pin drop silence prevailed. The girl had the King in the right frame and mind and without a thought the King said “sure”. She politely asked the King, “Did you not see the butter and the butter milk in the pot?”. The King answered “No” quite casually.
She allowed a moment for the short conversations to sink into the minds of the King and the courtiers. She continued ” We cannot see the butter in the milk, however only those who churn the milk get the butter”. She further added that as it is for humans to churn the milk to get the butter. Similarly, the purpose of life is to churn humans to bring out the butter in their lives.
She then pleaded the King to appreciate and accept the philosophy as he had agreed to be supportive, understanding, open-minded and patient. She said hard-work has no substitute but hard work without knowledge and wisdom does not result in any fruitful outcome.
She looked at the King very humbly and asked if she had satisfactorily answered the King’s first question?
- Where is God and how do you realize his existence?
The King pondered and although he was not fully convinced, he accepted because he was now intrigued to know more and if he did not accept this answer, he would not get to know the answer to the next two questions, the drama would end.
The girl thanked the King, bowed to him and the court and glanced at her father. The father could not believe that his little girl had so much courage and wisdom. His heart was pounding and he himself was looking forward to how his little girl would answer the next two questions.
For the next question she requested for all the curtains to be drawn and the candle to be lit and placed at the highest point in the center of the court, luckily there was a high chandelier that could be lowered. The candle was lit, placed in the chandelier, and raised. The curtains were drawn, all external light was prevented from entering, there was pin drop silence, and everyone immersed in that moment. Their eyes dilated as they struggled initially to see the light of the candle.
Very softly the girl spoke, she asked, “Can everyone see the candle?” and all said “Yes” and then a voice said “NO”, she looked at that person and told that person to step sideways and look up and asked again “Can you NOW see the candle?” and this time the reply was “Yes”.
She allowed for a few moments to pass and then requested the curtains to be opened.
Light from the outside entered the court and pierced the eyes of those present. The soft light from the candle was still there but it could not be seen anymore.
She waited a few moments and then progressed to answer the second question, “To see God we have to find a place of darkness and look up. His light is always there he can always see us, even if we cannot see him because we are misplaced, looking somewhere else or blinded by something else.”
She again looked at the King very humbly and asked if she has satisfactorily answered the King’s second question?
- How can we see God?
The King was mesmerized by the absolute dramatization by the girl and her finesse to answer the questions that most of his wise men failed at miserably. There was no turning back for him, he said yes and was excited to hear her answer to the third question that his mind actually became restless.
The girl thanked the King, bowed to him and the court, this time she did not look at her father knowing that he was with her all the way.
She then pleaded the King to appreciate and accept the philosophy of the two answers as he had agreed to be supportive, understanding, open-minded and patient. She then asked the King to grant her unconditional forgiveness before she moved to answer the third question.
Did the King have an option, of course not. He did not even think and replied firmly “Yes, don’t waste time answer the third question without delay!”.
She took a deep breath and reminded the King that he has agreed to unconditionally forgive her should she offend the King in any way? The King was now impatient and annoyingly replied “I have granted that, please answer the third question.”
She once again sought forgiveness and said “ Your Majesty, since you are the questioner and I am answering them to your satisfaction, it makes you the seeker and me the Master, would you agree with that?” She bowed her head down and waited patiently. The King wanted to know the answer to the third question, his curiosity had overcome him, and he lost all his ego and very quickly said “Yes”. The girl heard the answer but pretended that she could not hear it, sought forgiveness and requested for the King to speak a bit loudly. The King answered with a thunderous voice and said “YES”.
Now, she raised her head looked straight into the Kings eye, piercing his soul, and said in that case “You should be standing, and I should be sitting”. I request you to stand in-front of me and ask the third question?
The King had no clue where this was heading, he stood up and ordered a chair for the girl , she intervened and reminded the King that he had promised to be open-minded and had given her a grant to unconditionally forgive her? , the king accepted , she said she wanted to sit on the King’s throne.
The King was furious, but he wanted to know the answer to the third question and had also granted her immunity, he had no option but to say “Yes”.
She gracefully bowed to the King and sat on his throne, whilst the King stood in front of her as a mere seeker. She then requested the King to ask the third question. The King was annoyed, lost all awareness of what was happening and asked the third question “What does God do?”.
The girl very gracefully and lovingly looked at the King and asked him to calm down and see what has happened. It took a few moments for him to realize that in that one moment, the girl had become the King and the King a mere commoner.
She then replied, “This is what God does, he values those who have wisdom and those who have wisdom keep the King in balance.” She then stood up, walked up to the King bowed to him and waited for the verdict, whilst the King seated himself on the throne, he gathered his poise and spoke.
Did the King believe in God? That’s for you to decide.
The best investment one can make is to invest in themselves and become wise to the ways of God.
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