Merciful Lord – King and Minister

GGHS – Raghunandan Patel

CLASS 3

STORY-THE MERCIFUL LORD – KING AND MINISTER

SRILA PRABHUPADA USED TO NARRATE THIS STORY VERY OFTEN TO ILLUSTRATE THA LORD IS ALWAYS MERCIFUL.
ONCE UPON A TIME THERE LIVED A KING WHO WAS VERY POWERFUL ,VIRTUOUS AND USED TO ALWAYS THINK FOR THE WALFARE OF HIS CITIZENS. HE HAD A MINISTER TO ASSIST HIM IN ALL HIS ACTIVITIES. THE MINISTER WAS EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT, WISE AND A SINCERE DEVOTEE OF THE LORD. THE KING ALWAYS THOUGHT HIMSELF TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE SUCCESS WHERE AS THE MINISTER USED TO GIVE ALL CREDIT TO THE LORD. THUS THEY BOTH HAD LOT OF DIFFERENCE OF OPINION YET THRY WERE VERY GOOD FREINDS.
ONE DAY KING ALONG WITH THE MINISTER WENT TO THE FOREST FOR HUNTING.IT SO HAPPENED THAT DURING THEIR EXCURSION THE KING INJURED HIS THUMB AND THE THUMB WAS CUT OFF.THE KING WAS SUFFERING WITH EXCRUCIATING PAIN. THE MINISTER NICELY DRESSED THE WOUND WAS TRYING TO PACIFY THE KING. HE SAID,”MY DEAR KING , THIS IS DEFINITELY LORDS MERCY, WE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND IT AT PRESENT.THE KING BECAME VERY ANGRY AND HE PUNISHED HIS MINISTER BY PUTTING HIM IN JAIL.NOW THIS WISE ,INTELLIGENT MINISTER IN THE PRISON IS THINKING IN HIS MIND THAT THIS IS ALSO A LORDS MERCY.
THE KING CONTINUED HIS JOURNEY WITH ANOTHER MINISTER WHO WAS INDEED VERY ENVIOUS OF THE PREVIOUS MINISTER.SUDDENLY THEY WERE CAUGHT BY A GROUP OF DECOITS WHO WERE WORSHIPPERS OF GODDESS KALI. THEY WERE VERY HAPPY TO OFFER A ROYAL BLOOD TO HER IN SACRIFICE.THE LEADER ASKED THEM TO UNDRESS THE KING AND GIVE HIM CEREMONIAL BATH .NOW THE KING WAS READY FOR THE SACRIFICE AND SUDDENLY THEY NOTICED THAT HE WAS NOT A COMPLETE HUMAN ,HIS THUMB WAS MISSING. THE LEADER TOLD THEM TO IMMEDIATELY RELEASE THE KING.THEN THEY CHECKED THE ACCOMPNYING MINISTER AND WERE HAPPY TO OFFER HIM AS A COMPLETE HUMAN FOR A SACRIFICE.
THE KING REMEMBERED HIS OLD MINISTER AND HAD TEARS IN HIS EYES .HE UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS LORDS MERCY THAT MY THUMB WAS CUT OTHERWISE TODAY MY HEAD WOULD HAVE BEEN CUT.THE KING RUSHED TO THE PRISON EBRACED THE OLD MINISTER WITH GREAT FEELINGS AND NARRATED THE ENTIRE INCIDENCE TO HIM.THE KING HOWEVER HAD ONE DOUBT IN HIS MIND THAT HOW IT WAS LORDS MERCY FOR THE MINISTER WHEN HE WAS IMPRISIONED?THE MINISTER SMILED AND REPLIED ,OF COURSE IT WAS LORDS GREATEST MERCY,OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH YOU AND THEY WOULD HAVE OFFERED MY BODY TO KALI.
THUS,WE SHOULD BE CONVINCED THAT WHATEVER HAPPENS IN OUR LIFE,GOOD OR BAD IS ALWAYS BECAUSE OF LORDS MERCY.
THANK YOU, HARE KRISHNA.