The Wise King

On the bank of a river, there was a beautiful city in which some very rich and happy families lived. The custom of the city was that they used to appoint a new king every year. Throughout the year, they used to obey and worship their king like anything. But at the end of the year, they used to take him in a boat and leave him in the forest lying beyond the river, where he used to become the food of wild animals. They people then used to appoint a new king for another year.

This sort of practice continued for several years. But once, a wise man was made the king of the city. Immediately on becoming the king, he realized that this kingdom was given to him for just one year. He recalled how the earlier kings were taken to the forest beyond the river. He surveyed the forest where he was to be ditched after the completion of the year. He got the forest cleaned to a great extent. He sent some masons and laborers beyond the river and got a beautiful palace constructed there. He furnished the palace and provided all sorts of comforts in it. He then gifted the palace and some of the surrounding land to one of his reliable person. At the end of his term, he happily went across the river and lived in his palace and ruled over the surrounding land.

Such parables are told by the saints to make us understand that we human beings who have given this body to rule over for a definite period, must do such deeds so that we may get a happy life in the world beyond.