February 11
"LIFE IS A TAVERN"
A King stood on the second floor at his palace window.
A Fakir, a Holy Man in rags, passed beneath his window and said to the King:
"O King! Is there a place in your tavern for me to stay the night?
The King was annoyed and shouted at the Fakir on the street below:
"O Foolish Fakir! Can't you see this is my palace and I am the King? Are you insulting me by calling my Palace a Tavern where people come and go?"
The Fakir said: "O King! I know it is your palace and I know you are the King. That is why I am calling this place a Tavern!"
The King shot back angrily: "O Fakir! If you were not a Holy Man I would have had your head for this insult! But I give you a chance to explain yourself! Why are you calling my Palace a Tavern?"
The Fakir said: "O King you are on the throne today. But who was on the throne before you?"
"My Father!" said the King
"And before him?"
"His father? My grandfather."
"And before him?"
"My great grandfather and my forefathers.."
The Fakir continued: " Will you sit on this throne forever?"
"No, " said the King.
"Who will come after you?"
"My son!"
"And will your son remain on the throne forever?"
"No!"
"Who will come after him?"
"His son, and then his grandson and great grandson and so on.."
And the Fakir said in a loud voice that thrilled in the atmosphere as if a vital truth had rung out loud:
"O KING! WHO SAYS THIS IS NOT A TAVERN WHERE SO MANY HAVE COME AND GONE, AND SO MANY MUST COME AND GO!!"
Indeed this is the one vital truth which man forgets when living in the hub-bub of the world and begetting children and collecting wealth -- that everyone must leave this world one day.
That this world is like a tavern in which people come, stay awhile and then depart. The history of the world speaks of the millions and billions who have come into this world and gone.
HH Shri Nathji used to say with great loudness:
"THIS WORLD IS NOT OUR HOME!
WE SHALL HAVE TO LEAVE IT ONE DAY!
THE MILLIONS WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US
TELL US THAT WE TOO MUST ONE DAY LEAVE!"
"LIFE IS A TAVERN"
A King stood on the second floor at his palace window.
A Fakir, a Holy Man in rags, passed beneath his window and said to the King:
"O King! Is there a place in your tavern for me to stay the night?
The King was annoyed and shouted at the Fakir on the street below:
"O Foolish Fakir! Can't you see this is my palace and I am the King? Are you insulting me by calling my Palace a Tavern where people come and go?"
The Fakir said: "O King! I know it is your palace and I know you are the King. That is why I am calling this place a Tavern!"
The King shot back angrily: "O Fakir! If you were not a Holy Man I would have had your head for this insult! But I give you a chance to explain yourself! Why are you calling my Palace a Tavern?"
The Fakir said: "O King you are on the throne today. But who was on the throne before you?"
"My Father!" said the King
"And before him?"
"His father? My grandfather."
"And before him?"
"My great grandfather and my forefathers.."
The Fakir continued: " Will you sit on this throne forever?"
"No, " said the King.
"Who will come after you?"
"My son!"
"And will your son remain on the throne forever?"
"No!"
"Who will come after him?"
"His son, and then his grandson and great grandson and so on.."
And the Fakir said in a loud voice that thrilled in the atmosphere as if a vital truth had rung out loud:
"O KING! WHO SAYS THIS IS NOT A TAVERN WHERE SO MANY HAVE COME AND GONE, AND SO MANY MUST COME AND GO!!"
Indeed this is the one vital truth which man forgets when living in the hub-bub of the world and begetting children and collecting wealth -- that everyone must leave this world one day.
That this world is like a tavern in which people come, stay awhile and then depart. The history of the world speaks of the millions and billions who have come into this world and gone.
HH Shri Nathji used to say with great loudness:
"THIS WORLD IS NOT OUR HOME!
WE SHALL HAVE TO LEAVE IT ONE DAY!
THE MILLIONS WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US
TELL US THAT WE TOO MUST ONE DAY LEAVE!"
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