The Chandogya Upanishad : 3.4 : Swami Krishnananda


12/07/2019
Chapter -1 : Vaishvanara-Vidya -3.4.
3. VAISHVANARA, THE UNIVERSAL SELF -4.

When Brahmanas go to a king, naturally they go for some wealth. That is the usual tradition. The king thought that these people had come expecting some gift. He received them with great respect and honour, made them seated, and, lest they should not accept the gift that he offered to them, he said in his own humble way: “I follow the path of virtue. There is no defect in the administration of my country. I follow the path of simplicity and goodness. And here I am ready to offer you anything that you need by way of gift, if you have come for that.” He received each person separately with due honour. He garlanded them, gave them water to drink and enquired how they were, etc. He was good enough to give them a proper lodging in the palace.

The next morning, when he got up and went to his audience, these great men came there, and the first thing that the king spoke was: “There is no thief in my kingdom. There is no miser in my country, no one who is greedy, no one who drinks, no one who does not perform the daily oblations and libations prescribed as duty or sacrifice, no one uneducated or unlearned, and also no one unrestrained in behaviour. And, I am going to perform a sacrifice. I shall offer you as much gift by way of wealth as I shall be offering to the ritviks, or the performers of the sacrifice. I hope you will be satisfied.” All this the king was saying even before these people said anything, under the impression that they had come for wealth, gold, silver, etc. “So, you stay here in my palace for some time until I prepare myself for the performance of this sacrifice, where I shall engage you also.”

These great men said: “Well, you are so kind, but there is a different purpose with which we have come to you. We have not come for money; we have not come for wealth. Whatever be the purpose for which a person has come, that he must express. That is his duty. He should not speak something else, nor should he be eager to receive things quite different from that for which he has come. So, our purpose is something else, quite different from what you are speaking of or thinking in your mind.” “What is that?” The king was surprised. “What is it that these people are asking,” pondered the king.

To be continued ..


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