Reap As You Sow

Once upon a time there lived a vicious king, Raja Shankara. Short-tempered and detrimental. “God I am”, he said to his image as he starred into the mirror everyday, many times a day. He was obsessed with himself. He loved no one but himself. He was blinded towards the injustice in his kingdom because he had little time for his subjects, most of which he poured over himself with milk and honey.

Interruption in his possessed life was dealt with stern reprimanding and sometimes on petty issues he would behead his servants. Provoked by his evil advisor Twishar Dhare, he went on with his self-indulged life, unaware of the plot his very devoted advisor was planning. A plot to dethrone the king, rule the kingdom with his evergreen wicked ways only to harness wealth and the reputation of a King.

One morning the king was on his usual morning horseback rounds but returned to the palace with an intense look on his face. He locked himself inside his palatial room only to unlock it at sundown. Just as the doors cracked open and Raja Shankara emerged from it, his wife rushed to embrace him. She feared a damaging incident had occurred.

The king spoke seldom that day and awoke the next day to make a proclamation to his servants and subjects. The whole kingdom feared what was in store for them from their angry king. But to their surprise he said to all gathered, “From now on I will be a different king. A softer king. A patient king.”

True to his words from that day on the king had truly turned on a new leaf; he cleaned out the corruption and injustice in a tender manner with punishments aimed to renew the person from within.

One fine day his evil advisor gathered courage to ask the reason for his paradigm shift. And the king answered. When I went on horseback that morning a month ago, I noticed a dog brutally chasing a cat. The cat managed to sneak into a hole only after the dog bit her leg, maiming her for life. Not far the dog barked at a farmer who picked up a sharp stone and hit it straight in the dog’s eye. Bleeding profusely, the dog yelped in pain. As the farmer walked on, he slipped on the edge of the road and broke his head.

All this happened in a matter of minutes before me and then I realized that evil begets evil. I thought about it deeply and was ready to give up my worldly life for the betterment of my subjects. I wanted to give up evil in me as I did not want evil to encounter me.

Sniggering away the immoral advisor thought what a perfect time it was to dethrone the king, because the Raja had grown kind hearted and patient and would not endeavor a combat. Thinking how he would plan his attack, he stumbled over a step that took him hurling down the remaining steps, bringing his stop with a crash. He howled in pain only to discover he had broken his limbs in both legs.

Moral : Evil begets evil. Whatever you sow, so shall you reap.