AMMA SAYS - STORIES & JOKES

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OM AMRITESWARYAI NAMAH

 

AMMA SAYS - STORY

 

Running Away from Death

 

There once was a king who wanted to know when he would die. He

summoned an eminent astrologer who could predict the future. In

studying the king's horoscope, he found that the king was going to

die that very evening at dust. One can easily imagine the great

dismay of the king when he heard this, for naturally he did not want

to die. He wondered how he could escape death. Now, this is not

surprising. Who wouldn't try to save his life if it were threatened

or if he learned that he were to die at a particular time? The king

acted quickly. He immediately summoned all the great scholars in his

land and ordered them to find a way to overcome death.

 

The scholars convened and began discussing and disputing. They

searched many different scriptural texts to find a way to save the

king's life. When one learned being suggested something - a way, a

ritual or a mantra - another scholar would refute it and recommend

another method. Thus it went on and on without reaching any

conclusion. Afternoon fell and still no conclusion had been reached.

The king became very restless. He yelled at the scholars, 'Hurry up,

hurry up! Quick! It is getting late.' But the scholars, as usual,

were caught up in the words of the scriptures. They could not move

beyond the rhetoric and their dispute. Finally a wise elderly man of

the court whispered to the king, 'Sir, do not rely on these people.

They will not find a solution. If you want to save your life, take

the fastest horse you have and go as far as you can away from the

palace before dusk falls. Don't waste any time. Start right now. Go!'

 

To the desperate king this sounded like a good idea. Soon he was

flying on the best horse from the royal stables. Before dusk fell he

had travelled hundreds of miles away from the palace. Exhausted, the

king wanted to rest, so he dismounted and lay down under a tree.

Lying there on his back, he began thinking about the events of the

day and was feeling happy that he had tricked death by leaving the

court before nightfall. Since he felt safe, he glided into sleep.

Soon dusk fell and all of a sudden, death jumped out from nowhere.

Its thirsty eyes fell on the king as it declared victoriously, 'I

knew you would come here. I have been waiting for you here by this

tree. I was beginning to get worried, thinking that you would not

make it in time. Anyhow, you got here just in time. Thank you.' In

no time the helpless king was in the grip of death.

 

"My Children, death always follows us like a shadow. Knowing and

understanding the inevitability of death, one should strive hard to

realize the eternal truth before the body falls off. Nobody knows

when death will come. Nobody can predict it."

::

AMMA SHARANAM