What makes us happy? And what helps happiness last?
We spend much of our lives seeking things, experiences, and relationships that bring us joy.
But what determines whether happiness fades quickly or stays with us?
The following stories of a king who forgot and a king who remembered offer a clue.
Story 1: The King Who Forgot
The Gardener’s Question
Kings of ancient times lived lives of great luxury. They resided in elaborate palaces, surrounded by beautiful gardens, attended by servants, and transported by horses and elephants. Great attention was paid to their comfort—from the food served on their tables to the clothes they wore and the beds on which they slept.
One such king employed a gardener whose task was to gather fragrant flowers and prepare a bed of blossoms for the king each night.
One evening, while the king was away on a hunting expedition, a thought crossed the gardener’s mind:
“What must it be like to sleep on such a soft bed?”
Curious, she lay down on the bed for a few moments.
As fate would have it, the king returned unexpectedly early and found the gardener resting on his bed. Enraged, he began to whip her for what he considered a grave transgression.
The Gardener’s Insight
As he whipped her, the king noticed something strange. The gardener would cry out in pain, but then she would begin to laugh. Again she would cry, and again she would laugh.
Confused, the king stopped.
“I can understand why you cry,” he said, “but why are you laughing?”
The gardener replied, “If you permit me, I will tell you the truth.”
“Please do,” said the king.
“I could not help laughing,” she replied. “I realized that if this is the consequence of lying on a bed of flowers for only a few moments, what might be the consequence for one who lives amidst such comforts every day?”
A Wake-Up Call
Her words pierced through a veil in the king’s mind.
The king bowed before the gardener and said, “It is not you who has spoken these words, but the Divine through you. You have awakened me from my slumber.”
“I had become lost in the glitter of a few passing days. I had forgotten my purpose. This wealth, beauty, strength, and even these flowers will not last. Engrossed in them, I lost sight of that which endures forever.”
Story 2: The King Who Remembered
The Grass Cutter
There is a parable about a grass cutter who entered the service of a king.
He was so trustworthy and capable that the king gradually entrusted him with greater responsibilities. Over time, he became one of the king’s closest aides. Eventually, the king adopted him as his son and declared him heir to the throne.
As the future king, he lived in the palace and enjoyed all the privileges of royal life.
Yet the king’s spies noticed something unusual.
Every day, he would visit a particular room. He kept the key with him at all times and never allowed anyone else to enter.
Curious, they reported this mystery to the king.
The Secret Room
The king eventually asked the prince about it.
“Why don’t you come and see for yourself?” the prince replied.
Together they went to the room. The prince unlocked the door and led the king inside.
In the room stood a single trunk.
When he opened it, the king saw an old sickle, a hook, and a net.
“What are these?” the king asked.
The Prince’s Lesson
The prince replied:
“These are the tools I used when I cut grass for a living. I have preserved them as reminders of where I came from.”
“I now live the life of a prince, but these relics keep me grounded. As I prepare to take on the responsibilities of a king, I must not forget my origins.”
“They help me remain humble, so that I do not become lost in pride.”
“And they remind me of the struggles of ordinary people, so that I serve the weak rather than oppress them. I would rather receive the blessings of my people than their suffering.”
Wisdom for Our Life
The king who forgot and the king who remembered teach us the importance of remembering.
One king became so absorbed in comfort and pleasure that he forgot what truly mattered. The other deliberately created reminders so that success and power would not make him lose himself.
The challenge is not wealth, comfort, or responsibility.
The challenge is forgetting.
This time is precious. The glitter of the world is passing. In the midst of our ambitions, responsibilities, and relationships, we need to remember our source.
We need to reconnect with the light within and loosen our attachment to the narrow sense of “I.”
To realize, like a wave, that it is not separate from the ocean.
And perhaps that is what it means to truly conquer death.
Guru Arjan Dev Ji reflects on this human tendency—and the path beyond it—in the following verse:
गरबु बडो मूलु इतनो ॥
रहनु नही गहु कितनो ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
बेबरजत बेद संतना उआहू सिउ रे हितनो ॥
हार जूआर जूआ बिधे इंद्री वसि लै जितनो ॥१॥
हरन भरन संपूरना चरन कमल रंगि रितनो ॥
नानक उधरे साधसंगि किरपा निधि मै दितनो ॥
Your pride is so great, but your origin is tiny.
You will not remain here forever, however tightly you try to hold on to this passing world.
That which the saints and wisdom traditions caution against, with that you have fallen in love.
Like a gambler losing at the game of chance, you lose this precious opportunity while being led by the senses.
You have no love for the One who fills and empties these cups of life.
O Nanak, I have been saved in the company of true seekers. The Treasure of Mercy has blessed me with grace.
Reflection
What helps you remember what truly matters, even amidst the demands and distractions of everyday life?
Sources
- Bahiye Padhiye Paas (Let Us Sit with the Learned), Jaswant Singh Parwana
- Guru Granth Sahib (translation by Prof. Sahib Singh Ji)
Image credits
Cover image: Messenger from the Himalayas (Going Home) (1940) by Nicholas Roerich. A lone figure journeys through the vast Himalayan landscape — a fitting image for a reflection on the inner path, where wisdom guides us through uncertainty toward our true home.
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