Page 94 - Kailaspati: Paramhans Hansdevji Avadhoot

he sat on a deer-skin. in course of our talk, he offered us many an advice. after that sri acharya raised the topic of attachment and detachment. Baba said, “Pravrutti (Activity) aur nivrutti (Retirement) jitnā badhāyegā utnahi badh jayegā.” and he narrated to us a story:
Once a great Emperor had a far-flung empire and many a King and zamindar was under his sway. Once he asked his Chief Minister, “i have decided to pay a visit to my empire, and so please make the necessary arrangements.”
The Chief Minister asked, “how many attendants would be with you, My Lord?”
The Emperor said, “as many attendants and soldiers as befits my position.”
accordingly, the Chief Minister began to arrange everything. On coming to learn that the arrangement was getting delayed, the Emperor asked him for the reason. in reply, he said, “My Lord, the donkeys to bear the provisions are yet to be arranged. Fifty lac of donkeys have already been arranged, and fifty more are needed. as many as one crore donkeys are needed to carry the provisions and reinforcements”. and within a short while, the arrangement was completed. The Emperor, accompanied by lacs of attendants and his army went out to visit the empire. Three years were spent to cover the whole of his empire and he returned to his palace.
Once while sitting all alone in his room he began to think about the peace and prosperity of his land. and he concluded that there was no scarcity of anything in his country. he had a vast empire to command, loyal subjects, devoted son, beautiful as well as homely Queen, treasury, innumerable attendants, and above all, he owned a well-built physique and sound health. Whatever a man needed in his earthly life was owned by him. he had enjoyed his life to the full. he thought, “i have enjoyed whatever i desired i have now understood what satisfaction there is in attachment. Now i want to know the kind of satisfaction i can have out of detachment. i want to enjoy what the sages and the fakirs have by renouncing everything earthly. i have decided to be a Fakir by getting detached from every earthly thing”.
72 Kailashpati