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The Slave of the Slave

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Alexander: The Slave of the Slave From   Alexander You all might have heard the name of Alexander, the Great or Sikandar. He invaded India around 323 BC, but could not cross River Vyaas and so returned from there only. The history says that if he had crossed the Vyaas River, India's history would have been different. There is an amusing story about Alexander. When he came to India, he found that the Indians were a race of brave and fearless people. He defeated some of them while he extended friendship with some of them. When he was about to return to his country, he remembered that his people had asked him to bring an Indian Yogee to them. They had heard a lot about Yogee of India and were very desirous of seeing one, meeting him, hearing him speak and receiving his blessings. He was also told that these Yogee dwelt in the forest, so in quest of finding a Yogee he went to a forest. Sure enough, he found one sitting underneath a tree, in deep meditation. He waited patiently until the Yogee opened his eyes. They shone with a strange, mystic light. Reverently, Alexander bowed to him and requested him to accompany him to Greece, saying – “I will give you everything you need or ask for, but, I pray, please do come with me. My people would love to meet you.” The Yogee quietly answered – “I need nothing, I am happy where I am.” This was the first time that anyone had turned down Alexander’s request. He could not control himself. He flew into a rage and unsheathing his sword, he thundered – “Do you know who is speaking to you? I am the great King Alexander. If you will not listen to me, I shall kill you, and cut you into pieces.” Unperturbed, the Yogee answered – “You cannot kill me. You can only kill my body. And the body is nothing but a garment I have worn. I am not the body, I am that which dwells within the body. I am not the Deh, I am the Dehin – the indwelling one.” The Yogee continued – “You say you are a king. May I tell you, who you are? You are a slave of my slave.” Stunned hearing this, Alexander asked – “What? How am I a slave of your slave?” In a voice tender with compassion, the Yogee explained – “I have mastered the anger, so anger is my slave. See, how easily you give way to anger. Thus you are a slave of anger, and, therefore, you are a slave of my slave.” Alexander could not speak any thing and came back from there embarrassed.

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 05/09/04     |      Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com      |      Modified on 01/05/13