Three Questions by Leo Tolstoy

Once there was a king who always wondered how he became a great man so that he would always be successful in whatever he did.So, on day 1, three things came to his mind that how can he be successful to achieve this objective in his life?Those three things are: What is the most appropriate time to do any work?The second question of the king was, who is the right person whom he always listened to?The third question that was most important to the king was what was the most important work that he would accomplish in his life.

So to know the answer of these three questions, the king sent his messengers and announced in the kingdom that whoever answers these three questions, I will give him a great reward.Knowing all this, very wise people came to the king's court and they answered these three questions.  But the king did not like the answer of any intelligent person and he did not give any prize to anyone.So the king thinks of a monk who lived in the forest to find the answer to his three questions. The monk was a very intelligent person, but he did not meet anyone but ordinary people.So the king went in simple clothes to meet the monk.The king left his bodyguards at some distance and went to the monk on foot. When the king went to the monk, the monk was digging the ground in front of his hut. The king went to the monk and the monk again repeated his three questions to the monk. But the monk did not answer any of the king's three questions and kept digging the ground. The monk was much thinner than the body, so the king took pity on the monk and the king started digging the ground by taking the spade from the hands of the monk. The king kept digging the ground for the monk till sunset.  The king again asked the monk to answer his three questions, when suddenly a bearded man came running there. The man was completely injured and was groaning in pain.  After some time he fell down and fainted. The king took very good care of the injured man, washed his wounds and bandaged them very well.After some time, that bearded man calmed down and fell asleep. While doing this the king was also very tired and he also fell asleep. 

When the king woke up in the morning, he saw that the bearded man had also risen.  The bearded wounded man looked at the king and said, "King forgive me."  The king told the injured man that I do not even know you.  So what should I forgive you for.  The bearded man said to the king, "I am your enemy. I have come to kill you.You sentenced my brother to death and you confiscated his property. That's why I thought that I will kill you. So when I came here looking for you, your bodyguards recognized me and attacked me, but I survived. If you had not worn my ointment, I would have died. You have saved my life, so forgive me king! If I survived and wanted you to serve you all my life." 

The king was surprised to hear all this and started thinking that even with such ease, an enemy can become someone's friend. The king forgives her and assures her that after returning he will return all her brother's possessions to her. The king came out of the hut and went to the monk and said, he is asking you for the answer of his three questions for the last time. The monk and the seed were getting in the ground, which he dug.

The monk raised his head and said to the king, you have got the answer to your questions. The king said, I do not understand. 

The monk said, if you had not felt pity on me, you would have gone tomorrow.

If you had not excavated the land, then this man would attack you on the way. 

The most important man at that time was me.

If you do not stop with me, you repent.  

This was the most appropriate time when you were digging the ground.

At that time the most important work was mine.

The monk told the king further that when the man came running to us and we helped him, it was the right time.

If you had not worn the ointment of that injured person, he would have died, so he was the most important person at that time.

Whatever you did for that injured person at that time was the most important work for you at that time.

Finally the monk told the king, all the right time is when we have any kind of power.

The man of the most importance is the one with whom we are. 

The most important thing is to help a person in distress in front of us.We have got life because we are in trouble. Saying this, the monks became silent.

The king was satisfied after getting the monk's answer and bowed to the monk and went towards the palace.








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