Transform Your life with a new thought

Alexander The Great

            This world is a place where we come for a little while. And then we leave. But our confused mind thinks that what we have today, we will have forever. Alexander the great discovered it at the end of his tremendous endeavor to conquer the world.

            Before Alexander started his journey,  he went to take the blessings of a monk in Athens. His name was Diogenes. Diogenes used to live in a barrel.

          When Alexander came to see Diogenes, he asked Alexander, "Who are you?"

Alexander answered, "I am Alexander the great."

          Diogenes said, "If you were great you wouldn't have to say so. You are not great." Then he asked Alexander, "What do you want?"

          Alexander responded, "I wish to go to conquer the world."

          Diogenes answered, "Nobody can conquer the world. You should conquer yourself. Your values are wrong."

          Diogenes predicted, "You will never come back to Athens."

           Alexander went on conquering until he reached India. From there he started to return. He desired to take a yogi back with him. He had heard a lot about Indian yogis.

          He asked his soldiers, "Get a yogi for me."

          The soldiers went on and met a yogi who was meditating in a cave. His mane was Dandamis.

           They said, "Our king wants you to come with him".

           He replied, "I will not go."

          They wanted to somehow convince the yogi. So they said,  "Our king will offer you gold and silver in return."

           He replied, "I have no value for it."

           They went and informed Alexander. Alexander came himself to meet this yogi.

            Alexander said to the yogi, "I need you to come with me."

          The yogi answered, "I am not interested, I will not go with you."

          Alexander replied in anger, "I'm the king. Don't you know who I am? I can eliminate you and your hut in one go."

          Yogi Dandamis responded, "Who are you? I know who you are. You are the servant of my servant."

           Alexander replied in rage, "I am the emperor of the world and you are calling me the servant of your servant!"

          Dandamis answered, "Anger is my servant. And you are the servant of anger. You become furious because I  refused to listen to you. You are the servant of anger and hence you are the servant of my servant."

           Alexander was unable to convince him.

           Alexander said, "I could not influence Diogenes there and I can't influence Dandamis here."

           But there was one yogi called Kalanos. He was convinced and he accompanied Alexander and became his great friend. But later on when they were returning through Arabia, Kalanos got remorse and committed suicide.

          Kalanos have imparted some wisdom into Alexander. That is why before passing away Alexander wrote in his will, "When I die let my hand be outside of my coffin. Let the world know that Alexander whose treasure was so many that the keys to his treasure houses needed many camels to carry also did not take anything with him."

           That is the irony. We come here empty handed and we will go empty handed but our confused mind keeps on assuming that all we had today will always remain with us. We are seeing the temporary world as eternal. We all know that we all have to leave it one day.