Sage Question to Arrogant King

Once lived a very arrogant King. Due to his arrogance, he did not have good relations with the King ruling the surrounding kingdom. Even people of his kingdom used to criticize him. A sage who was passing through the kingdom heard about the King and thought of teaching him a lesson.

Sage started walking toward the King’s palace and as soon as he reached there, he went straight inside without asking guards for permission.

When King saw Sage, he was filled with anger and said, “What is this behavior? How did you come inside without asking for permission?”

Sage politely replied, “I want to stay at this inn tonight..”

King got enraged, hearing this, and said, “This is my royal palace, it’s not an inn, go somewhere else..”

Sage asked, “OK. Tell me whose palace was this before you?”

King replied, “It was my father’s.”

Sage again asked,” Whose palace was this before your father?”

King replied, “My grandfather’s.”

Sage smiled and said, “O King, just as people come to an inn and stay for some time, this royal palace was your grandfather’s for some time, and then for some time, it was your father’s palace, and now, for some time it is yours. Tomorrow it will be someone else. Then why are you so arrogant about this?”

King understood the deep meaning hidden inside Sage’s words fell at the feet of Sage and took an oath to never be arrogant again.