Servant of the Servant

This is a story I heard involving Alexander the great. While, the authenticity of the story cannot be verified, what is more important is the meaning and take home message from this story.

Once, Alexander happened to visit Vrindavan and saw a small hut of a Babaji ( a saintly person). Apart from being a great warrior, being a student of Aristotle, Alexander had this fascination for spirituality and saintly people. He wanted to meet this person in the hut. Alexander ordered one of his soldiers to go to the Sadhu and tell him to come and meet him. The soldier went and came back promptly told him that the person in the hut, does not know, who Alexander is and sees no need for him to come and meet him. But, if he is interested, he can come and meet him. Alexander was angry with the words of his soldier and rebuked him. “Did you tell him? Properly explain him, who is waiting to meet him?” And ordered the soldier to go back and explain, and convince the saintly person to come out of the hut and meet him. The soldier went and came back again and with great hesitation told Alexander that the Babaji knows no king other than Krishna.

By now, Alexander was infuriated and barged into the hut of this Babaji. As soon as he entered the hut, he heard a voice which said “Welcome servant of my servant”. Now, this was too much and Alexander took out his sword, placed it on the neck of the Babaji and said furiously “How dare you call me servant of your servant”. But, seeing the serene and undisturbed face and expression of the sadhu, Alexander removed his sword and waited for the answer patiently.

The Babaji explained – My dear King, I have these things, Lust, anger, Greed under my control and I am not affected by them. Since, you became so angry and affected by anger; you automatically became a servant of anger. Because, Anger is my servant who is currently controlling you and that is why, I called you as the Servant of my Servant.

                                                                                                                   .End of the story….

That’s why the saintly people are called as Gosvamis, one who has their senses under control and also Maharaja because, even though they do not own a kingdom, they have control of the mind, body and its senses, which actually control majority of people in the world including Kings, Ministers etc.

In Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 16 verse 21, the same point is explained by the Lord Krishna

"tri-vidham narakasyedam

dvaram nasanam atmanah

kamah krodhas tatha lobhas

tasmad etat trayam tyajet"

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, There are three gates leading to the hell — Lust, Anger and Greed. Every sane man should give these up, for they lead to the degradation of the Soul."