The one who has performed all his duties

This is the story of those days when Kings used to rule small kingdoms in India. In those days, Kings also used to resolve the disputes and ensure justice to all. While resolving one of such dispute, the culprit said to King Jaswant Singh, “Sir, it is true that I am not able to perform all my duties. However, can you please show me anyone in this world who has performed all of his duties?” The King ignored his arguments and gave his final judgment.

That night those words echoed in his ears, “Can you please show me anyone in this world who has performed all of his duties”. He thought that it is true that no one in this world is able to perform all his duties. All of us try to perform our duties towards our parents, our children, our family, our society, our country and towards God. And then finally one day, we leave the world in the unfulfilled state of being. Is this life only meant for stressing out ourselves throughout the life in this manner? Can there be any one who is done with performing all of his duties?

Next day, in his palace he described his predicament to his ministers and asked, “Can you find someone who has performed all of his duties in my kingdom?” Ministers began to look at each other faces. King gave them one month time and asked them to search all over the kingdom, for the one who has performed all of his duties.

Rajveer Singh, who was the prime minister, directed all of the ministers to go in different directions to obey King’s command. He also set his course on his horse towards the south of the kingdom in search of such a being that has performed all of his duties.

Not far from his palace, he saw an old man sitting on a chair outside his house, enjoying the sunshine. He stopped there, conveyed his greetings and introduces himself. Then he asked if he is done with all of his duties. The old man replied, “My son is so irresponsible that I have to take care of my grandchildren. My wife also remains sick and I have to take care of her as well.” In this manner he started with his long list of responsibilities and the problems of his life. Without wasting any time, the minister set back on his course.

Similarly he met people from all walks of life. A social servant replied that he is working hard to discharge his duties for the society. Children replied that they are busy in discharging their duties for their parents and teachers. Parents and teachers replied the same. A monk replied that he feels he won’t be able to discharge his duties towards God who has blessed us all with so many blessings. A soldier replied that he feel obliged to serve his country and is willing to even lay his life for the sake of his duty.

After a few days, the minister himself felt stressed out while performing his duties for the King. Disheartened, he sat under a tree for taking some rest. He saw a villager already taking rest under the tree. After some time, when they started talking, the minister told him about his dilemma. The villager told him about a saint that lives on the banks of the river. He advised the minister to meet the saint to solve his predicament.

On reaching the banks of the river, the minister saw the saint sitting in the meditative pose under a tree. His face was gleaming with a love and inner happiness. The minister paid his obeisance and introduced himself. When the minister described the whole story to the saint, the saint replied, “Son, you have found the one who has discharged all his duties.” When the minister requested the saint to come with him, the saint replied, “Son, once I realized the Truth, I felt liberated and gave up all of my travelling. If your King wants to meet me, he has to come here.”

The very next day, the minister returned with the King. King also paid his obeisance to the saint and asked, “Dear Sir, have you performed all of your duties?”

The saint replied, with a pleasant smile on his face, “Son, the root cause of all the predicaments of life is the ignorance of the true Self. You associate yourself with this body initially and then get burdened with all the responsibilities. You assume yourself a parent and get burdened with all sort of parental responsibilities. Under the influence of others, you assume yourself as a King and then get all the royal duties in return. Even the religious priests try to impose upon you the duties of a sinful being towards God. With all such assumptions, the poor being leave this body one day in unfulfilled state of mind. What you really are, try to find that Sat-Chit-Ananda Self. All your assumptions will vanish with the realization of the Truth and you will attain true liberation from all the duties. “

After a brief pause, he continued, “The only duty of human being is to realize the Truth- the Truth about the Self and about the omnipresent God. The one, who has discharged this supreme duty, attains supreme peace and supreme happiness. After such a realization, his every act becomes beneficial for the others on its own, naturally, without any burden of responsibility. I can tell you confidently that all my assumptions have evaporated and I have performed all my duties. All my acts are happening on its own without any sense of associated doer-ship.”

With the tears of happiness in his eyes, the King bent on his knees and said, “Dear Sir, I am fortunate to meet a spiritual master. Please accept me as your disciple and shower upon me the true wisdom of the Self.”