Alexander was exasperated and regretted his decision to meet the recluse sage Diogenes. He, along with his soldiers, had been roaming the island for hours. Yet there was no sign of Diogenes. ‘I shouldn’t have come to meet him,’ Alexander said as he sat down on the beach. ‘Little wonder people call him insane.’
That’s when one of the soldiers spotted Diogenes coming out of the jungle, along with his dog. Unmindful of the visitors, the sage sat down on the beach. Both he and his dog viewed the new arrivals with amusement, as the usual fanfare associated with an emperor’s visit was out of place on that pristine island.
‘Master, I’ve come for your blessings as I’m setting out on my biggest expedition,’ Alexander spoke. ‘And what would that be?’ Diogenes asked. ‘Conquer the entire world,’ Alexander replied with pride. ‘And after the world is conquered?’ Diogenes was curious to find out. Though a simple question, it surprised Alexander. Frankly, he had never thought about it. ‘I’ll be content…’ was all Alexander could mutter. ‘And what after that?’ Diogenes asked. ‘I’ll relax,’ Alexander replied.
‘Why undergo such pains?’ Diogenes laughed. He told his dog, ‘Teach him how we relax without conquering anything.’ Addressing Alexander, he added, ‘There’s enough space here. I even have my barrel if you need shade. Forget everything and relax.’ ‘It’s too late now,’ Alexander replied. ‘Relaxation isn’t possible until I’ve achieved what I’ve set out for.’
Diogenes laughed (a few chroniclers say that even the dog chuckled) and remarked, ‘It’s never late; know this. In fact, it’s now or never.’
Alexander had no idea what the wise man meant. He went on a conquering spree. However, his mission was far from accomplished when he died in Babylon. Among his dying wishes was one where he wanted his hands to hang out of his coffin so people would realise that he left the world empty-handed.
While desires are important, a thin line separates them from the mad craving that tags along. It’s something to be careful about. Little do we realise that we invariably end up stepping on to the other side. Keep in mind that we came into the world empty-handed and will eventually leave it the same way.
While desires are important, a thin line separates them from the mad craving. Remember you came into the world empty-handed and will leave it the same way.
Rajessh M. Iyer is a storyteller who explores human relationships through meaningful anecdotes, parables, and stories; he shares his work on www.rajesshmiyer.com.
