King Vivekvardhan had only one wish — that his people should always live in peace and happiness. Yet he often wondered: how could he truly make his subjects happy? To find the answer, he summoned his wise ministers and advisors.
The royal scholars said, “Your Majesty, if you want to awaken joy in people’s hearts, teach them the Vedas. The bliss one finds in the study of the Vedas cannot be found anywhere else.”
Following their advice, the king appointed learned priests throughout the land to teach the Vedas. He too listened to their recitations, but as he did, a thought arose in his mind — the wisdom of the Gita should be made simpler, so that every common man can understand it.
So, King Vivekvardhan made a grand announcement:
“Whoever can explain the essence of the Bhagavad Gita in the simplest, clearest way shall be richly rewarded and honored by the crown.”
The proclamation spread far and wide. Soon, scholars from every corner of the kingdom gathered in the royal court. To test their knowledge, the king sent his royal scholar to examine them. But after some time, the scholar returned and said,
“Your Majesty, every one of them is a great scholar. To test such brilliance is beyond my ability.”
The king was puzzled. What should be done now? As he pondered, fate itself seemed to intervene.
That very day, a wandering sage named Chiranjiv arrived in the capital. He had heard of the king’s challenge and sought an audience with the royal scholar. The scholar had already heard of this traveler’s wisdom and said to the king,
“Your Majesty, this is Chiranjiv — a man who can solve any question on earth. By great fortune, he has come to our land. Perhaps he can guide us.”
The king explained his dilemma. Chiranjiv bowed respectfully and said, “Your Majesty, I shall do my utmost to help.”
The next morning, all the scholars were summoned to the court once again. Chiranjiv stood before them and said,
“O learned ones, among you, a few shall be chosen through a test. Do you agree to participate?”
Every scholar nodded eagerly.
Then, approaching them one by one, Chiranjiv asked gently,
“Revered Pandit, the Bhagavad Gita is said to be so vast that even one lifetime is not enough to fully comprehend it. How then have you all managed to grasp its essence so quickly?”
Each scholar smiled and replied, “You speak the truth, wise one. But if we tried to study every verse in depth, a lifetime would not suffice. So, we have focused on the core message — the essence.”
Chiranjiv listened patiently to all of them, then went to the king and said,
“Your Majesty, these men are indeed great scholars, but none among them have truly understood the essence of the Gita.”
The scholars fell silent, their faces stiff with unease. Even the king frowned slightly and said, “Isn’t it unfair to judge them so harshly without even testing their knowledge of the Gita?”
Chiranjiv bowed and replied humbly,
“Your Majesty, I too have studied the Gita. Its core message can be summed up in one truth: the person who has truly realized it never says ‘I’.
For one who understands the Gita knows — he is not the doer. He is but an instrument, a medium through which the Divine works. Yet here, in this very court, every scholar I spoke to repeatedly said ‘I did this,’ or ‘I understood that.’ This alone proves that they have not yet experienced the true essence of the Gita.”
A deep hush fell over the court. The scholars looked at one another — each realizing the sting of truth in Chiranjiv’s words. Beneath their learning, they all carried pride.
The king, honoring them nonetheless, dismissed them graciously. Then turning to Chiranjiv, he said,
“Tell me, wise one — how can I rule so that my people may live happily? What must I do to ensure their hearts are filled with joy each day?”
Chiranjiv smiled softly and replied,
“Your Majesty, happiness and joy — these words have no fixed meaning. But if you wish your people to live contentedly, see to it that everyone has enough to eat and live by. And most importantly — ensure that no one is allowed to hoard too much.
Because the moment wealth begins to accumulate unevenly, unrest begins. The one who hoards becomes greedy, miserly, and starts deceiving others. The one who is cheated feels anger and resentment. And from that anger, conflict arises. From conflict comes unrest. And with unrest — happiness and joy vanish.
Beyond this, O King, I know of no greater secret to bring lasting happiness to your people.”
And as his calm voice faded into the silent hall, King Vivekvardhan understood — the true key to peace was not in scriptures or wealth, but in equality, humility, and contentment.
The story is collected from old Chandamama magazine.
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