Once upon a time, in the Himalayas, there was a great Sage.

He had five hundred disciples.

Once, he came down to the plains along with his disciples, to the kingdom of Panchala.

Do you know where Panchala was?

It was in present-day Uttar Pradesh, in the region of districts Farookhabad and Badayu.

Panchala was a very famous and prominent kingdom those days.

When the Sage and his disciples arrived, the king was very happy to welcome them.

He respectfully told the Sage: we are blessed to have you here.

Please consider this palace as your own.

You can be here as long as you want.

In fact, we don’t want you to go away, ever.

Whatever you need, we will provide everything.

The Sage and his disciples started staying in the palace.

But our Sages, they don’t stay at one place for a long time.

They make sure that they don’t get habituated to comforts and attachments.

They keep on moving from place to place.

But, by this time, the rainy season started.

The rains were heavy.

So, heeding to the king’s request, they stayed there till the rainy season was over.

As soon as the rains were over, they left.

On the way, they were taking rest under the shade of a tree.

The Sage told that the king was indeed a noble person.

The disciples also appreciated his hospitality.

One of the disciples said: but what a pity, he doesn’t have a child, he doesn’t have a successor.

The Sage said: don’t worry, the king is going to be blessed with a child very soon.

One of the disciples was not a good person.

When he heard the Sage saying this, an evil idea came to his mind.

As the group started to move ahead, he said: I am not feeling very well, I will take rest for some more time and join you later.

When they all left, he started walking back towards the palace.

The king was surprised to see one of the monks coming back.

The monk told the king: as I went from here and was meditating, suddenly, a divine message came to me that you are going to be blessed with a child soon.

I came to inform you about this.

The king became very happy.

He said: please, please stay with us at least till the time the child is born and you give your blessings to the child.

The monk pretended that he was reluctant to do this.

But this is what he had in mind.

He wanted to impress the king and stay comfortably with him for the rest of his life.

The king had a big orchard.

The monk started living there.

Soon, as per the Sage’s prediction, a child was born to the king.

The king truly believed that the monk was very powerful.

But the monk was a bad person.

He started stealing fruits and vegetables from the orchard and selling outside to make money.

The king didn’t know about this.

The prince grew up.

He became seven years of age.

He was very intelligent.

The monk continued to steal and amassed a lot of wealth was himself.

One day, the prince visited the orchard.

He saw the monk there.

He went and addressed him: Oh! gardener, what are you doing?

The monk was shocked; I am a saintly person, how can this boy address me as a gardener?

He wanted to hit the boy but was concerned about the king’s reaction.

At that time, the king was travelling.

When the king came back, the monk went and complained to the king.

The prince insulted me.

He called me a gardener.

Even after seeing me in the clothes of a monk, he called me a gardener.

I will not live in this place anymore.

The king said: please don’t do that, I will punish the prince.

You are very important for us.

Please keep blessing us.

The king sent the soldiers to get the prince.

He was with his mother.

They went and brought him.

The king was furious: how dare you insult the saint?

You are going to be severely punished for this.

I am going to behead you for this.

The prince said: but father, what should you call a man who collects fruits and vegetables from the orchard and sells them or money.

You please ask anyone, this is what he has been doing all this while.

He doesn’t deserve any respect as a saint.

The king checked with others.

They all confirmed what the prince was saying.

King felt very sorry for reprimanding his son.

The prince said: I am not going to live anymore in a kingdom of a thoughtless king and where evil people live in the guise of saints.

I am going.

I will find peace elsewhere.

The king, again and again, apologized to the prince.

The prince said: father, words are like medicines.

Right medicine can cure a person.

But wrong medicines can kill.

Words are also like that.

Before you speak, you should know what you are going to speak.

Once you hurt others, you can’t take your words back.

The prince then left for the Himalayas.

He later became a great saint himself.

You have to be very mindful about what you speak.

Never speak untruth.

Never hurt others with your words.

Words are very powerful.

Right words can impart comfort and happiness in others.

Use them accordingly.