Among Indian folks, there is a custom to educate youngsters morally, elder people tell them moral stories and ask them some questions in the end of each story to check whether the audience could learn anything from the story. I would like to retell such a story here purposely to check what we are.The story is as follows.
There was a princess in a country. One day she went to garden to stroll about and enjoy the scene, with her female friends. Previous to her coming out, Ajay, the son of a merchant, had come to take stroll in the same part of the forest and on beholding her became enamored. Being distracted by the pangs of separation, he involuntarily approached her, and seizing her hand, began to say, " If you will not love me, I will sacrifice my life on your account."
She replied, "Act not thus, that would be a sin."
He continued, " your amorous glances have pierced my heart, and the fire of separation from you has consumed my body; my all consciousness and understanding have been destroyed by this pain; and at this moment, through the overpowering influence of love, I have no regard for right or wrong; but if you will give me your word, new life will enter my soul."
She responded, "On the fifth day from this day my marriage will take place; but I will first meet you, and afterwards abide at my husband's."
After giving her promise she returned to palace. Her marriage took place as fixed and she went to her husband's. She entered her husband's chamber and sat depressed in a corner. Seeing this her husband asked the reason. She narrated all the story and the promise. Her husband could realize that he could not lead a happy family life with her, who nursing a dream of living with someone else in her mind. So he allowed her to join with her beloved.
Having received her husband's permission, she started for Ajay's place in that night itself. A thief seeing her on the road, came up to her in delight, and asked, "where are you going alone, at this midnight hour, in this pitch darkness bedecked with such garments and jewels?"
She replied, "To the place where my dearly beloved dwells." The thief inquired, "Who is along with you?"
The answer was sudden, "The love is along with me". having said this she narrated her whole story to the thief. And begged, "Do not spoil my ornaments, jewels and all; After meeting my dear I will return, then I will deliver my jewels to you."
On hearing this, the thief thought that why he should take risk. He was going to get her jewels as per her own will. So he let her go. She reached Ajay's home and roused him. He arose bewildered, and asked that who she was. She reminded him the past events and related everything that happened.
On hearing this Ajay Said, "This matter is like jewels without apparel, or food without salt, or singing out of tune." After uttering these words Ajay answered her, "I will have nothing to do with another's wife." On hearing this, she took her way back home again. On the way she met the thief, and told him the whole story. The thief, on hearing it, applauded her highly, and let her go.
She came near her husband and told him all the happenings; but her husband evinced no affection for her, and said, "The beauty of cuckoo consists in its note alone; beauty of an ugly man is his knowledge;the beauty of a devotee is his patient suffering; a woman's beauty consists in her fidelity to her husband."
Now the question, who is the most righteous and noblest among the three?
Many may confuse, whether Ajay or the husband? Not at all , the thief. Ajay and her husband were obeying some laws, social customs and traditions or acting according to the good for their own future. They have to obey something that was outside them. They feared them. But what about the thief. He had not to fear anything; had not to obey any code of conduct. But he acted completely according to his will without an external pressure. So he is.
Kingdom of heaven is within us. Outside not. You are what your inner being is. This is very true for even some of us who always quoting from scriptures. Why? According to them scriptures are there in the Books, chapters and verses, not at all the part of their inner being and life. If we do not take care of our inner being, we will get nowhere.
These Pharisees had been searching Kingdom of heaven asking 'when' and 'where', they wanted to see it in outside world. But Jesus advised them to go to their inner world.