Three Kings, One Journey

The King Who Fell from Heaven
Yayati was a great king of the Chandra Vamsha who ruled with dedication and performed great charity. His punya earned him the rare privilege of sharing Indra’s throne in Swarga.

Indra was miffed. He, the king of the gods, had to sit with a mere mortal!

He begged Guru Brihaspati for a way to remove Yayati from the throne.

Next day in court, Indra asked Yayati:

“Tell us how you came to be here.”

Yayati began recounting his achievements.

"I have performed great sacrifices. I donated lot of wealth in charity. I fed the poor, helped the needy and cared for my subjects…."

As he continued, Yayati started slipping, little by little, from the throne.

Indra posed one final question.

"Yayati, who in this world can equal you in generosity?"

"No one!" declared Yayati. "There is none to match me!"

Now, Yayati was thrown completely off the throne and began falling from heaven.

He begged that he should land somewhere in the company of noble souls.

He fell at the spot where the sage Ashtaka was performing a yajna. Later, his daughter’s son Pratardana instructed him in the path of sharanagati — surrender at the lotus feet of Lord Narayana.

What Do I Own?

King Raghu of the Ikshvaku dynasty was renowned for his generosity.

Once, he performed the great Viśvajit sacrifice and gave away all his wealth, emptying his treasury completely, keeping just a few earthen pots for his use.

One day, two people passed by just as he finished sandhyavandana with those pots.

"Look at Raghu Maharaja! He has given away everything. Who can equal his generosity?"

Raghu was angry.

"Why do you say such things?"

"Maharaja, you have given away all your wealth. Surely, you deserve to be praised!"

"Am I the owner of all these things? Does anything truly belong to me? Is not everything the property of God? If I have given some of it to others, why should I be called a great donor?"

The two men fell silent.

The King Who Renounced

Once a king approached a guru.

"Acharya, I wish to renounce the world. Please accept me as your disciple.”

"You talk of renunciation, but you are still wearing your crown. Go back. Return when you are ready."

The king returned.

But the guru again refused, giving no reason.

The disappointed man went into the forest and began living under a tree, spending his days in meditation.

One day, the guru passed by. He called out, "O Rajan!"

No response.

Next day, the guru passed by again, calling out, "O Tyagi!"—O renunciant!

No response.

The man under the tree did not turn towards the guru, nor did he claim the title of renunciant.

Now the guru accepted the disciple.

Yayati teaches us not to be proud of the good we do.

Raghu reminds us that we are only custodians of what God has entrusted to us, not its true owners. 

The renunciant king shows us that even the identity of being a giver-up must be given up.

Indra cannot tolerate someone sharing his throne.

Sriman Narayana on Adisesha is waiting to welcome us to Srivaikuntha.

As Swami Ramanuja explains, He is “Achyuta” (अच्युत), “the One who never allows His devotees to fall.”

Note: The Yayati story appears in the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata. The Raghu and renunciant king story are based on stories narrated in the pravachan of Malook Peeth Shri Rajendra Das ji Maharaj.