A King & A Thief

A wicked man once went to a preceptor for initiation into spiritual life. The Guru asked him to give up at least one of his bad habits; he gave up uttering falsehood. That night, when he went to the Royal palace to commit theft, he found on the terrace another person, who said, he too was a thief. He too announced that he was a thief and both broke into the treasury and divided among themselves the diamonds found there.

The other person was none other than the King; he pretended to be a thief and he knew where the keys of the treasury were! While the diamonds were shared, the honest thief felt pity for the King of the realm who was losing his entire stock; he asked his companion to leave one diamond behind, in the safe. And, it was done. Next morning, when it was discovered that the treasury was looted, the Minister was sent by the King to assess the loss. The Minister found the diamond that had missed the eyes of the thieves. He quietly transferred it to his own pocket and reported at court that all the diamonds were gone!

The King had got from the honest thief his address, the previous night, while they parted company, with their separate bags. So he sent for him and when stood in court before the King, he confessed that all but one of the diamonds was stolen by him and his unknown associate. The diamond was discovered in the pocket of the Minister and the King dismissed him for the lie. The honest thief was appointed Minister, instead, and he gave up his other evil habits too and pleased his Guru.

If you take ten steps towards Bhagwan, he takes hundred steps towards you. But wither should you take these ten steps? No one seems to think about that. If you take ten steps towards evil, falsehood, injustice and wickedness, will I take hundred steps in that direction? No, your steps should be in the direction of what is good. What is good? The steps should lead upwards spiritually. So, if you ascend ten steps, I shall help you to climb a hundred steps. You should move in the right direction, not the wrong one. To the extent you yearn and pine for God, God will pine for you a thousand fold.