My spiritual Master loved telling stories and later would explain the meaning behind them. One of my favorites is the story of a slave who, because of his total obedience to a king, was given the position of the treasurer. Every night he would remove all the clothes and jewelry given to him and don the robes of a slave. He reminded himself that he was only a slave and that it was with the generosity of the king that he also enjoyed the luxuries. Every night, when I am alone, all I have to do is remind myself of the giver of all that I have—the healthy human form with all the gifts from within and from outside. Not because I deserve it but out of empathy for being a broken one. We get carried away thinking we are earning and becoming successful. One little sickness and all the fun of life is gone. A slave has no rights nor does he seek rewards. He just obeys without questioning. Living like a slave is easy—all the responsibilities fall on the master. A slave is the real treasurer, as he has discovered the treasure of being completely free while being a slave. — Satish Daryanani
