In plain words
Greed Is the Cause of Sorrow
This very greed is the cause of sorrow. There should be desires. But desire too should have a limit. You will all have read it. The story of King Midas. He was a rich man. A devotee. He had great greed. He went on praying beyond all measure to the goddess he worshipped. From daybreak until he lay down at night he went on with his worship. The goddess appeared. To appear in answer to prayers is the nature of deities. To pray is the duty of devotees. So it went on. One day Midas prayed, ‘Mother! Whatever I touch must become gold. Grant me that boon,’ he said. ‘Very well, I have given it; go,’ she said. But first of all the goddess said: ‘You are wishing a wish that ought not to be wished. It is full of greed. It will bring you no happiness. You will fall into great hardship. You will fall into suffering. Your life will go to waste. So do not ask for this boon.’ ‘Let my plight be mine. You must give it, without fail,’ Midas insisted. Well, if he will not listen to what she says, what can she do? ‘Go through your troubles yourself,’ she said. Having got the boon, he came home. He sat on his mattress. He took the pillow and set it aside. Mattress and pillow turned to gold! ‘Oho! Only these have turned to gold. Will the rest turn or not?’ With that he went into the compound and entered the garden. He touched every tree. He touched every flowering plant. He touched every flower. Everything went on turning to gold. At last he grew tired. He called his child, ‘Amma! Bring tea or coffee,’ he said. She brought it. He touched it, and it turned to gold. His hunger was growing. But whatever he touched was turning to gold. He touched the child, and the child too turned to gold. She turned into a statue. Then Midas came to his senses. ‘Shame! The goddess told me, yet like a fool I did not listen. This is what fate means!’ So he thought, and he went back to the goddess and prayed to her in deep anguish. She appeared: ‘My son! You did not listen to my word. This is the state you have come to. What do you want now?’ she said. ‘Take back the boon you gave,’ he said. From then on he lived with good sense. The desires in human nature lead a man into such danger.