7. Power of Attachment

Once, there was a king who ruled his kingdom with great wisdom and fairness. However, as fate would have it, he was betrayed by his own family. Stripped of his royal power, he was exiled to the forest. In his wandering, he sought refuge in the ashram of a wise Rishi. Not long after, another unfortunate soul arrived at the ashram–a wealthy trader whose business had once flourished. Yet, he too had been abandoned by his family and left with nothing. The Rishi, ever compassionate, welcomed them both and offered them shelter for as long as they needed. Over time, the two men formed a strong bond of friendship.

Despite their shared misfortune, both the king and the trader struggled with their inner turmoil. The king could not reconcile what had been done to him by his own kin. His mind was constantly consumed with thoughts of his lost kingdom, his loyal subjects, and his unfinished duties. Similarly, the trader was haunted by the loss of his business and the uncertainty of his future. Both men were overwhelmed with grief, but interestingly, neither harboured hatred toward their families—only a deep disbelief at the sudden and unexpected turn of events.

As their sorrow grew unbearable, the two men turned to the Rishi for counsel, hoping to find a way out of their misery and find peace. The compassionate sage listened to their woes with great patience, allowing them to pour out their hearts. The king spoke first: “We have been betrayed by those we loved. We have lost everything, yet our hearts still cling to what is gone. We turned our backs on those who have wronged us, but how can we free ourselves from this constant sorrow? Why is it so hard to sever the bonds that bind us?”

The trader echoed his sentiments, sharing the same sense of helplessness and confusion.

The sage, moved by their plight, spoke kindly: “What you feel is indeed true, but it is not your fault. All beings–humans, animals, even birds–are swept up in the whirlpool of attachment, caught in the illusion known as Maya. Maya clouds the mind, making us believe in the permanence of things that are ever-changing. The only way to break free from its grip is to turn your hearts and minds towards the worship of the Supreme Goddess, Parameshwari.”

The sage initiated both men into the worship of the Goddess. Over time, through devotion and spiritual practice, they both transcended their delusions and found true peace.

Every person is endowed with intellect, but it is clouded by the illusions of Maya. As a result, we become entangled in all sorts of worldly attachments, becoming our own foes. However, when we use spiritual practices to clear the fog of Maya, we are freed, and the Supreme Knowledge reveals itself. This way, we become our own true kin. ❃❃❃❃