Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.
- Samuel Johnson
One day, out of curiosity, Krishna respectfully asked the old ascetic: "Master, please tell me why you live here."
"My son, we have been here for many many years," said the old ascetic reminiscently. "Perhaps your father was not even born when we came here to these caves. They were known as the caves of Muchukunda, the name of a great King in the Satya Yuga, who fought for the God Indra and came here to rest. Now people also call me Muchukunda."
"But why did you select such a lonely spot?" asked Krishna.
"Because I saw the futility, the wickedness, and the ugliness of life as it was led by men. I was once a powerful chief, had wives, sons and friends. But I gave them up in search of peace and I have found it here," said the old ascetic.
"Master, life is not futility," said Krishna respectfully. "It should be lived fully with strength and vigour and with beauty. That is Dharma, as I understand it."
The ascetic shook his head. "When you reach maturity, my son, you will see how futile life is. Then if I am alive, I will make you welcome here. To give up life, which is all misery, is real Dharma," added the ascetic.
"Master, forgive me, I have never been able to understand that. If to escape life is Dharma, why did Brahma create it?" asked Krishna.
"How would you lead your life, son?" asked the ascetic.
"I want life to be lived as it is, so long as it is lived in Dharma. That makes it worth living." said Krishna.
The ascetic laughed dryly. "You have no experience of the world, my son. You have not seen its wickedness as I have," he said passionately, thinking how misled Krishna was. "If you want peace, give up life."
"Master, I have found peace without giving up life," said Krishna.
"How can that be?" asked the ascetic.
"Yes, through right deeds, done in the best way I know, regardless of what they bring," said Krishna.
"You are a wonderful boy, my son," said the ascetic. "You have found life by living it. That's a strange doctrine."
"Yes, I am trying to live it, Master."
- K. M. Munshi, Krishnavatara-II
