Janak and Shuk

This story teaches us that one who has the knowledge of truth or God remains the same in happiness and sorrow.

Story

A long time ago, there was a great and wise sage named Vedavyasa. He had complete knowledge of the Vedas and Upanishads. Vedavyasa's son was named Shuk. The sage gave Shuk all the knowledge he possessed.

As Shuk grew older, his knowledge about God and truth also increased. Sage Vyasa wanted to know if Shuk's knowledge was true or not.

To test this, he sent Shuk to meet King Janak. King Janak was the ruler of Mithila, known for his wisdom and intelligence.

Following his father's advice, Shuk went to meet King Janak. In Mithila, the royal court treated him poorly, asking him to sit in an ordinary place.

Although Shuk was the son of a great sage, he didn't receive any special treatment from the courtiers. For three days, he waited at the same place to meet King Janak.

Suddenly, after three days, the atmosphere in the palace changed. The king's people took Shuk to a large and beautiful room where every comfort was provided. The servants who had ignored Shuk until then were now serving him day and night.

Shuk received good attention from the courtiers. He stayed in that luxurious room with great dignity for eight days.

In both situations, Shuk remained calm and unaffected by the environment around him.

After eight days, Shuk was brought to King Janak's court.

The king was sitting on his throne, and there was a program of music and dance going on in the court. King Janak gave Shuk a cup filled with milk and asked him to take seven rounds of the court without spilling a drop of milk.

Shuk had to perform this difficult task amidst all the hustle and bustle. He kept his mind calm and completed the task without spilling a drop.

Throughout the tests, King Janak evaluated Shuk, and Shuk passed each test successfully. King Janak was very pleased with Shuk's concentration and his ability to control his mind. He understood that Shuk had complete knowledge of truth and God.

One who has the knowledge of truth or God remains the same in happiness and sorrow. External circumstances do not affect their mind.