Charity Project Rishikesh India

A Story to Reflect Upon

Once upon a time, there was this rich king who had four wives. He adored the 4th one the most—he gave her the finest of robes and pampered her with only the best food and luxuries. He made sure she had everything she wanted.

The 3rd wife, too, he cared for a lot. He liked to show her off, taking pride in her beauty whenever they visited nearby kingdoms. Still, deep down, he always worried she might leave him for someone else someday.

The 2nd wife was his steady one—gentle, kind, patient. She always had his back. Whenever the King faced trouble, she’d be the one he'd confide in. She helped him through some really rough times.

But the 1st wife... she was always there, in the background. Loyal to the core, she was the one who took care of the palace, managed the affairs, held the kingdom together. Still, the King hardly gave her any attention, even though she loved him dearly.

Then one day, the King fell very sick. He knew—his time was ending. Looking at his lavish life, he thought to himself, “I have four wives with me... but when I die, I’ll be all alone.”

So he asked the 4th wife, “I loved you most. I dressed you in the finest and gave you all I could. Now that I’m dying, will you come with me?”
“No way,” she said flatly—and just walked away. That hurt like a knife.

Turning to the 3rd, he said, “I’ve loved you too... will you come with me now?”
“Absolutely not,” she replied. “I’m gonna remarry and keep living.” The King’s heart broke further.

He then asked the 2nd wife, “You've always stood by me. Will you come with me, please?”
“I’m sorry... I really am,” she said. “But the best I can do is walk you to your grave.”

Just then, a faint voice called out, “I’ll come with you... I’ll follow you wherever you go.” It was his 1st wife. She looked weak and thin, worn down from years of neglect. Tears welled up in the King’s eyes.

“I should have looked after you better,” he whispered, grieving his mistake.

The Meaning

This story isn’t just about a King. It’s about all of us.

We each have four “wives” in our lives.

• The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much we take care of it, how we decorate it, it’ll leave us when we die.
• The 3rd wife is our possessions, status, and wealth. When we go, it’ll all go to someone else.
• The 2nd wife is our family and friends. They might stand beside us till the very end—but they can’t come beyond the grave
• The 1st wife is our Soul. The one we often ignore. The one that stays with us—forever.

So, take care of your soul. Nurture it. Feed it peace, prayer, quietness, and love. Because it is the one part of you that will never leave, even when all else does.

And when the world pushes you down to your knees—maybe that's exactly the right place to start praying.

A Final Thought

Ever noticed how if we died tomorrow, the company we work for would replace us within days? But our family—the ones we often ignore—would carry that loss forever.

• We pour so much of ourselves into work, and so little into home.
• We speak better to strangers than to the people we love.
• It’s time to rethink our investments—before it’s too late.