Worthless

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King Vishwamitra was known for his greatness. He had all the wealth one could possibly want, while also possessing a mighty army second to none at the time. He believed his influence knew no bounds and that there was nothing beyond his reach, espeacially if he wanted it bad enough.

All this came to an end when he dared to challenge the Brahmarishi Vashishta for his sacred Kāmadhenu, Nandini. Enchanted by the sacred cow’s ability to manifest whatever she wanted, Vishwamitra realized immedietely that the value of his mighty kingdom pailed in comparision to the powers she exhibited. Jealousy had consumed him. He believed something so precious shouldn’t be biding it’s time here within the ashram of this Brahmarishi, but instead be with him in his grand palace.

When approached, Vashista would simply smile and respond “If you’re asking permission from me to purchase her, she’s already well beyond your reach. Nandini is a fully realized being, no body will ever own her.”

This wasn’t an answer Vishwamitra was willing to tolerate. In a fit of rage, he summoned up battalions of soldiers and charged the ashram. He wanted to take the Kāmadhenu by force. But each time the soldiers would fight, Nandini would nullify their attacks by simply manifesting soldiers of her own. Sage Vashishta would sit there smiling and staring on as the warrior king relentessly fought against his inevitable defeat.

King Vishwamitra had put everything on the line and lost. His failure in the forest had broken him completely. He was never a king out of vanity; what he really desired was true greatness. Being defeated by a humble Brahmarishi and his cow rendered his understanding of wealth and power worthless. The ordeal had shocked him into acknowledging his place in the universe. He realized that by conquering the world of materialism he had done next to nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Most individuals would crumble under such guilt and live out the rest of their lives as if the loss never happened. But this was no ordinary man, Vishwamitra gave up his kingdom and his throne. Although his defeat had destroyed him mentally, instead of giving up, he committed himself to changing. He left his wealth behind him to become a Brahmarishi, hoping to one day close the gap in wisdom between him and the sage Vashista.