When King Puru met Alexander

By KS Iyer

ALEXANDER was camping on the bank of Jhelum. On the other side of the bank lay the country of Purus. The name of the king who ruled this country was Purushottaman. However, the Greeks identified him as Purus.

Alexander, in the guise of a messenger, crossed the Jhelum and reached the gates of the Place of King Purushottaman. He told the guard, "I am a messenger from Alexander, the Great Emperor. The Emperor demands immediate surrender of King Purushottaman, failing which the country will be invaded."

Alexander was made to wait at the gate and the message from Alexander was reported to king Purushottaman. The sentry at the gate was ordered by King Purushottaman to let in the visitor, who entered the court. Purushottaman welcomed him saying, "Welcome Alexander! The Great Emperor! Please bear with me till I complete the arbitration of a dispute pending before me." Alexander was perplexed that the king was already aware of the fact that he was visiting him in the garb of a messenger. With due regards Alexander was given a place to sit and he also started listening to the dispute. The dispute was that there was a young man who had purchased a piece of land from an elderly man. After acquiring the land, the young man started digging the land. As he was digging the land he found a pot of gold. The young man carried the pot of gold to that elderly man’s house and requested him to take possession of it. However, the elderly man declined the offer saying, " I have already sold the land to you and have also received money in exchange. Since I have received the money in consideration of the value of the land sold, everything below the land, on the land and above the land legitimately belongs to you. It will be adharma and a sin on my part to receive more amount of money than the one agreed upon by me prior to the transfer of property."

However, the young man contended that he had purchased the land alone and not the pot of gold. Hence, it would be adharma on his part if he takes the pot of gold, for which he was not entitled.

Since the young man, as well as the elderly man, both refused to own the pot of gold which was not theirs, a minister of King Purushottaman suggested that the pot of gold should be given to the king. However, King Purushottaman also refused to own that pot of gold, since the king was entitled to collect only the tax from the people, as per the tenets of Dharma. The minister asked the king with dismay, "O king! What should be done with this pot of gold?"

King Purushottaman, calmly replied, "Alexander, the Great Emperor, is here, seated before us. He is in need of land and gold, for which he is invading country after country, killing thousands of innocent people. Give it to him." Alexander felt ashamed and humiliated. He left the court with downcast eyes.