Reading the king’s palm

“It is more important to know the lines of someone’s desires than to know the lines of his palms!”

I have heard that a young man returned home after having studied astrology. His father was an old, experienced astrologer.

He told his son, “Never be in a hurry to divulge too much, because astrology is a profound art. It is not necessary to always tell the truth. Many times you will even have to avoid telling the truth. And even if the truth has to be told, it should be told in such a way that it is vague. In this business you even have to tell lies. It is a very delicate and subtle art; the knowledge of books is not enough. So wait, and don’t go on displaying your knowledge of astrology to everyone.”

But the young man said, “I have just returned from Kashi, the greatest seat of learning, and I know everything about astrology. I cannot wait now – I am going to the king! Because of what I have studied I can tell the king what is going to happen.”

The father said, “Well, it’s up to you. But I am also coming. Let me read the king’s hand first. I will tell him some things first and then you can follow me.”

The father looked at the king’s hand and said to him, “Your kingdom will expand! In your life a sunrise is very near.”

The son was surprised to hear this because the lines of the king’s hand were showing something different: the lines indicated that the king was about to die.

The father was highly honoured by being given much money and valuable gifts.

Then the son looked at the king’s palm and said, “One thing is certain, and that is that you will not be alive for longer than seven days more.”

And the king ordered that the son be taken and whipped!

The father just stood there laughing.

Later on, when he took his son home he said to him, “Do you see? What has been written in the books is for intelligent people – but where to find intelligent people? I also could see that the king was going to die within seven days, but to say it means to die even before the king dies! It is not enough just to tell the truth: the astrologer must know what his customer wants, what his desires are. It is more important to know the lines of his desires than to know the lines of his palms.”

This is why, when you go to an astrologer, he looks at the lines of your desires. He tries to understand where your desires are running, then he supports them as far as he can.

Osho, The Message Beyond Words – A Dialogue with the Lord of Death, Discourses on the Kathopanishad, Ch 3 (translation from Hindi)

Series compiled by Shanti

All excerpts of this series can be found in: 1001 Tales

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