When Alexander the Great was coming to India, he met one strange man, Diogenes, on the way. Alexander was interested in the man; he had heard many stories about him. He was afraid to go to him. It was below him, it was against his ego. But when he was coming to India, on the way he heard that he was living just by the side of the river. Then he could not resist the temptation and he said, ”Nobody will know back home that I had gone to see Diogenes. And I can always say that I was just passing and I met him by accident.”
He went to see Diogenes. It was a winter morning, a cool breeze was blowing, and Diogenes was lying on the river-bank, on the sand, taking a sunbath naked. He was a beautiful man.
Alexander came. He could not believe the grace of the man. He had never seen such a graceful man, such utter beauty, something from the unknown, something illogical… because there is no reason! You cannot pin it down, where it is coming from. He was in awe and he said, ”Sir…” He had not said ”Sir” to anybody in his life. He said, ”Sir, I am immensely impressed by your being, and I would like to do something for you. Is there something that I can do for you?
Diogenes said, ”Just stand to the side because you are preventing the sun – that’s all. Nothing else do I need.”
Alexander said, ”If I have another chance to come to the earth, I will ask God, instead of making me Alexander again, to make me Diogenes.”
Diogenes laughed and he said, ”That you won’t ask for, because who is preventing you right now? You can become Diogenes. Where are you going? For months I have seen armies moving and moving – where are you going? and for what?”
And Alexander said I am going to India to conquer the whole world.”
And then what are you going to do?” Diogenes asked.
And Alexander said, ”Then I will rest.”
And Diogenes laughed again and he said, ”You are mad – because I am resting Now; and I have not conquered the world. I don’t see the necessity of it. If just in the end you want to rest and relax, why not now? How are they related? Who has told you that before resting, you have to conquer the world? And I tell you: if you don’t rest now, then never. You will never be able to conquer the world because something or other will always remain to be conquered and life is short and time is fleeting. You will die in the middle of your journey
Alexander said, ”I will keep it always in mind, but right now I cannot do it. But many many thanks for your advice.”
And Alexander died in the middle. He never reached back home, he died on the way. When he was moving back from India, he died on the way. And that day he remembered Diogenes. Only Diogenes was in his mind – he could never rest in his life, and that man rested.
