Story of a Slave || Acharya Prashant

There is a story about this slave. A man goes to him and talks to him and shows him what slavery really is and he convinces him that there is a way to be free. One day when the black man has finally been convinced, he tells him now you come along. I have made all the arrangements. Nobody will be able to stop you. Tonight when the clock strikes 12, you will flee with me.

The enslaved man says yes. At midnight the rescuer comes and he keeps waiting and waiting and waiting. The black man doesn’t come. So the next day he again somehow finds his way to the black man and says why didn’t you come? He said I was very ready. Everything was set. I knew that the guards had been put to sleep, the gates had been opened and every arrangement had been made. I just went to take the permission of the master and he didn’t give. That was the only obstacle otherwise I was all ready to go.

You see that even in the moment of redemption you are only talking of your masters. He asked him why did you go to your master? He said because you see I a faithful servant. It is my duty to inform him. And who will make him the morning tea if I go away? And what will happen to all the masters in the world, the whole society, if all the slaves escape?

He said, you will remain where you are. It’s not that I wish that you remain where you are. You have brought it upon yourself. I will remain where I am. Because even to escape from the social prison, I will first take permission of the society. As if you will ever get that permission.