Yogic tale: Alexander the Great Slave

Alexander Mosaic, Pompeii
Public Domain

It is well known that Alexander the Great had been hoping to conquer far more of the Indian subcontinent than he actually did.

H. E. Marshall explained that after Alexander fought many bitter battles within the Punjab region, he was "eager to reach the holy river Ganges and conquer the people there."  His men, however, were just as eager to bid adieu to India's elephants and climatic extremes.  They therefore begged the king to go no farther, and he very reluctantly agreed.

Alexander allegedly remained fascinated by stories he had heard about yogis.  IndiaDivine.org tells us that when he was about to leave the subcontinent, Alexander "remembered that his people had asked him to bring to them an Indian yogi" in order to receive blessings.

After meeting such a yogi, Alexander asked him to come to Greece.  After the yogi politely declined, the king was enraged.  No one had ever dared to refuse such a "majestic" request.  He then bellowed, "I am the great king Alexander.  If you will not listen to me, I shall kill you - cut you into pieces!"

The yogi replied: You cannot kill me!  You can only kill my body...  You say you are a king.  May I tell you who you are?  You are a slave of my slave!  He then told Alexander:  Anger is my slave...  You are a slave of anger, and therefore a slave of my slave!

Resources

http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/hinduism-forum/272183-alexander-great-yogi.html

http://hinduism.about.com/od/history/a/alexander.htm