THE SEARCH FOR ETERNAL BEAUTY

 
And then there is the story of Raja Gopichand. He was not ugly. In fact, he was exceedingly handsome. So handsome that it is said that sixteen thousand women fell in love with him.

One day his mother was standing behind him and contemplating his extraordinary physical beauty. Suddenly she realized that his physical form was impermanent and that his beauty would vanish with the coming of old age. With this realization, she wept, and the tears fell upon his bare back.

Feeling her tears, the Raja turned around and asked her the reason for her tears in spite of all his care to see that she had all the comforts the palace could afford. She told him of her realization, and such was the power of her vision that he immediately gave everything away, became a sannyasi, and devoted his life to the search for Eternal Beauty.