King Hitamata Learns to Be Kind

 King Hitamata Learns to Be Kind

King Hitamata is remembered in Kashmiri traditional storytelling as a ruler whose life became a lesson in self-reflection and change. At first, he enjoyed palace comforts and did not always use his power wisely. After a troubling event made him look honestly at his own actions, he felt sorry for his mistakes. He left his palace for a time to pray, think, and learn from a wise sage. When he returned, he became a kinder, fairer king who cared for his people.

King Hitamata lived in a grand palace filled with gold, music, and busy servants. But in his early days as king, he cared too much about fine things and not enough about being fair and wise.

One afternoon, guards brought a worried young messenger to the palace.

“He is carrying a bag full of coins!” said a guard. “Perhaps he has stolen them.”

The young man bowed. “The money belongs to my mistress,” he said. “She asked me to carry it for her.”

King Hitamata wanted to know the truth, so he sent guards to the woman’s home.

Soon, the guards returned with surprising news. The woman had told a false story to hide what she had done. She had planned to run away with the money and pretend to be someone she was not.

The king went to speak with her.

The woman looked at him bravely and said, “Before you judge me, look carefully at your own life.”

Her words stayed in King Hitamata’s mind like a little stone in his shoe.

That night, the king began to wonder, Am I always honest? Am I fair to everyone? Do I make good choices?

He realized that it is easy to see another person’s mistakes—but much harder to notice our own.

King Hitamata felt sad about some of the careless choices he had made. He handed the daily work of the kingdom to his trusted ministers and went quietly into the forest to think.

The Temple in the Woods

Deep in the forest, King Hitamata found a small, old temple covered in green vines. Inside sat a peaceful sage.

The sage listened to the king’s story. Then he said, “A crown does not make a person great. A kind heart and honest actions do.”

King Hitamata stayed in the forest for many days. He watched birds build nests, helped thirsty animals find water, shared his food, and sat quietly beneath the stars.

Slowly, his angry thoughts grew softer.

He learned to pause before speaking. He learned to listen before deciding. Most of all, he learned that a ruler must care for people, not for praise.

A Wiser King

After a long time, King Hitamata returned to his kingdom.

His ministers were surprised. The king no longer wore heavy jewels. He did not shout or boast. He smiled, listened, and asked, “How can I help?”

The people soon loved their changed king.

King Hitamata had learned an important truth:

A true king is not great because of a golden crown.
A true king is great because he chooses goodness every day.