Three Questions
Overview
'Three Questions' is a story by Leo Tolstoy about a king who wants to find answers to three important questions: What is the right time to do things? Who are the most important people? What is the most important thing to do? His journey to find answers teaches him a profound lesson about the present moment, the person before you, and doing good. The story is a timeless moral tale about wisdom, kindness, and living in the present.
Typed Notes
The King's Three Questions
A king believed that if he knew the answers to three questions, he would never fail in anything. The questions were: What is the right time to begin things? Who are the most important people to listen to? What is the most important thing to do? He sent for wise men across the kingdom, but their answers were all different and unsatisfactory. Some said he needed a council of wise men; others gave different advice. The king was not satisfied and decided to visit a hermit famous for his wisdom, going alone in simple peasant clothes.
The King Meets the Hermit and Saves an Enemy
The hermit lived in a forest and only met common people. The king found him digging in his garden. The hermit was old and weak, so the king offered to help and dug for him. When the king asked his three questions, the hermit did not answer directly. At sunset, a bearded man came running, badly wounded. The king dressed his wounds and cared for him through the night. The next morning, the wounded man confessed he was the king's enemy who had planned to kill him. The king's kindness made the enemy beg for forgiveness and promise loyalty.
The Hermit's Answers and the Moral
The hermit then explained that the king had already received the answers through his actions. The most important time was when the king was digging — because that was the present moment. The most important person was the hermit, and then the wounded man, because they were the ones the king was with. The most important thing was to do good to them. The hermit said there is only one important time — NOW. The most important person is always the one you are with, and the most important thing is to do good to that person. This is the wisdom of life.
Key Concepts
Revision ke liye ek nazar — exam se pehle yahi padhna hai.
- 01The three questions are: What is the right time to act? Who are the most important people? What is the most important thing to do?
- 02The king disguises himself and visits a hermit who lives in the woods and is known for his wisdom.
- 03The king saves a wounded man who turns out to be his enemy, and this act of kindness transforms the enemy into a friend.
- 04The hermit answers all three questions through actions rather than words, letting the king discover the answers himself.
- 05The moral is: the present moment is the most important time, the person you are with is the most important person, and doing good to that person is the most important thing.
Questions & Solutions
Pehle khud try karo — phir solution kholo. Yahi tariqa topper banata hai.
Why was the king not satisfied with the answers given by the wise men?
Why did the king go to the hermit in disguise as a peasant?
How did the king help the hermit when he arrived at his hut?
Who was the wounded man, and why did he want to harm the king?
What were the hermit's final answers to the three questions?
A king seeks answers to three questions about the right time to act, the most important people, and the most important deed. He visits a wise hermit, helps him dig, saves a wounded enemy, and earns his forgiveness. The hermit reveals that the present moment is the only important time, the person before you is the most important person, and doing good to them is the most important deed.
Chapter-end quiz
4 MCQsOption tap karo — turant pata chalega sahi ya galat, explanation ke saath.
Q1.What were the king's bodyguards told to do when he visited the hermit?
Q2.What does the word 'hermit' mean in this story?
Q3.What was the wounded man's original intention when he came to the forest?
Q4.According to the hermit, what is the most important time?
Mark karo — dashboard par progress dikhega.