In quest of wise answers

There was a clown in a palace who always asked questions and was therefore considered to be a nuisance. Unable to tolerate the clown’s inquisitiveness, the king had to put up a board, “No questions,” just to escape him. But, when the king was on his deathbed, he called the clown near and whispered, “I am going.” The clown asked him hurriedly, “Shall I order the royal chariot? The elephant with the howdah? The royal horse fully caparisoned? The palanquin? How far are you going? Which is the exact place? How long will you camp there?”

The clown was wise enough to ask the questions. He did not know the answers and neither did the king. A person however wise he be, should know the answers to pass the examination of life.

Source: As told by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in a discourse on September 27, 1960.