And he decided to see Janak and ask his help. For two months, he walked through sun and rains without food. This was about 7,000 years ago. There were no automobiles and airplanes then. Finally, he arrived at the courtyard of Janak's palace. The guards accosted and stopped him. He stood outside the wall, crying aloud for Janak, shouting his name, his glory and his fame. At last Janak heard him and asked his ministers to inquire who he was.
"I am a lover of God," he replied. "I want to see God. Janak must show me God."
Janak had him brought in and said to his ministers, "Throw him in prison!" So he was thrown in jail. The youth thought: "This Janak, who calls himself all-knowing, must know that I am seeking God, yet he sends me to prison." After a few days, during which the youth had no food nor drink, Janak ordered him to be brought to audience. Janak saluted him with folded hands and ordered his ministers to give him a bath, to feed him and to treat him like a prince. The youth was brought to the palace and seated on Janak's throne. "Let him enjoy this state for three days," said Janak.
The youth did not grasp what Janak had in mind and, of course, he did not know how to manage the affairs of state. Poor people came begging, ministers came for advice. But he did not know what to do and so kept quiet. Finally, he appealed to the ministers to ask Janak to free him from this uncomfortable position. Janak came, ordered him to come down from the throne and asked him which he preferred — the life in prison or life on the throne. The boy said, "They are both prisons, but of different kinds." Janak then directed him to go and to return after twelve years.
The youth left the palace, roamed about India, became a rich man and took the name of Kalyan which means happy in every respect. After twelve years he returned to Janak, this time rich and prosperous. The guards again checked him, asking who he was. "I am the rich Kalyan," he said. Janak, on hearing this, sent word for him to go away for a few more years. So Kalyan returned home and in the course of time lost everything that he possessed. After twelve years more he returned to Janak, who again asked who he was.