There was once a prince, a minister's son and a treasrer's son who were all very good friends. All three set out on a long journey to distant lands. On the way they happened to arrive at a royal palace where the king of that land was absent, but his daughter, the princess, was staying with her two closest friend; one the minister's daughter and the other the treasurer's daughter.
It wasn't long before the three young men proposed to those three damsels. But they hesitated, as it was the custom to get permission from their parents for the marriage. However, they decided to marry without further delay, according to the old saying "anything auspicious should be hastened."
So their marriage were solemnised. Thereafter when the king, with his minister and treasurer, came back he was shocked that the princess and her two friends were chatting with the three strangers. Hearing that those three men had trespassed into the royal palace, only to flirt with the girls and talk them into an illegal marriage, the king ordered there arrest.
The girls begged their fathers for mercy. However, the king did not release the young husbands, but ordered that proper respect should be shown to the prince by binding him with golden shackles, wheres the son of the minister was given silver shackles, and the treasurer's son bound with iron shackles. They were freed only after they submitted to the king's mercy.
What's the message here?
The Supreme Lord binds up all living entities similarly in the three types of shackles. The bondage of goodness may be compared to golden shackles that of passion to silver shackles and entanglement in ignorance to iron shackles.
Whatever might be the elements or metals with which the shackles are made, they are simply meant for imprisonment. Unless and until one goes beyond these three material modes or entaglements, one can never be considered free and liberated. Only one who has completely surrenders to the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord unconditionally may be delivered from such bondage.
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