It is a fascinating tale from the Brahmavaivarta Purana.
The story goes that Lord Indra, the King of the Gods, had become arrogant, believing his position was permanent. To humble him, Lord Vishnu arrived in the form of a small, bright-eyed boy.
When Indra welcomed the boy, the child laughed and said he had seen many Indras before. He explained that there are countless universes, and each has its own Indra. He pointed to a line of ants and revealed that every single one of them had once been an Indra. Because of the endless cycle of time and the shifting nature of karma, those souls had risen to the highest throne, only to fall and eventually be reborn as humble ants.
The realization shattered Indra’s pride. He finally understood that his power was not an end, but merely a temporary stop in an eternal journey.
It really makes you stop and think about what truly matters in the end, does it not?