The Wealth of Inner Peace

 

The Wealth of Inner Peace

 

Hakim Lukman was gifted with high intelligence and morality. Once, he was sitting at a lonely place in the desert on a full moonlit night and heard an invisible voice, “I wish to accompany you”.

Lukman came to realize that the first word he heard was ‘Peace’. He asked, “Who is this?” and voice replied, “I am peace. I am that wealth of the world by acquiring which anyone can obtain anything in the world. If you possess peace then there will be all kinds of virtues in your life.

You will prosper both materially and spiritually. With peace will come good health”.  Lukman said, “Alright, you may thus accompany me” Peace said, “I will come for sure, but you have to honor and respect me.” Peace said, “You have to assimilate me in your conduct, thoughts and speech. By spreading the seeds of disturbance if you think that people can let theflowers of peace bloom then that is not at all possible. You have to honor me.”

Lukman agreed with peace and invited peace to come in.  When peace accompanied Lokman, other virtues also began appearing. Lukman asked them as to who were they! The reply was, “I am love.” Asked as to what does the love do, the reply was, “I am such a thread which binds the entire world together. The rosary in your neck also has a thread in it.

This thread has kept all the beads together. I do such a work. I keep everyone together. Everyone in this world gets united and linked with each other due to me. If this thread breaks then the house of the person gets scattered and disturbed.” Lukman asked, “Where do you live?”

Love replied, “I live in the heart of people. Love always resides in the hearts of the people. To keep the love safe and secure one has to get rid of self-interest and be prepared for sacrifice for others. If there is love among brothers it becomes their strength. Without love all the progress comes to a halt. People become thirsty of each other’s’ blood.” Hearing this, Lukman welcomed love too.

Another virtue also accompanied Lukman. He asked as to who that was. The reply was, “I am shame. My task is to protect religion, belief and faith.”  On being asked as to where the shame resides, the reply was, “I stay in the eyes of the person. It is a big thing for the shame to live in the eyes. It is a great thing to keep the shame protected.”

Wealth followed and it said, “I live in the head of the person.” Lukman said, “But in there lives wisdom!” Wealth [Lakshmi] said, “When I ride in the neck of the person, wisdom vanishes. The man then becomes a strange person. Then he does not listen to anyone rather he enjoys telling things to others. He does not absorb wisdom rather tries to give instructions to others. He does not correct himself but advises others.”

Lukman said, “So you distort the wisdom of the people!” Our culture tells us to salute and welcome wealth [Lakshmi], but at the same time it is necessary that Narayan also comes along. It is not profitable if there is only Lakshmi without Narayan being there in the home.

Then come in passion and desire. They said, “We reside inside man”. Lukman asked where? They said, “We live in the eyes of the person.” “But shame lives there already,” said Lukman.

The reply was, “When we enter shame disappears from the eyes.” Then came ‘greed’ and stood before Lukman and said that greed too lived inside man. Lukman asked as to where greed lived. The reply was that it lived in the heart of the man. Lukman said, “But in the heart lives love.” Greed said, “When we come loves vanishes from the heart.

Nobody else can live there. With the arrival of greed, love comes to an End. When greed comes in between the brothers, love disappears. Greed and love can never stay together. Lukman said, “Then in that case you better stay away from me. You have no place here.” Greed said, “As long as you have the name of God on your lips and the head bowed to the divine, we shall stay away.”

While bowing before God, Hakim Lukman, said in his prayer: “O God, you may keep me in poverty or in richness, in happiness or in sorrow, whether I get honored or dishonored in the world, whether I get profits or losses, whatever situation it may be, I be blessed with the divine wealth of peace. Do not keep me away from peace. O God, let there be love for you in my heart always. Give me the strength to restrain myself from material wealth and let there not be any distraction which may

try to keep me away from you. Please give me such a power that I remain attached to you till eternity.”

Therefore, everyone should resolve, “Let each day of mine begin with peace and end with peace. Let everyone who comes in contact with me, be filled with love. Let me also stay calm and provide peace and calmness to others. May I perform all my duties honestly. Let there remain love,

gratefulness and gratitude in my heart for God. Let my wishes be auspicious. May no ill-feelings and bad habits enter my mind. Let me be able to enlighten my life with good deeds. O God, please

stay with me and provide me with divine positive energy.”