Real Peace

Real Peace

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There was a king who loved painting very much. Once he announced that if any painter makes a painting for him which depicts peace, he will give him any prize he asks for.

On the day of judgement, many painters reached the king's palace with their paintings with the desire to win the prize. The king saw all the paintings one by one and kept two of them aside. Now one of these two had to be selected for the prize.

The first picture was of a very beautiful calm lake. The water of that lake was so clean that even its inner surface was visible. And the image of the icebergs around it was emerging on it as if a mirror was kept. Above there was blue sky in which white clouds like cotton balls were floating. Whoever sees this picture feels that there cannot be a better picture than this to depict peace. In fact, this is the only symbol of peace.

The second painting also had mountains, but they were completely dry, lifeless, desolate and above these mountains were thick thundering clouds in which lightning was flashing… the river was in spate due to heavy rain… the trees were shaking due to strong winds… and the waterfall situated on one side of the mountain had taken a furious form. Whoever saw this painting would think that what does this have to do with ‘peace’… there is only unrest in it.

Everyone was sure that the painter who draws the picture first will get the prize. Then the king got up from his throne and announced that he will give any prize asked for to the painter who draws the second painting. Everyone was surprised!

The first painter could not resist, he said, “But Maharaj, what is there in that painting that you decided to give it the prize… whereas everyone is saying that my painting is the best to depict peace?”

“Come with me!”, the king asked the first painter to come with him. Reaching the second picture, the king said, “Look at this tree on the left side of the waterfall, which is bent to one side due to the wind. Look at that nest built on its branch… see how a bird is feeding its children so gently, so peacefully and lovingly…”

Then the king explained to all the people present there, “Being calm does not mean that you are in a situation where there is no noise… no problem… where there is no hard work… where you are not tested… the true meaning of being calm is that you are in the midst of all kinds of disorder, unrest, chaos and yet you remain calm, stay focused on your work… keep moving towards your goal.”

Now everyone understood why the king had chosen the second picture.

*Moral:-*

Friends, everyone wants peace in their life. But often we consider 'peace' to be an external thing, and search for it in distant places, whereas peace is completely an inner consciousness of our mind, and the truth is that remaining calm even amidst all the pain, sufferings and difficulties is real peace..!!