Which is the most striking or the best of all the wonders in this world? The Pyramids of Egypt? The Great Wall of China? The Taj Mahal? A conclusion without objections is impossible. Perhaps, the Great Indian epic Mahabharata might be the only book which gave an appropriate answer to this, quite beyond all disputes. The greatest wonder in this universe according to Dharmaputhra (Mahabharata) is nothing other than a living human being. He did not mean the many billions of cells in a human body that works in absolute harmony; he was also not referring to the puzzling twists of consciousness. What that quizzed him most was the way humans generally think and our foolish deeds which we generally claim to be the output of an ultimate boon, called wisdom. Dharmaputhra meant that death is an inevitable transforming factor in anyone’s life, at which we leave aside all the glories we have accumulated and leave this matter world with nothing in our hands. Still, every one lives as if this rule is not relevant to them. This is what surprised Dharmaputhra. This says that those who have realized this truth are worth to be called rich and all others unquestionably poor. I think that this old dervish story may clarify what I mean.
A wealthy merchant, observing a dervish who was praying silently appreciated his devotion and sincerity; it touched him deeply. He offered the dervish a bag of gold.
“I know you will use the money for God’s sake. Please take it.” He said.
“Just a moment,” the dervish replied.
The dervish asked the merchant, “I’m not sure if it is lawful for me to take your money. Are you a wealthy man? Do you have more money at home?”
“Oh yes. I have at least one thousand gold pieces at home,” claimed the merchant proudly.
“Do you want a thousand gold pieces more?” asked the dervish.
“Why, yes, of course. Every day I work hard to earn more money.”
“And do you wish for yet a thousand gold pieces more beyond that?”
“Certainly! Every day I pray that I may earn more and more money.”
The dervish pushed the bag of gold back to the merchant. “I am sorry, but I cannot take your gold,” he said. “A wealthy man cannot take money from a beggar.”
“How can you call yourself a wealthy man and me a beggar?” the merchant spluttered.
The dervish replied, “I am a wealthy man because I am content with whatever God sends me. You are a beggar, because no matter how much you possess, you are always dissatisfied, and always begging God for more.”
Joseph Mattappally
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