Inspiration Bytes: Secret of Righteousness

Secret of Righteousness

Dara was a humble shepherd in the land of Persia. He was extremely poor, but was endowed with deep wisdom. He possessed shrewd insight and a great understanding concerning the nature of man and things.

The shah of Persia (King), coming to know of Dara’s wisdom and insight, took him into his service. Dara soon rose to the highest position as the Shah’s chief councillor and trusted Prime Minister. This made the other nobles very jealous and they eagerly awaited o proper opportunity of bringing disgrace upon him and pulling him down from the high status that he occupied.

The Shah had unlimited confidence in Dara and once sent him as Governor designate to one of the most important provinces of his great kingdom. In his absence the hostile and jealous nobles reported many uncharitable things about Dara to the Shah. They accused him of corruption and told the Shah that he had amassed great riches by misappropriating royal revenue , and that he always took his ill-gotton treasure with him , closely secured in a chest .Wherever he went , this chest followed him on a camel’s back , and he opened it only at night within the privacy of his own tent. He never once parted with the chest or ever opened it in public . This was the grave charge.

The Shah trusted Dara implicitly but the nobles insisted upon Dara being examined and exposed .At last the Shah paid a surprise visit to him and , entering his tent at night , said , “ O Dara my faithful friend ! Show me the contents of that chest .I am curious to see what is in it.”

Though he was reluctant , Dara obeyed the royal command , and before all slowly unlocked the chest , raising the lid and opening it fully. And to the astonished gaze of the onlookers was revealed an old shepherd’s cloak of plain , simple cloth , brown with dust and tattered with age .Except for this there was nothing else inside the chest, no gems , gold , silver , brass or even a single copper .

The mystified Shah looked at the silent Dara and the latter explained : “ Oh shah , you know now what I guarded closely all these years . This shepherd’s garment I wore in the days before you found and favoured me with thy royal kindness . But position, prestige and power are dangerous things for the unwary man . They raise one high but pull down into the dust as well . Prosperity and plenty , authority and respect , turn a man’s head and take him away from the straight path . He alone is safe who constantly remembers who he was before fortune smiled upon him and God graced him . This alone reminds him to remain ever humble , righteous and true .Therefore I have retained this old cloak of mine to remind me of my former life. I look at it every night , lest I forget it in the intoxication of my present position and glory . This keeps me humble , true and simple”. Royal master ! Though outwardly Dara Is thy chief counsellor and a great Governor by thy favour , yet , even to this day , in reality , he is the same simple shepherd, humble , poor and incorruptible . And his one constant prayer to the Lord is that he may continue to be so .”
Man should never change his human touch and should not let external changes and fortune turn his head and make him plunge into delusion and unrighteousness.