Ain Al-Hayat, The Essence of Life.pdf - Higher Intellect | Content ...

weak and all his faculties too are weak because of old age!” The prince asked, “ Was this
man ever a youth like me?” They replied, “ Yes! He was first a child, then grew into a
youth, and adult and is now an old man!” The prince went further up and found a sick
person. He asked,” How was this person earlier?” They said, “ This man was healthy and
strong earlier. His ailment has rendered him weak!” Hearing this the prince stood
brooding for a long while and then said, “ By God! If whatever has been told to me is
true, then the people are foolish that they keep happily moving around. They are mad
imbeciles!
Now the prince turned back and quietly returned to his palace and lay down on his bed.
He stared into the roof for sometime. Then he called a servant and asked him, “ Have the
rafters of the roof been in the same way as they are now or they had some other shape?”
the servant replied, “ The seedlings grew into huge trees in the soil. Then they were cut
into timber that was finally shaped into the rafters that have been fixed on the roof!”
Around the same time the king sent his vizier to inquire about the progress of the prince
and to ascertain what he talks about. When the vizier met the prince, he too was asked
similar questions. The vizier went to the king and told him that the prince speaks like an
abnormal person. The king called for the astrologers and discussed the matter with them.
The astrologers felt that the remedy for the prince would be to get him married. The king
liked the suggestion and gave orders for arranging a suitable match for the prince. Men of
wisdom and discretion were sent to the neighboring kingdoms to search for a girl of
exceptional beauty as the consort for the prince.
Therefore, they selected a very pretty princess to be the bride of their prince. Preparations
for the royal wedding were afoot. The city was decorated grandly. Arrangements were
made for feasts, songs and dances. People from far and near started coming to witness the
pageant. The prince started wondering why there was so much commotion in the city. He
asked one of the servants about the spate of activity in the capital. The servant said, “
Preparations are going on for your wedding! You must be very happy for that!” Hearing
this, the prince kept quiet.
Alas, an auspicious day was fixed for the wedding. One day the king called the bride-tobe
and told her that she was chosen to consort the heir apparent of the crown. He told her
that the prince was his only son and dearer to him than his own life! He asked her to
speak with the prince in a manner that he got attracted to her.
When the wedding took place, the princess took good care of the prince. She tried her
best to create love for her in the heart of the prince. When food was served, the bride took
beverages as was her wont. The drinks intoxicated her and she went to sleep. The prince
got the opportunity to slip away from the palace. He started going round the city. In a
lane he found a youth of his own age and made friends with him. He made the youth
wear his expensive clothes and himself wore the ordinary garments of his friend. With
mutual consent they went out of the city and early morning hid themselves in a secluded
place.