Three Wishes of Alexander The Great

Sat Naam

 

Dassan Dass ji wrote in Astpadi 12 of sukhmani Katha:

"Life is the real divine wealth that has been given to us by Dhan Dhan Paar Braham Pita Parmeshwar Ji.  This divine wealth of life is like a blank check that has been signed by Akal Purakh Ji in our name.  This is the divine super infinite power that is called life that runs our physical body.  It keeps it together and powers us to perform and live in this world. 

We all are very fortunate to be born with human lives on this Earth.  The question is how this is a blank check and how can we cash it?  The answer is simple.  Each breath we take is priceless.  Ask a dying man if he can buy just one additional breath?  Even if he is willing to pay the sum total of all of the worldly wealth accumulated in his lifetime, can he purchase one additional breath?  No.  There is an example from history of Alexander the Great.  When he returned from India on his way back to Greece to see his mother he fell ill and was near to death.  There was now no chance of him seeing his mother before he died.   In life, he had amassed the wealth of half the world, but in sickness he became powerless.  He announced that if somebody could give him some more time to live he would give his entire kingdom to them.  But, there was nothing that could change the Hukam for him.  He died broken and unfulfilled without reaching his mother. "

Here is an article about the "Three Wishes of Alexander The Great"

There is very instructive incident involving the life of Alexander, the
great Greek king. Alexander, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning
home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed.

With death staring him in his face, Alexander realized how his conquests,
his great army, his sharp sword and all his wealth were of no consequence.
He now longed to reach home to see his mother's face and bid her his last
adieu.

But, he had to accept the fact that his sinking health would not permit
him to reach his distant homeland. So, the mighty conqueror lay prostrate
and pale, helplessly waiting to breathe his last.

He called his generals and said, "I will depart from this world soon, I
have three wishes, please carry them out without fail." With tears flowing
down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their king's last
wishes.

"My first desire is that," said Alexander, "My physicians alone must carry
my coffin."

After a pause, he continued, "Secondly, I desire that when my coffin is
being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn
with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my
treasury."

The king felt exhausted after saying this. He took a minute's rest and
continued. "My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept dangling
out of my coffin."

The people who had gathered there wondered at the king's strange wishes.
But no one dare bring the question to their lips.

Alexander's favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his
heart. "O king, we assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled. But
tell us why do you make such strange wishes?"

At this Alexander took a deep breath and said: "I would like the world to
know of the three lessons I have just learnt.

I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that
no doctor can really cure any body. They are powerless and cannot save a
person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for
granted. (Moral of the story - If we don't take care of our health, nobody
can)

The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way to
the graveyard is to tell people that not even a fraction of gold will come
with me. I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with
me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth.

And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I
wish people to know that I came empty handed into this world and empty
handed I go out of this world." With these words, the king closed his
eyes. Soon he let death conquer him and breathed his last. (We don't own
anything. Even our bodies are borrowed.)

 

 

Dust of your feet

Harjit