There once lived a Queen named, Layla, whose wisdom illuminated the land like the sun, her cleverness was surpassed by no one, and her wealth far exceeded that of everyone else. One day a vizier entered her court with an unhappy face and said, "Oh great Queen Layla! You are the wisest, greatest, and mightiest woman in our land, but I heard some disturbing things as I was traveling through the land. Everywhere I went the people praised you, but some people spoke ill of you. They told jokes and complained about your wise decisions. You are the most mighty of all the mighty, but how it is that such insubordination exists in your realm?"
Queen Layla smiled indulgently and replied, "My faithful vizier, like every person in my kingdom, you know what I have accomplished for all of you. Seven lands are under my control and these lands have achieved progress and prosperity. In seven lands, people love me because of my justice. You are right, I can do many things. I can order the gigantic gates of my cities closed, but there is one thing I cannot do. I cannot shut the mouths of my subjects. It is not really a question of what some people say about me, bad or untrue. What is important is that I continue despite what they say."

Adapted and reprinted with permission from http://www.zensufi.com/queen.htm. For further information, please contact zs@zensufi.com.

Q: Do you react when others speak ill of you? Think about what would happen if you did not react at all to what other people say about you.

Q: Can you relate the teaching of Queen Layla to the following maxims in Sahaj Marg?
Maxim Five: "Be truthful. Take miseries as Divine blessings for your own good and be thankful"
Maxim Six: "Know all people as thy brethren and treat them as such
Maxim Seven: "Be not revengeful for the wrongs done by others. Take them with gratitude as heavenly gifts"

O, Master!
Thou art the real goal of human life.
We are yet but slaves of wishes
Putting bar to our advancement,
Thou art the only God and power
To bring us up to that stage.