---

Lada

Tale about the Girl with Golden Braids

It happened a long time ago… In those days, people in Russia lived in little settlements containing just a few families each. They lived peacefully, quietly, and happily. Their life was one of love and harmony.

In one of those settlements, a girl was born. She was growing up, and year-by-year she was becoming more and more beautiful. Everyone was amazed by her beauty! And she was making her mom and dad happy!

While she was little, the world around her was little too. Her world was just her parents’ house and garden, a clear river, a lake, a field nearby where wheat grew, and a faraway forest, where people went to pick mushrooms and berries.

And as she grew older, she became even more beautiful.

She was so friendly that people called her Lada, which in Russian means harmonious.

Everything was good in her! She was very kind and gentle, with perfect posture. And her smile was like a warm sunrise in the morning. Her eyes were so blue, that when people looked into them, they felt as if they immersed into a blue sky!

Her golden hair amazed everyone: very rich and bright. When she braided her hair, the rows became like ripe ears of corn — so fresh and bright! But when she loosened her braids, a golden shaft of light as if appeared on her shoulders that went from the top of her head to her feet; shining everywhere and on everything — like a glimmering golden waterfall!

But the greatest secret of her beauty, which was not apparent to everyone, was her loving heart and her caresses to everyone! It was as if golden sunlight was emanating from her spiritual heart — to every man, to every tree, to the flowers, to the grass, and to every living creature.

All living creatures were attracted to her and gravitated towards her by her warmth and caress. They all began feeling uplifted next to her! They all forgot about sadness and started being more kind and full of loving care!

The only thing that was missing… was that she did not have an intended husband…

* * *

One day, it so happened that their land was invaded by a foreign tribe. They came on fast horses… This tribe had killed some people and took some others with them to be slaves in their own land…

These warriors also attacked the little village where Lada was living…

One of the outlanders grabbed the girl, threw her on the horse and galloped away faster than wind in a field…

He returned to their large tents and campfires. When the headman of the tribe saw the beautiful girl with golden braids, he yelled at the warriors and took her away. He decided to put her with the other captured people. He ordered the others to guard the girl: this beauty was definitely not for an ordinary warrior; he wanted to take her to the khan — to be one of the khan’s concubines, and, for doing that, he supposed that he would get great reward and glory…

* * *

In sorrow, time goes by so slowly… But every sorrow has an end…

The warriors had gathered together the enslaved people from different lands and brought them into their country — a country filled with the heat of the day’s sun and the gloomy darkness of nights, with its strange foreign rules and culture…

Each day, the warriors fed their captives just once.

One time, the girl with the golden braids saw an old man among the prisoners. She noticed that the old man was never given food. The warriors did not want to waste food on him, because they thought that the old man, in any case, was going to die shortly…

After she saw that, she approached the old man with a bow and gave him her day’s portion:

“You should eat, grandfather!”

The old man took the food; he divided it in half, for himself and for her. Then he said:

“You have a kind heart, beautiful girl! But from all your sadness and sorrow, your inner glow is not as bright as it was before!”

“How can I not be sad, grandfather? Being captured against my will, I miss my homeland; I miss my mother and my father! I would run away like a wild deer, I would fly away like a gentle swan!…”

“Not everything, which seems like trouble to you, is actually so. From this trouble, good can come to you and to other people too!”

“How is it not trouble, if I have been captured against my will, far away from home, and they want to sell me into the khan’s concubines?”

“You are thinking, Lada, that you have a bad fate, but, instead, it might be a wonderful blessing! Also, if you travel more, your fate might bring a path of love to other nations in other countries.”

“How do you know my name, grandfather? How can you see past and future? Is it possible?”

“It’s possible. I can see the past and future. Because the past is just a slight influence on the future! I know, too, how to make the future wonderful! I know the ways to make it be!”

“Teach me, grandfather!”

“Wizards and Magi roam different lands. And when they find a pure bright soul, they teach him or her all the great Knowledge in the world, so that such souls, too, can light up the Earth with their pure love and teach other souls about wisdom, pure love, kindness, and care for everything living on the Earth.

“Look: among all these distresses and evil captivity — we have found each other!… Here, the Great Wisdom has become apparent!

“Listen: everything that happens to a person, even something bad, — has been conceived by the Creator in favor of this human soul and the entire universe!”

“If you are a real magician and Magus, if you truly know and can do all that you say, grandfather, — why can’t you run away from here, why do you not free us all?”

“Freedom, Lada, consists not only in going wherever you want, or eating and relaxing whenever you wish!

“My freedom, my girl, is that I live, being connected with the whole world by my love!

“No one and nothing can stop me from loving!

“And no one can force me to do something that is not love!

“Because my love has the Power of God: it is — the Flow of God!

“Yes, I can, in no time, be in any place that I want. But I choose to be here to teach you my secrets. Because you really can learn them! And — through this — many people in the world will be helped by you! Because you will meet, cognize, and discover the Greatest Love, Whose name is God!

“People from different nations speaking in different languages — call God by different names, and it may seem that every nation has its own God. But it is not so! You hear here — among captives — speech in different languages, and if each one were to speak about the same thing — the meaning, nevertheless, would be one. That’s how One God, the Creator, is named in many ways by people of different nationalities.

“Listen always to the essence, catch on to the meaning which is embedded in the statements — and you will learn the language of any people much faster than if you were to learn only words!

“There are among a lot of people, prophets-sages, who felt by themselves-souls the One Universal Origin. Each one of them declared for their people the messages from God and His laws of life for people. Those great Souls — after the death of their bodies — now stay in the Mergence with the One Universal God. They continue to help people, directing and correcting their fates. And many people call them now also as Gods…”

“Tell me, grandfather, why is there so much evil around? Why do so many tears pour? Why is there so much grief and pain? And why do so many violent people triumph?”

“Evil is not a hindrance for good! Evil only strengthens good, making it wiser and stronger! One, who knows God, has the power and the wisdom to resist evil!

“You need to know more about calm and patience. When it seems that evil governs events in your life — remember about the Power and Wisdom of Universal God! And bear the patience, which allows one to save power and wait for the time when one can overcome evil with good!

“Do not worry much, seeing evil! It is — like arable land: when looking at the dark clods of earth in the spring, it is only a wise plowman who can see ahead the gold of eared fields! You need to invest a lot of work and patience — to cultivate on a soil of life the fine shoots from good seeds and to get at last the good harvest!”

* * *

And the Magus began to teach the girl with golden braids every day:

“First, I’ll tell you, Lada, — how human happiness is built. It comes not from the outside — but from the inside!

“Love lives in your spiritual heart! Its light is like a ray of sunlight, which can transform everything around!

“Recall the beautiful sunrise — and feel in your heart, too, the sun! If you look forward from your sunny spiritual heart — you will feel your own ray of light. And then look backwards to the most subtle depths — and you will see there the Great Light of the Living Immense Power! This Light is called God!”

… Lada learned to feel this ray like a ray of the sun, warming others by love.

“Now, because you have learned to beam with the light from your good heart — let this light flow even through your hands and through your eyes! And let even your thoughts be lighted with it!

“And if you ever see that this light of yours has become weak, then immerse yourself-soul in the depth of the subtlest Light of the Primordial, from Whom all rays emanate — and fill yourself with the Love and Calm of God!

“Strive to cognize how infinitely huge that Primordial Light is! Learn to listen to how this Great Light sounds, learn to understand what this Great Light wants from you…

“In the human body of each person, there are certain special places, through which the Great Light can flow. It is — like a flute on which shepherds play. Breath pours through the various holes in a pipe — and the music comes.

“In a human body, there are secret channels, cavities, and windows. When the Great Light flows through them — amazing music pours out! With this music, a song can be born! Or you can dance to it! And a lot of people will be able to feel this heart music! Through this — they will see the Light of God, and will feel the Love of God!

“Try to dance and sing like this Light sounds!”

… Lada tried — and the amazing beauty of the song came to life, everyone around admired, and even the guards forgot about everything. Lada danced — and all sorrows were forgotten! It was as if the rays of sun touched all the living — and everything around began to blossom, having been filled with joy and bliss! The River of Light, flowing with the singing streams, flowed over the land, embracing all beings and caressing everything with Its gentle touches! The sound of Lada’s voice was connected with the Wisdom of God!

The Magus praised Lada and said:

“We will be separated shortly. But you will always hear wise advice in the Great Light: God’s help will be always with you!

“Now I’ll go to where you cannot follow me right now. But I will always be among Those, Who will be helping you!

“You have learned, listening by the spiritual heart, to understand the thoughts of God! And you will understand the words of all men in any language. And you will be able to speak every language. God will lead you. And you will sing to people His heart songs!”

* * *

And, in fact, the prisoners were separated.

They were brought to the slave market and were sold: the women separately, and the men separately. Like well-crafted products, fabrics or jewelry — people were exposed for sale…

And word about the amazing captive reached khan’s palace.

And a servant told the khan, the ruler of that country, about the golden-braided girl:

“Our lord, we have seen in the market the slave. She is so beautiful, like the morning sun! Her hair is like gold! It is said that she sings songs, tells tales, and dances — and that she has no equal on the whole Earth!”

The khan desired to seize the girl with golden braids. He paid for her with more gold than anyone had ever given before for a slave…

* * *

They brought the new slave-girl to the khan. And the truth was that she really was good: her hair was like pure gold, and her eyes were as azure as the sky!

The khan said to her:

“Show me how you can dance! Sing me your songs!

“I am now — your only lord! If you will serve me well — then you will know no lack: the best adornments and silk dresses — you will have them all!”

The khan was accustomed to speaking to people in such a manner. And she answered him in his language:

“I do not want golden ornaments, or silk dresses! Let me go, khan, home to my land!”

And she sang a song so beautifully that the khan listened spellbound and even tears in his eyes welled up!

He saw everything that Lada was singing about: spacious fields golden from the mature ears of corn, centuries old forests full of silence, calm and vast rivers, continuously carrying their water.

The lyrics of the song swept over like white-winged swans, flying over the expanse. And those words expressed the joy, love, and amazing freedom, where a soul can live freely and happily!

But instead of letting her go, the khan said:

“I will never let you go! You’re as beautiful as the morning sun! Your voice is like a golden river, it excites me more than wine! You will be mine!”

The khan entreated Lada — for her to love him. He presented expensive gifts: rings, bracelets, clothes, and incenses.

But she — spoke only about the freedom:

“A bird, born free, does not sing in a cage, even if the cage is made of gold! A bird, accustomed to freedom, — must spread its wings in the sky!

“And the heart cannot be ordered to fall in love! Let me go! When you want to use power to be loved — you kill love! Love can only be free!”

“But I bought you! You belong to me! And I will conquer you!”

“That is your evil will — that you allow yourself to hold me as a captive! Renounce evil in yourself — and only then will you cognize true love!”

“But I’m rich! There are a lot of gold and jewels in my treasury! And many lands are subjected to me! A lot of people obey me! And all this belongs to me from my birth, on the right of my inheritance! My people are predestined to work to increase my wealth!”

“No! It is not that people are destined to raise your earthly riches! Man is appointed to something else! It is beautiful and perfect!

“Upon being born, every man is given quite a different legacy! Each person has been given great gifts from God: as a soul, man can become similar to the Creator! And then — become One with Him!

“If you believe that wealth and the people belong to you — you are a bad ruler! Because everything belongs only to the Creator!

“And if — by birth — you are standing at the head of the country and people, then you must do much good for them! A righteous ruler — belongs to his people! He works to benefit — his country and his people!”

* * *

… Time went on.

Once, Lada asked the khan:

“You said that you will fulfill any of my desires. Fulfill one of my requests!”

“It will be executed, unless the request is to let you go home,” — the khan replied.

“Let me dance and sing once a week for all the people at the square.”

The khan agreed to fulfill the request of Lada, but with the condition that she be dressed for the local custom: so that no one sees her beautiful face and hair, so that her beauty belongs to only him alone. And she should always be accompanied by armed guards: so that she not be abducted. And she must promise that she will not run away.

Lada gave such a promise.

… There was in that town a special place — the town square. On it, there was a pure water source fenced in marble. And beautiful trees were growing all around.

That source belonged to all. Both the khan, and a simple traveler, and any resident — could drink clean water from the source. Kind hands in old days had made bowls of stone for the water, and planted the trees. And in the distance, there were flowing ponds, to which animals came to quench their thirst. There were also ponds for human bathing.

A lot of people always gathered there. Both travelers from distant countries, as well as the most different sorts of people — all came to drink the water, to sit in the shade of the trees, and to listen to the babbling stream and the rustle of leaves… Often there were fakirs and roving performers, musicians, and preachers.

Lada came once a week to sing and dance for the people there. Her love — filled all the space around! And the words of her songs were kind and wise — about how evil may be eliminated, how to multiply goodness, how the light of a soul should be open, and about how the Creator’s intentions for man on the Earth can be realized.

And everyone who heard — received the wise advice in her songs: the advice that he or she needed right then.

And the rumor of Lada went throughout the district. From distant places — people began to come to listen to her wonderful songs. Because she placed in her songs the wisdom of the Magus. And also — because she heard herself the wisdom in the sounds of the Singing Great Light.

People said that even the water-source has become healing — because of her songs! And many were healed of their ailments!

Or, perhaps, it was her songs that had transformed and healed those souls? Because everyone heard in them God’s Commandment of love and kindness. And those, who implemented it in their lives, — cleansed and transformed themselves. And, therefore, diseases and troubles left their lives.

Lada came to the source each week and exclaimed:

“Let the Love of God flow — like the sunlight!

“Let It flow — like clean water!

“If we simply open ourselves up to this Great Light of God — then He will flow through our bodies as a pure, transparent-golden and healing Stream! Invite Him into ourselves-souls and into every corner of our bodies!

“This Living Divine Light will heal and cleanse both bodies and souls — if we are worthy to merge by souls with this Divine Love!”

And she began to dance. Everything around plunged into the Streams of the Living, All-Washing, Cleansing, Healing Light!

Then she sang of heart love for all beings — and in many souls, listening to her, love was ignited, which wanted to be given away to each creature on the Earth!

… When people left the square, Lada’s songs continued to sound in them and teach them kindness and love — in words, in actions, and in thoughts. It was as if she prompted souls to a new way of life: to respect for each other’s life, and to master caress, calm, goodness, and giving light to all others who live around.

* * *

The khan wanted Lada’s love more and more…

And he called together all the soothsayers, diviners, and healers — to ask for their advice or methods on how to win her love?

And they began giving him different offers. Some — offered to give her beautiful ornaments. Others — offered to bewitch her or to use potions. Others — invented crafty tricks…

But all this bad advice did not help the khan to win the love of Lada.

But those of the guests, who were wise — they talked with Lada and multiplied thus their wisdom.

Lada said to the khan:

“See: you bring to me potions — and I see that you do not love me, but only want to own me!

“You give me gems — and I see the slaves who extracted them in hard labor in the underground mines!

“You give me gold jewelry — and I see soldiers killed and maimed in battles, where wealth was obtained, I hear the groans of the victims who were robbed and humiliated, I see their tears!

“You treat me with delicious meals — and I see hungry children in poor homes of your kingdom!

“Not glad am I for your gifts! I do not want to accept them!”

… Then the khan — to win the love of Lada — began… do a lot for the good of his subjects.

Listening to her songs on wise rulers, he, too, tried to do so — in order to please her…

He was doing more and more good, but still did he not agree to let her go free…

* * *

Once, when Lada was dancing and singing near the source, a young man happened to be among the travelers. He was a dervish from the Brotherhood of Pure Souls. He went around the world preaching the good, and was looking for a spiritual connection with the Divine Sun, which shines from the most subtle depths, giving life to all beings.

He saw the Great Light, Which was merged with Lada when she danced, saw the Great Sun he was looking for: It shone so brightly in her and sent streams and beams when she sang!

He pulled out his sitar — and played in tune with her singing and dancing… The two souls began to sound in such harmony that all around stood still, listening to the sounds of the Divine…

Lada threw the veil off — and light streamed down with her golden hair, her eyes shined with clear light!

And when Lada finished singing, the young man approached her with a bow and said:

“Come with me, wonderful! The whole world needs to hear your songs! Because the Comprehensive Love lives in you! And souls hear — through you — the Voice of God!”

Lada answered him:

“Oh you with eyes like the night sky, in which shines the light of all the stars! I would like to go with you over all the land! But I am a slave of the khan and am not free to leave. These are — the guards who watch me. And even if I run away — then they will be killed for they did not deter me. And other soldiers will be looking for me night and day… Find a means to set me free!”

* * *

Then the young man went to the khan among the healers and diviners, who tried to help the khan win the love of Lada.

The khan called upon the young man, by the name of Hazrat, and asked:

“You are young. Do you know the love yourself — to teach others how to win the love of a beautiful maiden?”

“Yes, I am young,” — said Hazrat. — “But I’ve spent my life in the understanding of the nature of love. And I have cognized its great secret. That’s what I wanted to tell you.”

“I tested all the remedies that I was offered, but they did not help me. I am sick! I have become the prisoner of my passion! I have become a prisoner of my own… a slave — and I cannot get rid of these shackles! Even if I kill her — I will not be free from this captivity, because I did not get the desired reciprocity… Or even if I kill myself — that passion will follow me into another world… And what is this mystery that will deliver me from this torment?!”

“The mystery is very easy!” — Hazrat answered. — “When a man really loves, he does not want anything for himself, but he does good to the one whom he loves. That is the great mystery of love, which distinguishes it from evil passions and desires!

“Miserable are those who crave a strange love!

“Happy are those who bestow love!

“Let Lada go, if you really love her — not for yourself, but for her sake!”

“You yourself love Lada and want by deception to lead her away!

“Well, give me the promise that you will pay me a ransom: I will let her go, but you will be killed! And she will not even know that you bought her freedom at the cost of your life! Do you agree?”

“I agree,” — Hazrat said. — “But first, I have to teach you a secret, revealing the heart love…”

* * *

And Hazrat taught the khan how to clean and then grow the spiritual heart — and then how to send love out of it to all over the world, to everything living on the Earth!

The khan listened to Hazrat, because Lada in her songs was singing about the same thing, but he did not want to heed this advice from her.

And the more love flared up in the heart of the khan — the easier it became to him. It was as if his severity had fallen off, which was chilling him for so long by gnawing passion!

And he realized that he was freed from his shackles. Calm and gentle love filled his heart.

Then khan realized the laws of love — and a great happiness came over him! That, about which he heard from Lada, he was now cognizing through his own experience! He felt great joy!

He called Lada and said:

“You are free! You can leave alone or with this young man — and sing your songs of love to all over the world!”

Lada thanked the khan and said:

“I see that you are now able to give away — without taking for yourself and usurping!

“Be happy, khan! For now, you will become a great leader! Because you have cognized the happiness of giving freedom and happiness to others! You are now able to govern your country wisely!”

Hazrat also thanked the khan.

The khan dismissed them both.

Lada sang a farewell song to the khan, filling him with love and gratitude.

And the khan, listening, was surprised and studied a happiness in himself: yes, how beautiful it was — to give happiness to others!

All the courtiers were perplexed by the deed of the khan and thought that the young man had bewitched him with his magic.

And the khan watched them go and was smiling happily…

Suddenly, he felt a gentle touch of another soul. But — only Lada was able to send love at a distance by her spiritual light!

It turned out, one of his slaves quietly approached. She began to sing a song about her love for him.

“You sing as only Lada could sing! How is this possible?”

“I have loved you from first sight, oh mighty one! I asked Lada — and she taught me how to sing so that love in the song could sound so much… She knew about my love for you…”

“Sing more,” — the khan asked her.

She began to sing — and the response of love began to burn in the heart of the khan…

Soon this former slave became the wife of the khan.

And much changed in the life of the country for a long time.

* * *

… Hazrat and Lada walked the land…

They went — and sang songs about life and love, awakening and transforming souls.

They visited the place where Hazrat was born. And people told him there:

“You cannot marry a woman from another nation, from another religion…”

Hazrat and Lada explained to them that their faiths are not different, that there is one God who created both the sun, and the stars, and the Earth, and everything that lives on it…

People listened to them and wondered…

Then they went to those lands, where Lada had lived before. And people said there:

“How can you love a young man with a swarthy face?! And recall: people of his tribe attacked our land!…”

Lada answered them:

“Each man is not responsible for the actions of other people!

“And there is one God-the-Father, the Creator, — both for those who have dark skin, and for those who have light skin!

“And for his or her actions — it is namely the individual who is responsible before God!

“And realize that, in fact, there will be no enmity between people, if all people will comply with the laws of the Creator!”

… They were walking the land and singing beautiful songs.

And in many nations people long afterwards remembered those songs and sang them. Souls — learned to love!…

… They found a place where they built a home and planted a garden.

Then kids were born from them. Some of them had dark skin and golden curls. Others — light skin and dark hair. But all the souls were beautiful and full of light and love!

… A rumor was spreading — and people came to learn from Hazrat and Lada. And there were no boundaries for love and kindness between people in those lands! People began to live by the Words of God, every soul now felt the Living God — the Single Creator and Father for all people!