The Brazilian Association of Community Television Channels has given its highest award to Words of Peace, a weekly program featuring highlights from the message of peace of Prem Rawat, also known as Maharaji.

The award was presented in Sao Paolo during a gala dinner attended by 1,200 heads of media organizations, business leaders, and representatives of the state and federal government.

Fernando Mauro Trezza, President of the Brazilian Association of Community Television Channels, presented the award to Words of Peace for its exceptional message. “While many programs are special,” he said, “some are essential. Words of Peace, which presents Prem Rawat's message, is one of these unique programs. This program is receiving this distinction because of its important contribution toward building a culture of peace in Brazil. The feeling of peace that Maharaji introduces people to is very important for everyone. It is essential to spread this feeling within to everyone in Brazil. This program is a great contribution toward the triumph of inner peace. Prem Rawat's message has the potential to unite all Brazilians in inner contentment. I know that peace is really possible in Brazil.”

Dr. Arnaldo Jardim, a member of the Federal Congress, and a guest of honor at this event, added: “I find Prem Rawat's message interesting, simple, from the heart, and relevant for all human beings. This award means that we would like to see more of his message on television, and for many more years to come.”

Words of Peace reaches more than 3 million homes each week in Sao Paolo. President Trezza added that all Community Channels in Brazil will soon be linked via satellite and UHF, hence offering much greater distribution for this television program.

The Words of Peace program is watched on television in 50 countries and 48 languages each week.

Maharaji travels the world inspiring people to find peace within. At the United Nations Conference Center in Bangkok, Thailand, he expressed, “The peace that we are looking for is within. It is in the heart, waiting to be felt, and I can help you get in touch with it. When people in the world are at peace within, the world will be at peace.”

It's always a great honor to talk to those who want to learn something about this life. I am going to tell you a very simple story.

Once, there was an exquisite musical instrument. When it was played, it made the most beautiful sound. Then people started looking at "new and different" instruments and invited other musicians to come and play. The musicians came and brought their drums and their flutes and their guitars.

Soon no one knew how to play this one very special instrument, and people began to wonder, "What good is this instrument?" It was beautiful, and it would spark their curiosity, but slowly it started to collect dust because it was ignored and had gotten out of tune.

Then one day, someone came and said, "Why have you cast aside this most beautiful instrument?" People looked at him wondering, "Which instrument? The drums are all in tune, the flutes are great, the violins are perfect, the piano is in tune." He said, "Don't you remember this instrument? It is because of this instrument that you even became interested in music, built this place, and gathered to listen to it. Now that your curiosity has led you to the new and different, you have been ignoring it."

"What is so special about this instrument?" they asked. The man said, "Let me show you." He cleaned the instrument, and it began to shine. We forget. We only see the dirt on the surface. The person who knows can see beyond the dirt. He can clear away the dust and renew its beauty, its spark, its glamour, its glory. Then he did the most important thing—he tuned it. If the instrument is going to sound good, it has to be tuned.

After he tuned it, he gave it back to the people and said, "Now, you play." They said, "We don't know how to play." "Strum," he said, "and it will begin to play. Listen. You will hear." When they began to play, they were mesmerized by the beautiful sound. Here was an instrument that could truly touch the heart.

What is the instrument? You are. In your race for the "new and different," you have forgotten yourself. Everything is all about the glamour of "new and different," except for this instrument, this life. Except for this heart. Everything else has priority. From morning till evening, you say, "I have to do this. I have to do that." Are you anywhere on that list? Number 10? 20? 100? No. Nowhere.

When this instrument is tuned, and you begin to play, you will hear a melody—the melody of breath coming to you. It's very simple. What you are looking for, what you need, is within you, but because of neglect, it has gone out of tune. When it is tuned, you will be able to enjoy the potential of that instrument.

This is your life. Find that contentment. This much you owe yourself. If you want to be rich, begin with you. The first debt you have to pay is the debt to the heart—its request, its want to be fulfilled. It's not a big request. It is simple. Be fulfilled.

Maharaji

The other day I was asking someone who has also traveled a lot whether they had ever come across a thing called the world in their travels. He said, "No," and I said, "Neither have I." You come across countries, immigration, customs, people, taxis, animals—it depends where you go. But world I have never seen. It is people. It is people like you and me who need, not want, peace in their lives. It is not a luxury. This is the missing piece of the puzzle.

What we cannot imagine today will happen tomorrow. Technology will move on. Things we could never imagine will happen. What doesn't change is the need. The wants change, but the needs do not. Maybe you are not comfortable with your bed so you want a new mattress. The want may change, but the need is to go to sleep, and that does not change. Maybe you go shopping and you see a new water glass. You want the new glass, but why you need the glass does not change. That stays the same. Need and want.

A lot of people are under the misconception that they want peace. It's a misconception because peace is not something you want; peace is something you need in your life. Every day you wake up, something within you yearns to be fulfilled, to be happy, to be in joy. We create formulas for how to achieve that. Everyone has a formula: "I think if we do this, we can achieve it."

But how? Look at the thirst for peace. If the thirst for peace is within you, then peace is within you. If that want wanders in this world for different things, it is because the want is processed by necessities that are created on the outside. Look at your heart because that is a part of the puzzle.

I am not saying you should sacrifice one for the other. This is another wonderful excuse that people have: "I cannot engage in this search for peace because I have a family, and I have responsibilities." I say to them, "What makes you think for a moment that you have to sacrifice one for the other?"

Peace is inside you. Wherever you go, peace goes with you. When you climb on a bus, peace goes with you. When you are fighting, peace goes with you. When you are asleep, peace is within you. When you are frustrated beyond imagination, peace is in you. No matter what you do, there is no place you can go where peace will not come with you. Because it's within you.

Maharaji