It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and

The great soul of India, Mahatma Gandhi, once uttered these immortal words: “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” Simple in phrasing yet vast in wisdom, this teaching flows like clear water through the ages — refreshing those lost in the desert of material desire. Gandhi, who possessed neither throne nor riches, spoke from the deepest well of human understanding. He knew that true prosperity lies not in the treasures we hoard, but in the vitality of body, serenity of mind, and purity of spirit. For what use is gold to the man who cannot breathe freely, or silver to the one whose heart is heavy with unrest?

Gandhi’s life itself was a living testament to this truth. He renounced wealth not out of disdain for it, but out of devotion to a greater form of abundance — the abundance of health, harmony, and inner freedom. He lived on simple food, walked barefoot upon the earth, and bathed in sunlight and prayer. Through discipline and restraint, he found vigor not just of flesh but of soul. When others measured fortune by possessions, he measured it by clarity, balance, and peace. And even when frail in body, his spirit towered above kings, reminding the world that health — of body, of conscience, of heart — is the true crown of life.

The meaning of “real wealth” in Gandhi’s words goes far beyond physical fitness. It is a harmony between the outer and the inner, between how we live and what we believe. One may have strength yet no peace, or comfort yet no contentment — and such lives are rich only in illusion. Gandhi saw that a healthy person is not one who merely avoids illness, but one whose mind is calm, whose heart is compassionate, and whose body is the servant of noble purpose. He believed that to care for one’s health is a sacred duty, for the body is the instrument through which truth is lived and service rendered.

History itself testifies to this eternal truth. Consider Siddhartha Gautama, the prince who became the Buddha. Surrounded by opulence and luxury, he found no satisfaction in endless pleasure. It was only when he walked among the sick and dying that he realized the fragility of the human body and the futility of worldly wealth. In renouncing comfort, he discovered a different kind of richness — the wealth of awakening, of compassion, of inner freedom. Like Gandhi, he learned that health of the spirit is the foundation of every other blessing, and that gold cannot buy the peace of a well-ordered soul.

Gandhi’s words also bear a warning for our modern age. The world runs faster now, chasing coins and crowns, forgetting the quiet rhythm of the heart. People sacrifice sleep for ambition, trade peace for possessions, and call it progress. Yet in this race for abundance, they lose the very vitality that gives life meaning. What good is a fortune if it must be spent healing the body it exhausted, or soothing the mind it tormented? The wealth of the world cannot purchase a single moment of true well-being. Gandhi saw this clearly and urged mankind to return to the simplicity where life itself — not luxury — is the treasure.

Health, in Gandhi’s teaching, is not merely a gift of nature; it is a moral responsibility. To live healthfully — to eat with moderation, to move with purpose, to breathe in gratitude — is to honor life itself. The one who tends to his health with humility serves not only himself but all creation, for a healthy mind and body are the seeds from which kindness and wisdom grow. Gandhi’s nonviolent discipline, his control of diet and desire, his reverence for the purity of the body — all were reflections of his belief that true strength comes not from possession, but from preservation of the sacred within.

The lesson, then, is radiant in its simplicity: guard your health as you would guard treasure, for it is the foundation of all joy, service, and love. Cherish the body not with vanity, but with gratitude; feed it with clean food and clean thoughts; give it rest, movement, and purpose. For when health fades, all the gold in the world cannot restore it — but when health thrives, every breath becomes a blessing, every dawn a feast.

And so, let the wisdom of Gandhi guide every heart: “It is health that is real wealth.” Gold may glitter, but it cannot sing; silver may shine, but it cannot smile. Health, when joined with peace and gratitude, makes a king of the poorest soul. Tend to it well, live gently, and carry it as your truest treasure — for in the end, all other riches are but dust in the wind, while health, both of body and spirit, is life itself.