WHEN FACE TO FACE

WHERE the mind attains peace by practising the

discipline of 'Neti, neti', there Brahman is.

The king dwells in the inmost room of the palace,

which has seven gates. The visitor comes to the

first gate. There he sees a lordly person with a large

retinue, , surrounded on all sides by pomp and

grandeur. The visitor asks his companion, "Is he

the king?" "No", says his friend with a smile.

At the second and other gates he repeats the same

question to his friend. He finds that the nearer he

comes to the inmost part of the palace, the greater

is the glory, pomp, and grandeur. When he passes

the seventh gate he does not ask his companion

whether it is the king; he stands speechless at the

king's immeasurable glory. He realizes that he is

face to face with the king. He hasn't the slightest

doubt about it.