"Kumbha Muni then replied: 'O King, without a Guru (Spiritual Teacher), the bliss of Atmic Wisdom is not to be obtained; tapas and mantras are merely a waste of time, O King. He who has not the Atmic Wisdom, but follows his duty of action is the best. Unselfish action will remove the impure desires; doing good

karma will bring about heavenly bliss, and pure desire does not make any fresh karma, but the impure one does. If you know that all is Brahma, then ignorance is destroyed; the impure desires will never arise. If the impure desires are controlled, then old age and death are also controlled, and brings one to the highest state of Brahma.

"'The mind associated with impure desires is ignorance itself, but free from impure desires it is Wisdom itself. If through Wisdom, Soul realizes Reality, then one is free from the chain of rebirth.

"'When all the wise, even Brahma, have said the attainment of Wisdom is the highest bliss, why do you not try to attain it? Why do you not try to find whence came this Universe? Why are you killing time here in ignorance? Why not try to find a Guru and from him learn what is bondage and what, liberation? Go to those who have clear vision over all. They are the embodiment of wisdom. Engage ceaselessly in enquiring, then indeed you will find the real, the reality, which is the means of emancipation.'

"The King cried with joy. 'O Guru, I have learned all this attainment of the way to bliss, and pure wisdom, by thy grace. I have left the company of the wise through ignorance, came to this forest to suffer, but now I am freed from pain, by thy kindness. I believe it is thy duty, as thou art within the forest, to point the way to bliss. Thou art my friend, thou art my Guru, thou art my parent. I shall be steadfast as thy disciple. Please accept me as thy disciple. Lead me in the path you have realized; you are equal to Brahma. Teach me the One-ness that sets people free from all pain, and into the consciousness of blissful truth.'

"The Kumbha Muni said: 'I can teach you if you will concentrate your mind, which has been roaming, from place to place. Without concentration, my word will not be of any help to you.'

"The King promised to believe and concentrate on the words of the Muni. The Muni said: 'First you should have full confidence in my words, as a child has in the words of his father. O King, hear what you will not understand; I will relate again the hidden meaning. In the olden days there was a man of wealth and