"The King could not find words with which to thank his wife. Later he began to speak: 'Through your great Wisdom you have saved me, who was crying in the darkness from ignorance. Who is there in the Universe to equal thee? You are the Blessed Light, dispelling the fear of the ignorant. How can I repay thee for all that you have done for me? You are on equality with the Divine Mother [**]:

"'I saw you in despair,' lovingly replied the Queen. 'Your self-imposed penances were destroying your body. That kind of penance is used only by the ignorant. I came to save and lift you from worldly pain. Do not praise me. I but did my duty. Tell me, dear husband, are you free from the world's troubles? Have you reached the divine state which will not be affected by action or thought?'

"'All doubt and desire have vanished from my mind,' said the King. 'I shall never fall through the senses. I have become like Askasa (Ether). I am above pain or pleasure. I have attained the highest Samadhi. There is no joy like the joy of Samadhi. I have reached the highest state; I am the Sun of the Suns; I am the Light of the Lights; I am pure Wisdom; I am the Absolute Consciousness. I realize my Reality, which is none other than THAT (God). My wife, you are my Spiritual Teacher. I worship Thee.'

"'What do you intend to do next,' questioned the Queen?

"'From now on,' answered the King, 'according to thy dictates, I shall perform my duties. I will live in the world, but not of it, like the

[paragraph continues] Lotus flowers which grow in the lake but never get wet.'

"'If Thou art willing to do as I say, then let us go back and reign over our Kingdom, as Jivanmuktas (bodily emancipated).'

"'I will do as you say,' replied her husband.

"The Queen then created an elephant. It was decorated with rubies and other gems. They both mounted the elephant's back, and when they came near the town, with the power of her mind she created an army to escort them into the city. They were received by their people.

"The King and Queen were enthroned, and ruled wisely and well ten thousand years, and then they gave up the bodies and attained emancipation of the Soul.

"O Ram, do you daily karma. Pure wisdom will develop in you. You will reach the Blessed state Which the King and Queen have attained,--Liberation."

Thus spoke the great Rishi Vashisht of Wisdom, to Ram.

MAHABHARATA xii. 293 ff.