AUTHORITY A tale from the Calcutta mystic, Ramakrishna; There was a king who used to have the Bhagavad Gita recited to him every day by a priest. The priest would then explain the text and say, “O King, have you understood what I have said?” And every day the king would neither say Yes or No. He would only say. “You had better understand it first yourself.” This always caused sorrow to the poor priest who had spent hours preparing the daily lesson for the king and knew that his explanation was lucid and clear. Now the priest was a sincere seeker after Truth. While he was meditating one day he suddenly saw the illusory nature - the relative reality - of all things, house, family, wealth, friends, honour, reputation and everything else. So clearly did he see this that all desire for these things vanished in his heart? He decided to leave home and take up the life of a wandering ascetic. Before he left home he sent the king this message, “O king! At last I have understood.” 🙂