Vedantic Tales:
The Discipleship of Hari: The Lion

But suddenly he heard a snap of twigs, and there on the edge of the forest the lion stood - not as Hari had seen him before, not a dark, shadowy form, but a golden, pulsating Being. His thick mane and the tuft on the end of his tail caught the rays of the morning light and glistened, and his eyes were like two suns. Hari gasped and rose to his feet. What he had seen before was nothing compared to this. The lion-looked at him, and in his sun-eyes there was a compassion that seemed to penetrate to the bottom of Hari's soul a compassion that knew all and understood all. And in the depths of those eyes, Hari knew lay the answer he sought. It was a shining, sure Something.

For several seconds Hari and the lion looked at one another. Then the lion took a step forward, and suddenly Hari's fear returned from the pit of his stomach. He tried to remember how he had wanted to be eaten; but seeing the lion face to face was another matter. The lion took a second step. And Hari turned and ran.

Hari's misery after this conduct was indescribable. The only thing I have ever loved I, have lost through stupid, craven fear. Fool! Fool! Fool! He was convinced that the lion would never return. And for several days the lion did not return. Hari knew that he was not only doomed but self-doomed, which was infinitely worse, to Nothingness.

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