It happened once that two students came and greeted their guru, and respectfully requested that he resolve an uncertainty they had.

‘Guru-ji,’ said one, ‘we have a doubt about the physical world. Following the rules of our order, we have given up the life of the house-holder, and we strive to avoid the intoxication of the senses.’

‘But,’ said the other, ‘Divine life and love is present in all forms. If that is so, then why must we renounce the world?’

‘I shall tell you a story,’ the guru replied. ‘Listen.’

Once, the guru told them, a man was walking through a forest when he saw in a sunlit clearing the figure of a young woman. He was struck immediately by her beauty, and with every step he took toward her, her beauty became more apparent. Her eyes were like stars, her complexion was flawless, her form set fire to the man’s heart.

When he stood before her, he said without hesitation, “Your beauty has won my heart entirely. In all the world I love you alone.”

“If you love me alone,” the woman replied, “then I am yours, and I will serve you with all my life. But do you not know that I have a sister? She is far more beautiful than I am.”

“A sister?” said the man. “Where is she?”

“There, behind you,” said the woman.

Then the man turned to look behind him, and when he did, the woman slapped his face.

“Faithless hypocrite,” she said, “is this the depth of your love? Be gone!”

“Reflect on this,” the guru concluded, “and you will find the answer to your question.”