Paragraph 15

In plain words

"A farmer had a son late in life, and he took great care of the boy. In time the son grew up. One day the farmer was working in the field when someone came and told him his son was very ill, about to die. Reaching home he found the child had died. The wife was in floods of tears, yet there was not a tear in the farmer's eyes. So she lamented all the more to the neighbours that such a son had gone, and there was not so much as a tear in his eyes. After a long while the farmer turned to his wife and said, 'Do you know why I'm not weeping? Last night I dreamt that I had become a king and was the father of seven sons. In the dream I saw that the boys were handsome and good. They grew up and gained learning and virtue. Just then I woke up. Now I'm wondering: am I to weep for this one son of yours, or for my seven?' To the jnanis, the dream state is as real as the waking state.