Awakened Thought leaves the boundaries of the known to scale the peaks of the unknown. It longs for the unrealised Truth, the Light that is above birth and death. Each stage of its ascent reveals a new world of wonder and bliss.

At either end of the effulgent stair Aswapati sees the heavens of the ideal Mind. On one side are worlds of undying Bliss, the Kingdoms of the deathless Rose. This Bliss lies between the Supramental realms above and the abysses of the Inconscient below; it also flows behind all life—though unseen and unsuspected by the suffering world. It is the Rose of Bliss that slowly blossoms in the garden of life on earth as an offering to God and the answering Grace of God fulfils the object of existence by enabling life to manifest the Spirit.

All that is in these higher worlds of sweetness and Bliss is there incipient in mortal life. It awakens and grows by the touch of the divine Breath which visits the earth time and again.

On the other side of the stair are great realms of luminous Knowledge, the Kingdoms of the deathless Flame. The unquenchable flame of Knowledge mounts up from the altar of the Mind aspiring to reach the absolutes of the Being. Its worlds of ascent are great in proportion, bright and mighty. They constantly pull the human soul upwards to their heights. Their peaks point to some distant Splendour of the Truth Infinite.

Man, unaided by the strength and spirit of the Eternal, can hardly hope to climb these heights. His knowledge, strength and energy are too puny for the immense adventure.

Aswapati moves through these kingdoms of the Ideal, participates in their glory but does not accept to stay under their rule. He finds that each Idea, however bright and great, is but a partial truth; and yet each seeks to reign alone as the sole truth. Many are such absolutes each claiming to be the Supreme.

There are regions, indeed, where they meet and join, but each retains its separate individuality.

Aswapati passes on to a diviner sphere. There all these great Powers forget their difference and combine in a single multitudinous Whole. There on the wide height of the Spirit, in the immutable Truth, all are one.