To establish the rose then over the throne (or in the White House if you will) is true democracy. That is, like in the fairy tale, he who can answer a conundrum, he alone can win the princess. The conundrum now is: What is the rose? Tell me, what is this rose, this? That is what the princess asks the suitors, the many suitors gathered for the winning of the bride, kings and princes with their multiple medals and jewels, and crowns, were these tiaras, ideas, party ideas. If you vote for me, I will promise to raise the standard of living, I shall reduce international tension, I shall give help to the poor; the Negro or the untouchable will get his rights respected, woman’s joy will shine on every forehead, in every backyard there will be a garden house—food will be cheap, the green revolution will make the country rich, there will be agrarian cooperative societies, and of course we promise primary schools for everyone, everywhere, everybody will ride an ekka cab, have a brick house, and his daughter’s marriage performed in splendour with elephant processionals. The princess nods, rose in hand, as she passes by each one of her suitors. As it is said in the Mahabharata, only if Nala the prince in disguise,6 the most famous knower of horses there ever was, but now in exile—only if he, the true prince were there, thought Damayanti, the princess, would not the choice be the best ever? But each king, raja, is more brilliant in his crown, sabre, tiara, than the other. Damayanti, the princess, refuses each one of them. She finally comes to a simple man, and it’s he, says Damayanti, he is my Lord, for he has no shadow. He who has no shadow is godlike, for he has no ego. The princess, so says the legend, chooses Nala, for his shadowless royalty, and gives him the rose, or the garland of flowers! Not the tiaras of promises, not the virile lips of manhood, not the exalting looks of the unconquerable—these are but put on colours of the ego. He alone is the wise, the all-giver, the man of peace who has no ego. He will be the king, the choice of the princess, he the choice of the populace. When he sits on his bejewelled throne, the populace, well-washed and clean-hearted, will come to him, and his very presence will bring peace, for he is the chosen one. The rose gift was given by the princess. She gave it to the shadowless. How does one become shadowless, by understanding the rose. For understanding any object truly is wisdom. The rose then (or the lotus if you will) is just the symbol of supreme wisdom. The red rose on the tunic of Nehru, the reminder of truth.

What then is the conundrum; it is the nature of duality. Anyone who knows how to resolve duality, the supreme king, the sage.