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in　and　harder　than　stones；　wrap　them　in　magic　cloths；　bind　them　and　then　pray　to　the　Great　God。　　The　petrified　youths　lie　with　eyes　and　ears　open　and　alert；　seeing；　hearing　and　remembering　everything。　　Afterwards　a　Goro　approaches　and　fastens　a　long；　steady　gaze　upon　them。　　Very　slowly　the　bodies　lift　themselves　from　the　earth　and　disappear。　　The　Goro　sits　and　stares　with　fixed　eyes　to　the　place　whither　he　has　sent　them。　　Invisible　threads　join　them　to　his　will。　　Some　of　them　course　among　the　stars；　observe　their　events；　their　unknown　peoples；　their　life　and　their　laws。　　They　listen　to　their　talk；　read　their　books；　understand　their　fortunes　and　woes；　their　holiness　and　sins；　their　piety　and　evil。　　Some　are　mingled　with　flame　and　see　the　creature　of　fire；　quick　and　ferocious；　eternally　fighting；　melting　and　hammering　metals　in　the　depths　of　planets；　boiling　the　water　for　geysers　and　springs；　melting　the　rocks　and　pushing　out　molten　streams　over　the　surface　of　the　earth　through　the　holes　in　the　mountains。　　Others　rush　together　with　the　ever　elusive；　infinitesimally　small；　transparent　creatures　of　the　air　and　penetrate　into　the　mysteries　of　their　existence　and　into　the　purposes　of　their　life。　　Others　slip　into　the　depths　of　the　seas　and　observe　the　kingdom　of　the　wise　creatures　of　the　water；　who　transport　and　spread　genial　warmth　all　over　the　earth；　ruling　the　winds；　waves　and　storms。　。　。　。　　In　Erdeni　Dzu　formerly　lived　Pandita　Hutuktu；　who　had　come　from　Agharti。　　As　he　was　dying；　he　told　about　the　time　when　he　lived　according　to　the　will　of　the　Goro　on　a　red　star　in　the　east；　floated　in　the　ice…covered　ocean　and　flew　among　the　stormy　fires　in　the　depths　of　the　earth。〃

These　are　the　tales　which　I　heard　in　the　Mongolian　yurtas　of　Princes　and　in　the　Lamaite　monasteries。　　These　stories　were　all　related　in　a　solemn　tone　which　forbade　challenge　and　doubt。

Mystery。　。　。　。


CHAPTER　XLVII

THE　KING　OF　THE　WORLD　BEFORE　THE　FACE　OF　GOD


During　my　stay　in　Urga　I　tried　to　find　an　explanation　of　this　legend　about　the　King　of　the　World。　　Of　course；　the　Living　Buddha　could　tell　me　most　of　all　and　so　I　endeavored　to　get　the　story　from　him。　　In　a　conversation　with　him　I　mentioned　the　name　of　the　King　of　the　World。　　The　old　Pontiff　sharply　turned　his　head　toward　me　and　fixed　upon　me　his　immobile；　blind　eyes。　　Unwillingly　I　became　silent。　　Our　silence　was　a　long　one　and　after　it　the　Pontiff　continued　the　conversation　in　such　a　way　that　I　understood　he　did　not　wish　to　accept　the　suggestion　of　my　reference。　　On　the　faces　of　the　others　present　I　noticed　expressions　of　astonishment　and　fear　produced　by　my　words；　and　especially　was　this　true　of　the　custodian　of　the　library　of　the　Bogdo　Khan。　　One　can　readily　understand　that　all　this　only　made　me　the　more　anxious　to　press　the　pursuit。

As　I　was　leaving　the　study　of　the　Bogdo　Hutuktu；　I　met　the　librarian　who　had　stepped　out　ahead　of　me　and　asked　him　if　he　would　show　me　the　library　of　the　Living　Buddha　and　used　a　very　simple；　sly　trick　with　him。

〃Do　you　know；　my　dear　Lama；〃　I　said；　〃once　I　rode　in　the　plain　at　the　hour　when　the　King　of　the　World　spoke　with　God　and　I　felt　the　impressive　majesty　of　this　moment。〃

To　my　astonishment　the　old　Lama　very　quietly　answered　me：　　〃It　is　not　right　that　the　Buddhist　and　our　Yellow　Faith　should　conceal　it。　The　acknowledgment　of　the　existence　of　the　most　holy　and　most　powerful　man；　of　the　blissful　kingdom；　of　the　great　temple　of　sacred　science　is　such　a　consolation　to　our　sinful　hearts　and　our　corrupt　lives　that　to　conceal　it　from　humankind　is　a　sin。　。　。　。　Well；　listen；〃　he　continued；　〃throughout　the　whole　year　the　King　of　the　World　guides　the　work　of　the　Panditas　and　Goros　of　Agharti。　Only　at　times　he　goes　to　the　temple　cave　where　the　embalmed　body　of　his　predecessor　lies　in　a　black　stone　coffin。　　This　cave　is　always　dark；　but　when　the　King　of　the　World　enters　it　the　walls　are　striped　with　fire　and　from　the　lid　of　the　coffin　appear　tongues　of　flame。　　The　eldest　Goro　stands　before　him　with　covered　head　and　face　and　with　hands　folded　across　his　chest。　　This　Goro　never　removes　the　covering　from　his　face；　for　his　head　is　a　nude　skull　with　living　eyes　and　a　tongue　that　speaks。　　He　is　in　communion　with　the　souls　of　all　who　have　gone　before。

〃The　King　of　the　World　prays　for　a　long　time　and　afterwards　approaches　the　coffin　and　stretches　out　his　hand。　　The　flames　thereon　burn　brighter；　the　stripes　of　fire　on　the　walls　disappear　and　revive；　interlace　and　form　mysterious　signs　from　the　alphabet　vatannan。　　From　the　coffin　transparent　bands　of　scarcely　noticeable　light　begin　to　flow　forth。　　These　are　the　thoughts　of　his　predecessor。　　Soon　the　King　of　the　World　stands　surrounded　by　an　auriole　of　this　light　and　fiery　letters　write　and　write　upon　the　walls　the　wishes　and　orders　of　God。　　At　this　moment　the　King　of　the　World　is　in　contact　with　the　thoughts　of　all　the　men　who　influence　the　lot　and　life　of　all　humankind：　with　Kings；　Czars；　Khans；　warlike　leaders；　High　Priests；　scientists　and　other　strong　men。　　He　realizes　all　their　thoughts　and　plans。　　If　these　be　pleasing　before　God；　the　King　of　the　World　will　invisibly　help　them；　if　they　are　unpleasant　in　the　sight　of　God；　the　King　will　bring　them　to　destruction。　　This　power　is　given　to　Agharti　by　the　mysterious　science　of　'Om；'　with　which　we　begin　all　our　prayers。　　'Om'　is　the　name　of　an　ancient　Holyman；　the　first　Goro；　who　lived　three　hundred　thirty　thousand　years　ago。　　He　was　the　first　man　to　know　God　and　who　taught　humankind　to　believe；　hope　and　struggle　with　Evil。　　Then　God　gave　him　power　over　all　forces　ruling　the　visible　world。

〃After　his　conversation　with　his　predecessor　the　King　of　the　World　assembles　the　'Great　Council　of　God；'　judges　the　actions　and　thoughts　of　great　men；　helps　them　or　destroys　them。　　Mahytma　and　Mahynga　find　the　place　for　these　actions　and　thoughts　in　the　causes　ruling　the　world。　　Afterwards　the　King　of　the　World　enters　the　great　temple　and　prays　in　solitude。　　Fire　appears　on　the　altar；　gradually　spreading　to　all　the　altars　near；　and　through　the　burning　flame　gradually　appears　the　face　of　God。　　The　King　of　the　World　reverently　announces　to　God　the　decisions　and　awards　of　the　'Council　of　God'　and　receives　in　turn　the　Divine　orders　of　the　Almighty。　　As　he　comes　forth　from　the　temple；　the　King　of　the　World　radiates　with　Divine　Light。〃


CHAPTER　XLVIII

REALITY　OR　RELIGIOUS　FANTASY？


〃Has　anybody　seen　the　King　of　the　World？〃　I　asked。

〃Oh；　yes！〃　answered　the　Lama。　　〃During　the　solemn　holidays　of　the　ancient　Buddhism　in　Siam　and　India　the　King　of　the　World　appeared　five　times。　　He　rode　in　a　splendid　car　drawn　by　white　elephants　and　ornamented　with　gold；　precious　stones　and　finest　fabrics；　he　was　robed　in　a　white　mantle　and　red　tiara　with　strings　of　diamonds　masking　his　face。　　He　blessed　the　people　with　a　golden　apple　with　the　figure　of　a　Lamb　above　it。　　The　blind　received　their　sight；　the　dumb　spoke；　the　deaf　heard；　the　crippled　freely　moved　and　the　dead　arose；　wherever　the　eyes　of　the　King　of　the　World　rested。　　He　also　appeared　five　hundred　and　forty　years　ago　in　Erdeni　Dzu；　he　was　in　the　ancient　Sakkai　Monastery　and　in　the　Narabanchi　Kure。

〃One　of　our　Living　Buddhas　and　one　of　the　Tashi　Lamas　received　a　message　from　him；　written　with　unknown　signs　on　golden　tablets。　　No　one　could　read　these　signs。　　The　Tashi　Lama　entered　the　temple；　placed　the　golden　tablet　on　his　head　and　began　to　pray。　　With　this　the　thoughts　of　the　King　of　the　World　penetrated　his　brain　and；　without　having　read　the　enigmatical　signs；　he　understood　and　accomplished　the　message　of　the　King。〃

〃How　many　persons　have　ever　been　to　Agharti？〃　I　questioned　him。

〃Very　many；〃　answered　the　Lama；　〃but　all　these　people　have　kept　secret　that　which　they　saw　there。　　When　the　Olets　destroyed　Lhasa；　one　of　their　detachments　in　the　southwestern　mountains　penetrated　to　the　outskirts　of　Agharti。　　Here　they　learned　some　of　the　lesser　mysterious　sciences　and　brought　them　to　the　surface　of　our　earth。　This　is　why　the　Olets　and　Kalmucks　are　artful　sorcerers　and　prophets。　　Also　from　the　eastern　country　some　tribes　of　black　people　penetrated　to　Agharti　and　lived　there　many　centuries。　Afterwards　they　were　thrust　out　from　the　kingdom　and　returned　to　the　earth；　bringing　with　them　the　mystery　of　predictions　according　to　cards；　grasses　and　the　lines　of　the　palm。　　They　are　the　Gypsies。　。　。　。　　Somewhere　in　the　north　of　Asia　a　tribe　exists　which　is　now　dying　and　which　came　from　the　cave　of　Agharti；　skilled　in　calling　back　the　spirits　of　the　dead　as　they　float　through　the　air。〃

The　Lama　was　silent　and　afterwards；　as　though　answering　my　thoughts；　continued。

〃In　Agharti　the　learned　Panditas　write　on　tablets　of　stone　all　the　science　of　our　planet　and　of　the　other　worlds。　　The　Chinese　learned　Buddhists　know　this。　　Their　science　is　the　highest　and　purest。　Every　century　one　hundred　sages　of　China　collect　in　a　secret　place　on　the　shores　of　the　sea；　where　from　its　depths　come　out　one　hundred　eternally…living　tortoises。　　On　their　shells　the　Chinese　write　all　the　developments　of　the　divine　science　of　the　century。〃

As　I　write　I　am　involuntarily　reminded　of　a　tale　of　an　old　Chinese　bonze　in　the　Temple　of　Heaven　at　Peking。　　He　told　me　that　tortoise