The emperor is made to realize that neither his current power and glory nor his past defeat and despair are true. He is prompted to question the existence of truth itself, as he is led to understand that both his dreams and waking moments may not hold true. The sage points out that truth lies beyond these superficial experiences, challenging the emperor to reflect on his own existence amidst the shifting realities.
Swami Sarvapriyananda speaks on “The Essence of All Vedanta” at the Vedanta Society of New York - April 8, 2018 | Vedanta NY