At some point in life, most men and women will be plagued by the query, “What is this world? Why does it appear like it does?”
Some believe that creation is accidental and some say that the answer to why the world is created can never be discerned. Both the believers are deluded.
Men and women in every age have, by their own efforts been able to find an answer to the question and crossed the samsara or this repetitive cycle of birth and death.
The truth about creation needs to be realized layer by layer; just as when you peel each layer from an onion, another layer is revealed. Similarly the truth is to be inquired step by step.
In this regard there is a less known, esoteric story that was conveyed by Sage Vasishta to Lord Rama in the Treta Yuga. This story encapsulates the truth about creation.
Once when young Lord Rama was in despair, Sage Vasishta told this story to him to end Rama's illusion.
The story told by Sage Vasistha was as follows:
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Once a young boy asked his guardian to tell him a story and the guardian told him the following story which the young boy listened with great attention.
Once upon a time in a city which did not exist, there were three princes who were brave and happy. Of those three princes, two were unborn and the third had not been conceived. Unfortunately all their relatives died.
The princes left their native city to go elsewhere. Unable to bear the heat of the sun, they took shade under three trees, out of which two did not exist and the third had not even been planted.
After resting there for some time and eating the fruits of those trees, they proceeded further.
They reached the banks of three rivers; of them two were dry and in the third there was no water. The princes had a refreshing bath and quenched their thirst in them.
Then they reached a huge city which was about to be built. On entering this city, the princes found three palaces of exceeding beauty. Of them, two had not been built at all and the third had no walls at all.
They entered the palaces and found three golden plates; two of the plates had been broken into halves and the third had been smashed into pieces. They took hold of the plate that had been smashed into pieces. They took ninety-nine minus one hundred grams of rice and cooked it. They then invited three holy men to be their guests. Of them, two had no body and the third had no mouth. After these holy men had eaten food, the three princes ate the rest of the food that had been cooked . The three princes were greatly pleased on having this meal. They then lived in the city for a long time, in peace and joy.
The young boy was quiet after listening to the story. The guardian told the boy, “This is a beautiful story and if you contemplate on this often, my child, you will grow into a wise man.”
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Know this, that whosoever can comprehend the secret of this story, will have the answer to the above question.
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