Tripura Rahasya

Sage Dattatreya

Having heard the sage's son, Mahasena began to think clearly and seriously; he concluded the world to be dreamlike and overcame his grief. Growing strong in mind, he was not perturbed. Then he asked his companion: 

'Great and wise saint! You know this world and beyond. I do not believe that there is anything that you do not know. Please answer me now: How can you say that the whole is pure imagination? However much I may imagine, my imagination does not materialize. But you have created a universe by the force of your will. And yet, how do time and space differ in these creations? Please tell me.' 

On being thus asked, the sage's son replied:

'The will conceives either effectively or ineffectively, according to whether it is uniform or broken up by indecision. Do you now know this world to be the result of Brahma's desire? This looks real and permanent because the original desire is so powerful. Whereas the world of your creation no one takes seriously, and your own mistrust makes it useless. Conceptions materialize for various reasons as follows: by virtue the natural function, as with Brahma the creator; by the possession of live-gems, as with yakshas and rakshasas; by the use of herbs, as with Gods; by the practice of yoga, as with yogis; by the miraculous power of incantations, as with a few siddhas; by the force of penance, as with some Sages; and by virtue of boons, as with the architect of the universe (Vishwakarma).

One should forget the old associations in order to make one's new conception effective, and this endures only so long as it is not obstructed by the old one. A conception is forceful unless obstructed by an antecedent one, and thus destroyed. It is effective only when forceful; in that way even great things may be achieved. 

Your conceptions do not materialize for the aforesaid reason. Therefore you must practise the focusing of thought if you desire your own creations to endure.'