Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Tripura Rahasya Day 7 – January 10, 2022 – Mysore
Compiled by Parimala Eshwarla
Chapter 6
Parashurama saw the supreme, brilliant Datta swami whose body effulgence was comparable to the black stalk of the tender tāmala flower. His eyes resembled a blossomed lotus. His face glowed like the Full moon. His lips were glowing like red corals.
The effulgence from his pure smile illumined all directions. The glow from his two rows of teeth outshined the glow from the row of big pearls. His cheeks were robust. His nose was shining. His neck had three lines. He had long arms. His hands were like sprouting leaves. His chest was raised and broad. He had a very thin waist and the presence of three lines indicated its existence. His thighs were like the elephant’s trunk and his lotus feet glowed like lotuses.
Seeing this auspicious form of Datta, Parashurama prayed to him mentally.
With a youthful and handsome body, Datta appeared to cause women to be smitten with love instantly on seeing him. His limbs were strong due to their youthfulness.
A woman, whose eyes were reddish due to intoxication caused by drinking liquor, was embracing him. Parashurama was puzzled seeing a huge pitcher filled with liquor kept before them. Datta however was dressed like an ascetic. Seeing these contradictory signs, Parashurama turned doubtful.
‘What is this? This Rishi, who is a Mahatma, appears very strange. His behaviour is strange like honey mixed with poison. Surely Mahatmas behave strangely in this world. On one hand, their external behaviour fills one with awe. On the other, their inner acts are very joyful. People like me cannot decipher their deeds. They appear like madmen.
But I know that Samvarta Mahamuni will never utter words that serve no purpose. Further, a great Rishi who is tranquil is seated at the entrance of this ashram to shower blessings on others. Such a great, aged Rishi, who is an epitome of calmness, would never seek shelter under an ordinary being.
Further, many Mahatmas who are filled with purity (sattva) surround this great man. Hence, what I see appears to be an illusion. I am not seeing the reality. The essence that exists within will be totally different from what is visible externally.
Good and bad are only creations of the mind. Whatever it may be, this ancient man is my Guru. There is no doubt about this. I do not step back from a resolve I make’.
The wise Parashurama thus concluded and with a calm mind continued to stand there. Seeing him, who was standing there in all humility, Guru Datta uttered melodious words filled with astonishing meanings.
He said, “O Parashurama! Welcome. Are you in good health? (How can one who has mental turmoil have good health? Not only physically but even mentally we should not be diseased. Only when a person is healthy mentally, we can conclude that he is in good health. If physically he is healthy, but mentally he is not, how can he be addressed as healthy?)
Are all the cows, brahmins, creepers, grains and trees in your ashram doing well? (Datta was asking as if he knew nothing when in reality he knew everything that had happened in Parashurama’s life).
Are you offering proper services to the guests who visit your ashram? Are you conducting fire rituals properly?
O Brahmarishi! Is the study of the Vedas and other activities taking place at the stipulated times in your ashram? Are you quickly conquering the enemies called sensory cravings that arise in your body at inappropriate times? (Are you conquering the enemy called sensory desires that torment the mind? Through this questioning, Datta was indicating that perhaps Parashurama had not conquered them.)
With your penance, have you obtained many meritorious worlds? With your penance, learning, capacities, celibacy and Brahmincal glow, I hope you are enhancing the reputation of the Bhargava lineage.
Why have you come to me? (Why do you, who are so great, come to me?)
Virtuous people like you should never seek shelter under people like me. One accomplishes the four goals of life by abandoning the desire for sensory objects and conquering them. Accomplishing the four goals is the ultimate fruit of this life’s journey. Those who, without accomplishing those goals, remain inclined only to earn wealth and fulfil desires, are living corpses.
(Datta implies- why did you come to me when I have not conquered the senses and mental agitations?)
The deluded humans who, due to greed for wealth remain engrossed in futile activities, remain tied to the string like puppets and fail to obtain the eternal bliss called Self’s bliss.
For the person who seeks Self-knowledge (liberation), taste (tongue) and reproductory organ are the biggest and most powerful enemies. These two organs have caused many to fall. He who conquers these two organs has conquered everything.
(Datta implies- Look at me. I have not conquered them both. I have a liquor pot before me and am surrounded by women).
He who has not conquered these two organs is undoubtedly worthy of condemnation. I am tied to the senses and am treading this forbidden path which is condemned by Vedantins and by those learned in Self-knowledge. Hence the virtuous do not seek shelter in me.
Liquor destroys reasoning capacity and hence the virtuous condemn it. Courtesans are very condemnable. I drink liquor and associate with courtesans. Hence, the virtuous have rejected me and gone away.
This being the case, why have you approached a person like me? I seek to know this. Tell me the truth. I will be satisfied after hearing your reply”.
Parashurama was astonished to hear these words. He recollected his meeting with Muni Samvarta and concluded that even this Rishi was speaking thus only to conceal his real form.
He thought, ‘Perhaps Dattatreya Swami is tired of lustful and wicked people like me. But I know that the ever-compassionate Samvarta will never utter lies to me’. Having concluded thus, he bowed to Datta swami and said,
“O worshipful one! Left with no recourse, I have sought refuge in you, the ocean of compassion. Please do not doubt my devotion and faith. Totally tied to this samsara, I am rotating in this fearsome path and my heart is being burnt by the fiery flames called sorrow.
When the intense heat of the mid-noon scorching Sun called desires had left me miserable and directionless, my good fortune ensured that I received help from Samvarta Avadhoota. This helped me tread the right path.
Samvarta Muni is like the wish-fulfilling tree that eternally showers nectar. He is worthy of being served. By the power of his words, I have obtained you and have come here to serve you. With your grace and teachings, I shall obtain the right fruit.
O Gurudeva! Considering you as my sole protector and placing full trust in you, I have come here. I know about you. You are the Guru. Be it good or bad, I shall hold on only to the path of Guru. I too shall follow your path.
Guru himself is Paramashiva. He causes Self-knowledge to arise in all. What work will I have with the wicked who cannot grant Self-knowledge? What do I gain by holding on to them?
What is it that can be gained by acquiring wealth, children, house, wife, villages etc. that cannot grant Self-knowledge? (What is the use of having them all but not having Guru’s blessings?) Self-knowledge itself is the real fruit. There is nothing to be gained from other fruits.
What is it that an ignorant obtains from material riches? Just as a blind man gains nothing from hundreds of burning lamps, the ignorant gains nothing from innumerable material riches. O ocean of compassion! Show pity on me”.
Hearing Parashurama’s words, Datta Swami, the great Muni who is compassionate towards the downtrodden, pleasantly said,
“My son, Parashurama! You have reasoned out very nicely. Obtaining the Self itself is the highest. But it cannot be searched and obtained. It fills me with surprise when it is said that humans search for Self-knowledge. This is because they are very rare to find.
Do not consider your efforts at obtaining Self-knowledge as lowly. It is very rare to come across a person who searches for Self-knowledge.
Obtaining Self-knowledge is the ultimate and the most supreme fruit of human birth. Self-knowledge alone is the real and permanent fruit.
Humans are always inclined towards trivial sensory pleasures that are like magic. Unable to obtain rest or happiness in them, they get bound to the noose called time, succumb to death and travel from one body to another. Thus, they get trapped in this endless cycle of rebirths.
Just as people who are trapped in a rotating wheel wastefully rotate up, down and middle based on its movements, similarly beings move from one body to another.
I am pleased with your unswerving faith. Tell me, why have you come here? What do you seek from me?”
In great delight, Parashurama bowed to Datta swami, sat down, cupped his palms and sweetly said,
“O revered Guru! If you, the supreme one, are pleased, then there is nothing in this world or the next that cannot be obtained. Just as a person who is searching for precious gems comes across a mountain of gems, I have found you.
O Gurudeva! For a long time, I have fallen into this worldly life but have not obtained even the slightest respite or happiness. Caught in the fiery flames called desires and anger, I have spent a very long time on this path. Yet, I have not obtained even the slightest mental peace.
In this world, the mighty fire called desires burns everyone including women, men, animals, birds, rich, poor, emperors, the different types of serpents, demons, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Siddhas, Vidyadharas, as well as Indra and other Devatas.
Hence O Lord! Just as the elephant standing in the Ganga obtains peace even when the entire forest around it is burning, please ensure that I awaken with the initiation obtained from you, and without getting trapped in the fire called worldly afflictions, I remain at peace”.
When Parashurama thus pleaded, Datta Swami uttered words that brought great delight to him. He said, “O Parashurama! Listen to my words that lead to the ultimate auspiciousness sought by you.
O Bhargava! You have truly obtained the compassion of Mother Goddess. The merit that you have accumulated across many births has now borne fruit.
With trivial actions, this type of auspicious fruit can never be obtained. Supreme is the fruit of your meritorious deeds.
It is my opinion that you are seeking the rarest well-being that exists. Barring Jnana-yoga, it cannot be obtained through any other means.
The Supreme Lord Paramashiva exists as the Self within all beings. Coming under the influence of illusion, when the individual soul begins to doubt its complete energies, he too doubts them and fails to remember his supreme form as the Supreme Self.
This is the truth that should be known. There is nothing barring this. Bhāsana (shining) and bhāna (light) are the same. The shine is not different from the light. The power of the light is the shine.
The Supreme Lord is an embodiment of light and illumination. That Supreme Lord who is eternal and non-dual, with his pure energy manifests in varied forms and wanders everywhere.
Only His existence is the real existence. Although He is Self-luminous, due to ignorance he appears to be non-luminous.
Hence, when ignorance in you dies down due to attaining knowledge about Him, then like the elephant in Ganga you will experience contentment within and outside.
Barring this, there are no other means to douse this fiery fire called worldly afflictions. It is very difficult to obtain the knowledge of the Supreme. Further, it remains beyond the comprehension of those who lack sense-control.
Those who do not obtain the grace of Tripura devi cannot obtain Self-knowledge. Hence it is imperative for all to first worship Tripura devi. Unless one has devotion, he cannot obtain a chance to serve Her.
To develop devotion towards Her, one must listen to Her glories. There is no path barring this. Hence the humans should, with total dedication, listen to the glories of Mother Tripura devi. They must extoll Her too.
If Her stories are heard daily, She will be pleased and will bless the person with steady devotion. With that devotion, if he serves Her, he will obtain the fearless state. This state of fearlessness cannot be obtained through any other means. Hence with extreme dedication and faith, one must listen to Her glories.
Like the wish-fulfilling tree, listening to Her divine glories fulfils all the desires of the person. She will also bestow Self-knowledge upon the person.
Sri matre namah