Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Tripura Rahasya Day 2 – January 5, 2022 – Mysore
Compiled by Parimala Eshwarla
During that period of penance, Sumedha sustained only on roots and fruits. (During Sadhana, the sadhaka should consume only sattvik food and should totally abstain from tamasic food. Sattvik food enriches the chakras starting from Mooladhara. Consuming tamasic food causes the chakras to face downwards instead of upwards).
He was a Yogi who was filled with devotion and dedication. Having controlled the senses and having conquered the mind, he was peacefully engaged in eternal focus upon Her. With absolute faith in his Guru’s words, he relentlessly pursued his penance in the manner commanded by his Guru Parashurama.
A period of 1 year and 5 months elapsed. Due to pursuing the penance exactly as stipulated by his Guru relentlessly during this long period, he obtained worthiness. His body and senses turned totally pure. His eyes glowed with radiance. His body was light but energetic. He was moderate in eating. His speech turned sweet and melodious. His limbs turned robust. Merely by seeing him, one was filled with auspiciousness.
(If we give excuses of attending functions, falling sick, getting up late etc. and thus stay away from the daily japam, then our japa will not progress the way it should. Japa should be totally disciplined. Consume Sattvik food and engage in a few lakhs japa relentlessly, you too will attain this robustness and radiance in the eyes. You will develop contentment. Your speech will become sweet and soft).
One night, in the dream, Mother Lalitambika manifested before Sumedha who was pursuing this penance relentlessly. She, who had manifested as a 10-year-old girl, had red shining limbs that glowed like the rising Sun. She was holding the japamala and a book in her upper two hands. With her other two hands, She was showing the Abhaya mudra and Vara mudra.
(The infinite worlds and the infinite living beings are represented by the japamala. The book represents knowledge. In Abhaya mudra the fingers are upward-facing indicating ‘I will take you to the higher auspicious worlds’; in Vara mudra the fingers are facing below. It indicates, ‘You surrender completely. Then I will take you to the higher worlds’. Everything She holds is symbolic. Every limb and every weapon contains supreme significance).
Lalitamba had 3 eyes. The crescent moon was glowing on her crown. With her exquisite beauty she was like crores of Manmathas.
Taking on a body solely for blessing her devotees, she manifested before him. Seeing Her in the dream, Haritāyana (Sumedha) was ecstatic. Even in the dream he fell flat and prostrated to her. With folded hands and in a faltering voice, in great happiness, he prayed,
“O Mother! O Tripura devi! May you be victorious! You are the form of the Supreme. You are Balambika. You are very dear to the devotees. Compassion itself is your body. May you be victorious!
O Mother! In the world, in three ways and in three times you have shown the fundamental states of the objects. Hence You are known as Tripura devi.
(She shows the emergence, sustenance and dissolution of the objects).
You are the supreme refuge for Brahma and other Devatas. Even Hari, Hara, Brahma and other Gurus fail in comprehending Your glory even slightly. When they fail to even know your glory, can they ever extol it?
When Hari, Hara and other Gods themselves fail to understand or extol your glory, then, what to say of us, the ordinary humans? People of this world cannot earn the respect of others unless they serve Your holy feet.
O Devi! Devotion to your lotus feet is like Chintamani (wishfulfilling gem) and other precious gems. There is nothing surprising in saying that devotion to your feet showers far more than what the devotee seeks. O most-beautiful one! You are greater than everything and everyone.
You are Parashiva. Is there anything that remains unobtained by those who offer all their limbs and their body i.e., who offer everything in the service of Your holy feet?
Prior to creation, You exist in the natural, calm and happy state that is like the natural ocean of nectar. In the pure body that is unwavering, in the gross, subtle and causal bodies and in the waking, dream and deep sleep states, you eternally exist.
You alone existed before creation. At that time there was no sky, wind, fire, water, earth or objects such as pot, cloth etc. Knowledge, ignorance, speech and sensory objects did not exist.
Before the creation manifested, You, who are filled with limitless energy, existed as the embodiment of knowledge. You are the primordial body that is the seed for the collection of the saplings known as the different creations.
You offer protection to the supreme and auspicious beings, and sustain them while existing as the form of bliss. (Supreme beings here refer to Brahma and others. Their creation is being told).
Thereafter, O embodiment of knowledge, Your inherent form manifested and instantly the moving and non-moving beings, which were different from it, emerged.
From You, the entire creation manifested just as the waves emerge from the ocean and the pots from mud. Just as rays emerge from the Sun, and ornaments get created from gold, the entire world comprising of moving and non-moving objects emerged from You.
(The rays emerging from the Sun appear to be different from it. However in reality no difference exists between the Sun and its rays. The Sun is necessarily accompanied by illumination.
Although the ornament made from gold is only gold, it is addressed as chain, bracelet, bangle etc. Although the names are different, all ornaments are nothing but gold. Similarly, in the world, all the differences are only in name but in reality, there is no difference. This entire creation is the Supreme Self alone. Mother Goddess is the form of the Supreme Self).
O Mother! In this creation, there is nothing barring Your form. You exist in the form of the many individual souls and shine with the body known as the supreme space (Mahākasha). It is Your sport that You appear in a limited form composed of hands and feet. This is due to Your compassion for Your devotees.
(The Supreme Mother who is the Supreme Self has no form inherently. Nevertheless, all the forms are Hers. To bless Her devotees, She manifests in innumerable forms).
O Mother! This form of Yours is visible only to a very few who have a very stable devotion, pure eyes and who are engrossed in serving You. Due to serving You, the person obtains transcendental vision and will obtain the fortune to listen to the teachings of a Guru. Only a very few fortunate ones ever obtain the chance to have Your darshan. It is not easily obtained by people.
O Mother! O repository of the fortune of Shiva, the destroyer of the Tripuras! O Balamba! I bow to You. O Mother who has the dexterity to shower far more than what is sought by the devotees! I offer obeisance to You.
Salutations to You whose compassion is like the diamond that shreds mountains of miseries! Salutations to You who, in drinking the ocean called ignorance, has feet like Agastya! To you I offer obeisance”.
(With Her blessings, we obtain fortune. She showers far more than what is sought. With Her blessings, poverty and helplessness are driven away. Focussing on Her lotus feet drinks away ignorance, just as Agastya had drunk the entire ocean, says this verse).
Having extolled Mother Goddess, Sumedha, with a heart that was overflowing with love, fell flat on the ground and prostrated to Her feet. As his eyes were brimming with tears of joy and his heart was overflowing with devotion, he could not seek anything from Her.
Submerged in the ocean of love, he could not utter a word. As his eyes were filled with tears, his vision was blurred. Seeing him who was thus rendered helpless, Mother Tripura smiled gently. Then, in a deep profound voice that was filled with joy, She said, “My son!” and placed her lotus hand on his head.
Sumedha, who was already overflowing with love with her darshan, was now transported to an ocean of bliss. She then said, “O Sumedha! Quickly get up. You have achieved the accomplishment as sought by you. Without delay visit your Guru”. Having said this, She instantly vanished.
Sumedha got up from sleep and thought, ‘What is this? What had happened?’ Due to this experience in his dream, his mind had lost its natural state.
(He could not figure out whether it was a dream or whether it was real. In such situations a Guru becomes essential. That is why, Mother Goddess directed him to his Guru).
Recollecting Her divine form and nectareous words, and feeling each second to be millions of years, Sumedha went to the river to bathe. As his mind was totally fixed on recollecting the dream, he even forgot to perform his Sandhya Vandana. He then laughed at his folly and completed all the daily ordained duties.
He then thought, ‘I am unable to decipher whether my dream is real or false. I also do not know the reason for the dream. The enlightened do not believe in a dream as they consider it to be illusory. Trusting this dream, what should I say to my Guru when I see Him? However, in the dream, Mother Goddess has commanded me to visit Him. How can I transgress her orders?
Oho! This situation is throwing me into a quandary. Whatever may happen I will not go to my Guru. May that Mother forgive me!’
Having concluded thus, Sumedha completed the remaining obligatory duties. He then heard an unseen (celestial) voice, ‘My son! Listen. It is wrong to not have faith in Mother’s words. Her words are always true. They can never be false’.
Hearing these words that came from the totally clear space, Sumedha was ecstatic. He instantly fell to the ground and offered prostrations and proceeded to meet his Guru Parashurama.
After offering reverential prostrations to his Guru’s feet, he narrated everything that had taken place in his ashram. Smilingly Guru Parashurama said, “My son! You are truly fortunate to have obtained the vision of Mother Tripura in your dream. There is none more fortunate than you.
That Supreme Mother is extremely pleased with you. Even I have witnessed the dream which you have seen. With the Yogic vision, you will now understand everything”.
Thereafter, at an auspicious time, Guru Parashurama imparted to his disciple Sumedha, in minute detail, the entire knowledge of Srividya. He taught to Sumedha, who was bound to the sacred disciplines (deeksha), the historical Tripura Rahasya which he had previously learnt from Dattatreya, which grants immense merit, which is the most supreme among the bhāgavatas, which is filled with the essence of the tantras, which was personally taught by Lord Shiva himself and which is most supreme.
Thereafter he said, “My son Sumedha! My Guru Dattatreya had commanded me to take great effort to retain this supreme Srividya secretively. I have taught to you this entire Srividya as commanded by him. Never teach this knowledge to the atheists. Worship the Mother Goddess in the method taught by me. After obtaining her blessings, compose this into a text and teach it to the deserving disciples. This was my Guru’s command to me. Guru’s words never become untrue”.
He then blessed his disciple who had prostrated to him. Sumedha circumabulated thrice around his Guru. He then went to Hālasyapura, the place where Sundareshwara’s wife Meenakshi resides. (Previously Madhurai was known as Hālasyapura).
There, near the River Vegavati (today the river is called Vegai) on the banks of a pond filled with lotuses (Padmasarovara), Sumedha undertook extensive penance seeking the grace of Mother Tripurambika. The great devotee Sumedha, who was totally immersed in the meditation of Mother Goddess Lalitamba, followed the dictates of the Shastras and, adhering to the practices of Yama, Niyama etc. and conquering the senses, worshipped her perfectly.
With his mind fixed on her in total meditation, he worshipped her daily. In this way, he spent 5 years exclusively devoted to his austerities.
Sumedha, who was thus totally immersed in meditation, one morning in his heart saw Shiva who was fair like camphor, who had worn matted locks, who had applied Vibhuti on his body and who was gently playing the Veena.
Startled, Sumedha thought, ‘What is this that I am seeing? It is surprising?!’ He then opened his eyes and saw Maharishi Narada standing before him.
Instantly he stood up and respectfully offered a seat to Maharishi Narada. After seating him properly, he prostrated to him and then, joining his palms, in great happiness coupled with humility, he said,
“O Devarishi! I welcome you. Forgive me for my mistake. As I was immersed in meditation, I could not see you who were standing before me. The arrival of Mahatmas becomes the cause for limitless fortune. I have been rendered truly fortunate by your arrival here. O Supreme among the Maharishis! Merely with your darshan all my desires are fulfilled. Yet, I seek to ask you something.
O Brahmarishi! I have a big doubt. Although you were standing outside of me, how could I see you in my heart? I am unable to fathom the cause for it. Mahatmas are always filled with equal-mindedness and feeling of love for the helpless. If you think that I am worthy to obtain an answer for my query, then with compassion please reveal the answer to me.”
Hearing Haritāyana’s words, Maharishi Narada, who is always eager to benefit the world, who knows the past, present and future, laughingly said,
Srimātre namah