Tripura Rahasyam – Discourse of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Sri Devi Navaratri Day 3 – Oct 3, 2016 – Mysore
Compiled by: Bala Aati
Om… Om… Om….
Tripura Rahasya is glorious Atma Vilasa which teaches us Atma Tatva. It answers the question ‘Who am I’ ? That which tells this is Atma Vilasa and this is Tripura Rahasya. Rahasya here doesn’t mean secret. Since it cannot be understood easily by everyone, it is named as Rahasya. We do not completely know about the Sun and the solar system. We only know what ever Science tells us. No one can go to that loka nor bear that temperature. Similarly, no one knows the depth of an ocean. Hence, it is called rahasya or secret. The one which cannot be known, one which is difficult to know is named as Rahasya. Dense forests where there is no single beam of sunlight is also referred to as rahasya. It is not about secret. Since we are unable to understand, we say it is a secret. Same is the case with Atma Tatva. Tripura Devi Herself taught this Atma Tatva through Dattatreya to Samvartha maharshi. He is the first disciple for this. He is great tapaswi and a great man. For such a person, Dattatreya taught Atma Tatva.
Parasurama has a great relationship with both Devi and Dattatreya. Though Parasurama is another form of Vishnu’s incarnation, as he has taken form on this earth, with its mere touch, he has fallen in the circle of Karma. Same is the case with Rama and Krishna also. Even Paramatma cannot escape from Karma on earth. He too gets into sorrows.
Krishna, who is Lord Vishnu Himself had to live amidst Kouravas and Pandavas, facing insults. He is Purushottama and the protector of the world. Such Lord has even taken the blame of a thief. The saviour and the ruler of all the worlds Himself had to face this Karma on earth because of Bhu-Sparsha – effect of being born on the Earth. In Rama avatara also, the minute He incarnated on earth and touched it, He had to face many difficulties. Such is the power of Bhu Sparsha. This happened in all the incarnations of Vishnu like Matsya, Kurma avataras also. Among all the 14 worlds, Bhuloka, the earth is Karma bhumi – a place of Karma. All those who incarnated on earth have taken this Karma and could not escape from ignorance, sorrow, Samsara and Karma. Parasurama is an example for this. Only Dattatreya is an exception for this since He has not taken the direct form of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara but He has taken a portion of each of these forms and incarnated into one. Hence He is called Deva Guru. He is Guru for both demons and Gods. He is Deva Deva Guru, Adi Guru, Anaadi Guru, Parama Guru, Parameshti Guru, Paratpara Guru and Parampara Guru. It is Dattatreya alone on this earth who has taken incarnation yet is untouched by any karmas, sins or scandal.
Parasurama after facing all such troubles, felt the need to have Divya Gnana and Atma Gnana. Parasurama when faced the defeat in the hands of Sri Rama, felt the distress and started to ponder on ‘Who am I’ ? Despite conquering all the worlds, he could not escape the sorrow of Samsara. Inspite of being one of the form of Paramatma, when Parasurama felt this, Dattatreya first indirectly taught him through Samvartha avadhoota and then preached him directly. This was the story we spoke yesterday. Parasurama goes to Sahyadri mountains and seeks knowledge of worshipping Tripura Devi from Dattatreya.
The main lesson here is that no one can escape from Karma when born on earth. This happenend to the Lord in all His incarnations. He faced many difficulties in Rama avatara, Krishna avatara. Even in Kurma avatara and Matsya avatara also, this was the case. Vamana avatara and Narasimha avatara also were not exceptions. He had to take a weird form of animal and human together and incarnated from a pillar to protect Prahlada. This shows that no one is an exception to face Karma. If this is the case with incarnations, what about us who are born in this Karma bhumi ? We are also covered with ignorance, Avidya, forgetfulness, lust, anger, delusion, greed etc. We may think we are great in upasana, dharma and so on. But humans are tiny in these. Since Dattatreya has taken form of all three aspects of creation, maintenance and dissolution, He is untouched by Karma. Your Swamiji also did not have Bhu-Sparsha. When born, immediately He has fallen into water. Much later He had Bhu-Sparsha and then all these karmas surrounded Him. Till such time He was floating on water, Swamiji also was untouched by karmas. It would have been nice if those tribals had left me that way. Don’t know what would have happened with this incarnation. That baby Swamiiji would have wandered in water in the form of Gandharva. The moment the tribals picked me and placed on the floor, I had the knowledge of mother and the earth. With the touch of this Karma Bhumi, Swamiji also started behaving like a human. Because, I should be amongst you. Right ? So this happened. So, everyone on this earth has to face Karma. After the defeat by Sri Rama, Parasurama realised that having ego itself is samsara which leads to sorrow. He realised that all the victories he had till such time are all temperory and went in search of Sadguru and found Samvartha and through him Dattatreya. Parasurama when approached Dattatreya, he was not given upadesha immediately. It was first given through Samvartha.
When we think positive, results also will be positive. Even criticism also should be in a constructive manner. Two three people sit together and will criticise someone. This leads to negative thoughts ending up in negative results. They also will have negative experiences due to this. Always encourage positive critisicm. Talk positive about others. Do not entertain negative conversation. When you talk positive, you will have positive thoughts. This develops good traits both in us and also in the person whom you are talking about. All this leads to positive result. Two people sit and tease others. By doing so, these people will catch that negativity. Talk positive about others. Never criticise others.
Kalika is lotus eyed. She destroys wickedness in us, the wickedness of jelousy, desires, hunger, lies etc. We suffer with these in every walk of our life. By mere doing Kali bhajan, she helps us cross these with a ship called her tongue. She licks and washes away all these evils in us with her tongue. She removes the sins of Kali yuga. She is the form of Trimurthis. We have already spoken that where ever Trimurthis are there together, there are no karmas. They remove our sins. Kali mata feels happy for the bird chirps. She lives whereever birds chirp. She lives in their cage. She is in the form of ‘Kleem’ beejakshara – the seed letter. She is on a horse and is pure. She protects earth in the form of Varahi and protection is a play for her. She bestows results to everyone as per their efforts. She is the one who created many universes. She is the sister of Keshava. All the universes were self born in her creation. She killed Kaitabha and yet she is sensitive. Her body is soft. She is in the form of Kumara Shakthi. Kumara Shakthi removes all sins and gives knowledge. It gives wealth and happiness. She has given boon to Brahma Himself. Only Guru is capable of describing her glory and no one else can do it. To know about her, to learn her tatva, we seek refuge in Sachchidananda Sadguru. By seeing the knowledge, we must gain knowledge and this is the quality of a true Guru. For all those who come to Guru with desires, Guru remains as Guru but not for them. By a mere glance at Guru, those who thinks of knowledge and salvation, Guru will be Guru for such people alone. If you approach a Guru for mere material pleasures, He cannot be a Guru for you though He is a great Guru. He is only one who shows solution to your problems and you are unfit for gaining knowledge through Him. Whenever you see your Guru, happiness sprouts out of you and you remain in that stillness and feel vairagya. Only such a person who gives this feeling to you is your Guru. You might just wander around Him for sometime but at some point or the other, you will have this feeling at your true Guru. Who ever sings the glory of Kali mata will gain knowledge for sure.
Parasurama asked a good question to Dattatreya. O ! Gurudeva ! As per your instructions, I have worshipped Tripura Devi. She is ever glowing in my heart. O ! Paramatma ! I have a doubt. Samvartha laughed at the activities of this world. He also enjoyed the nectar of happiness. How did he attain this state ? He is ever happy but had hit me with stones. How was that possible. Dattatreya replied, Rama ! by the grace of Tripura Mata, you had this good doubt.
Usually, if someone laughs for no reason, we stamp them as insane. But it is a state of happiness. In many families, some children are born with such qualities. They laugh within themselves. They sleep in some corner. It is a great pain for the mother taking care of such children, giving them food, making them bathe and so on. Sometimes they feel like killing them but they cannot. Those children are born with such state due to some previous birth’s worship. It is a state of happiness. We see so many such stories in Datta Purana, Datta Darshan and Guru Samhita.
Dattatreya continued – Rama, with the grace of Tripura Mata, you had this doubt. Since you had a good question and enquired about an Avadhoota, this question removes your sorrows. We only criticise and due to this we end up in sorrows. When we think of good things, sorrow vanishes.
Tripura Devi is in all beings in the form of ether. She is all pervasive. She removes the series of deaths to those who surrender to Her with devotion and takes them to the supreme abode. Look at this world in which everyone became insensate due to Karma. A drunkard sleeps out of drowsiness due to the drink he had. But we all fell asleep into lethargy out of illusion and are living in this illusion. We are true drunkards. Right from ancient period, this world is drowned in the poison called Karma and is unable to see the right path. To make you understand more clearly, let me tell you a story – said Dattatreya and continued thus :
Once, few travellers reached Vindhya mountain. They were hungry and did not have anything to eat and were becoming unconscious. To satify their hunger, they plucked some poisonous fruits from a tree and ate them not knowing that it is poison. The poison got into their body and they became insane. They started fighting with each other, abusing each other and fell down into a pit. They were injured. Trying to recover, they reached a town during midnight. The gate keepers of the town stopped them from entering into that place thinking that they are insane. The travellers started fighting with the gate keepers who in turn drove them away. They fell in the pits around the compound wall of that place and some were detained. Similarly people in the world also are being detained by Karma hoping that they are doing something good. To satify hunger, they ate poisonous fruits and invited more troubles. The solution for this is to ponder about good deeds. Spirituality is the good path for this. Enough of all your materialistic thoughts. Start thinking about spirituality. Else you will fall down again and again. Many people do not even attempt to think about it. They don’t think about Guru for fun also till their death. How can they be benefitted ?
Such noble thoughts have to come in this birth only. Dont wait for many more to come. Look at the example of demons and Gods. Demons didn’t have a second thought of enquiry and died due to this where as Gods looked out for the ways to gain nectar and remained happy. They took refuge in Lord Vishnu and gained happiness. One who constatnly enquires will attain the supreme. With this enquiry alone, the Trimurthis are being worshipped. When lost out of that state, even Trimurthis also are falling into troubles. So, whoever constantly enquires about Knowledge will become mahatmas. It is not a one time effort but has to be continued. For this, keep listening to Sadguru’s words of knowledge constantly. Dattatreya Himself prostrates to such people because they become form of Atma. Enquiring on the good and bad, people get way from troubles.
Worshipping mother is the source for getting this enquiry. Like the Sun in the sky, she glows in the hearts of those who contemplate. Who ever constantly thinks of pleasures till their death are losing. Many people do not contemplate. Till their last days they keep thinking of family, son, daughter, grand children etc. I keep telling them to stop it. How long do you continue this ? You have a son, you have taken care of him, got him married and he has a son. Why are you bothered about his son ? He will take care of him. Don’t get into that circle. Your grand children also will laugh at you. You keep on asking about them, did he pass the exam, did he pass the exam ? Your heart is becoming into pieces. Why do you bother about his passing ? Did your grand mother bother for you ? Why are you doing it to your grand children ? Start thinking about Guru. Swamiji told this to many people during personal interviews. They came back to me next time saying those words gave them peace of mind and they are happy now. If I raise that topic, they themselves will condemn. They feel grateful to me. Your son will take care of his child. See Paramatma in that child and that is enough for you.
Unless you have fear, you cannot contemplate. Atma Gnana comes with this contemplation – said Datta Swami to Parasurama. May you all understand these teachings of Dattatreya and may you contemplate on the tatva of Tripura Mata. I bless you all !
Jaya Guru Datta ! Sri Guru Datta !