Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Tripura Rahasya Day 8 – January 11, 2022 – Mysore
Compiled by Parimala Eshwarla
Chapter 7
Parashurama who heard Datta Swami’s words was delighted. In a pleasant voice, he enquired, “O Guru deva! You have said that everything is attained by worshipping Tripura Devi with total devotion. What is Her form? What is her nature? In what does She seek shelter? Please explain this to me in detail”.
(Understand that for our benefit Parashurama asked this question to Dattatreya, who is an embodiment of Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva).
When Parashurama thus questioned, Dattatreya Swami was submerged in an ocean called Her greatness. He meditated upon the Supreme Mother, bowed to Her and in great delight pleasantly said,
“O Rama! Who can ever narrate Her greatness completely? Even Brahma and other Lords of the worlds who are omniscient and competent fail in knowing about Her or Her residence. No one can describe Her form. Even the Vedas, Shastras, Tantras and Agamas fail in describing Her glories. Even directly visible (pratyaksha), inference (anumana) and other proving tools fail in deciphering Her complete state.
Just as fire sparks cannot travel into the fire, no proof can reach Her. She is the embodiment of all mothers. She cannot be known through Tarka and other logical reasoning tools. All Shastras and Puranas state that only with the personal experience ‘asmi-I exist’ She should be known.
Vedas and Shastras declare that the universal mother assumed a body only for Her sport, that She is the one who measures all the tools used to establish proof. (Hence how can one explain about Her completely? To know about Her one must go to the other side and perceive from there. But She is the one who exists even there). She is the embodiment of consciousness.
That Parashakti has assumed a body only for Her transcendental sport. There is no limit to Her greatness. It is possible to count the atoms on earth but it is impossible to know the multitude of Her glory in totality. Yet, I shall narrate a little of the essence of the story of Mother Tripura. Listen to it attentively.
Once, the primordial Lord Narayana (Adi Narayana), who has a body that is comprised of the sattva guna (absolute pure aspect) of Mother Tripura, was reclining on the serpent bed in the milk-ocean. His feet that are being pressed by Mother Lakshmi have a reddish hue due to the touch of her hands. His body is beautiful due to the glow of the many blue sapphires.
On His waist, shines a beautiful golden-yellow garment which is like the streak of lightning amidst the dense rain-bearing clouds. It is delightful to look at. His chest is broad and projected outside. On it, shines the Srivatsa mark.
Attracted by the sweet fragrance of the Tulasi garland that adorns His chest, swarms of bees encircle it which makes it appear as if the lustre from his dark blue body is collectively being emitted out.
He has very long and stout arms in which He is holding the conch, discus, mace and lotus. His face is radiant like the glowing Fullmoon. His lips are red as the tindora fruit. He has a beautiful nose. With all his shining limbs, He glows divinely.
On His ears, glitter the crocodile shaped earrings. The glow from his eyes outshines the glow of the blossomed lotus. His thick long hair resembles a huge swarm of bees. His head is decorated with a crown made of precious gems.
While being served by Prahlada and other ardent devotees, while repeatedly glancing lovingly at Goddess Lakshmi, while resting leisurely in the milk ocean, He is eternally focussed on protecting the entire creation.
Once the creator Lord Brahma visited the milk ocean. In various ways, he extolled the primordial Lord Vishnu and took his seat. A little later, Indra and other Gods, whose eyes had turned red due to an altercation amongst themselves arrived there.
They bowed to Brahma and Lakshmi’s husband Srihari. Thereafter with Vishnu’s permission, they took their seats. Prodded by his assistant Sunanda, Indra revealed the reason behind their altercation.
He said, “O Purushottama! I shall narrate the cause behind our altercation. Once, in the assembly of the Devatas, I had said, ‘I am Indra. The entire world is in my control. I am the Lord of all Yagnas. Varuna, Agni (Fire-god), Vayu (wind-god) and others are all in my control. Hence, I am the most supreme. There is none superior to me’.
Hearing my words, Agni said, ‘O Indra! You are wastefully furthering your arrogance. I am the most superior in the creation and the best among the Devatas. Among you all, I am the most superior. All of you sustain on the offerings (in the sacrificial fire) that I bring. In my absence, Yagnas cannot be conducted. Transforming into Rudra’s eye, I burn down the entire creation. Therefore O Indra! Abandon this wasteful ignorance. Along with others, worship me. Else you cannot remain alive’.
Hearing these words, Chandra (Moon-god) said, ‘Do not become ignorant. Indeed, everyone sustains only on food. It is due to my grace that food is born. Without my grace, no crop will emerge. If I turn my face away, the entire creation will be deprived of foodgrains and will get destroyed in a second. Indra, Agni and all Devatas are sustaining due to the nectar that emerges from my body. Hence, do not get destroyed due to your useless arrogance’.
These words enraged Vayu (wind-god). He said, ‘O Chandra! Why do you utter wasteful words? Within a second, I can destroy Indra, Chandra, Agni and all other Devatas as well as the entire creation that comprises of humans, demons etc. Do you not realize me to be the destroyer? Angered with your mistake, if I begin destroying the creation, these Indra, Chandra and others cannot protect it.
Why waste time in many words? If I get angry, even the Trinity will cease to exist. My friend Agni will support me when I am thus angered. Propelled by me, he will burn down the entire creation.
Then I, the supremely powerful one, will destroy the entire creation. Can anything move without my grace? Hence I am the most supreme. There is none superior to me’.
In this way, a quarrel broke out in the assembly of the Devatas. Some in that assembly supported Agni, while some supported Chandra. Some supported Vayu and the remaining supported me.
In this way, O Lord, a debate broke out among the Devatas. Some Devatas who were involved in that quarrel took up their weapons and got ready to fight. Then, Guru Brihaspati, who was present there pacified us by saying,
“O Devatas! Do not bring your ruin. Listen to me carefully. In this context, Janardana, who resides in the milk ocean, knows the truth. He is the infinite Lord. Hence all of you meet the Supreme Lord Purushottama and obtain the right answer from him’.
Hence, we have arrived here. O Devadeva! Kindly dispel our doubt. Whenever the Devatas are troubled, you protect them”- Indra and the Devatas thus beseeched Vishnu.
For a long time, Vishnu thought deeply about pacifying them. ‘Each of these Devatas firmly believes that his side is the most powerful. Each of them believes that I will support him. Hence, I cannot pacify them with my words’- thinking thus, he meditated upon Ishwara (Shiva).
Thus invited by Vishnu through the process of meditation, Shiva, manifested there. Along with Ambika, he was seated on a bull.
His head was glowing with the presence of Ganga who was like the garland of Malati flowers that decorated his head. The fire that emanated from his third eye located on the forehead illumined all directions.
His forehead was bright due to the three lines of Vibhuti (tripundra) on it. His cheeks were shining due to the reflection of the gem on the head of the serpent that was coiled.
He was looking lovingly at his wife Gowri and bringing her great delight. His chest was filled with many Rudraksha chains. In his hands, he held the deer, axe, the varamudra (symbol depicting showering of boons) and abhaya mudra (symbol depicting fearlessness).
His waist that was adorned with tiger skin was glowing. The elephant hide was his upper garment. The Vibhuti that he had smeared on his body was filling the eyes and mind with delight.
He was fair like a mountain of camphor. On a throne made of the Navaratnas that was placed on the bull, he was seated in Padmasana pose. His lotus feet glowed with the radiance of lotuses.
He is the aspect of tamas of Mother Tripura Devi. He is Maheshwara, the destroyer of the world. He was being served by the Pramatha Ganas, Bana and other supreme devotees.
When Shiva manifested before them, Vishnu along with all the Devatas stood up instantaneously. They bowed to him and offered him reverential worship. Shiva then dismounted from the bull and lovingly embraced Vishnu. Then, along with Vishnu and other Devatas, he too took his seat.
He understood the opinion of the Devatas and cast a glance at them who were boiling in rage. Thereafter, seeking the wellbeing of the worlds, Shiva prayed to Mother Tripura, the creator of the worlds.
With totally pure minds, Vishnu and Brahma joined him in those prayers. When the Trinity, who are the causal persons (Karana Purusha) of the creation, remembered her, that primordial energy (Parashakti) manifested for the protection of the universe.
At that time there was a terrible tumultuous thunder-like sound. Along with the sound that reverberated across the entire universe, suddenly the North-eastern direction illumined extremely fiercely as if crores of lightning had struck simultaneously.
Due to that tumultuous frightening sound and the wonderous effulgence, Indra, Agni and other Devatas turned blind and deaf. Unable to withstand that illumination, sound and lightning, they trembled violently and fell to the ground like uprooted trees and fainted.
They were no longer aware of the clothes and the ornaments that were slipping from their bodies. Flagging their hands and feet, they fell in groups. A few who sought to escape from there could not run. They too fell here and there.
When the Devatas thus swooned, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva saw a humungous supreme effulgence that had pervaded all directions. That effulgence had no beginning, middle and end. They saw a single effulgence that had enveloped all the worlds.
Covering all the worlds beginning from Patala and illumining everything including the space, that effulgence was like that of a crore Suns. The Trinity realized that this unparalleled brilliance was nothing but the grand sport of Parashakti, who is none other than Tripura Devi.
They fell to the ground and prostrated to Her and surrendered to Her. Thereafter again and again they extolled Her glories and prayed to Her.
Sri mātre Namah
Chapter 8
With a mind that overflowed with delight, Brahma, the grandfather of the entire creation, with total devotion prayed to Her, “O Mother of all universes! Victory to you. Victory to you. O most-supreme of all! O dispeller of the sorrow of all devotees! O embodiment of knowledge who resides within every heart! Victory to You. Victory to You.
To You, O mother, by the sportive movement of whose eyebrows, we, the Trinity, can execute the creation, sustenance, dissolution of the universes and other tasks, I offer obeisance.
O, Mother! I create the universe. Vishnu protects it. Rudra annihilates it. Ishwara is the cause for its withdrawal (tirodhana). O Mother, only with a speck of Your energy we can complete these tasks.
You are the cause for everything. Seeking shelter in Your lotus feet, Sadashiva showers blessings on everyone. Hence You are worshipful for everyone.
In the forms of Vāmā, Jyeshta, Roudri etc., You have stationed us in our respective positions in which we presently exist. In Your form as Ambika, You exist separate from us in the fourth (Turiya) state.
O Mother! After absorbing space, when You exist in Your original form, without You we turn into 5 great corpses. O Mother of the universe! Taking on an astonishing form, during all difficulties, just as a mother protects her children, You protect us.
We three who are born from Your Sattva, Rajas and Tamo gunas are even more primordial than all the worlds. You exist even before us. Hence You are known as Tripura”.
Brahma thus prayed to Her and, with total devotion while thinking of Her, prostrated to Her.
Then, in a faltering voice and with total devotion, Vishnu, the Lord who is draped in yellow silken garments, prayed to Her using words that contained deep secretive meanings.
He said, “O, Mother! We are born from each of Your traits. At all times, and with great vigilance, we carry out Your orders. Hence we always seek devotion to Your lotus feet.
O Maheshwari! Only because You exist, all objects illumine with differences in form and characteristics and with many different energies. Without You, nothing can exist in this world. O, Mother! You are the cause for everything. The space, wind, fire, water, earth, all moving and non-moving forms attain eternal glory only due to Your glory.
The directions, time, real and unreal are all Your forms alone. There is nothing barring You. All of us starting from Brahma, who has earned repute as the Lord of the world, have secured protection at the base of Your feet and due to serving You, remain powerful. O, Devi! Salutations to Your holy feet that are filled with such power.
Your transcendental form is supreme. It is not perceivable by the senses. O empress of the universe! Even Upanishads remain stupefied about You and fail to describe completely Your glory. When Upanishads themselves fail in describing Your glory, then how can we describe you perfectly?
O, Mother! Due to distancing from serving Your lotus feet, all sins have attached to me. Now, with a pure mind and with nectareous words, I pray to You, who are most supreme.
O, Mother! You are all-knowing. Vedas declare that Your Saguna Roopa is composed of three attributes. Hence You, the most compassionate one, take on an effulgent body only for our benefit. Only due to the power obtained by serving Your feet, we can witness this transcendental form of Yours that is filled with supreme effulgence.
Please forgive Indra and other Devatas for their defect. For elimination of that impurity, please take on a visible form”.
Vishnu thus extolled Mother Goddess and then, submerged in the milk-ocean called devotion, remained silently watching Her. He saw nothing but Her.
Thereafter, with cupped hands and with total devotion Ishwara prayed, “O Parameshwari! Salutations to You. Hari, Hara, Brahma and other Devatas present here have worshipped You. Hence among the Devatas, there is none superior to You. You are the most supreme.
Fie on the deluded humans who fail to understand this. They are like animals. Instead of serving the most-supreme Goddess who is the ruler for all, they wastefully hold on to the Devatas who are filled with desire. It is like abandoning the wish-fulfilling tree, and instead, holding on to a useless thorny bush.
O Mother of the universes! May my mind distance from sensory objects and fix steadily in recollecting Your divine feet! May my hands be eternally engrossed in serving You! May my speech eternally be engaged in glorifying You!
We three, Hari, Hara and Brahma eternally retain our wives i.e. Lakshmi, Parvati and Sharada, who were born from Your aspect, in our heart, half-body and face respectively and execute our tasks of sustenance, dissolution creation.
You are the power of creation in Brahma and the sustenance in Vishnu. In me, You are the dissolution, absorption of the attributes and showering of blessings.
You are the Pure Consciousness. Just like the hardness in the earth, the taste in water, the form in fire, the movement in the wind and the vacuum in space and the heat in the Sun, You are the essence of Paramashiva.
O Mother! All the Devatas starting from Indra who are in Your control, deluded by their powers, are disrespecting each other.
O embodiment of auspiciousness! Uplift these Devatas, who are Your children, with the nectar called Your stories coupled with Your glance. O Mother of the world! With Your compassionate glance that showers nectar, please glance once at the beings who are eternally tormented with desires.
O mother who dispels all afflictions! You are the sole refuge for all the worlds. To You, I eternally bow in reverence”.
In this way, Brahma and other Gods devotionally extolled the Mother Goddess and prostrated to Her. Mother Tripura, who was deeply pleased with these prayers, then manifested in a form to dispel the arrogance of the Devatas.
The Divine Mother manifested with a body that shone like molten gold. She was decked in many priceless ornaments. She who was 18-armed and who was in the form of a young maiden, had a smiling face that caused the wellbeing of others. The sounds from Her anklets reverberated in all directions.
The glow of Her feet put to shame the lustre of corals and tender leaves. Her gait was delicate like that of a swan. Her waist shone with the grand silken sari that was draped around Her body. Her navel was like a deep whirlpool and Her upper body shone with a red silken upper garment.
She thus manifested in a form that filled the minds and eyes of the devotees with bliss. With this manifestation, She brought delight to the Devatas.
In Her hands, which were like the red budding sprouts, She was holding the bow, arrows, noose, bell, drum, gem-studded jar, japamala, shield, conch, discus, sword, spear, lotus, book, the Jnana-mudra, mace, goad and axe. She made Herself visible in this form to the Devatas.
She was wearing a garland of golden lotuses. Her armlets were studded with many precious gems. With her bud-like fingers that were laden with gem-studded rings, she was stealing the minds.
A necklace made of the 9 precious gems adorned Her neck. She was wearing a mangalsutra made of many precious stones. She had smeared her body with the fragrant sandal paste.
Her earrings glowed with the illumination of the Sun and the Moon. Her lips were reddish like the red Tindora fruit. With the redness of the ruby in her nose ring, the redness of her eyes doubled. Glowing with Her three eyes, which resembled lotus petals, She was attracting the deer.
Her face was like the Full-moon and was adorned with the Kasturi-tilak on the forehead. Above Her lotus-like face was thick, black, soft and long and fragrant hair. Her head was adorned with a priceless gem-studded crown that glittered radiantly.
On Her forehead, shone the crescent moon adding to Her beauty. She is eternally a young maiden.
For the sport known as blessing Her devotees, this Supreme Mother Parashakti manifested in this beautiful form that filled the entire sacred universe. When She manifested in a form, the world attained sacredness.
Thereafter, Tripura Devi addressed Hari, Hara, Brahma and said, “My dear sons! Listen to Me. I will benefit you, who are devoted to me. I have manifested solely to destroy the ignorance in the Devatas”.
Then, She showered Her nectareous glance at the Devatas who had fainted as if they were dead. With this, Indra and other Devatas rose as if they were waking up from sleep and discussed amongst themselves,
“What astonishment! Who is She? She has a magnificent form. We are unable to know about her”.
Then Indra and other Devatas addressed Agni and said, “O Agni deva! Go quickly. Find out who this huge spirit is and why it has taken birth. Enquire about its nature and capacities”.
Hearing Indra’s words, in all grandeur Agni set out. As he neared, Her lustre caused his radiance to fade. (The fiery fire lost its radiance in front of Her effulgence). With utmost difficulty, he neared her and enquired,
“O maiden! Who are you? What is your power? Until now where were you staying? From which world have you come? I have come to enquire about you, who appears to be most supreme. Hence answer my question”.
Hearing his words, She replied, “Who are you? From where have you come? What is your power? First you answer my question and thereafter I will give my replies”.
Agni replied, “I am Agni (Fire-god). I am the visible face of the Devatas. Indra and other Devatas have sent me here to gather information about you. My power is supreme, unfailing and fearsome. Within a second I can burn down this visible world composed of movable and non-movable objects including you. None can match my valour”.
Hearing this, She laughed and said, “O Agni! Display your valour before me. Burn this straw that is before you”.
Deluded that he was the most supreme, arrogantly Agni replied, “O Devi! You are young. True to your childishness, you have spoken stupidly. You are asking me, who can burn down everything, to burn a straw.
In tune with your behaviour, along with the straw I shall burn you too. Only then your childish prattle will obtain the apt answer”- saying this, with the mighty flame that arose from his eyes that were reddened due to fury, he quickly fell on the grass seeking to burn it.
But it was not destroyed. Then Agni, with supreme valour and using all his might tried to burn that straw. Yet, it was not burnt. Just like huge logs of burning wood that fall into the ocean, his flames subsided and he became dull.
Unable to withstand that cold, he shivered profusely. He became like the snow and Moon. Further, just as the snow melts under the Sun, he began to melt under Mother’s heat. Frightened and seeking to save his life, he lowered his head in shame and fled from there.
He returned to Indra and then, after giving all details of that spirit who was standing there, he said, “I could not gather any details about her”.
Indra then sent Chandra (Moon-god). In great urgency, Chandra set out. As he neared Her, due to her effulgence, his radiance depleted. With utmost difficulty he neared her and spoke exactly as Agni had done, “You are an extremely astonishing woman. I have come here to know about you”.
She replied exactly as she had replied to Agni and said, “First tell me about your power. Then I shall explain about myself”.
He said, “I am Chandra. I am the ruler of the entire universe. With my nectareous rays, I nourish all the plants, trees and herbs. Only because of me all the grasses, trees, shrubs, climbers and the entire world sustains. Without me, there is no food in this universe”.
Hearing this, She laughed and said, “O Soma! Display your valour in my presence. I will burn this straw. With your nectareous rays you revive it”.
Chandra believed her words lacked any essence. Further, he felt insulted by those words. He was angered and he turned conceited. Arrogantly he said, “O Devi! You are a child. Due to your childishness you are unable to fathom my strengths. I will do as you have said. With my cool rays I will also freeze you”.
Saying this, Chandra released a shower of snow. However, it was quickly destroyed by the rays of fire that emanated from the mother’s third eye. Further, Chandra’s body was trapped in those fiery flames.
He, whose body was almost burnt up, ran from there to save his life. Approaching Indra he said, “I could not gather the valour of that spirit”.
Now Indra sent Vayu (Wind-god). In full arrogance, Vayu set out like a swiftly moving forceful whirlwind and disrespectfully spoke to Her. Just as the others in the past, he addressed her as weak.
The Divine Mother said, “O Vayu! Who are you? What are your strengths? Why have you come here?”
Vayu replied, “O Devi! I am the life force that is most supreme and most auspicious in the world. I am of unsurpassed might. I, who am the shelter for the world, am here at Indra’s command.
I have previously caused mighty mountains to tremble. Like tiny pebbles, they then flew away. If I am angered, even the oceans will dry up. No one has been able to stop my movement until now”.
Hearing his arrogant words, She said, “O Vayu! If you truly have the power you claim to have, then move this straw”. Considering these words as disrespectful, Vayu arrogantly retorted,
“O weak young girl! You lack wisdom. Due to your foolishness, you are inviting destruction. I am exceedingly powerful. My speed is limitless. No one can stop me. You have become very proud. I will destroy your pride. To me, you appear like a straw. Hence first, I shall destroy you. Be ready to withstand my speed that is beyond limits”.
Having said this, he tried to pounce on Mother Goddess. But he could not move even an inch. Even after gathering all his strength, he failed to even move a little. Frightened and ashamed, he quickly fled from there.
Approaching Indra he said, “I could not understand anything about that spirit. It has limitless strength and valour”.
When Agni, Chandra and Vayu were defeated, Indra began to worry about his fate. He pondered over what should be done. However hard he thought he could not come to a conclusion. Dejected with ignorance he became helpless.
Sri matre namah