Tripur Rahasya

Home | Devee | Tripur Rahasya

TR-13-15

Previous | Next

13. Wakefulness and Dream Are Similar: vision of the Hill City

The sage's son made the King sleep united his subtle body with his physical body and then woke him up. As the King woke up, he found the whole world changed - trees, rivers course, tanks etc all were changed. he said wondering - "O saint, How long we have spent in your world? That world looked different what we are used to see." The sage's son said to Mahaasen - "This world was in the hill. It has gone under a long change, because it is old. There we spent only one day to see it around. It was equal to 12,000 years of this Earth, that is why it looks changed to you. Look at the change in people's manners, language. These changes are natural. I have seen these changes before also. See, That is my father, he is still sitting in Samaadhi. Here you were sitting praising him, and there is that hill. By now your brother's progeny must have increased to thousands. What was your capital, Sundar, of your kingdom Bang, is now the forest full of jackals and wild animals. There is one Veerbaahu in your brother's progeny whose capital is Vishaal on the banks of Kshipraa in Maalavaa Desh. In your progeny is Susharmaa whose capital is Vardhaan in the country of Dravid, on the banks of Taamraparnee. Such is the course of this world that it does not stay the same even for short time. During this period even the mountains, rivers, and lakes and contours etc have also changed, but at least the Earth is the same at least."

Mahaasen heard all this and got shocked. He grieved for his brother, his wife children etc etc. After a while, when he had gathered himself, the saint said - "being a sensible man, why do you weep for whom? A sensible man does not do anything without any purpose, and thus doing anything without any purpose is childish. So now tell me what loss you feel to grieve; and what purpose will serve your grief?" Mahaasen was still grieving and was difficult to console, he said - "You are great age, try to understand my grief. A man is generally sad if any of his family members dies. I have lost all my relatives and friends, and you are asking me why I am sad?"

The sage's son said - "King, Tell me, Is this lapse into sorrow is hereditary virtue? Will it be a sin if you do not grieve at this time? Or Can you recover your loss by grieving like this? O King, Think and tell me, what will you gain by this sorrow? If you cannot stop yourself then listen to what I say to you - "Your loss is not new. Your forefathers have also died before, have you ever mourn for them? You might say that it is because of blood relationship, but there were worms which were alive in your forefathers' bodies. Are they not your relatives? And why doesn't their death cause you sorrow? Just think, who are you? Whose deaths are the cause of your present sorrow? Are you the body or something else than that? This body is made up of different substances. If even one substance is affected the whole is affected. All substances are changing every moment, but the excretions do not make the body lose. Whom you call your relations and friends, they are only bodies. The bodies are made up of earth, when lost they return to earth, and the earth changes into energy, so where is the loss? In fact you are not the body. You own the body as you own other things, like your clothes. Then why do you grieve for your clothes? You say, "my body", "my eyes", "my ears", tell me exactly what you are?"

Hearing all this, Mahaasen started thinking over the matter but was unable to reach on any conclusion, so he asked the sage's son - "I do not know who am I? I tried to think over it but could not think. My grief is only natural, I don't know the reason. I seek your protection. Kindly tell me what it is? Everyone grieves when one's somebody dies. Besides I don't see anybody who knows himself, and nobody grieves for all losses. Please tell me about it."

The sage's son said to the King - "People are deluded by the illusion created by Her Majesty. They feel the misery because of that only, so their misery is meaningless. Till there is the ignorance of self, there is misery. As a man gets frightened in the dream but when he wakes up his fright is over, in the same way when a man knows his self his miseries are over. So you also break this illusion and conquer your misery by realization of the Self. In the meantime be discriminating and so foolish."

Mahaasen said - "Your illustration is not to the point. Dream or magic is illusionary only later, while this Universe always seems to be real and purposeful and persistent too. How can Universe be compared to the magic and dream?" The sage's son answered - "Your saying that "your illustration is not to the point" itself is a double illusion". Consider a dreamer who dreams that the trees do not give shade to the pedestrians and bear fruits for others; is this dream a lie? Do you think that the dream is false after waking up? Is your real world not false during your sleep? Is there no continuity between the dream and the day to day?

Note. - The first delusion is the idea of separateness of the Universe from oneself; the second delusion is the idea that dream objects are an illusion in contradistinction to those which are seen while awake. This is compared to the illusion that a dreamer mistakes the dream-rope for a dream-serpent. The dream is itself an illusion and the mistake is an illusion in the illusion.

Do you think that even the seas, rivers, mountains are really the permanent phenomena, in spite of the fact that their appearance is constantly changing. That is why I told you to think over the matter closely. And if you do that, you might say - "Dream and wakefulness resemble each other like discontinuous harmony (Like a chain of links). There is no unbroken continuity in any object, because every new appearance is linked to the past disappearance. If I ask you what illusion is. It is determined by the transitory nature - appearance to, disappearance from our senses. That is why, listen to me, the present world is similar to the dream world. In dream also, you pass long periods. As you are aware in waking state, you are aware in the dream state too." After saying so, the sage's son took the around the hill and brought him back to the same point where they were standing before.

He further said - "Look at the perimeter of this hill is hardly 2 miles and a 1/2. still you saw the whole Universe in it. Is it real or false? Is it a dream or what? You spent a day there while 12,000 years have passed here, which one is correct? Think and tell me. Obviously you cannot distinguish from a dream and will have to say that the world is an imagination. My world will disappear immediately if I cease contemplating it, therefore convince yourself of the dream-like nature of the world and do not indulge in grief at your brother's death.

End of the Chapter 13

14. The Story of the Hill City

Hearing the sage's son, Mahaasen started thinking clearly and seriously and found that that the world is dream-like. He grew strong in mind. he said - "O Great Saint, You know everything about this world. I believe that that there is nothing in this world which you do not know. But tell me how do you say that this world is pure imagination. However much I try to imagine, but it does not match my, but you have created you own world by the force of your will, but then how do the time and space differ from this world?

The Sage's son replied - "The will conceives either effectively or ineffectively according as it is uniform or broken up by indecision. You know that this world is the result Brahmaa's will. This looks so real because his original desire was so powerful. Whereas your created world, no one takes seriously, and your own mistrust makes it useless. Conceptions materialize for various reasons, such as, by virtue of the natural function as with Brahmaa Jee; by the possession of live gems as with Yaksh and Raakshas (celestial beings); by the use of herbs as with Devtaa (Amrit is a kind of herb extract); by the practice of Yog as with Yogee; by the miraculous power of incantations as with a few Siddh; or by the force of penance as with some sages; and by virtue of boons as with the Divine Architect Vishwakarmaa. One should forget the old associations in order to make new conception effective and it will be there until it will be obstructed by the old one. In that way many great things may be achieved. Your conceptions are not materializing because of the above reasons. There fore you must practice on focusing of thought if you want your own creation to endure.

Now I tell you about the space and time. You are not proficient in the affairs of the world and that is why you are mystified. I tell you the secret of this. The Sun helps all people to see the things around, but it makes owl blind; fish live in water, but the men drown in it; fire burns people but is the food of Tittiri bird; fire can be normally put out by water but it burns in the middle of the ocean at the time of dissolution. These types of discrepancies are available elsewhere also. men and animals engage in activities with their own bodies while spirits use the bodies of others. These can be explained....

Sight is the characteristic of the eye and cannot be without it. A jaundiced eye sees everything yellow and myopia produces the double image of a single object. Abnormal visions are thus the direct result of abnormal eyes. The Karandak, in an Eastern island, are said to see everything red; so also the inhabitants of Ramanak isle see everything upside down. One hears many more strange stories of the kind, all of which are based on abnormalities of vision. They can all be remedied by proper treatment. The same applies to other senses also including the mind. The relation between space and objects and between time and events is according to your estimate of them; there is no intrinsic relationship between them.

He extends as time and space; they are infinite and perfect, being involved as the illuminant, illumination and illumined. As far as within and without are concerned, everything is included in illumination, so nothing can be outside. This whole Universe thus illumines self sufficiently, by itself, everywhere, all the time. This illumination is from that Tripuraa, she is called Brahm in Ved, Vishnu by Vaishnavites, and Shiv by the Shaivites, and Shakti by Shaakt. There is nothing else but she.

Space is simply void serving for the location of materials. This Universe is always the phenomenon in the Self, then how consciousness is void and dense at the same time. As the mirror is dense and in that nothing can penetrate, but still an image can  be seen, in the same way, pure consciousness is also dense and impenetrable, but displays the Universe by virtue of its self sufficiency. Although this Consciousness is all pervading, dense and single, it still holds the mobile and immobile creation within it, with no immediate or ultimate cause for it. As the mirror remains unaffected by the passage of different images and yet continues to reflect as clearly as before, so also the One Consciousness illumines the waking and dream states which can be verified by proper meditation.

The Absolute Consciousness is called Maayaa just before the Creaion and is later called A-Vidyaa (ignorance) with the manifestation of the Ego. The Consciousness which illumines the exterior is called Shiv Tattwa, while the feeling of "I" is Shakti Tattwa. [Siva is awareness of the 'exterior'; Shakti is the dynamic force operating the potential tendencies in the individual self] When the awareness of the exterior combines with "I", it is called Sadaa Shiv Tattwa. When later discarding the exterior and the Self, identification with the Space takes place, it is called Eeshwar Tattwa. The investigation of the last two steps is pure Vidyaa (knowledge). All these 5 Tattwa are pure, because they relate to undifferentiated condition like potentiality of a seed. After the differentiation is made by will force, the insentient (inanimate) part predominate over the other which condition was before. This inanimate part is called Maayaa Shakti and it is clearly established like the sprout from the seed.

Purush and Prakriti
Now the sentient (animate) phase is of minor position and takes the name of Purush, being covered by 5 sheaths, namely Kalaa (something of doership), Vidyaa (knowledge), Raag (desire), Kaal (Time - allotted life) and Niyati (fixed order of things). As a result of being engaged in diverse type of actions in previous births, these individuals are now supported by intelligence and remain as Prakriti (Nature). The Prakriti has three qualities, because the fruits of Karm are also of three types. She manifests as the three states of life - wakefulness, dream and deep sleep. She then assumes the name "Chitta" (Mind). His past history (anamnesis) goes by the name of Prakriti in dreamless state, and Chitta in the other states.

So the Mind is Purush (the individual) when the sentient (animate) phase is assertive, and the same is A-Vyakt (Unmanifest), when the Prakriti, the insentient (inanimate) phase is assertive. That Chitta is also made up of three things - ego, intellect and mind. When influenced by the three qualities, it manifests as follows - by Sattwa (brightness) it becomes the 5 senses (hearing, sight, touch, taste and smell); by Rajas (activity) it becomes speech, hands, feet, excretion and procreation organs; and by Tamas it becomes (darkness) Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Ether.

The Supreme Intelligence acts without seriousness with the Universe in this manner, remaining all the unaffected and a witness of its own Creation. The present Creation is the mental product of Brahm or Hiranyagarbh - appointed Creator by the will force of the Shree Tripuraa. The You and I is the essence of any kind of Creation. The diversity in Creation is only due to qualification limiting the consciousness, there cannot be any difference - as there is no difference between the space bounded by a pot and not bounded a pot. These three qualifications which limit the consciousness (body, limiting the age etc) are the mental imagery of the Creator (consistent with the individual's past merits). When the Creator's will force wears away, there is dissolution and complete un-differentiation results. As for your will power, it is overpowered by the Creator and it will be effective - Time, space, gross creation etc will appear in it according to the imagery of the agent.

A certain period is only one day according to my calculation, while the same period may be 12,000 years according to Brahmaa; in the same way the space covered by 2 and 1/2 miles of Brahmaa, is infinite according to me and covers a whole Universe. In this way both are true and untrue at the same time. Similarly, imagine a hill within you and also the Time in a subtle sense. Then create a whole Creation in them and hey will hold your creation as long as your concentration endures - even to eternity, if your will power is strong enough. Therefore I say that this whole Universe is a mere work of imagination.

O King, It shines in the manifest consciousness Self within. Therefore what looks like an external world is really an image on the screen of the mind. Consciousness is thus the screen and the image, and that is why Yogee are able to see long distance of space and realize long intervals of time. They can traverse all the distance in a moment and can perceive everything as a gooseberry kept on a palm. Therefore just be sure that this world is simply an image on the mirror of consciousness, and start observation of "I am", and give up the delusion of the realty of the world, then you will become like myself one in being self-sufficient."

Dattaatreya Jee continued - "Hearing this from the Sage's son, the King came out of his delusion, his intellect became purified, and he understood the ultimate goal. Then he practiced Samaadhi, became self-contained, without depending on any other external agency and led a long happy life. So O Bhaargav, This world is only a mental image, only as firm as one's will power and no more. It is not independent of the Self.

End of the Chapter 14

15. What You Should Know and What you Should Not

Hearing Dattaatreya Jee Parashuraam Jee said to him again - "Lord, I have heard your teachings in the form of stories. Now I have understood that only intelligence is real, and objects are unreal images like a city reflected in a mirror. Maheshwaree is that consciousness manifesting as intelligence. All this is because of self sufficiency of that Consciousness, and it comes into being without any immediate cause. This much I have understood. But this intelligence is beyond cognition, because it is always pure knowledge itself. If it surpasses knowledge then how it can be achieved and without achieving it, the goal cannot be achieved. Our goal is liberation, what is its nature? If one can be liberated while alive, then how is his liberated life regulated? There are many sages who are active in this world, what is the relation  between their actions and their consciousness? How can they engage in action if they all the time are busy to attain liberation? Some teach Gyaan, some worship Deities, some sit in Samaadhi, some lead an austere life, some rule kingdom justly, and all of them are famous as wise men in the world. Why there is so much difference in their lives when their aim is the same?"

Hearing this Dattaatreya Jee said - "You can reach that goal, because you are proceeding in the right direction. You are now under Divine grace. What you have said, is quite true. You have understood the nature of Consciousness, but have not yet realized. A knowledge of the property of a thing, without experiencing that thing, is as good as having no knowledge. When one has the true experience of Self, he becomes unaware of even "I am". Can anybody in the world experience this? Secondhand knowledge is as good as the treasure got in dream. I tell you a story of a King of Videh in this regard --

Story of King of Videh
The name of the King of Vddeh was Janak. he was very wise and conversant with this world and the beyond. ONce he worshipped Devee. Many Pandit, Braahman, hermits, critics etc came to grace that occasion. At the same time Water god Varun also wanted to perform a similar sacrifice, but the worthy men did not accept it, because they were more pleased with King Janak who honored them with great respect. Seeing this Varun's son came to King Janak's court disguised himself as a Braahman to create some problem in Janak's Yagya. he entered the court, duly blessed the King and addressed the assembly - "O King, Your assembly of Braahman is not as wise as it looks. I don't see any wise Braahman here who seems to me wise and like a gem of your assembly. Well, I don't have to do anything with these fools."

Varun's son expected what he intended to expect. The whole assembly got angry and stood up against him and spoke - "How dare you say such words for us? You are only bluffing us. You will not leave this place until you prove that you are more intelligent than us. Here are assembled many great Pandit from all over the world. Do you think that you can defeat all of them present here? Tell us your topic in which you think that you are more knowledgeable than us."

Varunee (son of Varun) was challenged, so he said - "I will defeat you all in a minute, but I have a condition that if I am defeated, you will throw me in the sea and I will defeat you, I will throw you in the sea - one after another. If you agree on this condition, I can start." They got agreed and the debate started. Soon the Pandit started getting defeated and Varunee started throwing them in the sea. Varun's people got very happy to see ,learned Pandit, they took them to Varun's place.

Now there was a Rishi named Kaahod also. He also got defeated and was thrown into the sea and thus went to Varun's region. Kaahod had a son named Ashtaavakra. When he heard the fate of his father he got very angry and set off to Janak's court to release his father. he defeated Varunee, so Varunee was thrown in the sea, but before being thrown into the sea, Varunee came into his real form and restored all the drowned Braahman in the sea. Among them his father Kaahod was also there. Kaahodaa's son was very proud of himself and he behaved offensively before the assembly.

Just then a female appeared in the assembly and the whole assembly looked for help towards her. The female was very charming with matted locks and hermit's clothes. All honored her and she spoke very sweetly - "O child, the Son of Kaahod, You are indeed very accomplished because you have rescued them from Varunee's hands by defeaing him in debate. I want to ask you a short question. you give me just a straight answer, explicit and unreserved. What is that condition reaching which there will be all around immortality? Knowing which all doubts and uncertainties disappear, and by establishing in which all desires will vanish? Please tell me."

The son of Kaahod, Ashtaavakra replied with confidence - "I know it. Listen to it. There is nothing in the world which is not known to me. I have studied all the sacred literature. What you are asking is the primal and efficient cause of the Universe, who is without beginning and the end, and is unaffected by Time and Space. It is pure, unbroken and single Consciousness. The whole Universe is reflected in it like a city in a mirror. Such is that Transcendental state. On realizing it, one becomes immortal, there is no place of doubts and uncertainties, and no more reason for ignorance because he knows that those are only reflected images and all desires vanish there. It is unknowable because there is no one to know it except itself. I have told you what is written in scriptures."

The woman again spoke - "O young sage, What you have said is right and is accepted to all, but I wish to know about what you have said that "It is unknowable because there is no one to know it except itself, and also that its knowledge gives immortality and perfection. How these two statements can be reconciled? Either say that Consciousness is unknowable and is not known to you and ths it is non-existent; or say that you know it, so it is not unknowable. It seems that your knowledge is secondhand and is not practical. Think now that you have personal knowledge of the images, but not the mirror. How can that be? Are you not ashamed of this before King Janak's assembly?"

Ashtaavakra could not speak for a while and felt embarrassed, so he said to her in great humility - "It is true that I am unable to reply your question. Please accept me as your disciple. Please tell me that how these two contradictory statements can be reconciled? But I tell you that I have not told you any lie knowingly." Hearing this that woman got very pleased and said - "O Child, There are many who are ignorant of this truth and live in delusion. Dry polemics will not help one to Reality because it is well guarded from all sides. Nobody else who are present here, than the King and myself, has experienced Reality. It is not the subject of discussion. Even if you approach it with the most brilliant logic, you can only approach it, but can never attain it. Although it is unaffected by logic, but still if somebody is intelligent, he can realize it by serving his  Guru and by the grace of God.

O Son of Sage, It is difficult to understand, even if it is explained fully; even if you listen to it thousand times, unless one has verified it by concentrating mind. However clever a man is, he will never know his own Self by mere teaching of others, unless he realizes himself. He can never realize it with an outward mind. A lamp gives light all around, but does not give light to itself or any other light, because lights do not need to be illumined, but they exist. It shines with its own source of light. Light and things are non-living things and so are made aware by the Conscious Self. In the same way you can also investigate your Self by your inward mind. That Consciousness is absolute and comprises all the Universe making it manifest. Nothing can be apprehend without its light. if there is no Consciousness, you will not be able to see anything.

Everybody falls while investigating it, however learned and proficient he may be, because his is not inward; and as long as the thoughts arise in the mind, mind cannot be inward, and till the mind is not inward, Self ca never be realized - inward mind means the absence of desire. Mind cannot be stabilized unless the desires are not given up. It can be realized only after thoughts are eliminated and investigation ceases, thus realizing the unknowable one can live in immortality for ever. Salutation to you. Farewell. Still you might have not understood my words as you have heard this truth for the first time. The King, the wisest among the wise people, can explain it to you. Ask him." After saying thhis she disappeared in thin air."

"O Raam, This is the method of Self realization."  This story continues on Next Page

End of the Chapter 15

Continued on Next Page