Tripur Rahasya

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TR-7-9

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7. Ascertain the God First

Hemlekhaa replied - "Our mind is always restless like a monkey, so the ordinary man is always afflicted with troubles. Everybody knows that the restless mind is the source of many troubles, that is why keep your mind steady when you listen to me. <Listening with distracted mind is as good as not listening to at all. People are quickly benefited if they are engaged in meaningful discussions. And after the discussion, appropriate effort must be made to reap the profit from it. One must have discriminating zeal that encourages a person to act on right time and at right place. If people spend their time only in discussion, it does not produce any result. That is why after the discussion, one should make efforts to achieve the highest goal. People earn their food, gods earn their nectar, ascetics earn their beatitude, and others fulfill their desires only by their individual efforts.

There are many ways to achieve the goal, but one has to choose the one which is the sure one to fulfill the aim. That way is best which does not give you suffering any more. No such seed can be good which sprouts in suffering and pain. The right means lies beyond. The Master Wizard is Maheshwar. He is the Creator and all are deluded by him. Even a juggler can delude people with his limited abilities, then what to sayof Maheshwar, who can escape from his delusion? Just as only a few can understand juggler's tricks, in the same way only a few men can learn to understand the Universal illusion and that also with his grace, but without his grace? No. But nobody can ever escape his illusion. (read a few stories about  Naarad's Illusionss,  Shiv's Illusion) Therefore who wants to cross the ocean of Maayaa, he must worship him.

There are some other methods also but normally they fail to obtain God's grace. Therefore worship the primal cause, be devoted to Him and he will surely remove your illusion. It is clear that this Universe must have its origin. Looking at the size and vastness of the Universe, it seems there must be its Creator who should also be like that whom we cannot comprehend. Another system says that the Universal is eternal and its phenomena are self-existent and its lifeless matter is its own agent. This is absurd, because all actions imply intelligence. Scriptures also says that Primal Cause is an intelligent principle. [This shows that this Universe is the result of the action of intelligence of the Primal Cause]

I shall give you an example to prove this - a man if pleased by devotion, tries to fulfill his needs or wishes even he has limited resources, so just think if the Lord of the Universe is pleased, can there be anything which cannot be obtained by the devotee? Think, that He is One, while in the world the people and their devotees are many. Both are short-lived, while He is eternal, otherwise why people have been worshiping Him from long long past. Which kingdoms are not well-managed tend to get destroyed, but His kingdom (this Universe) is continuing from time immemorial. So surrender to Him and He will take care of your everything, and you need not to ask for it too.

There are three methods to worship God - (1) Worship to overcome troubles, (2) Worship to gain wealth etc, (3) Devotion to Him. The last one is the best and the surest. In everyday life also see that if somebody is devoted to somebody, he gets favors from him; services done with ambitions give limited fruits according to its intensity. A human master may take some time to recognize selfless work, still it makes even a lowest person happy, but the God soon bestows appropriate fruits, while in other kinds of devotees, God has to follow the course of Destiny of the devotee. In other cases He does not need to follow anything.

Pre-destiny or Divine will has no meaning for Him. Everybody has heard the story of Maarkandeya as how he made immortal from a 16-year boy. So the notion that one cannot escape from the Destiny is of weak-minded people. Yogee who can control their breath, can conquer their fate. Destiny holds only senseless people. Following the nature, the Destiny is the part of Nature, and Nature is only to carry out God's will. His purpose is always sure and cannot b e prevented otherwise, but it can be changed only by devotion; and if devotion is  not there, then the pre-destined has to happen. It is the most powerful factor in a man's life."

Who is God
Dattaatreya continued - "Hearing his wife, Hemchood asked his wife - "tell me Dear, Who is this God? To whom I should devote myself? Some say He is Vishnu, others, Shiv, yet others call Him Ganesh, Soorya, Chandra, Agni, etc etc. Besides, each sect gives Him his own name, tell me which of them is true? I believe that you know everything as Muni Vyaaghrapaad is very gracious to you with regard to wisdom, although you are a woman."

Hemlekhaa said - "I tell you the final truth about the God. God is that who generates, sustains and destroys the Universe. He is Vishnu, he is Shiv, Brahm, Soorya, Chandra. He is that also who is very own of other sects - not Vishnu, not Shiv etc. If somebody says that the Primal being is Shiv with five faces and three eyes. In that case the Creator would be like a potmaker endowed with the body and a brain. (both are inseparable, both cannot work in the absence of the other).

Therefore the mind operates apart from the body in dreams, being intelligent it creates an environment to work. So the body is a tool for a purpose and intelligence is a tool. For a human being instruments are necessary, because his capacities are limited; while the Creator of the Universe is perfect in Himself, He does not need anything to create the Universe - this leads to he conclusion that God has no body, if He had it, he would have reduced only to a glorified human being, requiring innumerable accessories for work and influenced by seasons and environments. he creates everything without body and without instruments. Who give Him a body, they are fools. But still if devotees worship Him in a body, He bestows him His grace. So He is pure intelligence. Such is the consciousness intelligence in One Queen, Parameshwaree overwhelming the three states and thuis called Tripuraa.

Bodies are only in lower order of beings, so they are not in the case of God, therefore worship One Transcendence. If you are unable to comprehend that pure state, one may worship Him in the concrete shape in whichever shape he likes. In this way too he is sure to reach his goal. Although it will take millions of births, but only these two are the ways.

End of the Chapter 7

8. Symbolism of Parable in Chap 5

As Hemchood heard about Tripuraa, he intended to worship Tripuraa. A few months passed since. The Supreme Mother showed her grace on him and he was a changed man. Now he started investigating the Truth. One cannot reach at this stage without the grace of God. O Parashuraam, many aids will not give emancipation if the earnest search or Truth is not made. So after a while Hemchood went to his wife again. She welcomed him and said - "I am seeing you after a long time, you are all right with your  health? tell me why have been neglecting me all these, Before you used to come and talk to me daily. How have you been passing your time? You never spent a single night without me before?" saying this she embraced him.

Now, this time, although his wife embraced him lovingly, Hemchood did not move a little bit and said - "Now I know that nothing can affect your happiness. You are a sage and unperturbed. I have come to ask you something. Explain me your story you told me before - who is your mother, who is your friend, who is her husband, her sons? And how they are related to me? I am sure it is not a lie but I want to understand it fully."

Hemlekhaa got very pleased to hear, she though that now God's grace is on her husband, other he would not have talked like this. She said - God's grace is upon you and now you are blessed. Now I will solve the puzzle of my life story.
My Mother is transcendence,
My friend is intellect (discerning faculty),
Madam Dark is Ignorance - the maid and the undesirable friend of intellect.
I need not to explain the sudden changes of ignorance - she can delude anyone.
Her son is the greatest of illusions - Mind - Mr Inconstant.
His wife is thought or conception or imagination.
Her 5 sons are - speech, taste, sight, touch and smell whose mansions are the respective senses.

What the mind was said to steal from them was their pleasure obtained from sensual objects which leave the impressions on mind.
Sharing stolen objects with his wife is manifestations of natural tendencies in dreams.
Dream is the daughter-in-law of Ignorance.
Madam Vorax (Unsteady) is Desire
Her sons are Anger and Greed, and
Their city is this Body.
Mind's friend guarding the city is the vital principle which keeps us moving - life breath.

The different cities are hells passed in the passage of the soul.
The consummation of the Discerning faculty is Samaadhi.
My admission into my Mother's chamber is final emancipation.

This is my life in brief, your is also likewise. think it over."

End of the Chapter 8

9. Hemchood Realizes the Self

Hemchood had understood the parable of his wife. He said - "You are indeed blessed and clever too. Your story is indeed full of wisdom. Now tell me further, Who is your mother? How is she without beginning? Who are we? What is our real names?"

Hemlekhaa said - "Listen Dear carefully,  because it is very subtle. Investigate the nature of the Self with transparent intellect. It is not the object to be perceived, not to be described, then how should I explain to you? You can know the Mother if you the Self. And no teacher can teach Self. You have to realize the Self within you, it lives in unblemished intellect. It pervades all from amoeba to Personal God, but the problem is that it cannot be recognized by either the Mind or senses, it is self-illuminated. It is beyond demonstration or discussion. How, where, when or by whom it has been described even incompletely? What you are asking me to show your eyes to you. Even the best teacher cannot do that. He can only guide to you towards that, nothing more. I will also tell you only the means to realize it. Listen.

Till you will be thinking about me and my anything, you will not be able to realize Self, for it lies beyond cognition and cannot be realized as 'My Self'. Go into solitude, analyze and see what those things are which are cognized as mine. Discard them all. And transcending them look for the Real Self. For example, you see me as your wife, not as yourself, and not at all the part of yourself. Analyze everything in this way and discard it. What remains over, transcending at all, beyond conception, appropriation, or relinquishment - know That to be the Self. That knowledge is final emancipation."

Hearing all this from his wife, Hemchood came out of her palace and hurriedly set off towards a lonely place. he came to his crystal palace. he dismissed his attendants and instructed his keepers that nobody should come in, I am in contemplation. He might be anybody, he must wait till I give permission." He went up on the 9th storey, in an open room, sat on a soft cushion and start contemplating.

"Truly all these people deluded. None of hem knows even the fringe of the Self, but all are active for their own selves. Some of them recite the scriptures, a few study them, some are busy in earning wealth, others are ruling the land. While they are busy in all these activities, nobody asks himself what is the Self? Why is this delusion? When this Self is not known, all other things are useless. Let me investigate Self.

My home, wife, property, wealth are not me, they are only mine. I can say that this body is me, but this body is only a tool of mine. I am indeed the King's son. Other people think that their bodies are them, but no, they are not, they are their egos. Thus he could not identify his Self with even his body. So he began transcending again about his body.

This body is made up of bones, blood etc. It is always changing. But why should the changing thing be Self? I am not the body, I am not even the vital force (life force or Praan), mind or intellect - they are only the tools, so they cannot be "I". "I" is surly separate from all of these, beginning from the body and ending with intellect [in between are senses; mind including thinking reasoning and coordinating faculties; nad vital force]. I am always aware, but do not realize pure state of awareness - what is the matter? Why am I not able to do it, I am not understand it. Objects can only be recognized by the senses - life is recognized by Touch. mind by intellect. But who makes this intellect evident?" Thinking thus he tried to arrest his thoughts forcibly.

At the same time, he experienced his mind blank and he decided that IT was the Self, so he became very happy and he began to meditate again. He thought - "The Self cannot be more than one. I will repeat it." And this time he fell into a long sleep and dreamt wonderful dreams. He again thought - "How come that I slept and started dreaming? These dreams are also mental imagery, how shall I overcome them? I will again repress my thoughts and see what happens." So he started meditating again. For some time his mind was blank, he felt bliss, but his mind started functioning again and he woke up again.

This time he asked his guard to bring his wife. Hemlekhaa came there within an hour and half. She found her husband calm, peaceful, and collected. She sat beside him, embraced him with love and said - "What can I do for you, Dear?" Hemchood said - "As you told me I came to this place to sit in solitude and started investigating Self. I meditated, but still I have various kinds of visions and experiences. I thought that maybe my mental activities had again attacked me, I tried again to suppress my thoughts and remained calm. This time darkness superseded and light appeared, sleep supervened, and finally a unique bliss overcame on me for a little while. Was that the Self, or something different?"

Hemlekhaa said sweetly - "What you have done just now - repressing your thoughts, was the best way to begin. Nobody can be successful without it, but it does produce Self-realization, because the Self is always realized. If it is product, it cannot be Self, the how can the Self get away? In the same way Self is never gained. Gaining means acquiring, and acquiring means to get something which you do not have. Self is always Self, control of mind does not gain it. For example - "As things are there in the darkness, but you cannot see them unless the darkness is removed or you make some kind of light there to see them - this is called recovery. Or such as a man forgets his purse after keeping it somewhere, but then finds it thinking over with a steady mind. If he says that he has gained the purse, it is wrong, because it was already there, just he did not remember it where he kept it.

In the same way, control of mind is not the cause of your Self-realization. Although Self is always there, it is not recognized by you even with a controlled mind, because you are not conversant with it. Just as a countryman cannot recognize the royal lights and so ignores them, in the same way you have missed the Self. Listen Dear, When you have controlled your thoughts, you could see blank darkness. Now in the short interval, before appearing this darkness and after controlling your thoughts, there is a state of mind which is free from the effort to control of the mind and the appearance of the darkness. Always remember that state is the state of perfection and transcendental happiness. All are deceived in that state, because their mind's tendency is to go outward. Even after long effort, people are not able to live in that state, so they grieve for it day and night.

No matter how knowledgeable Pandit is a man, he cannot realize the Self, because the Self is not realizable, but already realized.  Realization is not attained by going far, but only by staying still not by thought (intellection) but by cessation of thought. Unless people have acquaintance with the Self, they cannot realize the Self. As people understand space  but they are n ot aware of it because they are taken up by objects in it.

The world consists of knowledge and the objects known. Among these, objects are non-Self and can be perceived by senses. Knowledge is self evident, there is no world without knowledge. Knowledge is dependent on the knower for its existence. The knower does not require any test for knowing his own existence. The knower, therefore, is the only reality behind knowledge and objects. Whatever alone is self evident without the necessity to be proved, is alone real. He who denies knowledge has no ground to stand on and so no discussion is possible with him. When there is  no knowledge of any object, question arises regarding the existence of the object. Objects and knowledge are only the reflections are only reflections in the eternal Supreme Consciousness; which is the same as the knower and which alone is real. So Hey Prince, Realize with a still mind, your own true nature, which is pure, underlying the restless mind composed of the whole Universe.

The Real Process
I tell you how to do that - realize with a still mind the state between the sleep and wakefulness - the interval between the recognition of one object after the another object, or the gap between two perceptions. That is the Real Self where on e is never deluded. Unaware of this truth people grieve.
[The commentator adds that a sage realizing the world as the reflection of the mind treats it as such and is thus free from misery]

"Shape, taste, smell, touch, sound, sorrow, pleasure, the act of gaining, or the object gained - none of these finds place in that Transcendence which is the support of all there is, and which is the being in all but not exclusively so. That is the Supreme Lord, the Creator, the Supporter and the Destroyer of the universe and the Eternal Being.

"Now let not your mind be outgoing; turn it inward; control it just a little and watch for the Self, always remembering that the investigator is himself the essence of being and the Self of Self.

Note. - The commentary on this sloka says: This sloka contains what is not to be done (namely, the mind should not be permitted to be outgoing), what is to be done (the mind is to be turned inwards) and what is to be engaged in (watchfulness). Just a short control is enough; no long control is necessary for the purpose. The question arises: how to look? The investigator, investigation and the object investigated are all one. The mind should be brought to the condition of a new-born baby. Then he feels as if he were separate from all gross materials and only the feeling 'I am' persists.

When the mind is controlled a little, a state will be evident at the end of the effort in which the Self can be realised as pure being, underlying all phenomena but undivided by them, similar to the baby sense.

"Be also free from the thought 'I see'; remain still like a blind man seeing. What transcends sight and no sight that you are. Be quick."

Note. - Here the commentary says: The Self transcends also the feeling 'I see'. Adherence to that sensation divorces one from the Self. Therefore, let that feeling also vanish, for that state is absolutely unstained by will, sensation or thought. Otherwise, there will be no perfection in spite of innumerable efforts.

Again the word 'sight' includes the awake and dream states and 'no sight' signifies deep sleep. That which is threading through these three states and even surpasses the sense 'I am' is what you are. This is the fourth state Tureeya state (which is the string on which all the diverse objects of the universe are strung and the whole is a garland to Sri Ramana - Tr.)

Hemachood did accordingly, and having gained that state referred to by his wife, he remained peaceful a long time, unaware of anything beside the Self.

Note. - The commentator says that he was in Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

End of the Chapter 9