Discourse of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Sri Devi Navaratri Day 2 – Oct 2, 2016 – Mysore
Two more books on Tripura Rahasyam, written on Palm-leaf manuscripts are not available for us today. Only few chapters on Atma Tatva is currently available. Sri Shankara Bhagawatpada also has not narrated much on this. Sri Madhvacharya & Sri Ramanujacharya also has not mentioned much about this topic. Only few chapters are covered. That itself is difficult to understand and digest for human beings. We always look for that which is not available. But I say, first learn what ever is available. Just because I mentioned that few books are not available, you all came to know about it. Had I not mentioned about it, you wouldn’t be knowing about it at all. Learning what is available itself is difficult. Forget about what is not available. It is difficult to climb the staircase, leave alone aiming to the sky. To remove a suitcase from a loft in the house, we try to put a ladder, struggle and fall down. How can we climb to the heaven ? Impossible. So, we have to learn to digest what ever is available. That is our dharma. That is the secret of Tripura Rahasya. If someone whisperes in the ears, nothing would be clear. It should be spoken with clarity to understand. Even a secret in the ear should be spoken with clarity. Here, Atma Rahasya that is being told is not very clear like the whispering in the ear. It is like elderly people murmering. It is not the question of duffness. The words are not spoken with clarity. The one who speaks knows what it is. But he is unable to communicate with clarity. Atma Rahasyam is something that cannot be understood clearly. Hence, it is called ‘Rahasyam’ – secret. It is something that has to be learnt, but cannot be learnt easily. When we look at a box that is number locked, we feel, there is something mystery or secret in that. We know only when we open it. We dont make an attempt to open it and say that is mysterious. May be yes, because it wasn’t opened. The one who locked it is not available. We have the box and we cannot open it. You cannot break open it or cannot burn it and open. you dont have the key either. The box is beautiful but cannot be opened. If you were asked to open it and read the contents of it, what is your situation then ? We call it as secret. The life of Ayiravana of the nether world is hidden in a honey bee. His sister reveals this secret because he tortured his sister also. He tortured his son also. His sister reveals the secret of Ayiravana’s life but didnot reveal the way he has to be killed. So, the honey bees does not die. Ayiravana’s life is hidden in five honey bees. Only when they are killed, he dies. Ayiravana’s sister did not reveal the methodology to kill these bees but only gave a clue that they can be killed with a different form. All the five bees have to be killed at a time. That also is a secret. Hanuman, who is intellegent to grasp this point, killed all the five bees with His five different forms. Since, this is the secret, no one else could kill Ayiravana.
Here, Atma Tatva also is most enigmatic and cannot be known. It cannot be explained by everyone. Common people are not eligible to know about it. Only those who are interested in it may know a bit but not others. Not everyone talks about it nor it is available everywhere. Here, another intention of mentioning it as a secret is because it is tough. So they say, it is rahasyam – secret, so that no one tries for it. By chance if you try to decode, they say it is dangerous for you. So, no one tries to attempt for it. Atma Vidya is a difficult topic and is scary. No one attempts to teach it and no one attempts to learn it. Yet, it is the most easiest one to learn. It is difficult to attain but can be attained by those who are interested in it. What is this ? Why is Swamiji saying two contradictory things ? A person who prepares a medicine will not reveal its formula. He registers his own trademak. Else, it will be duplicated. This also is like that.
Yesterday, we spoke about this taking all of us as example. Swamiji was taken as example for Guru and you all are taken as example for disciple. You all heard it to some extent. Some people understood and some did not. Some thought, it is for them only and some thought it is for others. Fools, this is for all of you. It is for all those who are listening. Dont feel it is not for you. you are not special. You are also there at some point or the other in this topic. What ever I said is for you only. Don’t escape that it is not for you. Ofcourse it is for you and I told you and not someone else through me. No body transmitted through me but these are my words alone. To whom it was told ? For you only. Take it or leave it. Upto you. I told you because I want you. Else I would not. If you scold a student who got 80% marks, he will get 100%. What is the use grumbling at the one who got zero marks ? He will throw back on the teacher. If he is a son of any famed person, he will get the teacher transfered. So, the teacher really wouldn’t bother about such student.
Yesterday, we spoke about Parashurama, son of Jamadagni maharshi. He is righteous, celebate and courageous. We heard many stories about him. He punished the wicked and protected the good. He established Dharma on the earth. If you condemn the bad, that itself is protecting dharma. If someone is singing bhajans as Ryama Grovinda instead of Rama Govinda, tell them it is Rama and not Ryama. They keep on singing Ryama Ryama…. Ryama Ryama Ryama Grovinda…. Bhajan should be sung properly. We need to correct them. There is nothing wrong in correcting. Explain to them that they might have written it wrong and there could have been a printing error. Absolutely there is nothing wrong in correcting.
Parasurama was defeated when Sri Rama broke Shiva’s bow. We all know this story. After the defeat by Sri Rama, Parashurama realised his mistakes. Till such time, he was egoistic. Even when Kasyapa maharshi asked him to vacate the earth, he didn’t feel the pain. But when faced the defeat in the hands of Sri Rama, he felt the distress. He realised that the path he was following till such time was wrong. He had a feeling that no one can win over him. Such a person realised his mistake after being defeated by Sri Rama. All the possessions he gained till that time went waste and could not give him happiness. It happens to us too. Many people goes to the market and purchase unwanted things with an intention that it might be of some use later. When there is a news about shortage of salt, we buy 20 bags of salt. We dump the house with salt bags. You can not consume that quantity even after 20 births. These are all marketing techniqus and we get fooled out of it. They flash the news Sale ! Sale ! Sale ! 5 rupees Sale ! Fool ! It costs only 3 Rs. We run and buy it for 5 rupees. You buy a saree under a sale for 5 rupees. It cannot be used even as a mosquito curtain. We still buy it. We buy 10 umbrellas full of holes. Not even one is useful. We buy 20 pairs of footwear. We say we got them for cheap price. Moreover, you gift these to others and they curse you. Added to this, you keep on boasting yourself that you distribute gifts to all on all festivals and occasions. We gather all these and feel that they give us happiness. They are of no use. All these possesions go waste and are of no use for us. You say, you struggled hard to educate your children. If not for your children, will you stuggle for puppies ? You say you struggled hard to get your daughter married. If not for your daughter, whom will you struggle for ? For your neighbours ? It is your daughter and you have to look after her. Many people come to me saying, please get my daughter married. Am I a broker to do that ? For you, I should cancel all my programs and look for a husband for your daughter. And after sometime, if they fight, you come to me and blame me for getting your daughter married. So, now I stopped doing all that and say you do it if they both agree. I will only bless. There is no greater sin than being an alliance agent. You must never force. You can only introduce but not beyond that. People come back to me and say Swamiji you have done this marriage. They can’t get those people. All others from both the families would have vanished. Only I am available here. They can’t leave me, yet they ill-treat me. So, now I dont bother about such things. If they themselves are involved in these affairs and if something goes wrong, they come running to me seeking my blessings. I bless them and give them courage. Then they again say, please sugest another alliance. Don’t I have any other work ? People say, Swamiji my elder daughter’s is over. Please see for my second daughter and for third daughter. No one brings their sons. They only bring their daughters. This is my life. What to do ? Who wants this responsibility ? This task should not be assigned to Guru. Doing so is greater than the greatest sin of being an alliance agent. You only should seek my blessings that the couple should be friendly. That is fair enough. People expect that I should look for an alliance, fix up a date, look for a venue for wedding, make food arrangements and then when everything is done and when they have a child, I should name the baby and it goes on…What is this karma for me ? Chee…. feel like going away to Tirupati. Expecting all this from Guru is the greatest of sins. You must only seek Swamiji’s blessings. I’m not an agent right ?
So, we feel all our possessions gives us happiness but no, it won’t. Parasurama also felt this. He conquered the entire earth yet was left alone. The power he gained out of his penance did not come to his use and he realised it only when he was defeated by Sri Rama. The moment he donated the entire land to Kasyapa maharshi, all his dreams of becoming the ruler of this world shattered away. He has killed all the kings and wanted to become the ruler. But nothing worked. 14 worlds, the kingdom, the merit of penance that he gained out of his valor were all burnt to ashes and did not come to his rescue. He realised that anything that is possessed is perishable at some point or the other. This teaches us that no worldly pleasure gives us happiness and the experience of Parasurama here clearly explains this to us. He, who has conquered this world with his valor and the heaven with his penance could not conquer over his anger and for the first time Parasurama realised it. An emperor is the one who wins over few kings of a particular region. But Parasurama is to be called an emperor in the true sense as he won 14 worlds. But he has omitted that title from his name when he realised that he could not win over his anger. He has become a slave to anger. He realised that it is due to this anger a great loss occurred. He analysed his entire life. You may wash away your sin by conducting, performing, participating, visiting, watching or serving a yagna. But one cannot get rid of anger how many ever yagnas you perform. There are yagnas to wash away your sin but there are none to remove your anger. Hence he lost in the hands of Sri Rama. He clearly understood that he cannot defeat his enemy called anger. He realised that unless he wins over his internal enemies, he cannot win over the external world. Though Parasurama is a form of Vishnu’s incarnation, he did not realise it so far.
As Parasurama slowly started walking repenting with such thoughts, he came across a brilliant, lustrous person on his way. He appeared to be insane. He started throwing stones at Parasurama. But Parasurama could identify divinity in him and started following him. He stopped that person and enquired his details and asked why he was hit by stones.
The person replied : My name is Samvarthaka and I’m in this state by the blessings of Dattatreya. I am like this due to Atma Vilasam – Self Bliss. To know Atma Vilasam, you must know your own state. Sit and ponder about yourself. From your birth, recollect and think on what mistakes you have done and what good deeds you have done and what did it result into. This is Atma Vilasam.
Listening to the words of Samvarthaka, Parasurama replied – Mahatma, I’m scared of Samsara, the worldly life. Here Samsara is not about family but is all about the distress and the feeling that no worldly pleasures or possessions could give him happiness. Parasurama requested Samvarthaka to bestow him with knowledge that gives him peace of mind.
Guroopadishta margena
Swatma Shaktim maheshwarim
Tripuram samyagaradhya
Samvarthaka replied : O Rama ! Surrender to Guru and follow the path as shown by Him and worship Tripura Devi and seek Her blessings. Who ever worships Tripura Devi will gain Atma Vilasam and all those associated with them also will experience this. The atma that resides in me is all pervasive and all that is there externally is also in the atma as a reflection. With this feeling, you will know that everything is filled within you and you will be steady and unmoved. Learn Guru Tatva and be happy O Rama – said Samvarthaka.
Your body when recognised by you and the recognition itself is not you. You are not you and you are not your body too. You are in everything around and that being in everything is you. When you inhale, you are in the entire universe and the entire universe is inside you. With such a feeling a Yogi feels him in the entire universe and when exhales he feels that he is floating in the entire universe. This feeling is Atma darshana. Have the feeling of I’m in universe and the universe is inside me, I exist due to this universe and the universe exists due to me. This feeling will remove fear of samsara. Constantly identify and recognise the faults and sins of samsara. Only then, you will attain vairagya. The feeling of pleasures in samsara pushes you down to nether worlds. The pleasures out of house, children, family etc pushes you to hell. Inspite of leadng a family life, remain untouched by its pleasure and see Paramatma in everyone and everything. This will give you Atma Tatva, else you can never experience it. Constantly keep reminding yourself of the faults and sins of Samsara to keep yourself detached. This will lead you to vairagya and inturn puts you on right path. Man who constantly contemplates on this will reach the supreme abode of Paramapadam – taught Samvartha Avadhoota to Parasurama.
Parasurama, the righeteous, the celebate and the ruler of all the worlds could not get rid of the fear of samsara. Imagine our situation. Attempting to ponder on Atma Tatva is also Atma Vilasa. At some point or the other in our life too, we will come across this kind of situation. So, wake up now and start pondering on Atma Tatva.
With the blessings of Tripura Mata, may you all get inclined to Atma Tatva and I bless you all to develop Bhakti, Gnana and Vairagya !!
Tripurambikayai Namaha !!
Sri Maatrey Namaha !!
During this second day of Navaratri, we all are learning Tripura Rahasyam. Today, we shall have the darshan of Datta Swami and Tripura Mata. Today we shall hear the words of Tripura Devi through the mouth of Datta Swami. After the interaction with Samvartha muni, Parasurama’s vision of worldly affairs has changed completely. He became broadminded. He repented that he has not thought of those which needs to be thought of. I have remained in pleasures and wasted time. What should I know now ? I am wasting this precious life by eating, sleeping, fighting, house, children, fighting with daughter-in-law, seat and so on. Why is our life like this ? This body is given for the purpose of gaining Atma Gnana and we have spoilt it. Leading a family life also, 75% of your life is to be allocated to Paramatma and 25% to your desires. But we allocate 99% to our desires and with the fear of someone, we give that 1% saying Govinda Govinda, I have gone to Tirupathi…Some fear for you that everyone will blame you if not gone for shivaratri. Whom are you doing it for ? You go for a piligrimage and God knows what you have seen there. You do not know where you are going and why are you going. Only Dattatreya can teach you. Out of utmost desire, you take up things that you cannot perform and are ending up in difficulties. This body gives you sorrow and not happiness. Feeling that the body itself is Atma, knowledgeable and the ignorant are doing wrong things. Though we see others suffering of oldage, we feel our body does not undergo that. The body gives you signals of old age. Yet you do not recognise it. If a old man falls down, it is a lesson for us that we will also undergo that state. If a son drives away his mother, it is a lesson from Paramatma for us in the form of that old lady that we too will undergo that state. It is a warning to be careful. Keep teaching your mind occassionally. Who protects us in our deep sleep ? What is the use of having tight security if you stop inhaling during your sleep ? A snake may bite you. A cockroach may go into your nose. It may go into your ear. You may put cotton buds into your ear but can you do that to your nose ? You will die.
Swamiji recently went to China. They built a wall for 7000 kilometers. Many people died during this construction. They felt Mangolians will encroach. I have been to huge buildings built by emperors. Where are they now ? Their spirit also is not there. Only in movies we see spirits. Money and people all are shielded by death. We do not know from where it comes…. mouth, nose, ear, hairstrand. We spoke to a person last evening and we dont find him alive this morning. You may say.. ayyo I just spoke to him last evening. We ate idlis together – you say. Hence, one who seeks peace of mind should not be into pleasures.
Seek only that which does not give your fear. Seek the Lord who removes your fear. You are more interested and inclined to a caution board which says do not peep. You end up peeping.
Hence, Parasurama decided to take refuge in the Lord, who removes his fear and had Dattatreya darshan in a cottage in Gandamadhana hill and prayed to him.
Dattatreya said O Rama, you are seeking that which is ultimate. Blessings of Tripura Mata is ultimate. In order to get Her blessings, utmost interest and devotion is required. Tripura Mata is Chichakthi. She can be identified by the ‘I’ in jeevis.
Once there was a discussion among Gods as to who is great among them. With a great sound, Tripura Devi appeared and disclosed her glory. She said, none of them are great. The entire universe is run with her energy. All the parts in the body are moving with the help of Chichakti – the form of Devi. It is her leela that we are able to move with the help of her shakthi. She said: I have created Trimurthis and assigned them the works in the universe. Follow my order and keep working on the tasks assigned. Saying so, Tripura Devi disappeared. She is all pervasive. The entire universe is Maya. We cannot measure it. We do not know how many planets are there even till today. It takes about 40 years to reach a planet that is visible. It takes about 120 years to reach there. We are not alive till then. The enire universe is split into parts and is in Her. The same universe is also in the Chittaakasa – our mind. This mind is in Brahma. That brahma contains everything in him. That same Brahma is also in the form of Tripura Parashakthi. Chidananda and Advyaya are her forms. She is high above to our words, body & mind. She is the base for eveything. She has taken many forms and is compassionate to her devotees. Describing so, Datta Swami explained the form of Tripura Mata to Parasurama. Like Parasurama, contemplate and walk on the right path and be fearless.
By the grace of Datta may the blessings of Tripura Mata be on all of you always.