Tripura Rahasya

[Guest guest]

In the Jnana Kanda of Tripura Rahasya, there is converstion

between Datattreya and Parusarama about the Self and the illusory

nature of the world.

Parusaram is said to have been initiated into Bala mantra and

after doing sadhana for some number years he goes to back Datattreya

to clarify his doubts.

This text has been highly referred by Sri Ramana Maharshi.

I have some doubts regarding this text.

 

 

 

 

1.Has Parusarama practiced Self-enquiry after listening to Datattreya

or has be become enligtened immediately after getting his doubts

clarified or has he further practiced his sadhana in Sri Vidya?

 

-----Parasurama is not just a specific person but the name means "before the

first person."

 

2. I believe Datattreya is originally Sakthi Upasaka (as I read from

other books) became enlightened after doing austereties - has he

practiced Self-enquiry or has he practiced Sadhana in Sri Vidya?

 

-----Since most texts on spiritual matters presuppose, especially in the

yogatantras, some familiarity and probably some initiation into the subject

and some practice, or in other words, some experiencial familiarity, then

therefore most written works are of the field of intellectual study rather

than for the promotion of experience. Taken this way one can read the work

of the Tripura Rahasya as a sort of Mahavakya or intellectual confirmation

of ones experience so as to erase doubts and set the mind straight. Even in

bhakti one still thinks and must have the intellect grounded, so for every

system, and especailly the non-dualist systems one must have the intellect

grounded.

 

-----Dattatreya is the eternal guru. There is no point asking what sadhanas

Dattatreya might have performed. It is he who created sadhana, in the same

sense of Promethius stealing fire. Dattatreya is also Siva in the role of

tantric advisor to Umadevi or in other words as author of the nigama

tantras. Dattatreya, Siva, Shakti, and Parasurama are your own self.

 

3. In general does any sadhaka of Sri Vidya carry out Self-enquiry

after some years of mantra sadhana or does he realize Self with

mantra sadhana alone.

 

-----Sadhana starts with Self, follows with Self, and ends with Self.

 

 

If the latter is true then what was the

necessity of Datattreya explaining how Self can be realized by Self-

enquiry (eg. concentrating on the state when the mind switches from

one object to another), He would have simply told Parusarama to

continue his sadhana which would result in Self-realization and get

all his doubts cleared henceforth.

 

-----Please look up and check into the Mahavakya. These are sayings which

traditional yogis had imparted to them by their gurus in the course of their

training in the Vedantic way of life. Their import is to still the

intellect within the basis of the experience of samadhi. As the ground of

samadhi is direct and still perception of pure awareness without referrent,

so the intellect itself is a referrent and so must be stilled also. This is

obviously hard to explain and many books do so.

 

 

What I mean the by the appraoch 'Self-enquiry' is how Hemachuda

realised the Self after analysing his own mind and plunging within

according to the instructions of Hemalekha.

 

 

-----There are many great Jnanis and I guess Ramana Maharishi is considered

one of the best. Some people have the necessary natural grace to simply

recognize pure awareness as the Self and so all they need is some

intellectual confirmation. Others need the continual experience of samadhi

to retain the experience and then some confirmation after awhile. I hope

this shows the value of both direct practice and intellectual confirmation.