The Tripura Rahasya contains a
section called Sri Vidya Gita, which is a proper subject for study,
during the Navaratri, when Tripura Sundari, the Goddess Shakti or Maya
or Kali or Saraswati is being worshipped and meditated upon by all
ardent aspirants. The Gita is in the form of a story: Once upon a time, a
distinguished galaxy of sages assembled in Brahmaloka. Each one of them
held forth loud and long on his own system, with the courage of
conviction and declared that it was the best. This led to great
confusion and they could not all agree upon the system that was the
best. So, they prayed to the Goddess Tripura to solve their problem.
When The Goddess manifested Herself before them, they asked Her, "What
is the proper and perfect means of attaining Thee? What is the nature
and result of this attainment? Who is the best among the sages who have
accomplished The Goal?"
The
answer given contains the cream of the highest gains of Indian
philosophy. “I am the ABSTRACT Intelligence, wherefrom the Cosmos
originates, whereon it flourishes, wherein it resolves. The ignorant
call Me, Prakriti, or the. Gross Universe, the wise know Me, as their
own pure Being, the `I' within. Being non-dual and Abstract
Intelligence, I spontaneously manifest as the minutest particle in the
universe as well as the universe itself. I manifest in diverse ways;
but, I Am unblemished, for I Am Absolute. Though I Am the abode of all
and immanent in all, I remain pure.
I wield
My Maya and I play in it. I become covered with ignorance; I appear full
of desires; I seek their fulfillment and appear happy or miserable; I
project favourable or unfavourable environments; I appear to be born
again and again; I learn the Truth and get absolved. This manifestation
as the ignorant and the bound is called Creation. Supreme Wisdom is the
state devoid of thoughts, will and desire and is unimpeded by ignorance.
Non-dual consciousness is the state of emancipation. Emancipation is
eternal and therefore, here and now; it is not a state to be acquired.
If the
longing for becoming aware of emancipation is intense and unwavering,
you will succeed. Three evil propensities that befoul the intellect have
to be overcome: (i) want of faith in the Sastras and the Guru (ii)
addiction to desires and (iii) dullness. Believe firmly, convince
yourself by correct logic, develop dispassion, and to overcome dullness,
practise adoration, prayer, meditation so that you may win Divine
Grace. He who unreservedly surrenders himself to Me, with devotion, is
endowed with all the requisites necessary for the Realisation of the
Self, that is to say, Me.
You ask
Me who among you is the best. Well, He who has one-pointed devotion to
God is the best of aspirants, because his dullness will disappear
through Grace. But, the one devoted to Abstract Consciousness excels
every other seeker. Some sages, like Janaka, abide as the Self, even
while engaged in complex duties. Though engaged in work, if a person
does not look upon anything as non-self, he is a perfect sage. The best
among the sages is never out of samadhi, be he working or idle. He is
not influenced by happiness or misery, by pleasure or pain, nor by fear
or doubt or desire. He feels himself pervading all, as all. He is at
peace, he is aware that all dualities are in the Self and of the Self.
He feels this continuously and spontaneously. Such a one is the best
among you. This is called Vidya Gita, because Tripura, or She Who
presides over the three Puras, cities that is to say, the gross, subtle
and karana-sariras or bodies, is V
idya or the Highest Wisdom Itself.
In the
Devi Mahatmya, the Goddess is described, "Sarvasya buddhi rupena,
Janasya hrdi samsthithe!" "She who is in every being as Buddhi or
Intelligence." She is Mahavidya, Mahavani, Bharathi, Vaak Saraswati. She
promotes, confers, directs, intelligence. She Who confers liberation
through Intelligence and removes the fog of delusion from the inner eye
is worshipped, adored and propitiated. May Intelligence grow, May
Ignorance vanish, May all of us, through the Grace of Mother Sai be
released from bondage to the senses and bondage to the temporary and the
tawdry.
