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VIDYA GITA By: | 52Views | 0 Comments

VIDYA GITAContents. Introduction. Tripura Rahasya. Teachings of the Vidya Gita. ConclusionIntroductionThe Vidya Gita is contained in the Tripura Rahasya and is in the form of a story which LordDattatreya relates to Parashurama. It is called Vidya Gita as Tripura or the Divine Mother whopresides over the three Puras or cities is Vidya or the highest wisdom herself. The Goddesspromotes, directs, confers wisdom. She confers liberation through intelligence and isworshipped, propitiated and adored as she removes the fog of delusion from the inner eye.Tripura RahasyaThe Tripura Rahasya is an ancient Sanskrit work and one of the finest Shakta texts of the Devitradition and is held in high esteem for its sanctity. It was highly regarded by Shri RamanaMaharishi as a spiritual text book. The book starts off with basics of who am I, nature of the worldetc and builds up to the purest and highest knowledge of Advaita or non duality or oneness. Itasserts that ones true nature is pure intelligence which is Self Luminous, undivided, unlimitedand Blissful. Mahadeva originally taught the Highest Truth to Vishnu who in turn taught Brahmain the celestial regions. Later it is said that Vishnu incarnated on earth as Dattatreya, the Lord ofthe Avadhuthas and taught it to Parashurama advising him to communicate it to Haritaayanawhen he approached him to seek the truth. Thus by the guidance of Dattatreya, Parashuramarealised the Self.Parashurama, a valiant Brahmin and one of the Avatars of Vishnu vowed to kill all Kshatriyas toavenge the murder of his saintly father. After this bloodbath he began to perform severepenances to seek Truth and Salvation and eventually met Lord Dattatreya who consented toguide him spiritually. Thus the Tripura Rahasya is a dialogue between Dattatreya andParashurama. Tripura means trinity or three cities and Rahasya means mystery or secret. Thus itstands for Mystery beyond the Trinity or The Secret of the Supreme Goddess. The three citiesare the three states of consciousness waking (Jagrat), dreaming (Swapna) and Deep Sleep(Sushupti). The consciousness underlying all of them is Tripura or the Mother Goddess. Thethree cities can also refer to the gross, subtle and kaarana sariras or bodies. The TripuraRahasya is divided into three parts. The first part is the Mahatmya Khanda which contains theorigin, mantra and yantra of the goddess Tripura. The second part is the Jnana Khanda orsection of knowledge which elaborates on the themes of manifestation, consciousness andliberation. The last part is the Charya Khanda or section on conduct. It is in the form of parables,aphorisms and direct instructions in the principles of Advaita Vedanta.The teachings of the Vidya Gita

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Dattatreya told Parashurama that he would relate a story to him. Once a distinguished gatheringof saints approached Brahma and said that they wished to know whose path of spiritual questwas the best and who was the most exalted sage of all. Lord Brahma was unable to answer sosaid that they would all ask Lord Shiva and collecting Vishnu on the way they went to Shivasabode. Shiva asked them to meditate on the Goddess. All of them meditated on the Goddessand she manifested as the transcendental voice in the expanse of pure consciousness. Humblyoffering salutations to her, they began singing her praises. They then asked her what was theperfect means of attaining her, the nature and result of such attainment and who was the best ofthe accomplished sages. With great compassion, the Goddess then replied that She was theabstract intelligence from which the cosmos originated, flourished and resolved. The ignorantknew her only as the gross universe but the wise knew her as Pure Consciousness. Thisrealisation could be attained only by stilling the mind. She abides as the Eternal Consciousnesspervading the three states waking, dream and deep sleep. All the Gods were manifestations ofherself because she was pure intelligence which could not be transcended Manifesting in diverseways, she remained unblemished because Absoluteness was her Being. Though she was theimmanent power in all she remained pure and unsullied. Through her power of Maya, she is bornand reborn as individuals with desires, attachments and is born in numerous cycles of birth anddeath until she grows wise and seeks a teacher who releases her from bondage. This is calledher creation and knowledge relating to her is complex and is of two categories, dual and nondual, the former relating to worship and the latter relating to realisation. Dual knowledge ismanifold and manifests as worship, meditation, prayer etc. The ultimate goal of all is non dualrealisation. The mind has to be completely resolved in the Self into the state called NirvikalpaSamadhi which is the undifferentiated peaceful state. That is Supreme Knowledge. Through thestudy of the scriptures teachings of a Guru and Sadhana one can differentiate from the self andnon self. Ego is destroyed and all doubts are removed when self realisation takes place resultingin the end of all misery and fearlessness. This is Emancipation. In the absence of duality there isno fear. Moksha results when the knower, knowledge and the known merge into unity. It isdevoid of thoughts, desire and will and is not obstructed by ignorance. The Self is Abstractintelligence which is free from thought. Thus earnestness is the only requisite in the spiritualpath. Longing for liberation should be unwavering and intense. Without this strong desire allefforts would be in vain. Intense devotion also is a prerequisite on the spiritual path. Absence offaith, dullness and other obstacles have to be crossed. Desire prevents the intellect fromfollowing the right path. Dispassion, Concentration and understanding of the mind has to bepractised along with worship, devotion and surrender. Spiritual powers that may have beenobtained as a byproduct of spiritual progress should be put aside as they may distract and takeaway one from the goal. There are distinctions among sages depending on their spiritualprogress. The highest order is unbroken Supreme awareness in all states of consciousness.Such a person constantly abides in the Self, is always in a state of equanimity, is beyond theworld of dualities and is always in a state of bliss. Hearing these words the Rishis saluted Shivaand the other Gods and returned to their abodes. So saying, Dattatreya told Parashurama thatthese words of the Divine Mother formed the Vidya Gita and is the raft to save one from sinking

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in the ocean of samsara and so it must be read and repeated everyday with devotion and love.ConclusionThe main lesson to be learnt here is that Vichara or Self Enquiry is essential to release man fromthe cycles of birth and death. Sadhana is essential for self realisation and the basis of allsadhana is the rejection of I, me and mine. Devotion and the grace of the Lord enables one toreach the goal. The world is not different from the Lord according to this Gita and time, spaceand the whole creation are nothing but projections of consciousness. Like an image on a mirror,the Universe arises out of abstract intelligence.

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rishis, Tripura, shiva, Rahasya, Dattatreya, Parashurama Back