Krishjan

Chapter 1 — Tripura Upanishad

Tripura

18 Shloka • Translation Only

Om! May my speech be based on (i.e. accord with) the mind. May my mind be based on speech. O Self-effulgent One, reveal Thyself to me. May you both (speech and mind) be the carriers of the Veda to me. May not all that I have heard depart from me. I shall join together (i.e. obliterate the difference of) day and night through this study. I shall utter what is verbally true. I shall utter what is mentally true. May that (Brahman) protect me. May That protect the speaker (i.e. the teacher), may That protect me. May that protect the speaker – may That protect the speaker.

She rules over three cities (or abodes of moksha, which are attained by the Divine Mother’s grace by), three paths (or this Sri Chakra, for her) children of the universe. (Hence, she is called Tripura. She has as her forms, the letters starting with) a, ka, (and) tha (representing twelve vowels and thirty-two consonants—a total of forty-eight letters), (in which she is) fully present. She is present in these letters (as three points, bindus, in three groups of letters and that is why she is called Tripura). She is ageless, birthless, the greatest (among gods and goddesses), (and) she is the glory of all gods (and worshipping her will please all the gods and goddesses).

(From each of the three points, bindus, come three centres, and), nine yonis created nine centres, (and three centres together form a triangle and there are totally nine lines in these three triangles), nine yogas (or chakras), nine yoginis, the nine rulers of the nine centres (having nine diff erent planes, one on top of the other, forming the meru of Sri Chakra), (and Chakreshvari) the cause of happiness (and misery), nine mudras (the sankshobhini mudra, the vidravani mudra, the akarshini mudra, the vashankari mudra, the sarvonmadini mudra, the mahankusha mudra, the khechari mudra, the bija mudra, and the yoni mudra), nine bhadras (merit, sin, Atman, the indwelling soul, the Paramatma, the all-knowing Self, the knower, the object of knowledge, and knowledge), (and) for each base of the triangles (on the Sri Chakra).

She was alone (in the beginning), the primal (cause of the universe), (she was the indwelling power of and) she became nine (yonis), she became nineteen (nine yonis and ten internal yonis), she became twenty-nine (nine yonis, ten internal yonis, and ten external yonis), then (was born) forty-three (nine yonis, ten internal yonis, ten external yonis, five organs of action, five organs of knowledge, mind, intellect, ego, and chitta). (She) is glowing intensely, as if desirous. Let the Mother, (identified with the Sri Chakra) enter me (or my body through mantras and rituals because my body is a form of the Sri Chakra).

(There is) a flame rising up (in the chakra to the north of sthiti-chakra) the circle of light (called) jvalana, indeed having the cloud of tamas on the top. (Then), the horizontal ageless circle of light, was born out of rajas. (Then) the circle of radiating light, (producing) sense enjoyment (was born out of) sattva. Thus, (these three) circles beautify (the Mothers associated with them).

On the substratum of the three lines (or spheres of light, are), the three worlds, the three gunas, and the three sources of light—the sun, the moon, and fire. This city (the Sri Chakra, the abode of the Divine Mother along with her attendants, which) is the fulfiller (of the desires, even of gods like Shiva and Vishnu, who fulfil the desires of countless devotees), of Shiva and Parvati, who play their divine sport here.

(The Divine Mother) is variously known as Madantika, joyous; Manini, proud (of Kedarnath); Mangala, auspicious (of Sri Lanka); and Subhaga, prosperous (of Assam). And she is Sundari, beautiful (of Trikuta); Shuddhamatta, pure; Lajja, modest (of Amaravati); Mati, intelligent; Tushti, satisfied; Ishta, desired (of Srinagar); Pushta, nourished (of Jageshwar); Lakshmi, wealthy (of Kolhapur); Uma, splendorous (of Mithila); and Lalita, eloquent (of Prayaga).

Knowing (through proper spiritual initiation and instructions from the guru) this (supreme goddess as residing within) one’s own seat (the body, which is not different from the Sri Chakra) they (the attendants of the Divine Mother) please (her) by being completely absorbed by (consecrated) nectar-like substances and live in heaven (enjoying the fruits of the first three goals of life—dharma, artha, and kama) and attain the highest abode of moksha.

(The Sri Vidya mantra is revealed secretly through the words) kama, desire (the syllable of the four-faced god Brahma); yoni, womb (indicating the vowel e); kamala, lotus (indicating the vowel ī); vajrapanih, one who holds the thunderbolt (indicating la); guha, cave (indicating the bija, seed, mantra of Bhuvaneshvari, hrim); (followed by the letters) ha, (and) sa, matarishva, the wind (the syllable of the four-faced god Brahma); abhra, cloud (indicating the letter ha); (and) Indra (indicating la). Again, (the mantra contains the letters denoted by the words) guha, cave (indicating the bija, seed mantra of Bhuvaneshvari, hrim); (and the letters) sa, ka, la, and maya (indicating the bija, seed mantra of Bhuvaneshvari, hrim)—this is the primal mantra, original knowledge, the Mother of the universe, the ancient.

Of this (the mantra described in the previous verse), removing the (first) three root syllables, (the letters ha, sa, and ka represented by the words), shashta, six; saptama, seven; and vahni, fire; have to be added (and it will form the Lopamudra mantra). By praising and praying the Lord—who is described in the Vedas, the substratum of the imagined universe, (and) who is described in the scriptures—they attain immortality.

I praise the mother of the universe (who resides in) the three worlds, on the three sides (triangles), having nine lines (formed by the nine yonis), with visarga (ah) in the middle (of the central triangle of Sri Chakra, which is the place of her worship). She shines in the primal eternal sixteenth in the centre of the city (that is, Sri Chakra, she who is) great (and the cause of) the fifteen tithis (or dates, who are the fifteen deities of the fifteen lunar days of a month, beginning with Kameshvari and ending with Chitra).

(In Kamalakala meditation), the two circles (of the vahni-mandala, fire circle; and surya mandala, sun circle) are the two breasts, one reflection is the face and half (the letter ha is the female organ and also refers to the bhupura chakra in the outermost gateways of Sri Chakra). The three (limbs of human body divided into three sections: from the head to the throat, from the throat to the breasts, and from the heart to the anus) are the secret houses (identified with the outermost three lines of the bhugriha chakra within the Sri Chakra). Meditating upon the desired (and transforming oneself into) the aspect (of the consciousness of Shiva and) that which has a desirable form, a person (the worshipper) is born as the embodiment of desire (who creates a disturbance in the minds of onlookers because of one’s beauty).

(The ritual offering and consuming of, in the stipulated order), madya, wine (or the intoxicating bliss of meditation); palam, meat (or the control of taste); jhasha, fish (or the control of breath); bhaktani, cooked food grains (or meditations on the guru); and yonis, wombs (or attaining the knowledge of the Divine Mother in all her manifestations), have to be done properly. Offering food to the great Goddess, the expert performer (of the external sacrifices) should consume it oneself (and) attain fulfilment (of the sacrifice).

(She) has, as it were, (because in reality she is beyond name and form), a white (elephant) goad and is the Mother (Tripurasundari) of the universe. (She) binds persons having desires or a passionate nature (by the rope of their own desires). She strikes down the (desires) with a bow and five arrows (one arrow each for the five senses). She is red and is the primal power, the Shakti, from whom the entire universe is born.

(The Lord) having the qualities of power, righteousness, fame, prosperity, knowledge, and discernment is the blessed Shakti, who is both the Lord (or Shiva) and desire. (Shiva and Shakti), both are givers of prosperity. Both are of equal importance and are of the same essence, completely identical, and have the same power. (She is) ageless (and) the womb of the universe (or from her the entire universe is born).

Purified (by rituals and mantras), by what remains after offering (in the worship of the Goddess), by drinking (in the bliss of meditation on the Goddess), by (what is) born out of contemplation, (and) the obstacles (to Self-realisation) being dissolved (by inactivity). (The Self of) all is (called) the creator of the universe, the sustainer, (and) the destroyer (and by practising complete detachment, one) attains the form of the universe (that is the form of the Lord).

This is the great Upanishad (explaining the secret meaning) of Goddess Tripura (through various statements). The supreme indestructible [Brahman] praises that (Upanishad), which is the highest knowledge, (that) this Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda, and other sciences (that is, the rest fourteen branches of the total eighteen traditional branches of knowledge, contain). Om. Om. Hrim. Om. Hrim. Thus ends the Upanishad.

Om! May my speech be based on (i.e. accord with) the mind. May my mind be based on speech. O Self-effulgent One, reveal Thyself to me. May you both (speech and mind) be the carriers of the Veda to me. May not all that I have heard depart from me. I shall join together (i.e. obliterate the difference of) day and night through this study. I shall utter what is verbally true. I shall utter what is mentally true. May that (Brahman) protect me. May That protect the speaker (i.e. the teacher), may That protect me. May that protect the speaker – may That protect the speaker.