Customer Reviews

Tripura Rahasya: The Secret of the Supreme Goddess (Spiritual Classics)

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Tripura Rahasya translates as: The Mystery Beyond the Trinity (the trinity referring to the three states of consciousness: waking, dreaming and deep sleep).

This book is so profound and so moving that it almost has a sense of being alive. It resonates so deeply within, that it feels like an ancient friend guiding you. It is that profound. In the introduction, it is confidently stated that by merely reading this book even just once, enlightenment/self-realization is guaranteed (although not necessarily right away).

This is truly one of the greatest and most marvelous spiritual books around. It is a classic in India, and was regarded by Ramana Maharshi as being a primary spiritual textbook. The book is wonderful in that it is both theoretical (philosophy) and practical. It is well structured and strictly logical in its form, and therefore well suited to the modern rational mind.

The book starts off with the basics (who am I, what is the nature of the world, etc.) and systematically builds to a deeper and more clear understanding of reality, magnificently elucidating the highest and purest knowledge of non-duality (advaita, oneness). It is not an easy book though, and every page needs to be pondered over and meditated upon; and then...applied.

The book Asserts that one's true nature is pure intelligence, which is unlimited, undivided, self-luminous and blissful. This definition of the Self corresponds with the definition given by the philosophy of Vedanta; which is: existence, intelligence and bliss (Sat, Chit, Ananda).

The following quote from the introduction characterizes the non-dual message of the book: "There cannot be manifestation beyond the Supreme Intelligence; therefore Cosmos and the Self are only the same, but different modes of reality. Realisation of the Truth is thus quite simple, requiring only constant remembrance on these lines.... that Reality is not incompatible with the world and its phenomena, and that the apparent ignorance of this Truth is itself the outcome of Reality so that there is nothing but Reality."

Tripura Rahasya has a timeless quality to it. It is at least a thousand years old, but is probably much older. The Indian sage Sankara quotes from it, and he was around in the 9th century. The language is ancient and magical, and has the power to transform consciousness.

Consider yourself fortunate to have come in contact with this amazing book.

After reading and understanding this scripture, one becomes a Jnani, a knower of the ultimate truth. Then for that person it is just a matter of depleting his/her karma and being alert not to cause more Karma. Karma can be depleted fastest by the practice of Mahavtar Babaji Kriya Yoga for householders who cannot practice fulltime the contemplation/concenteration method prescribed in the Tripura Rahasaya.
If one reads the Tripura Rahasaya and at the same time realizes/comprehends the truth, then there is no need for anything else other than holding their attention/awareness in the spiritual heart(located at space below the sternum) or awaring awareness itself.
Then one feels supreme peace and is liberated. Then it is upto oneself to do what one pleases, either remain in samadhi or perform natural actions forever in eternity. Either way the person becomes a yogi in sahaj samadhi, which is the ultimate samadhi in which one neither accepts or rejects and just becomes part of the ultimate stream of ...

(3 other great liberating scriptures are "Yoga Vasistha" , "Amrithanubhava" and "Ashtavakara Gita"(actually should be Janak Gita)

Ably translated into English by Swami Sri Ramananda Saraswathi, Tripura Rahasya: The Secret Of The Supreme Goddess is essentially a dialogue of instruction given by the guru Dattatreya to his the truth seeker Parasurama. Through a series of stories that can be read with amusement and the greatest of imaginative pleasures, the tales also provide a series of wisdoms and insights that illustrate and represent theological implications within Hindu theology and Goddess traditions. Tripura Rahasya is a confidently recommended addition to Comparative Religion collections in general, and Hindu Studies reading lists in particular.

Its simply very juicy and non-trivial. It captures you and challenges innermost concepts, ideas and habits. A must read for someone who is baffled by happenings in life and is bored with the emotional cycles of life and looking for a breakthrough. Its not a novel so go over it slowly and you will enrich yourself with the greatest knowledge.

What a priceless treasure. My own sadhana has become much deep and vast. Such a relatable, lucid, interesting and enlightening compendium of vedantic knoledge.

I would not urge to limit this timeless knowledge to a particular religion even though one may indulge in intellectual studies of comparative religion.

The knowledge enunciated in this ancient treasure is not limited to any particular modern religion. Just as the laws of physics have been always true, so are the truth about existence in this book.

Let us not jacket them into a particular "belief" system!

I do not consider myself well read, but what reading I have done in the spiritual arena has always left me thinking "a big chunk of something is missing". Nearly every spiritual discipline has focused on the male (Buddha, Krishna, Jesus, Abraham, Mohammed, ect). Over the years I have read several versions of the bhagavad gita and knew that there were other "gitas" out there and for way too long did not realize that the word "Gita" itself was a feminine term. So it would stand to reason that some of these "Gitas" should include women in the role of teacher. This book is a start, finally, (that's why I give it 4 stars). This is the first gita that I have read thats speaks of the goddess as not only relevant but absolutely crucial to all things and that no spiritual progress can be made without acknowledging and understanding her. It speaks of her role as the central teacher and as the underlying principle of all things. It illustrates this principle by relating a succession of short tales to a young prince, some of which are related to him by his semi-divine wife. This translation is more laid back in language and lacks the beauty and depth of phrasing than is offered in other "Gitas". An example of this casual translation is when the prince's wife tells him a strange parable meant to illustrate stages of spiritual developement, which after hearing it and not comprehending its, meaning the prince responds "I cannot believe that rigamarole". This book contains all the usual spiritual advice about the "self" common to most "Gitas" but it is refresshing to see the female as guru legitimized. In some of the tales though you could not help but see that the role of real women in the society at large were still "lesser than". But, at least here is a Gita that expounds the grand magnitude and supreme potency of the goddess though rendered in in less than eloquent phrasing and is well worth reading.