CHAPTER VIII
KEY TO THE PARABLE OF CHAPTER V
1-3. Having learnt from the mouth of his wise wife, the true significance of Tripura, who is Pure Intelligence and God in Truth, and also the technique of Tripura’s worship from competent teachers as prompted by divine grace, Hemachuda gained peace of mind and took to the worship with intense devotion.
A few months passed in this manner.
Note: – God’s grace is the sine qua non of any kind of knowledge of God.
4. “The Supreme Mother’s grace descended on him, and he became totally indifferent to pleasure because his mind was entirely absorbed in the practical investigation of the Truth.
5. “Such a state is impossible for any one without the Grace of God, because the mind engaged in practical search for truth is the surest means of emancipation.
6. “Parasurama! Countless aids will not give emancipation if an earnest search for truth is not made.
7. “Once more Hemachuda sought his wife alone, his mind absorbed in the quest for Truth.
8-9. “She saw her husband coming to her apartment, so she went to meet him, welcomed him and offered him her seat. She washed his feet and prostrated before him, as was due to one of his rank, and spoke melting words of sweet love.
10-14. “Dearest! I see you again after such a long time. Are you in good health? Of course, the body is sometimes liable to illness. Do tell me why you have been neglecting me all these days. Not a day passed before without your seeing me and conversing with me. How have you been passing your time? I could never have dreamt that you would be so indifferent to me! What makes you so? How do you spend your nights? You used to say that a moment without me was like eternity to you, and that you could not bear it.” Saying this, she embraced him fondly and appeared distressed.
15-17. Though embraced lovingly by his dear wife, he was not moved in the least and said to her “Dear, I can no longer be deceived by you. I am convinced of your strength and that nothing can affect your inherent happiness. You are a sage and unperturbed. You know this world and beyond. How could anything affect you like this? I am here to ask your advice. Now please listen. Explain to me that tale you once related to me as the story of your life.
18. “Who is your mother? Who is your friend? Who is her husband? Who are her sons? Tell me, what relationship have all these people to me?
19. “I do not clearly understand it. I no longer think it is a lie. I am sure you told me a parable which is full of significance.
20. “Tell me everything in full so that I may understand it clearly. I bow to you reverently. Kindly clear these doubts.”
21-23. Hemalekha with a smiling and delighted face heard her husband and thought within herself: ‘He is now pure in mind and blessed of God. He is evidently indifferent to the pleasures of life and is also strong in mind. This must be due to God’s Grace alone and his former virtues are now bearing fruit. The time is now ripe for him to be enlightened, so I will enlighten him.’ She said, “Lord, God’s Grace is upon you, and you are blessed!
24-25. “Dispassion cannot arise otherwise. It is the criterion of God’s Grace that the mind should be rapt in the quest for truth, after becoming detached from sensual pleasures. I shall now solve the puzzle of my life-story.
26. “My mother is Transcendence – pure Consciousness; my friend is intellect (discerning faculty); ignorance is Madam Dark, the undesirable friend of intellect.
27. “The caprices of ignorance are too well known to need elucidation, she can delude any one, making a rope seem to be a serpent and striking terror in the looker-on.
28-33. “Her son is the greatest of illusions – the mind; his wife is thought or conception or imagination; her sons are five in number, namely, audition, taste, sight, touch and smell, whose mansions are the respective senses. What the mind was said to steal from them is enjoyment of sensual objects which leaves an impress on the mind to develop later into the proclivities of the mind. Sharing stolen objects with his wife is manifestation of proclivities in dreams. Dream is the daughter-in-law of Delusion (i.e., ignorance). Madam Vorax is desire; her sons are anger and greed; their city is the body. What was said to be my most potent talisman is Realisation of the Self. Mind’s friend guarding the city is the vital principle which keeps moving as the life-breath. The different cities peopled by them are hells passed in the eternal passage of the soul. The consummation of the discerning faculty is Samadhi. My admission into my mother’s chamber is final emancipation.”
34. “Such is in brief the tale of my life. Yours is likewise. Think well and be absolved.”
Thus ends the Chapter on the Course of Life in the Section of Hemachuda in Tripura Rahasya.
