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Tripura Upanishad

(Chapter 17)

Chapter Quiz

Verse 1

tistraḥ purastripathā viśvacarṣaṇā atrākathā akṣarāḥ saṃniviṣṭāḥ । adhiṣṭhāyainā ajarā purāṇī mahattarā mahimā devatānām॥

AI Translation

Three cities, with three paths, experienced by all; within them are well-established the unspoken and the imperishable. Having presided over them, the ageless, ancient [one] is the supreme glory of the deities.

Verse 2

navayonīrnavacakrāṇi dadhire navaiva yogā nava yoginyaśca । navānāṃ cakrā adhināthā syonā nava bhadrā nava mudrā mahīnām॥

AI Translation

Nine yonis and nine chakras are established; indeed, nine yogas and nine yoginis (are associated with them). The benevolent presiding deities of the nine chakras, nine auspicious ones, and nine mudras of the great goddesses (are present).

Verse 3

ekā sa āsītprathamā sā navāsīdā sonaviṃśādā sonatriṃśāt। catvāriṃśādatha tistraḥ samidhā uśatīriva mātaro mā''viśantu ॥

AI Translation

She was the One, the First. Eighty-nine, nineteen, twenty-nine; furthermore, twenty-four. May the three fuel-sticks, like longing mothers, enter me.

Verse 4

ūrdhvajvalajjvalanaṃ jyotiragre tamo vai tiraścīnamajaraṃ tadrajo'bhūt। ānandanaṃ modanaṃ jyotirindoretā u vai maṇḍalā maṇḍayanti ॥

AI Translation

The light of the upward-blazing flame is supreme. Indeed, darkness is horizontal; that imperishable dust (or principle of activity/matter) came into being. The joyful and gladdening light of the moon—these circles truly adorn (creation).

Verse 5

yāstistro rekhāḥ sadanāni bhūstrīstriviṣṭapāstriguṇāstriprakārāḥ। etattrayaṃ pūrakaṃ pūrakāṇāṃ mantrī prathate madano madanyā ॥

AI Translation

The three lines, which are abodes, being the earth-goddesses, the three heavens, the three qualities (guṇas), and of three kinds. This triad is the fulfillment of all fulfillers. The lord of the mantra, Madana, manifests through Madani.

Verse 6

madantikā māninī maṃgalā ca subhagā ca sā sundarī siddhimattā। lajjā patistuṣṭiṣṭiā ca puṣṭā lakṣmīrumā lalitā lālapantī ॥

AI Translation

She is Madantikā, dignified, auspicious, and fortunate; she is beautiful and accomplished. She is Modesty, one who causes her husband's satisfaction (or, abiding in husband's contentment), and is flourishing; she is Lakṣmī, Umā, Lalitā, who speaks charmingly.

Verse 7

imāṃ vijñāya sudhayā madantī parisṛtā tarpayantaḥ svapīṭham। nākasya pṛṣṭhe mahato vasanti paraṃ dhāma traipuraṃ cāviśanti ।।

AI Translation

Having understood this, and by the exhilarating and pervading nectar, those who satisfy their own spiritual seat, dwell greatly on the surface of heaven and enter the supreme abode of Tripurā.

Verse 8

kāmo yoniḥ kāmakalā vajrapāṇirguhā hasā mātariśvābhramindraḥ । punargahā sakalā māyayā ca purūcyeṣā viśvamāta''dividyā ॥

AI Translation

Desire (Kāma) is the Source (Yoni); Kāmakalā is Vajrapāṇi (Indra). Guhā (the Secret Knowledge) is Hasā (manifested delight). Mātariśvan (the Wind-God), Abhra (the Sky/Cloud), and Indra (the Chief of Gods) are (aspects of it). This all-pervading One, complete with Māyā (the divine creative power), is again Guhā, the Mother of the Universe, the Primal Knowledge.

Verse 9

ṣaṣṭhaṃ saptamamatha vahnisārathimasyā mṛlatrikamādeśayantaḥ। kathyaṃ kaviṃ kalparka kāmamīśaṃ tuṣṭuvāṃso amṛtatvaṃ bhajante ॥

AI Translation

Those who reveal the sixth, the seventh, the charioteer of fire (Vayu), and the three-component Mṛlā (mantra) of her (the Goddess); and those who have praised the speakable (truth), the seer, the creator (Kalparka), Desire (Kāma), and the Lord—they attain immortality.

Verse 10

puraṃ hantrīmukhaṃ viśvamātū rave rekhā svaramadhyaṃ tadeṣā। bṛhattithirdaśa pañcā ca nityā saṣoḍaśikaṃ puramadhyaṃ bibharti ॥

AI Translation

This city, with Hantrī at its forefront, which is the Mother of the Universe, is that line of the sound 'ra' within a vowel. The great Tithi (lunar day), the Ten and the Five, and the Eternal (Goddess Nityā) bears the center of the city, along with its sixteen constituents.

Verse 11

yadvā maṇḍalādvā stanabimbamekaṃ mukhaṃ cādhastrīṇi guhāsadanāni। kāmīkalāṃ kāmarūpāṃ cikitvā naro jāyate kāmarūpaśca kāmaḥ ।।

AI Translation

Alternatively, from the maṇḍala, there is one breast-orb, a face, and below, three secret abodes. A man, having understood Kāmakalā, who is of the form of desire, becomes himself of the form of desire and becomes Kāma (the god of love).

Verse 12

parisṛtaṃ jhaṣamājaṃ palaṃ ca bhaktāni yonī: supariṣkṛtāśca। nivedayandevatāyai mahattyai svātmīkṛte sukṛte siddhimeti ॥

AI Translation

One who offers to the great deity gathered fish, goat meat, (other) meat, cooked food, and well-prepared vulvas, attains siddhi by internalizing the meritorious act.

Verse 13

sṛṇyeva sitayā viśvacarṣaṇiḥ pāśenaiva pratibadhnātyabhīkān। iṣubhiḥ pañcabhirdhanuṣā ca vidhyatyādiśaktiraruṇā viśvajanyā ।।

AI Translation

The all-pervading (Goddess), with a goad and indeed with a white noose, binds the desirous ones. The primordial power Aruna, the generatrix of the universe, shoots with five arrows and a bow.

Verse 14

bhagaḥ śaktirbhagavānkāma va iṃśa ubhā dātārāvih saubhagānām। samapradhānau samasattvau samojau tayoḥ śaktirajarā viśvayoniḥ ।।

AI Translation

Bhaga (Prosperity) is the Power (Śakti). The glorious Kāma along with his divine share (aspect) – both here are givers of good fortune. They are equal in their fundamental principle, equal in their essence, equal in their vigor. Of the two, Śakti (the Power) is ageless, the womb of the universe.

Verse 15

parisṛtā haviṣā bhāvitena prasaṃkoce galite vaimanaskaḥ । śarvaḥ sarvasya jagato vidhātā dhartā hartā viśvarūpatvameti ॥

AI Translation

When the (universe) that is pervaded and brought forth by the oblation contracts and dissolves, and the mental state (of beings) ceases, then Sharva, who is the creator, sustainer, and destroyer of the entire world, assumes the universal form.

Verse 16

iyaṃ mahopaniṣatraipuryā yāmakṣaraṃ paramo gīrbhirīṭṭe। eṣargyajuḥ parametacca sāmāyamatharveyamanyā cavidyā।।

AI Translation

This is the great Tripura Upanishad, which the supreme Immutable One praises with hymns. This is the supreme Rig-Yajur Veda, and this is the Sama Veda, this is the Atharva Veda, and this is all other knowledge.

Verse 17

oṃ' hrīṃ oṃ hrīmityupaniṣat ॥

AI Translation

Om, Hrim, Om, Hrim – this is the Upaniṣad.