Tripura Upanishad
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The ''Tripura Upanishad'' (,
IAST The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Brahmic family, Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that ...
: Tripurā Upaniṣad) is a medieval era minor
Upanishad The Upanishads (; , , ) are late Vedic and post-Vedic Sanskrit texts that "document the transition from the archaic ritualism of the Veda into new religious ideas and institutions" and the emergence of the central religious concepts of Hind ...
of
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
. Composed in Sanskrit, the text is classified as a
Shakta Shaktism () is a major Hindu denomination in which the deity or metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically to be a woman. Shaktism involves a galaxy of goddesses, all regarded as different aspects, manifestations, or personificatio ...
Upanishad and attached to the
Rigveda The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' (, , from wikt:ऋच्, ऋच्, "praise" and wikt:वेद, वेद, "knowledge") is an ancient Indian Miscellany, collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canoni ...
. It is, as an Upanishad, a part of the corpus of
Vedanta ''Vedanta'' (; , ), also known as ''Uttara Mīmāṃsā'', is one of the six orthodox (Āstika and nāstika, ''āstika'') traditions of Hindu philosophy and textual exegesis. The word ''Vedanta'' means 'conclusion of the Vedas', and encompa ...
literature collection that present the philosophical concepts of Hinduism. The ''Tripura Upanishad'' places the goddess
Tripura Sundari Tripura Sundari (Sanskrit: त्रिपुरसुन्दरी, IAST: Tripura Sundarī), also known as Lalita, Shodashi, Kamakshi, and Rajarajeshvari, is a Hindu goddess, revered primarily within the Shaktism tradition and recognized as o ...
as the ultimate
Shakti Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; 'energy, ability, strength, effort, power, might, capability') in Hinduism, is the "Universal Power" that underlies and sustains all existence. Conceived as feminine in essence, Shakti refer ...
(energy, power) of the universe. She is described as the supreme consciousness, above
Brahma Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212– ...
,
Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
and
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
. The text is one of the important texts of the Shakta tradition and notable for its theory of ''Tripura'' (literally "three cities") symbolizing the three roads of work, worship and wisdom. Douglas Brooks states the text is historically notable as being "as close to an introduction to Shakta Tantrism as we may find", distilling into its 16 verses almost every important topic in Shakta Tantra tradition. The text presents the
Srividya Srividya (24 July 1953 – 19 October 2006), was an Indian actress best known for her work predominantly in Malayalam and Tamil films, along with few Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films. In a career spanning for 40 years, she had acted in more t ...
yantra as a means of meditation. The text links the Shakti Tantra tradition as a Vedic attribute, however this link has been contested by scholars. The philosophical premises in this text as in many Shakta Upanishads, states June McDaniel, is syncretism of
Samkhya Samkhya or Sankhya (; ) is a dualistic orthodox school of Hindu philosophy. It views reality as composed of two independent principles, '' Puruṣa'' ('consciousness' or spirit) and '' Prakṛti'' (nature or matter, including the human mind a ...
and Advaita Vedanta schools of
Hindu philosophy Hindu philosophy or Vedic philosophy is the set of philosophical systems that developed in tandem with the first Hinduism, Hindu religious traditions during the Iron Age in India, iron and Classical India, classical ages of India. In Indian ...
, called ''Shaktadavaitavada'' (literally, the path of nondualistic Shakti).


History

The author and the date when ''Tripura Upanishad'' was composed are unknown. The text was likely composed, in the same period as other Shakta Upanishads, between the 12th- and 15th-century CE. Buhnemann suggests the ''Tripura Upanishad'' was probably composed after the 15th-century CE. While this text is a relatively late composition in the Upanishadic collection, literary evidence confirms that Shakta Tantrism has roots in ancient times and the interaction between Vedic and Tantric traditions trace back to at least the sixth century, and the surge in Tantra tradition developments during the late medieval period, states Geoffrey Samuel, were a means to confront and cope with Islamic invasions and political instability in and after 14th-century CE in parts of India and Tibet. The text was translated by AG Krishna Warrier in 1967. However, scholarly reviews such as those by Brooks have questioned the translation and its conservative modern interpretation that is inconsistent with how the text was interpreted by 15th- to 18th-century Indian scholars such as Bhaskararaya in their
bhasya Bhashya () is a "commentary" or "exposition" of any primary or secondary text in ancient or medieval Indian literature. Common in Sanskrit literature, ''Bhashyas'' are also found in other Indian languages such as Tamil. Bhashyas are found in vario ...
(review and commentary). The Upanishad has survived into the modern times in two recensions, one attached to the Rigveda and other to the Atharvaveda. Manuscripts of this text are also found titled as ''Tripuropanisad''. In the Telugu language
anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...
of 108 Upanishads of the Muktika canon, narrated by
Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...
to
Hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...
, it is listed at number 82. The ''Tripura Upanishad'' is complemented by Bhavana Upanishad, and the text accompanies the tantra rituals text ''Parasurama Kalpasutra'' in Shakta traditions.


Name

The title ''Tripura'' means "three cities". It refers to the Tantric idea that everything including the transcendental reality is of triadic form and function, manifesting from one unity. The triads occur, for example, as "creator, creation, and the process of creativity", "will, action and knowledge", "knower, object of knowledge, and the process of knowing", three Devas, three Shaktis (energies), three ''svaras'' (musical notes), and others. These all simultaneously emerge from, and coalesce into, Tripurasundari
Devi ''Devī'' (; ) is the Sanskrit word for 'goddess'; the masculine form is Deva (Hinduism), ''deva''. ''Devi'' and ''deva'' mean 'heavenly, divine, anything of excellence', and are also gender-specific terms for a deity in Hinduism. The concept ...
. She is epistemologically envisioned, states Brooks, as "the measurer, the measuring and the thing measured"; She has the nature of
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
, Shakti and Atman (soul, self); She is all creation in latent and manifested forms; and She establishes the nondualistic identity of the Absolute
Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' (; IAST: ''Brahman'') connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality of the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part XII In the ...
with the individual soul (Atman), states Brooks. The term ''Upanishad'' means it is knowledge or "hidden doctrine" text that belongs to the corpus of Vedanta literature collection presenting the philosophical concepts of Hinduism and considered the highest purpose of its scripture, the
Vedas FIle:Atharva-Veda samhita page 471 illustration.png, upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the ''Atharvaveda''. The Vedas ( or ; ), sometimes collectively called the Veda, are a large body of relig ...
.


Contents

Some recensions of the manuscripts include a prelude and an epilogue in the form of a prayer asserting that the Vedas must be imbibed in one's mind, thoughts and speech, and through truth only is peace assured. The main text consists of 16 verses. This number 16 is significant in the Tantra tradition, and constitutes the sixteen syllabic structure of the ''Mula-Mantra'', or root manta of its Srividya's school. The main message is contained in its 15 verses, to which a sixteenth verse is appended, exactly like the way the yantra is designed wherein the sixteenth syllable is appended to its core fifteen elements. Thus the architectural elements of the Upanishad mirror the architecture of the Srividya mantra. The Srividya presented in the ''Tripura Upanishad'', has been described by the medieval Tantra scholar Bhaskararaya to one of realizing that "
Devi ''Devī'' (; ) is the Sanskrit word for 'goddess'; the masculine form is Deva (Hinduism), ''deva''. ''Devi'' and ''deva'' mean 'heavenly, divine, anything of excellence', and are also gender-specific terms for a deity in Hinduism. The concept ...
within each human being is a means to know and attain one's own real nature", that personal liberation and freedom (
moksha ''Moksha'' (; , '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'', and ''mukti'', is a term in Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, liberation, '' nirvana'', or release. In its soteriological and eschatologic ...
) is a "process of reintegration", a journey of knowing one's inner roots and returning to it. It is a path to become one with Ultimate Reality, the
Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' (; IAST: ''Brahman'') connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality of the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part XII In the ...
. Genuine religious freedom, asserts Bhaskararaya in his commentary on ''Tripura Upanishad'', is achievable only with autonomy and realization of one's nature. The text is considered, in Shakta tradition, to be rooted in
Rigveda The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' (, , from wikt:ऋच्, ऋच्, "praise" and wikt:वेद, वेद, "knowledge") is an ancient Indian Miscellany, collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canoni ...
hymns, with Rig hymn 5.47.4 considered as a form of Srividya, the most important
mantra A mantra ( ; Pali: ''mantra'') or mantram (Devanagari: मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words (most often in an Indo-Iranian language like Sanskrit or Avestan) belie ...
in many Shakti traditions. However, this claim of Rig Vedic roots has been controversial, and is disputed as an esoteric interpretation, by mainstream orthodox traditions of
Hindu philosophy Hindu philosophy or Vedic philosophy is the set of philosophical systems that developed in tandem with the first Hinduism, Hindu religious traditions during the Iron Age in India, iron and Classical India, classical ages of India. In Indian ...
, states Brooks. The text introduces goddess Tripura in verses 1 through 5 as supreme Shakti. The triadic theology permeates the construction of the verses as well as the message. Thus, states Brooks, she is presented as the ''Sthularupa'' (literally, physical anthropomorphic icon), ''Suksmarupa'' (subtle sound, mantra icon), and ''Pararupa'' (transcendent diagrammatic, yantra icon). The ''Upasana'' (contemplative worship) is similarly presented as the triad of ''Bahiryaga'' (outer devotion), ''Japa'' (silent repetition), and ''Antaryaga'' (inner devotion). Verses 2 and 3 also states that goddess Tripura is symbolized in nine ways, nine yogas, nine gods, nine healing deities, nine communicative forms representing all the three energies, and controlling the numerals, nine nineteen, twenty-nine, and ever radiant. Her worship through various methods of meditation is asserted by the text to lead to liberation. The verse 6 of the Upanishad succinctly presents her relationship with Shiva, and introduces the names of fifteen goddesses, each an aspect of her as the sixteenth. The verses 8 and 9 of the text, states Brooks, present the syllables of its mantras in a technical, encoded vocabulary, whose details and meaning in the Tantra tradition is passed verbally from one generation to another, through a
Guru Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...
. The text presents the encrypted code, but unlike other Upanishads in the Hindu tradition, does not explain or provide an outline of the code's esoteric meanings. These mantras of the ''Tripura Upanishad'' are also referred to as ''Kadi vidya'' and ''Hadi vidya''. The verses 10 through 12 state the ''upasana'' rituals and Srichakra worship, in verbal and diagrammatic images of Tripura, Shiva and self. The verse 13 is dedicated to meditation practice. Verses 14–15 assert
ontological Ontology is the philosophical study of being. It is traditionally understood as the subdiscipline of metaphysics focused on the most general features of reality. As one of the most fundamental concepts, being encompasses all of reality and every ...
oneness between Shakti, Shiva and Atman, with the statement that through "knowledge that the self becomes one with Cosmic being".


English translations

*


See also

* * *


References


Citations


Works cited

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* * {{Mukhya Upanishads Upanishads Tripura Sundari