Tripura Rahasya

Sage Dattatreya

The Goddess Continued..

He who unreservedly surrenders himself to Me with devotion, is endowed with all the requisites necessary for Self-realization. He who worships Me, easily overcomes all obstacles to Self-realization. On the other hand, he who being stuck up does not take refuge in Me - the pure intelligence manipulating the person - is repeatedly upset by difficulties, so that his success is very doubtful. Therefore O Rishis! The chief requisite is one pointed devotion to God. The devotee is the best of aspirants. The one devoted to Abstract Consciousness excels every other seeker. Consummation lies in the discernment of the Self as distinguished from the non-self. 

The Self is at present confounded with the body etc. Such confusion must cease and awareness of the Self must result as opposed to nescience in sleep. The Self is experienced even now; but it is not discerned rightly, for it is identified with the body etc. There is therefore endless suffering. The Self is not hidden indeed; it is always gleaming out as 'I', but this I is mistaken for the body, owing to ignorance. On this ignorance ceasing, the I is ascertained to be the true consciousness alone; and that sets all doubts at rest. This and nothing else has been ascertained by the Sages to be the finality. 

Thaugmaturgic powers such as flying in space etc. are all fragmentary and not worth a particle of Self-realization. For this is the unbroken and immortal bliss of the Self in which all else is included. Thaugmaturgic powers are also hindrance to self-realization. Of what use are they? They are but simple acrobatic tricks. The Creator's status appears to a Self-realized man to be only a trifle. What use are these powers, unless for wasting one's time?