The ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu are well known. Amongst them Lord Parasurama was known for his fractiousness. His father, Jamadagni, was a great hermit who had acquired lot of merit on account of his severe austerities. His mother, Renuka Devi, was considered to be an incarnation of the supreme goddess herself. Parasurama was always at loggerheads with the Kshatriyaas. One day when Parasurama was not present, the Kshatriyaas ravaged his hermitage and murdered his father. Burning in the crucible of his ire, he took an oath to eliminate each and every one of their kind on earth including the incipient children. Upon his father's demise his mother wanted to immolate herself in the same pyre. Carrying his dead father on one shoulder and his mother on the other Parasurama was walking through the woods. It was then that he met the avadhuta (naked saints) named Dattatreya, the illustrious and erudite son of Anasuya, also known to be the incarnation of Maha Vishnu himself. After paying his respects to Renuka Devi, Dattatreya was asked by her to guide Parasurama along the path to liberation. Later the irate Parasurama upon hearing about the exploits of the divine incarnate Lord Rama, decided to confront and challenge him to a duel. However this encounter humbled Parasurama, who lost almost all of his yogic powers on this occasion. On his way back, Parasurama met the great avadutha Samvarta, Brihaspati's brother. The palpable aura and peace that Samvarta exuded intrigued Parasurama. This sparked in him a yearning to explore the ethereal realm.
He took refuge under Dattatreya and sought spiritual guidance from his preceptor. From this point onwards continues one of the greatest works on advaita philosophy, in the form of several anecdotes narrated by Dattatreya to his pupil. These accounts are filled with divine nectar and are capable of conferring moksha on all those who contemplate upon its true meaning and import. This work entitled Tripura Rahasya is a guide to facilitate the understanding of the self and enables the truth seekers to cast away the sheath of nescience and materialism.
It transforms every instant of our life into a sublime experience turning the fuming volcanic crater of sorrow and misery into a cool caldera of supreme bliss.
Om Nama Shivaya!
