Etymology
'Tripura' means 'the three cities,' and 'sundarī' means 'beautiful,' specifically a beautiful female. Therefore, her name means 'Beautiful (Goddess) of the Three Cities'. Tripura is often popularly translated as 'the three worlds;' however, this is an incorrect translation of the original Sanskrit.
The 'three cities' esoterically refers to a variety of interpretive doctrines, but commonly refers to the triple form of the goddess as found in the triadic doctrine of Shaktism. According to Bhaskararaya's commentary of the Tripura Upaniṣad:
- There are three forms of deity: physical (sthūla), subtle (sūkṣma) and supreme (parā). Now the first is described in its respective meditative verses (dhyānaśloka); the second consists of the respective root-mantra (mūlamantra); the third consists of contemplative worship . Because deities are threefold in form, contemplative worship (upāsti) is divided threefold respectively into external sacrifice (bahiryāga), silent repetition (japa) and internal sacrifice (antaryāga) .
- Even though the bindu cakra it has a threefold nature... The three deities created not different from peaceful (śānta) are Icchāśakti, Jñānaśakti, and Kriyāśakti. The female deities named Vāmā, Jyeṣṭhā, and Raudrī by the three forms of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra which are not different creations from Ambikā.
Icchāśakti is literally the 'power of will,' Jñānaśakti is the 'power of knowledge,' and Kriyāśakti is the 'power of action.'
Brooks further notes:
- The traditional interpretation of Tripurā's name in Tantric soteriology involves a rather technical discussion of different levels of spiritual insight and worldly accomplishment, the fate of the individual soul (ātman) in the karmic process, and the concepts of external (bahir-) and internal sacrifice (antaryāga).
Tripura also refers to the Śrīcakra, the yantra that represents the highest vibrational form of Tripurasundari, according to the commentator on the sutra of Gauḍapādā. Bhaskararaya notes in his commentary on Tripura Upaniṣad that the śrīcakra, composed of nine interlocking triangles, is triple in nature.
Read more about this topic: Tripura Sundari
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