In this charming Pauranic tale a handsome prince ask the father of a beautiful country lass if he can have her hand in marriage. The father agrees but adds, “She’s not what you think she is,” a remark the prince ignores in the excitement of the moment. The unknown author chooses to begin the teaching proper on the wedding night when the prince, in the throes of passion, realizes the import of his bride’s sagely father’s words.

One might expect to find such a scenario in touchy-feely New Age literature but hardly in Vedanta, a discipline so lofty it never deigns to delve into the murky recesses of biology. Of course, life is never about what life is about on the surface, and true to form Tripura Rahasya merely uses this dramatic example to lead us into a discussion of the quest for liberation through Self-knowledge.

The Puranas are called Dharma Shastras, scriptures on dharma, the Eternal Way. They are “the Vedas in action,” my teacher said. Cryptic Vedic mantras, which require considerable dedication and brain-power to decipher even when unfolded by a sage, were turned into action-packed stories, delightful cartoons appealing to a wide range of minds. The Puranas are the rishi’s “stealth technology” because Upanishadic ideas about the nature of reality are cleverly hidden behind the exciting, baroque and romantic façade of myth.

The Mystery Beyond the Trinity contains marginally important creation theories, the relationship between the dream and waking state, and other interesting and sometimes advanced spiritual ideas. The part I chose, however, deals with issues that any serious seeker will eventually need to confront. It also insists that enlightenment requires disinterested and professional help, and suggests that love problems can be solved internally with reference to one’s true nature, without the need for squabbling and professional advice. Considering the haphazard character of modern questing and the sorry state of gender relations today, these are timely topics.