Mandukya Upanishad

M¡³±¥KYA UPANI½AD by

Dr. Paul YF Loke

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Contents Page 1.

Introduction

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Mantra 1 ................................................... 1

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Mantra 2 ......................................................

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Mantra 3 ......................................................

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Mantra 4 ......................................................

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Mantra 5 ......................................................

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Mantra 6 ......................................................

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Mantra 7 ......................................................

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Mantra 8 ......................................................

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Mantra 9 ......................................................

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Mantra 10 ....................................................

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Mantra 11 ....................................................

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Mantra 13 ....................................................

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Introduction According to tradition, the M¢´²¦kya Upani¾ad 1 – a great work expounding the quintessence of Advaitic thoughts – was revealed to Varuna2 who was said to have assumed the form of a frog (M¢´²uka) to felicitate Lord N¢r¢y¢´a. Indeed, its inclusion as one of the principal Upani¾ads is a testament to its significance. Furthermore, not only is this short work of twelve cryptic mantras commented upon by eminent teachers3 , such as ¹a´kara, Madhva,etc., its importance for the realization of the highest truth is eulogized in the Muktik¢-Upani¾ad, wherein it is declared that ‘The M¢´²¦kya alone is sufficient for the final release of those who seek liberation….’4 In his commentary on the Upani¾ad (as part of the Ma´²¦kya-k¢rik¢, a gloss by Gau²ap¢da), Sankara points out before commencing on the commentary proper that the benefit to be derived by the study of the M¢´²¦kya Upani¾ad is to gain the direct experience (anubhava) of non-duality. In other words, advaita-bhava, which in essence is nothing but the falsification of phenomenal existence characterized by the matrix of pluralistic relations. In the words of the Upani¾ad, this negation of the world of names and forms is 1 2 3

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One of the Upani¾ads of the Atharvanaveda. Varu´a is the deity who presides over water. Upani¾ad-brahma-yogin who wrote commentaries on 108 Upani¾ads, described the M¢´²¦kya Upani¾ad as "the essence of all the Upani¾ads' (sarva- VedanÃta-saristha). Muktik¢ Upani¾ad 1, 26-29

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called prapa®ca-upaºamam.5 With all the adventitious attributes6 (adhy¢ropa), such as the three bodies7 sublated ( apav¢da ), the ultimate ground of pure consciousness(svar¦pa-caitanya), bereft of all illusory superimpositions, shines forth in its full effulgence. This change in vision, from the many (a distinct feature of empirical life or vyavah¢rika) to the One (p¢ram¢rthika) can only be realized through the knowledge of Brahman revealed in the sacred texts of the Upani¾ads. It is similar to the restoration to health of a sick person through the ministration of appropriate medication. The holy scripture is likened to the medication which relieves the person of the affliction. And in the spiritual context, the affliction is avidy¢ or (ignorance), with the only difference in that through knowledge of the Upani¾ads the relief is permanent. With ignorance removed, the reality falsely imputed to the world is abrogated and the person is restored to his original nature; regaining the oneness with the Self which was never really lost. As will be seen, the role of the M¢´²¦kya Upani¾ad in this regard is unique compared to the other scriptural texts. The twelve mantras of the M¢´²¦kya Upani¾ad are strung together breathe life to the most sublime and timeless truth enunciated by the rsis of yore. The Upani¾ad can be 5

See mantra 7. Provisionally accepted as real from the standpoint of relativity. 7 These are the gross body (sth¦la-ºar¤ra), the subtle body(s¦k¾maºar¤ra) and the causal body(k¢ra´a-ºar¤ra). They are in turn made from five interdependent sheaths (koºas), namely, the physical sheath(annamaya-koºa), the vital-air sheath(pr¢´amaya-koºa), the mental sheath (manomayakoºa), the intellectual sheath (vijna®¢maya-koºa) and the blissful sheath(¢nandamaya-koºa). 6

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broadly looked at as two sections. The first seven mantras are structured to give a comprehensive examination of the totality of human experience. It is the undeniable experience of every person that temporal life is characterized by the everchanging states of waking, dream and sleep. However, one who is more sensitive would be alert to the presence of some underlying principle which enables the cognition of changes not only within the waking state (the flux of thoughts and events), but also changes from one state to another. And for this awareness of falling asleep from the waking state and then drifting into dream or emerging from sleep to wakefulness, there must necessarily be a sentient principle that is ever present and permeating all these states. It could well have been based on such empirical observations that prompted the rsis to develop a framework closely reflecting the conditions of human life, integrating the varied experiences on the phenomenal plane with the unitary reality subsisting in them. The result is a theory positing four pad¢s (quarters or aspects) of the Self (¡tm¢)8 Just as the illusory 8

It is worth noting that some semblance of a four-p¢da theory of the Self was already in currency at the time of the §g-veda. In the tenth mandala, it is stated, ‘Thus is his greatness. But Pura¾a(synonymous with the Self) is even greater. All things are one-fourth of him; the immortals in heaven are the three quarter.’ And in the Maitri Upani¾ad, one finds a further development of this doctrine but not in the sophisticated form so clearly and congently expounded in the M¢´²¦kya Upani¾ad. The text found in the final verse (7.11) of the Maitri Upani¾ad reads, "He who sees with the eye (i.e. the Self in the waking state), who moves in dream (i.e. the Self in the dream state), who is in deep sleep (i.e. the Self in the state of deep sleep), and he who is beyond deep sleep (i.e. Tur¤ya or the Fourth), these are a person's four distinct conditions. Of these, the Fourth is greater than the rest'.

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snake which makes its appearance when the asÁ r aya (substratum) of the rope is not known, the pad¢s are in fact errors in perception arising when the ultimate ground of one’s being is not realized. Therefore, with the displacement of the spurious names and forms which condition and differentiate the world into categories9 , such as macro (the total environment), micro (the individual), gross (the waking state), subtle (the dream state) and causal (the deep sleep-state), all that remains is the unconditioned Self alone, Turiya or the Fourth in the words of the Upani¾ad. What comes and goes cannot be real. Truth or reality, on the other hand , can never be conditioned or negated. And the message of the M¢´²¦kya is clear: go beyond the ephemeral and abide in the ever-existent ¡tm¢ and everything will be known since the Self is verily Brahman (Ayam ¡tm¢ Brahma10). All it takes is a change in vision. But this change is much more than just a superficial endorsement or a mere intellectual understanding of the Upani¾adic truth. To see unity in the manifoldness entails a fundamental overhaul of all the cherished values and beliefs of the person, acquired not only in the present life, but from countless previous births. Indeed, it goes far beyond the intellect. Hence, for ignorance (avidy¢) to be annihilated, the knowledge (vidy¢) has to be internalized, becoming one’s very nature. The second section, like the seven mantras of the first, also addresses the same subject – realization of the Self, the highest goal (puru¾¢rtha) of man – but from a different 9

All these are mere notions having no substantiality of their own. Their relative existence is borrowed from the ground upon which they appear. 10 M¢´²¦kya Upani¾ad mantra 2. One of the major texts of the Upani¾ads (mah¢vakyas).

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perspective. Here the sacred symbol of Om is introduced and examined. The significance of Om, as the basis of all sounds/ words and therefore all objects, was pointed out in the first mantra of the present Upani¾ad. ‘Aum it¤ Brahma (Aum is Brahman), Aum itidamsarvam (Aum is this all i.e. the universe)’,12 declares the Taittir¤ya Upani¾ad when it was dwelling upon the contemplation on the Pra´ava. And given the affirmation of the non-difference of ¡tm¢ and Brahman as expounded in the second mantra, Om verily is ¡tm¢ too. Once this ¡tm¢-Brahman equation has been established, the remaining mantras, particularly the eighth to the eleventh, take the s¢dhaka on a different path. It is recognized that not everyone will take to the discriminative enquiry of the first section. Indeed, for those who have pure minds and keen intellect, the first seven mantras are sufficient in themselves to bring about realization of the highest truth. It is,however, important to point out here that in order to have the knowledge arising from the Upani¾ads, which is indirect and mediate in nature, to do its work of eradicating ignorance and bringing about the direct and immediate experience of Brahman, the seeker must be equipped with what is known as the s¢dhana-catustaya. These are the four prerequisites of discrimination between the real (or eternal) and the unreal (or transient), i.e. nityanityavastuviveka, detachment (ih¢mutr¢rthabhoga vir¢ga ), a group of six disciplines (ºam¢disampat ) comprising control of the senses, renunciation, etc., and the intense desire for liberation (mumuk¾utva). Indeed, the 11

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Om first occurs in the Taittir¤ya Sa¼hit¢ of the Black Yajur Veda, 111.2.9.6 where it is called Pra´ava. Taittir¤ya Upani¾ad 1.8.1

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scripture is but one of two wings. The s¢dhana-catustaya, necessary for a pure, focused and discerning mind, is the other. And in the absence of either, the flight to be freed of the shackles of ignorance, which keep one mired in the thick of worldly life, can never take off. For those who may not have the mental purity or penchant for philosophical reflection, the meditation on Om (O¼k¢ra-up¢san¢) is presented here as an alternative. A person who is not accustomed to an introspective life would find the provision of a fixed locus, in the symbol of Om , on which the mind can direct its thoughts more amenable and easier to handle. But even with this approach, the Upani¾ad has made a provision for knowledge-based enquiry, since knowledge is ultimately the only antidote to ignorance. This point, that the meditation on the symbol Om as Brahman does not vouchsafe the direct experience of Brahman, is reiterated by ¹a´kara in his commentary on the Brahma-s¦tra, where the attainment from O¼k¢ra meditation is seen as only a stage in one’s journey towards final release13. In the M¢´²¦kya Upani¾ad, O¼k¢ra is presented as suitable for both meditation (up¢san¢) as well as knowledge-based enquiry(j®¢na). In the former, the sound components (m¢tr¢s) of Om (‘ak¢ra, ‘uk¢ra’ and ‘mak¢ra’) are meditated upon as identical with the aspects(p¢das) of the Self (Vaiºv¢nara, Taijasa and Pr¢j®a). In the ninth mantra (the first of three mantras given to O¼k¢ra-up¢san¢) for instance, the s¢dhaka is asked to meditate on the ‘ak¢ra’ component of the Om upon which is superimposed Vaiºv¢nara, the Self in the waking state. In other words, visualizing the entire gross world while maintaining one’s thoughts on the locus of ‘ak¢ra’. The rationale for equating the matra with the p¢da is based on

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certain common features. ‘Ak¢ra’ is said to be identical with Vaiºv¢nara because they share the traits of being the first as well as being all-pervasive. Notwithstanding, the attainment of worldly gains, which are the primary benefits of any meditation, it is envisioned by the Upani¾ad that over time the practice would bring about a positive change in the individual, rendering the s¢dhaka fit in terms of mental purity and discriminative power for taking up the higher endeavour of contemplating on the soundless Om (am¢tr¢), where all the m¢tr¢s (and the states of consciousness, namely waking, dream and sleep) have resolved. Here there is no constant cogitation on a single notion superimposed on the given locus. Instead, the mind is made to abide in the silence which is clearly understood to be the substratum supporting and permeating the entire illusory phenomenal existence. Therefore, unlike effort-based meditation, what is recommended in the twelve and final mantra of the Upani¾ad is the natural abidance1 4 in the pure underlying 13

The text reads, "The result vouchsafed for one meditating on Brahman with the help of Om, as constituted by three letters, is the attainment of the world of Brahman, and the emergence subsequently of complete realization by stages. In this way this is meant for leading to emancipation by stages, so that there is nothing faulty'. (Brahma-s¦tra 1.3.13) The world of Brahman belongs to the realm of the conditioned i.e. the Lower Brahman. In relation to this, the pure unconditioned Brahman is termed Higher Brahman. 14 This abidance once established is an all-expansive unitary experience and it is verily Turiya. Cognitions and thoughts appear but there is no more than the mere witness of their rising and passing. In the absence of judgement, the Brahmavid does not react and even when he acts it is never out of attachment or aversion.

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consciousness which comes with knowledge and understanding. This contemplation on one’s true nature is what is meant by nididhy¢sana15 It is beyond any doubt that the M¢´²¦kya Upani¾ad is an exceptional work containing the highest teachings of the Advaitic tradition and presented in a systematic, logical and concise manner. Therefore, for the suitably qualified seeker who has the fervent aspiration to ‘leap-frog’, as it were, from the hollow relative existence of mundane living to the unconditioned plenitude of the absolute, the Upani¾ad is an indispensable companion. Indeed, when welded in the hands of a teacher who truly knows, it is a lethal instrument assured of severing ‘the knot of the heart and dispelling all doubts’16 and giving one the vision where ‘there is no cessation of the seeing of the seer’17 15

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As part of the upadeºa(teaching) to his wife Maitreyi, who wanted to know the way to immortality, Yajnavalkya empathically points out that, The Self should be seen or realized (dra¾°avyaª), heard of (ºrotavyo), reflected on (mantavyo) and contemplated upon (nididhy¢sitavyaª). B¨hadaranyaka Upani¾ad (BU) 2.4.5 Mu´²aka Upani¾ad 2.2.9 BU 4.3.23

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Mantra 1

ìpu{X"OY"uO"Qb"Z{X"Qk _"\"| O"_Y"puT"\Y"pAY"pS"z W"tO"z W"\"¬{\"^Y"Qoò{O" _"\"êX"puŠp> Z ï\" $ Y"‚"pSY"[Oe"@¡p“pO"rO"z O"QTY"puŠp> Z ï\" $$ om ityetad ak¾aram idaï sarvaï tasyopavy¢khy¢na¼ bh¦taï bhavad bhavi¾yad it¤ sarvam o¬k¢ra eva/ yacc¢nyat trik¢l¢titaï tadapyo¬k¢ra eva. om it¤ - Om etat ak¾aram - this word/syllable ida¼ sarva¼ - (is) all this tasya -it (i.e. the word ‘Om’) upavy¢khy¢na¼ - a clear exposition bh¦ta¼ - the past bhavat - the present bhavi¾yat - the future it¤ sarvam - all that o¬k¢ra eva - is Omk¢ra only trik¢l¢tita¼ - three periods of time cu tad anyat - and anything else tat - that api - also o¬k¢rah eva - (is) omk¢ra only The syllable Om is all this. A clear exposition of it (Om) (now follows). All that (which is) the past, the present and the future is o¼k¢ra only. And anything else (beyond) the three periods of time (is) also o¼k¢ra only.

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Commentary The entire vocabulary of every language, including all vowels and consonants, is contained in the syllable Om. In other words, whatever is said i.e. the entire world of words or ºabda-prapa®ca is verily Om. When a word is articulated, one has first to open the mouth, and this, according to the

mantra, is identical to the first m¢tr¢ (sound) ‘a’(ak¢ra). After the word is verbalized, the mouth naturally comes to a close, and this corresponds to the third m¢tr¢ ‘m’ (mak¢ra). In between the two movements i.e. when the mouth is momentarily opened, the sound is said to be ‘u’ (uk¢ra), the second m¢tr¢ of Om. It is common knowledge that every word denotes an object or a state of mind. A word and what it refers to (or its meaning) is determined by convention. So, when one says ‘pencil’, there is an object – an instrument made of graphite for writing – which corresponds to it and every English speaking person knows what is referred to by the word. It is clear, therefore from the above analysis that in

Om, not only is the word included, the object (or the mental state) referred to by the word is also included. Indeed, reference to the past, the present, or the future1 , which is a thought process, is covered by Om too since thinking is 1

Both the past and the future are founded upon the present. The past is nothing but the present that has already been experienced. The future is an extrapolation of the present,

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essentially a word-based activity. To reiterate the allencompassing nature of Om , the mantra ends with the declaration that what is beyond time is also verily Om. In short, Om is everything, representing all that which is within time i.e. the temporal world, and also that which is beyond

which is essentially an instant in empirical life defined by the immediate cognition or perception by a subject of an object. In other words, it is only with reference to a specific cognition, and in particular the inseparable connection between the name (a mental notion based on consensus) and the object (a sensorymental construct) it refers to, that the present moment is said to be experienced. This instant, however, is not a point because as the temporal locus, where the past and the future meet, it is impossible to determine where one ends and the other begins. Indeed, can anyone even imagine when time began or rationally speculate when it will end? Given the absence of clearly distinguishable segments or periods, one cannot truly speak of the three divisions of time (past, present and future) as is commonly understood. In the final analysis, one has to concede that time is only an idea, a relative notion dependent on the body and the mind, which man finds useful in his empirical transactions. It is also pertinent to note here that time is invariably associated with space because it is only through the medium of space that the appearance of objects i.e. corporeality is possible. Indeed from ordinary experience, everyone knows that in the absence of body, or without referring to an object, one cannot meaningfully speak of either time or space. In fact, it is only in relation to a fixed object, conventionally referred to as "here' or "this', that spatial indications, such as "above' and "below', "front' and "back', etc., become useful and practical. The same can be said of time

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time i.e. the trans-temporal absolute or Brahman. Om, therefore, is the means to both Sagu´a – Brahman i.e. the Lower Brahman endowed with attributes and Nirgu´a – Brahman, the attributeless Higher Brahman2 . For most people, meditation (up¢san¢)3 on Om, which leads to the attainment of the Lower Brahman , is recommended. However, for those who are more spiritually mature, with sufficient mental purity and discrimination, inquiry into Om alone i.e. O¼k¢ra-vicara 4 takes one to the ultimate reality. 2

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The ultimate ground or Brahman is non-dual, all pervasive and free from any parts or distinctions. Therefore, the bifurcation into a "lower' and a "higher' is only a concession made when the focus is turned towards empirical existence, which is governed by the limitations of time, space and causation. In other words, it is to account for creation that the Lower Brahman with attributes of omnipotence, etc., assumes importance. See mantras 9, 10 and 11 for details. O¼k¢ra-vicara is a knowledge-based approach where the spiritual significance of Om is enquired into. It takes the form of merging the m¢tr¢s of Om together with the p¢das (aspects of the Self) they signify into the silence of Om(am¢tr¢), which is the Tur¤ya wherein all duality is absent. More would be said of this in the following mantras.

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Mantra 2

_"\"êkåuO"Qo V"øÏ" ìY"X"pOX"p V"øÏ" _"pu&Y"X"pOX"p E"O"s^T"pO"o $ sarvagï hyetad brahma ayam ¢tm¢ brahma so' yam ¢tm¢ catu¾p¢t sarva¼ etat – All this hi brahma – (is) indeed Brahman ayam ¢tm¢ brahma – This ¡tm¢ (Self) is Brahman saª ayam ¢tm¢ – This ¡tm¢ (Self) catu¾p¢t – has four quarters or states All this is indeed Brahman. This ¡tm¢ is Brahman. This ¡tm¢ has four quarters. Commentary Although the two words ‘world’(referred to by ‘All this’ or sarva¼ etat), and ‘Brahman’ are different, there is identity between them. And this oneness is revealed through sublation, or what is technically known as badhayam-

s¢m¢n¢dhikara´ya1 . The world which is unreal, is sublated to reveal the ever-existent ground, namely Brahman, in the same way the rope becomes evident when the snake appearance is sublated in the rope-snake illusion. What it means is that if one wants to have the knowledge of everything in the world (including those belonging to the 1 sam¢na means the same, and ¢dhikara´a means the ground. The tool of badhayam-s¢m¢n¢dhikara´ya is therefore used to reveal the common ground of the terms through sublation of all adventitious characteristics.

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internal world of the mind), this can be realized through an analysis of, or inquiry into, Brahman. The logical question which follows is, ‘What is Brahman? ’And the mantra goes on to categorically affirm ‘This ¡tm¢ is Brahman’. Unlike ‘world’ and ‘Brahman’, which are of different ontological status (the former being of the nature of insentience and the latter pure sentience), ¡tm¢ and Brahman are identical in nature (sam¢na-svar¦pa) and therefore have the same ontological status (sam¢na-satt¢). In other words, both the terms ‘¡tm¢’ and “Brahman’ refer to the absolute reality, beyond words and conceptualization, from which both the macro up¢dhis (limiting adjuncts responsible for the appearance of the three states of waking, dream, and sleep) and the micro up¢dhis ( which define the waker, dreamer, and sleeper) ‘borrow’ their existence. Given this oneness in the primary sense of the words, the full import and significance of the very important Upani¾adic declaration ‘Ayam ¡tm¢ Brahma (This Self is Brahman)’, one of the four mah¢v¢kyas (great sayings), is realized. The tool of language analysis used here is technically called mukhya-

s¢m¢n¢dhikara´ya2 . 2

Another illustration of two words in mukhyas¢m¢n¢dhikaranya is the identity of the space within the pot (gha°¢k¢ºa) and the greater unconditioned space (mah¢k¢ºa). Notwithstanding the differentiation into pot-space and greater space, it is verily space only. The apparent difference perceived

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Since Brahman is everything and is verily ¡tm¢, it logically follows that everything can be known through

¡tm¢, and specifically through enquiry into it i.e. ¡tm¢vicara (Self-enquiry). In other words, to know the truth of everything, one has to delve into, and realize the true nature of one’s being, the ever-existent Self. The Self is non-dual, free from divisions and attributes. It is therefore beyond conceptualization and description. However, for the purpose of analysis and understanding, the Self is presented as having four aspects (p¢das). Each aspect has its own set of up¢dhis (conditioning adjuncts of name and form or n¢ma-r¦pa), which ultimately do not have any substantiality. When the names and forms are gross, the Self seemingly associated with these is called Viºva (waker). Taijasa (dreamer) is the name of the Self apparently having a subtle body and transacting in the subtle world of dream. And when the Self is as if associated with names and forms in their latent or potential conditions, it is called Praj®a (sleeper). It must be reiterated that ¡tm¢ being ‘one (homogeneous whole) without a second’ is beyond relations. Therefore, any association with ¡tm¢ has necessarily to be illusory i.e. an by some (who lack discrimination) is essentially due to the limitation of the pot, which gives the erroneous impression that the space within is somehow different from the space surrounding the pot.

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apparent phenomenon given to experience but ultimately unreal. The fourth aspect (called, Tur¤ya), however, is completely devoid of any names and forms, either gross, subtle or latent. In the absence of differentiation which characterizes the three other states, Tur¤ya is of the nature of pure consciousness. These four aspects of ¡tm¢, unlike the four legs of a cow which are unrelated to each other, are seamlessly related like the four quarters of a ‘k¢r¾¢pa´a’ coin. As a matter of speech, it can be said that the ‘k¢rs¢pa´a’ is the composite of merging the quarter in the half, the half in the three-quarter and finally the three-quarter in the one whole coin. In the same way, although the Self-in-itself is an undivided whole, it is spoken of as though qualified by three different states. In reality, waking, dream and sleep are errors of perception (i.e. false) arising from ignorance. As pointed out earlier, it is the up¢dhis, themselves unreal, which distract one’s attention from the unitary ground of pure existence. Indeed, when these artificial constructs are resolved one into the other, finally merging into that which is absolutely real (p¢ram¢rthika), the empirical existence ( vyavah¢rika 3 ) is transcended, and the realized one 3

The vyavah¢rika is only an appearance with no independent existence, which only Brahman- the absolute reality (p¢ram¢rtha-satya) enjoys. As long as Brahman is not known, the empirical world appears to be real and takes center-stage.

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(a j¤van-mukta) is totally free. That beyond is called the Fourth. The Fourth is a mere number (and not a state) used in the context of the first three aspects (pad¢s) to indicate the pure experience upon which they appear. From the above discussion, it becomes clear that the term ‘p¢da’ is used both in the sense of an instrument or a means as well as in the sense of an object or goal. The first three p¢das are therefore the means i.e. s¢dhana, and the fourth is the goal. In other words, there is a means-end relationship (s¢dhya-s¢dhana-

sa¼bandha) between the first three pad¢s (Viºva, Taijasa and Praj®a), and the last (Tur¤ya). Having said this, it should be qualified that from the highest standpoint, the Self or

Tur¤ya is transrelational and beyond any predication. However, at the level of human activities, especially in the context of the seeker, who although is intensely desirous to be free i.e. mok¾a is nevertheless still operating in the context of phenomenality, some concession has to be made to speak of means for realising that which is in reality ever-existent and ever-attained.

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Mantra 3

G"pBpqZO"_P"pS"pu V"{`^T"øc": _"Ê"pŒ: ï@¡puS"{\"zðp{O"X"sA": _P"t“W"sB\"vÄ"pS"Z: T"øP"X": T"pQ: $$ j¢garitasth¢no bahi¾pr¢j®aª sapt¢¬ga ekonavi¼ºatimukhaª sth¦labhugvaiºv¢naraª prathamaª p¢daª j¢garitasth¢naª – field (of experiences) is the waking state bahiª praj®aª – aware of the external sapta a¬gaª – (who has) seven limbs ekonavi¼ºatimukhaª – with nineteen mouths sth¦labuk- enjoyer of gross objects vaiºvanaraª - is Vaiºv¢nara prathamaª- first p¢daª – quarter or aspect The first aspect (of the Self) is Vaiºv¢nara whose field (of experiences) is the waking state, who is aware of the external, who has seven limbs, nineteen mouths, and who is the enjoyer of gross (objects). Commentary The first aspect of the Self is now examined in this

mantra. When the Self is apparently conditioned by the gross names and forms, it is called sth¦la-¢tm¢ (gross-Self). Every person is familiar with the two-fold division in the waking state (j¢grat-avasth¢), where there is a macro environment in which the individual i.e. the micro aspect transacts within.

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Therefore, on the micro-level (vya¾°i) there is a knowing principle or a knower i.e. pram¢t¨ operating in a wider environment ( sama¾°i ) which serves as an object of knowledge, or what is known as prameyam. It is important to point out here that the prameyam has no existence apart from the pram¢t¨, who itself is not independent of the Self. In other words, it is verily the absolute Self appearing1 as both the knower and the known. The Self is called the waking knower when conditioned by the gross names and forms at the individual level i.e. vya¾°i-sth¦la-n¢ma-r¦pa. And when conditioned by the gross names and forms at the macro level i.e. sama¾°i-sth¦la-n¢ma-r¦pa, it appears as the premeya-

prapa®ca (the known universe).As a waking knower, the Self is called Viºva, the individual waker, and the total environment in which Viºva transacts in is called Vir¢t or Vaiºv¢nara. When the Self is in the mode as Viºva i.e.j¢gratpram¢t¨, it is turned outwards (bahi¾praj®a2 ) and contact 1

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This appearing or becoming is an error which results from ignorance. When one's true nature is not known i.e. ignorance, there arises the erroneous cognition that one is an individual with a body-mind complex transacting in empirical life defined by the states of waking, dream and sleep. This externalization is only an appearance since motion can never be attributed to the Self which is pure and bereft of attributes or relations. Bahi¾praj®a is therefore a term used from the standpoint of ignorance, where both the world

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with the gross world is through nineteen mouths3 or gateways (ekona vi¼ºatimukha). And since the external world is made up of the five gross elements, the Self in the waking state i.e. assuming the status as a waker (Viºva) is said to be sth¦la-bhuk (the enjoyer of the gross world). Until now, the discussion has been on the level of the

vya¾°i-sth¦la-n¢ma-r¦pa (the level of the gross individual names and forms). The present mantra goes on to state that the total gross external world (the j¢grat-prapa®ca including the totality of all beings) cognized and perceived by the waker

3

and the j¤va are erroneously taken to be real. Indeed, what goes out through the indriyas (sense organs) is only the mind in the form of vrtti. And when this is superimposed on Praj®a (consciousness or Self), it is said that the Self is extroverted. There are the pa®ca-j®¢nendriyas (the five senses of knowledge, namely seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling). These are the "entrances' through which the world enters as it were and is cognized. Then, there are the pa®cakarmendriyas (the five organs of action) which are "exit gates' through which the Self contacts the world. The five organs of action are : the organ of speech or voice, the hands, the feet, the organ of evacuation, and the organ of generation. Supporting the physiological function of the karmendriyas are the pa®ca-pr¢´as (the five vital airs, namely pr¢´a, ap“na, sam¢na, vy¢na and ud¢na). Finally, there is the antaªkara´a (the internal organ) with its four aspects of manas (the emotional principle), citta (the memory principle), aha¬k¢ra (the ego/individuality principle) and buddhi (the intellect principle).

23

is also of the nature of the Self. Indeed, it is the non-dual allpervasive consciousness which appears as the sun, the stars, etc., (collectively known as Vir¢t or Vaiºv¢nara) when it is conditioned by the sama¾°i-sth¦la-n¢ma-r¦pa (the total gross names and forms). Vaiºv¢nara, the Self in conjunction with the sama¾°i-sth¦la-n¢ma-r¦pa (i.e. the first aspect (p¢da) of the Self in its macro or total phase) is said to have seven limbs (sapt¢¬ga). The details of these are found in the

Ch¢ndogya Upani¾ad,4 where it states that the head of Vai¾v¢nara is the upper world or heaven. The sun and the air are the eye and breath( i.e. nose) respectively. The

¡havan¤ya fire is said to be the mouth5 of Vai¾v¢nara. The entire space (¢k¢ºa) is its body. And the ocean and the earth are the bladder/kidney and the feet of Vaiºv¢nara respectively. It is important to note that by juxtaposing the terms ‘sapt¢nga' and ‘ekonaviïºatimukha', the intention of the mantra is to show the identity of Vaiºv¢nara (endowed with seven limbs) and Viºva ( the individual waker equipped 4 Ch¢ndogya Upani¾ad 5.18.2 5 There are two plausible reasons for this. Firstly, fire illumines. And speech, like fire, illumines too. Therefore, fire and in particular the deity of fire (agni-devat¢) is taken to be the mouth of Vaiºv¢nara. Secondly, the association of the two could have come from the Agnihotra rite, where the oblation offerings (essential for the success and efficacy of the ceremony) are consigned to the sacrificial fire, just as food (necessary for one's physical well-being) is taken through the mouth.

24

with nineteen mouths), since both are of the nature of pure consciousness. This indeed is the thrust of many Upani¾adic passages which aim to show the oneness of the adhy¢tma (the individual) and the adhidaiva (the cosmic) forms of the Self.

25

Mantra 4

_\"T"n_P"pS"pu&SO":T"øc": _"Ê"pŒ: ï@¡puS"{\"zðp{O"X"sA": T"ø{\"{\"˜¡W"s˜¡v G"_"pu {ŸO"rY": T"pQ: $$ svapnasth¢nñ ntaªpraj®aª sapt¢¬ga ekonavi¼ºatimukhaª praviviktabhuktaijaso dvit¤yah p¢dah. svapnasth¢nah – (whose) field is the dream state antahpraj®aª-(who is) conscious of the internal sapt¢¬gah – who has seven limbs ekonavi¼ºatimukhaª – who has nineteen mouths praviviktabhuk – enjoyer of subtle objects taijasah - is Taijasa (dreamer) dvit¤yaª p¢daª – the second quarter or aspect The second aspect (of the Self) is Taijasa, whose field of (experience) is the dream state, who is conscious of the internal (objects), who has seven limbs and nineteen mouths and is the enjoyer of subtle objects. Commentary The experience of the external world through the sense-organs in waking invariably leaves a corresponding impression (v¢san¢) in the mind. It is said that the mind becomes completely tainted by the experiences of waking in the same way a piece of cloth takes on the dye in which it is dipped. When the person goes into the dream state, the

26

physical sense-organs (j®¢nendriyas) and the organs of action (karmendriyas) no longer function and only the mind is active. In that state, the Self conditioned by the subtle names and forms, now called the subtle Self or s¦k¾ma-¢tm¢ apparently divides into two principles; the dream knower (svapna-pram¢t¨) or the dreamer, and the dream object (svapna-prameyam) i.e. the dream world. As the dreamer, equipped with the subtle up¢dhis of the individual1 , the Self is called taijasa. And in its aspect as the dream world (svapna-prapa®ca), with the subtle up¢dhis of the macro scale2 , the Self is given the name of Hira´yagarbha. In dream everything is projected out of the mind. Both the subject experiencing the dream as well as the objects experienced are of the nature of knowledge. The cognition of the dreamer is therefore turned inwards i.e. antaªpraj®a and the dream world is experienced through the nineteen subtle organs of interaction (ekonavi¼ºatimukha), which are created out of the v¢san¢s gathered in waking. Since the person has access to them in the waking state, the knowledge of the nineteen principles is also available when in dream. It is for this reason that the dream world experienced by the dreamer is very similar to the physical world which the 1 2

vya¾°i-s¦k¾ma-n¢ma-r¦pa (individual subtle names and forms) sama¾°i-suk¾ma-n¢ma-r¦pa (macro subtle names and forms)

27 3

dreamer finds himself operating in as a waker . The sama¾°i-

n¢ma-r¦pa (macro names and forms) are the same albeit in subtle forms. Given its introversion, the dreamer or

taijasa(i.e. the Self in association with subtle names and forms) is also called praviviktabhuk ( the experiencer or enjoyer of the subtle objects i.e. s¦k¾ma-prapa®ca-bhokta). Whilst on the topic of dream, it is perhaps pertinent to pointed out that in the k¢rik¢, a gloss written to elaborate on the subtle points of the Upani¾ad attributed to

Gau²ap¢da, a whole chapter (Vaitathya Prakara´a) is devoted to dispel the commonly held belief that relative to the illusory dream experience, the waking world is real. On closer examination, one will find that the ascription of reality to the waking state is based on several criteria, such as utility, clarity and vagueness, time, etc. For instance, in the case of utility, it is reasoned that since an object, like pot is used for carrying water from one place to another in the waking state i.e. having utility, it cannot be unreal. This according toGau²ap¢da is unsound because it is illogical to establish reality based on the sole standards of the waking state. There is no valid ground for imposing the standard of one state of 3

The concept of time-space in dream is different from that in the waking state. Therefore, from the standpoint of timespace, one cannot truly speak of any relationship between waking and dream.

28

experience onto another. Food may serve a very important purpose in the waking state, but its utility of appeasing hunger does not extend to the dream state. And conversely, food in the dream world would be of no use to a hungry person in the waking state. Therefore, the utility of an object in one state is clearly contradicted in another. Then, there is the argument that whatever is seen in the waking is real because it is perceived without distortions (sphuta). And since dream objects usually lack clarity (avyakta), they are deemed to be unreal. Both conclusions are erroneous because clarity and vagueness are visual traits which are dependent on the instrument of perception and nothing else. They are, therefore, not suitable yardsticks for establishing reality or otherwise. Indeed, if one is very objective and carefully examines the matter, it will be seen that both waking and dream have a lot in common. In both these states, the experience of either the waking world or the dream world is dependent on the observer. From ordinary experience, everyone knows that the waking world is displaced in the absence of the waker (i.e. the waking observer) when there is a change in state from waking to sleep or dream. And similarly, there can be no dream world in the absence of the dreamer i.e. the dream observer. The experiences of dream and waking are therefore not independent phenomena because if they were, they would not have suffered

29

displacement in the absence of the respective observers. Given the interdependence of the seer and the seen in these two states, the waker (and all the objects observed therein) and the dreamer (and all the dream objects) have necessarily to be illusory in nature. Furthermore, a little discrimination will show that the contents of waking and dream are in essence the same. Both are of the nature knowledge. In the absence of the body and the senses, the dream experience is a creation and projection of the mind. In fact, the waking experience is ultimately a mental process too since it is only an image formed in the mind from the sensory perceptions which arise when the gross sense organs contact objects of the so-called external4 world. From the above discussion, it is quite clear that there is nothing further from the truth when it is said that waking is real and dream is unreal. Besides through logic and reasoning, the unreality of the waking world is also corroborated by the testimonies of those who have transcended the limitation of the upadhis, the elements giving form to the states of experience. Indeed, from the standpoint of the unconditioned Self, all the gross objects, which collectively give the impression of the external world, 4 Even the distinction of external and internal is an arbitrary one based on the standpoint of the body. In reality i.e. when empirical existence is transcended, both these concepts are mere imaginations, which are commonly assumed to exist in empirical transactions.

30

are just as illusory as those appearing in dream Therefore, in the final analysis, that the world is real can only be a popular notion in the vocabulary of the ignorant.

31

Mantra 5

Y"e" _"sÊ"pu S" @¡ú"S" @¡pX"z @¡pX"Y"O"u S" @¡ú"S" _\"T"nz T"ðY"{O" O"O_"s^"sÊ"X"o $ _"s^"sÊ"_P"pS" ï@¡”W"tO": T"øc"pS"C"S" ï\"pS"SQX"Y"puåpS"SQW"s×E"uO"puX"sA": T"øpc"_O"wO"rY": T"pQ: $$ yatra supto na ka®cana k¢maï k¢mayate na ka®cana svapnaï paºyati tat susupta¼/ su¾uptasth¢na ek¤bh¦tah praj®¢naghana ev¢nandamayo hy¢nandabhuk cetomukhaª pr¢j®astrtiyaª padaª. yatra suptaª –where the sleeper na k¢mayate – does not desire ka®cana k“ma¼ –any external objects ka®cana svapna¼ – any dream na paºyati –does not see tat susupta¼ –the state of deep sleep is that su¾uptasth¢na –whose field is deep sleep ek¤b¦taª - unified praj®¢naghana eva – there is only a mass of consciousness ¢nandamayaª – who is full of bliss hi ¢nandabhuk – who is indeed the enjoyer of bliss (ananda) cetomukhaª – who is the gate to the experience pr¢j®aª- is Pr¢j®a t¨tiyaª p¢daª – The third quarter or aspect The state of deep sleep is that where the sleeper (ignorant of the Self) does not desire any external objects nor does he see any dream. The third aspect (of the Self) is

Pr¢j®a, whose field is deep sleep, (in whom all experiences) have become unified, who is only a mass of consciousness,

32

who is full of bliss, who is the enjoyer of bliss, who is the gate to the experience of (waking and dream). Commentary This mantra deals with the third aspect of the Self when it is in the so-called deep-sleep state (su¾upti-avasth¢), where all the names and forms (both on the individual level as well as the macro level) are in dormancy. The Self in this state is called Pr¢j®a1 . In the absence of the up¢dhis normally available in waking and dream (i.e. the body, the mind and the senses), the sleeper (su¾upta) has neither the experiences of external objects, which characterize the waker, nor the experience of the internal world privy to the dreamer. With the quiescence of the mind and the five sense-organs2 , differences and distinctions are absent. Indeed, all specific cognitions and knowledge have become unified. The term used to described this undifferentiated condition is ‘ek¤b¦ta’. In the deep-sleep state, the individual(vya¾°i) and cosmic (sama¾°i) distinction perceived in waking and dream is not discernible. In other words, both Pr¢j®a(the Self conditioned by the individual potential names and forms) and Iºvara(the 1 As everything is in its causal condition, the term k¢ra´a-¢tm¢ is also used to describe this state. 2 It is through the five senses, namely auditory(ear), visual(eye), olfactory(nose), gustatory(tongue) and tactile(skin) that the universe is differentiated into the special qualities of sound, colour, smell, taste, and touch respectively.

33

name given to the Self conditioned by the cosmic potential names and forms) or Antary¢mi (the Self in its immanent aspect) cannot be distinguished from each other. The state of deep sleep is verily a mass of consciousness. And the sleeper is completely enveloped by non-discrimination or ignorance. This lack of knowledge(agraha´a) is referred to by the term ‘praj®¢na-ghana'. The world, however, is still present although everything is in its seed form. This can be compared to furniture kept in a darkened room. The chairs and tables may be present, but it appears as though there is nothing in the room since everything is covered by darkness. So just as the furniture is not seen in the darkness, the sleeper too is not given to the experience of either the external or the internal world. All the defining n¢ma-r¦pa have become unmanifest (avyaktam). However, the moment the sleeper wakes up, all that which had been latent immediately become manifest and the duality of empirical life takes center stage. The mantra goes on to declare that in that state where all defining up¢dhis have lost their potency to limit, the person is free from the sense of being an individual. The sleeper is free from all mental activities. There is neither the ‘aham-v¨tti' (the mental modification which gives rise to one’s distinct identity) nor the ‘idam-v¨tti' (the mental modification responsible for the sense of the other). The sleeper is given a respite from the restlessness arising from

34

the interaction between the ‘I’ ( the ego sense) and the other. As a result, a temporary limitlessness is experienced in sleep. The term to describe this bliss is ‘¢nandamaya’. And the sleeper is called ‘¢nandabhuk’(an enjoyer of bliss). It should, however, be pointed out here that the bliss (¢nanda )3 experienced in sleep is only a peace consequent of the lack of mental activity when the mind is in its causal condition. Unlike true ¢nanda, which is verily the Self (¢nanda-

svar¦pa), the bliss experienced in sleep is within time and space. There is a beginning and an end. And it is only experienced when one is in the deep-sleep state. In other words, it is relative joy (¢pek¾ika-¢nanda) conditioned upon circumstances. Both waking and dream are characterized by divisions in the forms of the subject-object duality (dvaitam), and the triad comprising the subject, the object, 3

The bliss is not a reflection of ¢tm¢ because for any reflection a reflecting medium is necessary. In deep sleep, the mind is not available. As such, there can be neither suka-v¨tti (mental mode of happiness) nor duka-v¨tti (mental mode of sadness). It is also pertinent to note here that when ¢nanda is experienced in waking and dream, both the experience and the awareness of it occur simultaneously. When the bliss is experienced the person is able to immediately articulate it through the expression "I feel happy'. In sleep, however, where the bodymind complex is in its causal condition, the ¢nanda is merely registered. The awareness of it only comes later as a recollection when the sleeper wakes up and reports "I felt happy'. In sleep, therefore, there is a time lapse between the experience of ¢nanda and the awareness of it.

35

and the instrument (tripu°i). The very presence of divisions give rise to attachment(or aversion), and all its auxiliary traits, which inevitably lead to suffering. Deep sleep, however, is free from any mental agitations since the objects responsible for the differences and distinctions of the other two states are in dormancy. But alas, the bliss of nirvikalpa4 is short-lived, and the person once again becomes mired in the anxiety and stress of worldly life upon waking. The mantra then points out that sleep (Pr¢j®a) is a gateway (cetomukha5)1 because both the states of waking and dream emerge from, and eventually withdraw into, it. As explained earlier in the commentary on the present mantra, deep sleep is verily a mass of undifferentiated consciousness, where the micro and macro upadhis of both the gross and subtle levels are in their casual forms. It is therefore from this antecedent condition of pure consciousness associated with the casual body - mind 4

5

The freedom from vikalpa(imagination or mentation) is a state which comes and goes. It is for this reason that the state of deep sleep is also known as nirvikalpa-avasth¢, and not nirvikalpa-j®¢nam — the permanent freedom from vikalpa resulting from knowledge – which is the nature of one who is realized. "Mukha' is mouth or gateway and "cetaª' is the v¨tti - j®¢nam which gives rise to the cognition of objects in the waking and dream states.

36

complex which merely witnesses62 the totality of unified potentialities that the distinctive knowledge of being a waker as well as being a dreamer is projected before once again becoming the undiversified consciousness in the state of deep sleep. From ordinary experience, everyone knows that a direct change of status, say from a waker to a dreamer, or a direct change of a state, say from waking to dream, is not possible. In waking, the Self is associated with the gross body. In dream, where the gross body is not available, a dream body is projected by the mind for transaction in the dream world. What then needs to happen in the transition from waking to dream is that the association with the gross body has first to be given up before the association with the dream body can take place. As the gateway, Pr¢j®a therefore provides the necessary hiatus which allows for the disidentification with one body before identification with another is possible. 6

This witnessing by Pr¢j®a, it might be added, is also that which is responsible for the cognition of the absence of objects in deep sleep. And it is this cognition and the resulting peace which give rise to the expression, "I did not know anything. I slept soundly' upon waking.

37

Mantra 6

ï^" _"\"uêÄ"Z ï^" _"\"êc" ï^"pu&SO"Y"pXY"u^" Y"pu{S": _"\"ê_Y" T"øW"\"pTY"Y"pv {` W"tO"pS"pX"o $ e¾a sarveºvara e¾a sarvaj®a e¾o'¬tary¢mye¾a yoniª sarvasya prabhav¢pyayau hi bh¦t¢n¢m e¾aª – this or He sarveºvarah – is the Lord of all e¾aª sarvaj®aª – He is all-knowing esah antary¢mi – He is in-dwelling spirit or inner- controller e¾aª yoniª – He is the womb i.e. source sarvasya – of all prabhav¢pyayau – origination or birth and dissolution or death hi – verily or therefore bh¦t¢n¢m – things, including beings He is the Lord of all. He is all-knowing (omniscient). He is the inner-controller. He is the source of all. In Him verily all things originate and also merge. Commentary. Having examined the k¢ran¢-¢tm¢ (causal Self) in its individual phase, where it is known as Pr¢j®a, the

Upani¾ad now continues to look at the k¢ra´¢-¢tm¢ in its total or cosmic aspect. The Self, when associated with the cosmic causal names and forms, is called £ºvara (the Lord). And £ºvara is said to be the womb (yoni) from which both

38

the gross world experienced in waking, and its subtle counterpart in dream arise. Indeed, Pr¢j®a in essence (since the up¢dhis which characterize waking and dream are all in their latent states) £ºvara, who having created the universe is also immanent in it. The spiritual import of this is that if one can give up the identity as an individual sleeper(Pr¢j®a), the person is verily £ºvara.1 This oneness of the individual and the total is experienced daily in sleep, where every being gives up the false sense of individuality (the source of suffering) and becomes one with the ground of pure consciousness i.e. the Self 2 . To support this view of the identity of tvam-pad¢rtha and tat-pad¢rtha (the individual and the total), ¹a¬kara in his commentary on this mantra quotes from the Ch¢ndogya Upani¾ad 3 the analogy of a 1

2

3

The same can be said of Viºva and Vaiºv¢nara, and of Taijasa and Hira´yagarbha. In the former, if one can give up the identity as the gross individual waker (Viºva), then the person knows that he is verily the consciousness or the deity associated with the entire gross world. In other words, he becomes Vaiºv¢nara, or the sth¦la-prapa®ca-abhimani-devat¢. Similarly, in the latter case, if the dream individual(Taijasa) can transcend the limitation of being a dreamer, then he is Hira´yagarbha. It should, however, be pointed out that this experience of oneness is only a temporary one, since ignorance has not been completely eradicated and the sleeper soon becomes identified with the upadhis and once again reconnects with the phenomenal world. Ch¢ndogya Upani¾ad 6.8.2

39

bird tied to a post, which returns to rest on the post after flying about in all directions having looked in vain for a refuge elsewhere. In the same manner, the jÃiva finding no support or abode in its experiences in the waking and dream states returns to its causal or original source i.e. sleep for solace and rest. The second half of the said Ch¢ndogya text depicts the restlessness of the jiva as ‘a mind flying in various directions’ and goes on to state that ‘finding no resting place elsewhere, (it) takes refuge in Pr¢na alone’. The term ‘Pr¢na’ is used in the sense of Param¢tman. The state of deep sleep therefore offers man a foretaste of what it is to be totally free from any limitation, where in the absence of a subject (a waker, etc.), the notion of an object (a wider environment, such as the waking state, etc.) is irrelevant and meaningless.

£ºvara, as the Lord of creation, is not only the material cause (up¢d¢na-k¢ra´a), but is also the efficient cause ( nimitta-k¢ra´a ). Being all knowing or omniscient (sarvaj®a) and all powerful or omnipotent (sarveºvara), £ºvara has both the knowledge and skill to create the waking and dream worlds together with their inhabitants and objects. Furthermore, the Lord having created the sentient beings is also present in them as the inner

40

controller(antary¢mi)4 . And having created and sustained the universe, £ºvara is also the locus in which every living being and object resolve at the time of dissolution. This indeed is experienced in sleep, where the individuality of everyone becomes latent, and with it the entire phenomenality resolves into its source. It is clear from the analysis so far that the third p¢da of the Self is the k¢ra´a-p¢da (causal aspect), and the first and second p¢d¢s are the kar¤ya-p¢das (effect-aspects). The pairs of Viºva and Vaiºv¢nara and Taijasa and

Hira´yagarbha are therefore products of the k¢ra´a-¢tm¢. The ultimate reality (presented in the next mantra as the fourth p¢da, of the Self) is, however, free from any limitation and conditioning. Being one without a second, the fourth

p¢da or Tur¤ya as it is called, is therefore absolute5 , beyond the constrain of time, space and causation. 4

5

The root "antar' denotes entering. And inhering in every individual, the inner controller is the principle responsible for all knowledge and experiences. Hence, it is said that the entire world emerges from Him(£ºvara). The absolute is free from any divisions, such as cause and effect i.e. kar¤ya-k¢ra´a-vilakºana¼, and other forms of duality and multiplicity.

41

Mantra 7

S"pSO":T"øc"z S" V"{`^T"øc"z S"puW"Y"O":T"øc"z S" T"øc"pS"C"S"z S" T"øc"z S"pT"øc"X"o $ ìªÍ> X "\Y"\"`pY"ê X "Bpø p åX"“b"Npp{S" {E"SOY"X" \Y"T"Qu ð Y"X"o $ ï@¡pOX"T"øOY"Y"_"pZz T"øT"ú"puT"ðpX"z ðppSO"z {ðp\"X"ŸvO"z E"O"sP"| X"SY"SO"u _" ìpOX"p _" {\"c"uY": $ n¢ntaªpraj®aï na bahi¾praj®a¼ nobhayataªpraj®aï na praj®anaghanaï na praj®a¼ napra•j®am/ ad¨¾°am avyavah¢ryam agr¢hyam alak¾anam acintyam avyapadeºyam ek‘tmapratyayas¢ra¼ prapancopaºamaï º¢ntaï sivam advaitaï caturtha¼ manyante sa ¢tm¢ sa vij®eyaª na antaªpraj®a¼ – not conscious of internal cognition na bahi¾praj®am – not conscious of the external (world) nobhayatahpraj®am – neither conscious of both na praj®¢naghana¼ – not a mass of consciousness na praj®aï – not the all-knowing consciousness na apraj®a¼ – not unconsciousness (either) ad¨¾°am –beyond perception avyavah¢ryam – beyond transaction i.e. unrelated to any object agr¢hyam –beyond grasp (of any organs of action)

alak¾a´am – uninferable (by any sense-organs) acintyam – beyond thoughts avyapadeºyam – indescribable (through words) ek¢tmapratyayas¢ra¼ – perception of that awareness which remains unbroken despite all the changes in the states of waking, dream and sleep

42

prapa®copaºama¼ – negation of the world º¢nta¼ – peaceful/tranquil ĺivam - auspicious advaita¼ – non-dual caturtha¼ – the fourth or Tur¤ya manyate – considered or known sah ¢tm¢ – this Self saª vij®eyaª – has to be known/realized Tur¤ya (is that which is) not conscious of internal cognition, not conscious of the external (world), not conscious of both, not a mass of consciousness, not the allknowing consciousness nor unconsciousness, (it is) beyond perception, beyond transaction, beyond grasp (of any organs of action), uninferable (by any sense-organs), beyond thoughts, beyond description through words; (it is) that awareness (or Self) which remains unbroken (in all the three states), free from the world, peaceful, auspicious and nondual. This is known as the Self. It is to be realized. Commentary As explained earlier, the Self, when it is apparently conditioned by the gross up¢dhis in the waking state, is called

Viºva. And the outwardly oriented Viºva is said to be the first aspect or manifestation (prathama-p¢da) of the Self. In the dream state, although the Self is free from the

43

association with gross elements, it nevertheless is still conditioned by subtle upadhis and is called Taijasa or dreamer. The dreamer whose field of activity is confined to the internal world is the second aspect (dvitÃiya-p¢da) of the Self. And as both these states are characterized by ignorance (not knowing the true nature of the Self) and error (erroneous knowledge), the oneness or non-duality of the Self appears to be fragmented. In deep sleep, however, both the gross and subtle forms of limitation are absent. Having gone into latency, the up¢dhis have temporarily lost their potency to act. As a result, there is neither external nor internal cognition. Although sleep is error free, it should be emphasized that ignorance is still present because the false identification with both the gross and subtle body-mind complexes, and the assumption that they are real, have not been completely eradicated. The Self in this condition of undifferentiated and undirected awareness is called Pr¢j®a or sleeper. And Pr¢j®a is the third aspect (t¨tÃiya-p¢da) of the Self. However, beyond these fleeting states is the Selfin-itself or the Self per se, and the present mantra declares that this ever-present,unchanging and homogeneous ground of existence, where both ignorance and error are absent, is called Tur¤ya. The all-important question which follows is: how does one know the Self, subsisting in all the three states of

experience,

since

it

is

free

from

any

44

attributes1 ? And indeed, being the very essence of the mind and the senses, the Self is beyond conceptualization and understanding. The scripture clearly points out that ‘Words return along with the mind, not attaining it’.2 The senses and the mind are designed only for the knowledge of the world3 1

Generally, there are five conditions, and at least one of which must be met for the meaningful employment of a word for communication or giving knowledge. These are:rudh¤, j¢ti, gu´a, kriy¢ and sa¼bandha. Rudh¤ is the word or name agreed upon by everyone for a particular object. A chair, for instance, is a term which, through common experience and consensus, refers to an object for sitting. Everyone knows what is being referred to, and no elaborate explanation need be made, when the word "chair' is uttered. In the absence of a commonly agreed term, especially when it involves the identification of a living thing never seen before, the genus (j¢ti) i.e. group with common characteristics to which it belongs would be very helpful. An organism with six legs is likely to be some kind of an insect. An object can also be revealed through its property (gu´a) e.g. colour. A person with blond hair can be easily identified in a crowd of people with black hair. Motion or function (kriy¢) is another condition. A person who is running can be spotted with ease especially when the others are either standing or walking. Finally, the unknown can be revealed through its relationship (sa¼bandha) with another object that is known. The book on the sofa, for example, clearly refers to the one at the specific location, namely on the sofa, and not to any of the books found elsewhere. 2 Tattir¤ya Upani¾ad 2.4.1 3 Worldly knowledge is available to one through any of the following means of knowledge (pram¢´as): perception

45

and not for that which is trans-empirical. Notwithstanding what has been said, words is still the only tool available for the intimation of the absolute reality. The role of words in this regard is, however, different from the way they are normally used i.e. as a direct means of communication. Usually words are employed to directly reveal an object, an idea or an emotion. But in the case of the attribute-free-Self, it is indirectly known through the negation of all the false notions superimposed on it. When the unreal is negated, what remains is the real. Indeed, the real, call it ¡tm¢ (Self),

Brahman, or the pure ground of consciousness, is everexistent. However, when one is deluded (seeing the world as real) and becomes ensnared by the false4 , the underlying reality is largely lost sight of. But the moment one realizes the transciency of phenomenal existence with its phantom objects and characters, the effulgence of the ever-luminous Self shines forth unobstructed. This is liberation (mok¾a). It is pertinent to point out here that the locus in which the error is perceived (seeing a thing as something else) is also the very place of its resolution. The rope is the support of the (pratyak¾a), inference (anum¢na), comparison (upam¢na), postulation (arth¢patti), or non- apprehension (anupalabdhi). For the knowledge of the Self, one has to resort to scripture (¢gama or verbal testimony) which is the sole pram¢´a for it. 4 The oneness is fragmented and the j¤va (the particularized mode of the Self) becomes identified with the many roles it is presented with in empirical existence.

46

snake appearance. Once the illusion of the snake is realized, only the rope will be seen. One need not convert the snake into rope because the snake has never come into existence. It is due to ignorance that the rope which alone exists is seen as something else. Similarly, the knowledge of the Self (Tur¤ya) is concomitant with knowing that one is not a waker, etc., operating in a state known as waking, etc., which are notions falsely superimposed on the absolute. Notions are mere names with no substantiality. The truth, as the substratum of space, time and object, exists independently, is eternal and there is nothing apart from it5 . Tur¤ya is therefore not an effect which comes about after the cause, namely ignorance, is removed. The constant witness of the ever changing states6 i.e. the Self or Tur¤ya, has then to be presented in the only way possible, which is through the negation of all the conceivable attributes conventionally known to be associated with it. In 5

6

Even the mind, with its every single thought and every latent impression (v¢san¢) is ultimately of the nature of pure awareness. The three states are conditions defined by the up¢dhis of the mind, the senses and the body. When the full complement of the up¢dhis is present the j¤va is said to be in the waking state. Dream is a condition when only the mind is available. When all the three up¢dhis are not available, having gone into their latent states, the condition is called sleep. The states are in reality wrong notions which have to be given up.

47

the tradition of the Upani¾ads, this method is called

adhy¢ropa-apav¢da (superimposition and subsequent denial). Its application is perhaps best explained by ¹a¬kara in his commentary on the text from the B¨hada•ra´yaka Upani¾ad wherein the teaching of ‘na it¤ na iti’ or ‘not this not this’ is expounded7 . According to ¹a¬kara, ‘Brahman has none of the distinguishing marks (such as, name, form, etc.). Hence, it cannot be described as, “It is such and such” as we can describe a cow by saying, “There moves a white cow with horns”. Brahman is described by means of name, form and action superimposed on it, in such phrases and terms as, “Brahman is consciousness and bliss,” “Brahman is consciousness throughout”, etc. However, if the essential nature alone is intended to be pointed out, free from all specific features due to the limiting adjuncts, then this is an utter impossibility. Thus, there is only one way left and that is to point out (Brahman) by negating all the conceivable attributes that are known to be associated with it.’8 The mantra begins with the negation of dream and waking when it declares that Tur¤ya is free from the consciousness of both the internal(na antaªpraj®a¼) and 7

8

B¨had¢ra´yaka Upani¾ad (BU) 2.3.6 "Now therefore there is the teaching ""not this, not this'' (na iti na iti) for there is nothing higher than this, that he is not this.' Ibid.

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the external(na bahispraj®a¼). Then, it goes on to say that

Tur¤ya is not conscious of either (na ubhayataª-praj®a¼). By this, even should there be an intermediate state between dream and waking, this too is excluded. It is also not a mass of undifferentiated consciousness(na praj®¢naghana¼). In other words, Tur¤ya is not a state of deep sleep. And continuing with the ‘ na it¤ na iti ’ approach of the

B¨had¢ra´yaka text, the mantra points out that the pure relationless experience is neither the all-knowing consciousness (na praj®am ) i.e. not £ºvara 9 who is omniscient, nor is it insentience ( na apraj®am or

acaitanyam).To reiterate the fact that Tur¤ya is the nondual changeless reality, the negation henceforth takes a different form. Tur¤ya is now said to be beyond perception of any of the sense-organs i.e. ad¨¾°am. And as a result of this, it is beyond transaction (avyavah¢ryam) and is also beyond grasp(agr¢hyam). Furthermore in the absence of any attributes or predicates, the mantra goes on to point out that

Tur¤ya is not only beyond inference (alak¾a´am), it is beyond mentation (acintyam) as well as beyond description (avyapadeºyam). Having elaborated in much details what Tur¤ya is not, the student may come to the erroneous conclusion that it is 9

It is only from the standpoint of creation that one brings in the creator or £ºvara.

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void i.e. º¦nyam , a Buddhist concept of the Mah¢y¢na tradition. To avoid this pitfall, the ultimate reality is henceforth described in positive terms. Tur¤ya is the everexistent awareness subsisting in all the three states. The term used in the Upani¾ad is ‘eka ¢tm¢’, the one Self. Indeed, it is the Self alone one must realize (or to know fully, as indicated by the word ‘ pratyaya ’) in the conscious experience of ‘I am’, the unitary subject

11

common in

waking, dream and sleep which everyone is aware of. In his commentary on the mantra, ¹a¬kara gives another meaning to the phrase ‘eka-¢tm¢-pratyaya-s¢ra¼’, based on his interpretation of the term ‘s¢ra¼’ to mean that which enables one to gain the knowledge of Tur¤ya. And that which is capable of giving the liberating knowledge is the Self. It is verily through the knowledge of the Self alone i.e. ¢tm¢10

11

The Advaitin gives a very simple explanation to dispense with the idea of voidness. The very claim of voidness presupposes the existence of a wider consciousness, in the absence of which one cannot speak of either emptiness (absence) or fullness(presence). The subjective sense of existence (Sat) and awareness(Cit) is in every cognition and experience. The third aspect is infinite bliss (¢nanda), and like Sat and Cit is beyond the experience of most people because as long as there is even the slightest attachment to the body, the preoccupation with its well-being takes precedence and one loses the equipoise so vital for the abidance in the highest truth i.e. pure consciousness of existence.

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pratyaya, that the highest truth can be realized. This is indeed the essence of the Upani¾adic statement which implies that ‘The Self alone is to be meditated upon for all these are unified in it’.1 2 The mantra goes on to declare that in the pure ground of knowledge (the cit-vastu), all the three states i.e. waking state, etc., and their subjective forms i.e. waker, etc., are absent. The term used to describe this is prapancopaºamam. In other words, in whatever way the world is perceived, that particular state which is available to the perceiver e.g. waking world to the waker, is not there in the homogenous Self. And to ensure the complete understanding of this negation of phenomenality, especially for those who need further explanation, Gau²ap¢da expanded upon it and elaborately discussed the subject (the illusoriness of the world) in 38 12

BU 1.4.7 The term ‘meditation’ in the text means knowledge, which should be understood as the removal of ignorance or eradication of the false impressions obscuring the ultimate reality. And the eradication of ignorance is done through negation as prescribed in scriptural passages, such as "not this, not this' (BU 2.3.6). The Self should never be treated as an object of meditation in the commonly understood sense since it is beyond the senses and the mind. The phrase "all these' refers to both the adventitious features, such as pr¢na, sense organs, etc., at the micro-cosmic (or individual) level as well as the total upadhis responsible for the macro environment in the three states.

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k¢rik¢s which form the second chapter ( Vaitathya Prakara´a) of his M¢´²¦kya k¢rik¢. This knowledge being the ultimate truth, is devoid of any differentiation1 3 .And in the absence of duality, such as love and hate, happiness and suffering, etc., Tur¤ya is eternally peaceful (º¢ntam) and is therefore auspicious (ºivam). Having negated the reality erroneously imputed to the experienced world (due to lack of discrimination and knowledge), the mantra ends by reiterating that nonduality(advaita¼) is the ultimate teaching. And since nonduality is the very fundamental tenet of Advaita Ved¢nta,

Gau²ap¢da had devoted a separate chapter (Advaita Prakara´a) comprising 48 k¢rik¢s for its detailed discussion and analysis. Finally, to show that it is the pure substantive ground upon which the three illusory states appear, Tur¤ya is said to be the Fourth (caturtha¼). The import of labeling it the Fourth is to reinforce the point that Tur¤ya is totally distinct from the three states of waking, dream and sleep which have no independent existence of their own. Notwithstanding the fact that Tur¤ya is distinct from the three states, it is not separate from them as pot may be distinct 13

Be it difference between two objects of the same class i.e. sajatiya-bheda, difference of one object from another object of a different class i.e. vijatiya-bheda or internal difference i.e. svagata-bheda.

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from clay but is never separate from clay. The Fourth is therefore not a separate state which one can aspire to reach or attain. Indeed, being the substratum and content of all phenomenality, Tur¤ya is present in every experience. It is abiding in each and every cognition, be it in the gross, subtle or causal. However, most of us are so caught up with the movie that the screen upon which it is shown is completely ignored. Just as in reality only the rope exists, but in its place one sees the snake instead. The knowledge of Tur¤ya, the one without a second, must be known. When the Self is not known as Tur¤ya, then credence and importance will be given to the waker, the dreamer, or the sleeper. ¹a¬kara in his commentary on the mantra at this juncture appropriately points out that the true purport of the mah¢v¢kya ‘Tat Tvam

Asi’ is to show the non-difference of jiva (after negation of all the incidental features of the body, the senses and the mind) and Brahman (pure consciousness). Stripped of all the false and limiting factors ‘You’ (Tvam) are verily That(Tat). For the one who truly knows this (the sole reality of the Self) beyond an iota of doubt, the duality which continues to be experienced is clearly seen as a dream without any trace of substantiality. In the absence of ignorance, there can be no more errors. As a result, there is neither the desire to possess i.e. no attachment, nor the urge to avoid i.e. no aversion since in the absence of a second, the notion of relation is

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completely irrelevant. There can no longer be the knowledge of the other. Instead, the liberated person (j¤van-mukta) remains forever established as Brahman i.e. knowledge as Brahman1 4. This non-difference of knowledge and the object of knowledge is called j®eyabhinna-j®¢na. And this highest realization, where there is no knower, no known and no knowing is succinctly encapsulated in, and elegantly conveyed through, the mah¢v¢kya ‘Praj®¢na¼ Brahma’ (The absolute is awareness). 14

This knowledge is of the nature of pure unconditioned awareness, where even the seer-seen distinction is transcended.

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Mantra 8

_"pu&Y"X"pOX"pRY"b"ZX"puŠp> Zpu&{R"X"pe"z T"pQp X"pe"p X"pe"pÆ" T"pQp ì@¡pZ í@¡pZpu X"@¡pZ ò{O" $$ so' yam ¢tm¢dhyak¾aram o¬karo'dhim¢traï p¢d¢ m¢tr¢ m¢tr¢ºca p¢da ak¢ra uk¢ro mak¢ra it¤ saª ayam ¢tm¢ – The same Self adhyak¾aram – from the standpoint of the (total) syllables onkaraª –is O¼k¢ra adhim¢tram –from the standpoint of the individual letters p¢daª -quarters m¢tr¢ª -letters ca m¢tr¢ª – and the letters p¢daª –(are) the quarters ak¢raª –‘a’ uk¢raª – ‘u’ mak¢raª –‘m’ it¤ – that The same Self (described in the previous mantras with four pad¢s or aspects) is O¼k¢ra from the point of view of (the) syllables. From the standpoint of the individual letters (i.e. m¢tras which constitute Om), the quarters (or aspects of the Self) are letters, and the letters are quarters. The letters (m¢tras), here are ‘a’, ‘u’ and ‘m’. Commentary In the first mantra, Om, the compound syllable inclusive of all sounds, is said to be everything within and

55

beyond time and space. The Upani¾ad then goes on to declare that ¡tm¢ (the Self), comprising as it were four

p¢das(aspects), is verily Brahman too. Hence, given the common denotation of Om, Brahman and ¡tm¢, it logically follows that Om is also a symbol denoting the Self. Om1 , therefore is a very potent means which can lead one either to the highest unconditioned truth i.e. the Higher Brahman or

Tur¤ya, or to the conditioned truth i.e. the Lower Brahman or £ºvara, the cause of the Universe. To realize the ultimate reality, one needs to enquire into Om from the perspective of the three aspects of the Self, which are indicated by, and identified with, the three m¢tras (sounds) of Om. Details of this Omk¢ra-vicara (enquiry into Om) which results in the transcendence of all limiting up¢dhis 2 in the soundless Om will be examined in the twelfth and last mantra of the

Upani¾ad. As for the attainment of the Lower Brahman, one should instead meditate on the constituent sounds (i.e. the three m¢tr¢s of ‘ak¢ra’, ‘uk¢ra’, and ‘mak¢ra’) of Om and their correspondence and identity with the p¢das 1

2

From the present mantra, the enquiry into, as well as meditation on Om is introduced, leaving behind the enquiry into the Self(¡tm¢-vicara), which started with the third mantra, and culminating in the seventh with an elaborate discussion of the absolute Tur¤ya. The limiting up¢dhis of the body, the mind, etc., are responsible for the illusions of waking, dream and sleep; the sum of which defines men's entire empirical existence.

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(aspects) of the Self. According to the mantra, ‘ak¢ra’3 , the first m¢tr¢ of Om, is verily Vaiºv¢nara, the first p¢da of the Self. The second matra ‘uk¢ra’ is none other than

Taijasa, the second p¢da. And likewise, ‘mak¢ra’ the third m¢tr¢ is Pr¢j®a, the third pada. It is important to point out here that the correspondence of each m¢tr¢ with each pada is said to be one of t¢d¢tmya i.e. the identity of essence of a name or word (v¢caka), and that which is referred to by it (v¢cya). By providing a symbol as a support (¢la¼bana) for meditation certainly makes it easier for one who is not accustomed to the rigour of spiritual discipline to make the gradual transition from a predominantly worldly existence of external orientation to one which is more introspective. Therefore, through Pra´ava-dyn¢na or Omk¢ra-up¢san¢ (meditation on Om), even those less philosophically inclined who do not take easily to enquiry are not forgotten. Indeed, maintaining the stream of cognition on a single thought, invariably makes the mind more and more focused and increasingly pure. And with spiritual maturity, the s¢dhaka will in due course be ready for not only the mediate knowledge of Brahman conveyed through the major texts of the Upani¾ads (mah¢v¢kyas), but also the direct experience (anubhava) or the immediate knowledge of the highest truth. 3

The first sound made whenever a person opens the mouth to articulate a word.

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Mantra 9

G"pBpqZO"_P"pS"pu \"vÄ"S"Zpu&@¡pZ: T"øP"X"p X"pe"pÊ"uZp{QX"O\"pŸpT"np{u O" ` \"v _"\"pêS@¡pX"pS"p{QÆ" W"\"{O" Y" ï\"z \"uQ $$ j¢garitasth¢no vaiºv¢naro karaª pratham¢ m¢tr¢pte-r¢dimatv¢d v¢pnoti ha v¢i sarvan k¢m¢n ¢diºca bhavati ya evaï veda j¢garitasth¢nah – locus or field (of activity) is the waking state

vaiºv¢narah - Vaiºv¢nara ak¢raª –is ‘a’ pratham¢ m¢tr¢ – the first letter (of Om) ¢pteª – (due to its) all-pervasiveness v¢ ¢dimat-tv¢t –and it being the first ¢pnoti ha vai – surely attains/fulfills sarv¢n k¢m¢n – all desires ¢dhiª – foremost/best ca bªavati – and becomes yaª – the seeker evam -thus veda –knows Vaiºv¢nara, whose field (of activity) is the waking state, is ‘a’ (ak¢ra) the first letter of (Om) due to (the similarity of) all-pervasiveness and on account of being the first. The seeker who knows thus (i.e. the oneness of akara and

Vaiºv¢nara) fulfills all desires and becomes the best.

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Commentary The identity of ‘ak¢ra’, the first m¢tr¢ of Om, with

Vaiºv¢nara1 the first p¢da of the Self having the waking state as the sphere of activity is now alluded upon. And two common features, namely all pervasiveness and primary status, are cited for establishing the oneness between the two. According to the rules of Sanskrit phonetic (as well as ordinary experience), ‘ak¢ra’ (or ‘a’) is the basic sound produced whenever one opens the mouth to utter any word, alphabet or sound. It is therefore the material cause of all other sounds. And as the effect has necessarily to be pervaded by the cause, so all sounds and alphabets are in essence ‘ak¢ra’, in the same way all gold ornaments are gold only. There is an Upani¾adic statement which declares that, ‘The sound ‘a’ is indeed all speech.’2 As Lord or Vir¢°-£ºvara, Vaiºv¢nara is verily the Self pervading the whole universe. Indeed, it is only in the waking state that the full complement of up¢dhis (the body, the mind and the senses), necessary for the experience of the three states of waking, dream and sleep which define the totality of the human existence, are available. It is in this sense that 1

2

The Self obtaining in the gross-cosmic context i.e. the physical universe Aitareya ¡ranyaka 2.3.7

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Vaiºv¢nara is said to be all- pervasive since it is these very up¢dhis which enable the jÃiva to make the expressions, ‘I am awake’, ‘I was dreaming’ and ‘I slept soundly’ in the waking state. There is also scriptural support for this. The passage from the Ch¢ndogya Upani¾ad, ‘Of this Universal Self (i.e. the Vaiºv¢nara-¡tman), the head is the effulgent light, the eye is the universal form…. The feet are the earth’3 clearly attests to the all-pervasiveness of Vaiºv¢nara.. Primacy, or being the first (¢dimatv¢t), is the second feature which both ‘ak¢ra’ and Vaiºv¢nara have in common. ‘Ak¢ra’, the first m¢tr¢ of Om, is the beginning sound4 of any verbal expression because it is the first sound produced the moment the mouth is opened. Indeed, even the cry of a new born begins with ‘ak¢ra’. In the same way, Vaiºv¢nara is also the first because both the states of dream and deep sleep are preceded by the waking state. As an incentive to induce interest in this up¢san¢, the

mantra vouchsafes that the one who meditates on the oneness of ‘akara’ and Vaiºv¢nara will not only have all the worldly desires fulfilled but shall also emerge foremost amongst all the great people5 . It should, however, be pointed out here 3 4 5

Ch¢ndogya Upani¾ad 5.18.2 There are no other sound or alphabet which precedes "ak¢ra'. The attainment of worldly gains and pleasures cannot be the true import of the mantra. The real purport is to entice those

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that the meditation is not just on the sound of ‘ak¢ra’, but upon the sound symbol6 one must visualize the whole physical universe. In other words, one should be meditating on the ‘ak¢ra’ aspect of Om as the universe, and not purely on the sound only. This technique is technically called ak¢ra-

viºv¢nara-ikai-upaºanam.

6

who are not spiritually inclined to embark on some form of spiritual practice, like meditation. And hopefully over time, they become imbued with more sattvic qualities which predispose them to further pursue the inward life. But notwithstanding the implied objective , one who meditates on Om as ak¢ra with the corresponding visualization of Vaiºv¢nara, given the identity of the two as described, will attain Viºva-Vaiºv¢nara as the immediate benefit. And there will be mastery over both the individual and total names and forms of the gross waking state. In other words, one will have control not only over the individual waking life, but also the macro environment of the gross universe. The ‘ak¢ra’ functions as a tangible support which the mind can focus on. And it is a rule of meditation that whatever one meditates upon one ultimately attains or becomes.

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Mantra 10

_\"TS"_P"pS"_O"vG"_" í@¡pZpu {ŸO"rY"p X"pe"puO@¡p^"pêQWl "Y"O\"pŸpuO@¡^"ê{O" ` \"v c"pS"_"SO"{O"z _"X"pS"Æ" W"\"{O" S"p_Y"pV"øÏ"{\"O@s¡“u W"\"{O" Y" ï\"z \"uQ $$ svapnasth¢nastaijasa uk¢ro dvit¤ya m¢trotkar¾¢d ubhayatv¢d votkar¾ati ha vai j®¢nasantatim sam¢naºca bhavati n¢syabrahmavit kule bhavati ya eva¼ veda svapnasth¢nah – locus or field of (activity) is the dream state

taijasaª - Taijasa ukaraª dvitiy¢ m¢tr¢ – is the second letter ‘ u’ utkar¾at - superiority v¢ ubhayatat – on account of it being in the middle (of waking and sleep)

utkar¾ati ha vai –he thus excels j®¢nasantatim – his range of knowledge sam¢naª – equal (to all) ca bhavati – and becomes na -no asya – in this abrahmavit – one ignorant of Brahman kule – lineage or family bhavati – will be yaª – that one/ the seeker eva¼ - thus veda –knows Taijasa, whose field (of activity) is the dream state, is the second letter ‘u’ due to it being in the middle (of waking and sleep) and on account of its superiority (in relation to the

62

waking state). One who knows thus i.e. the identity of "uk¢ra' and Taijasa excels in his (scope and depth) of knowledge and becomes equal to all. In his family no one will be ignorant of

Brahman. Commentary The oneness of ‘uk¢ra’ and Taijasa is examined here. And the mantra points out that there are two features which they both share in common. The first is superiority. Both the second m¢tr¢ of Om and the second p¢d¢ of ¡tm¢ are identical on account of being superior. The second common characteristic is the intermediate status of both ‘uk¢ra’ and

Taijasa Notwithstanding the fact that as the first sound, ‘ak¢ra’ is superior to all other sounds and alphabets, ‘uk¢ra’ is still said to be greater or more superior in an implied sense. This can be best understood through the illustration of the foundation of a building and the many floors built above it. ‘Ak¢ra’ the building-block of all sounds can be compared to the supporting sub-structure and ‘uk¢ra’ is the first floor constructed on it. It is therefore, in this sense of being the first floor relative to the foundation below that ‘uk¢ra’ is as it were superior to ‘ak¢ra’. The superiority of Taijasa over

Viºva is based on the fact that dream, being a subtle state of experience, is an effective means for understanding the

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illusoriness of the world. Indeed, when the experience of dream, which mirrors the waking life, is clearly known to be unreal when the person wakes up, there is the realization that the external world of names and forms characterized by the same relationships and dualities as in dream is probably nothing more than a projection of the mind.1 Hence, when dream is seen in the correct perspective i.e. with sensitivity and discrimination, it can be a powerful tool which brings the s¢dhaka closer to knowing the highest truth. The second common feature of 'being in between' is obvious enough and needs no further explanation. "Uk¢ra', the second m¢tr¢ comes after ‘ak¢ra’ the first m¢tr¢, and before ‘mak¢ra’, the third m¢tr¢. Similarly, dream is a state between waking and sleep. The mind of one who meditates on ‘uk¢ra’ as Taijasa will over time become increasingly subtle, focused and more knowledgeable2 . At the same time, attachment to, and desire 1 That the world is but an idea or a thought of the mind is easily substantiated by the fact that nothing of the so-called external or internal world can be known independent of the senses and the mind. 2 These are the benefits which come with the attainment of Taijasa-Hira´yagarbha for one who meditates on om as "uk¢ra'.The person will have the knowledge of both the total and the individual names and forms of the subtle state. In other words, the nature of the macro dream environment i.e. the subtle universe(Hira´yagarbha) as well as that of the individual dreamer(Taijasa) will be known.

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for, external objects and mundane pursuits will gradually decline. The world no longer has such a strong hold on the individual. And with the natural development of dispassion, equipoise and other positive traits, there can be no envy or hatred towards such a person, who now lives a life of quiet introspection and is treated in the same way by all. It is also vouchsafed that none of the descendents of such one will be born without the knowledge of Brahman.

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Mantra 11

_"s^"sÊ"_P"pS": T"øpc"pu X"@¡pZ_O"wO"rY"p X"pe"p {X"O"uZT"rO"u\"pê {X"S"pu{O" ` \"p òQzk _"\"êX"T"r{O"Æ" W"\"{O" Y" ï\"z \"u $$ su¾uptasth¢naª pr¢j®o mak¢rast¨tiya m¢tr¢ miterap¤terv¢ minoti ha v¢ idam sarvam ap¤tiºca bhavati ya evam veda su¾upta sth¢nah – whose locus or field (of activity) is the sleep state pr¢j®ah - Pr¢j®a

mak¢rah trt¤ya m¢tr¢ – is the third letter ‘m’ miteª – being a measurement of v¢ ap¤teª – mergence/ where all merges minoti ha v¢ -knows idam sarvam –all this ap¤tiª – ground of dissolution ca bhavati – and becomes yaª evam veda – one who knows this Pr¢j®a, whose field (of activity) is the sleep state, is the third letter ‘m’ on account of it being a measure (of both waking and dream since it is from sleep these two states appear to emerge) as well as the ground of dissolution (where everything becomes unified). One who knows this (identity of mak¢ra and Pr¢j®a) knows (the truth) of all this (i.e. the real nature of empirical life) and becomes the ground into which all merges i.e. £ºvara.

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Commentary The two common features now cited for establishing the identity of ‘mak¢ra’ and Pr¢j®a are conveyed by the terms ‘miti’ and ‘ap¤ti of the mantra. The term ‘miti’ means ‘to measure’ or ‘measuring’. And to measure is to know. For instance, to quantify grains or cereals, a measuring container (traditionally known as prastha) has to be used. By measuring out the contents from the prastha one knows how much grains there is. In the present mantra, it is declared that just as grams and cereals are measured by the measuring vessel, so too the waking and dream states are said to be measured out by Pr¢j®a , after having resolved into, subsequently manifest from their causal conditions in the state of deep sleep. Indeed, as discussed in the sixth mantra, Pr¢j®a is verily £ºvara who is both the material cause as well as the efficient cause of the waking and dream worlds. Similarly, in the articulation of Om, particularly when it is uttered in uninterrupted succession, both the sounds of ‘ak¢ra’ and ‘uk¢ra’ first merge as it were into ‘mak¢ra’ before re-emerging from it to form the following Om. The other common feature indicated by the term ‘ap¤ti’ conveys the sense of resolving into, or becoming unified with, the ground. And going back to the fifth mantra, Pr¢j®a is the ground where the waking and dream states are withdrawn and become unified as one undifferentiated mass of consciousness (ek¤bh¦taª praj®¢naghana). In the same way, when Om is uttered, the first two m¢tr¢s, of ‘ak¢ra’

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and ‘uk¢ra’ seemingly appear to resolve and lapse into ‘mak¢ra’, the third and last m¢tr¢. As with the preceding two mantras, where the fruits (phala) were addressed, the present mantra points out that the clear understanding of the oneness of ‘mak¢ra’ and Pr¢j®a brings with it two important benefits. First of all, there is the realization, although still intellectual in nature, that the gross world of waking, like the dream experience, is only a manifestation arising from the depth of deep sleep. In the state of deep sleep, all up¢dhis which define waking and dream have become dormant in their undifferentiated causal forms. Therefore, one who truly knows Pr¢j®a will have all the knowledge of empirical life which is qualified by the three states of experience. Having understood the insubstantiality of the world of names and forms i.e. the true nature of the universe, the s¢dhaka now realizes that he is none other than the conditioned Self from where (or whom) phenomenality manifests. In other words, the practitioner knows, albeit as mediate knowledge, that he is in fact £ºvara. What it comes to is this: one who meditates on Om as ‘mak¢ra’ attains Pr¢j®a-£ºvara. Indeed, from the foregoing discussions, it is clear that one of the chief benefits from the meditation on Om is the gradual purification of the s¢dhaka's buddhi, rendering it increasingly subtle so that it is fit for the saving knowledge expounded in the hallowed texts of the Upani¾ads.

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Mantra 12

ìX"pe"Æ"O"sP"pu&ê \Y"\"`pY"ê: T"øT"ú"puT"ðpX": {ðp\"pu&ŸvO" ï\"X"puŠp> Z ìpOX"v\" _"z{\"ðpOY"pOX"S"pOX"pS"z Y" ï\"z \"uQ $$ am¢traºcaturtho'vy¢vaharyaª prapa®copaºamah sivo'dvaita evam o¬k¢ra ¢tmaiva ºaïviº¢ty¢tman¢tm¢naï ya evaï veda. am¢trah – no parts (soundless) caturthah – fourth or Tur¤ya avyavah¢ryaª – beyond all phenomena/ transactions prapa®copas'amah – free from the world sivaª - auspicious advaitaª – non-dual evam - Thus o¬karah – Oïk¢ra ¢tm¢ eva – Self alone sa¼viºati – enters/merges ¢tmana – by through (his own) Self ¢tmanam – the Self yah veda – He who knows eva¼ – thus That which has no parts (soundless), which is beyond all transactions, free from the world, auspicious, non-dual is Tur¤ya. Thus Omk¢ra is verily the Self. He who knows thus enters the Self through the Self. Commentary The soundless (am¢tr¢ ), free from any parts or components, is verily the Fourth(caturtha), the pure ¡tm¢.

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And according to the present mantra, it is beyond empirical transaction (avyavah¢rya) because in that which is free from all sounds, both names and the objects they refer to are also absent. Indeed, with the negation of the m¢tr¢s1 and the corresponding upadhis swhich arbitrarily demarcate the seamless Self into the illusory states, what is left is am¢tr¢, the pure non-dual underlying consciousness, the Tur¤yam. This dissolution of the three prapa®cas (worlds), namely the gross, the subtle and the causal is technically called

prapa®copaºamam . In their absence, all diversity and differentiation, such as cause-effect, subject-object, etc., are transcended. Where there is no second (advaita), the am¢tr¢ has necessarily to be of the nature of infinite bliss since there is no other to cause fear. It is therefore said to be auspicious (ºiva). It is clear from the above discussion that one who knows

Om in the way addressed i.e. through enquiry into the am¢tr¢, will merge in his true nature. This emerging or entering is indicated by the term ‘sa¼viºati’ of the text. One should, however, note that in this entering no spatial movement is involved. Instead, it is of the essence of knowledge, when one finally realizes the highest truth. A movement as it were 1

All the three m¢tr¢s are merged one into the other ("akara' into "ukara', and so on), like the retracting sections of a telescope and finally resolving in am¢tr¢.

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from ignorance to knowledge. In other words, this resolution or merging into pure existence, or Brahman is essentially the recognition (after negation of all vikalpas i.e mental constructs) of that which has always been present. This recognition of the jiva of its true nature is beautifully discussed in the text as ‘entering the Self by the Self’ or

sa¼viºati-¢tm¢nam-¢tman¢. This shift in vision, from the narrow perspective of seeing oneself as a limited individual to the expansive vision of seeing one in the many, is instantaneous.2 The mantra then gives the assurance that those who knows the highest truth (that the soundless am¢tr¢ is in essence the Fourth or Tur¤ya) will never be born again, just as when one recognizes the rope through discrimination the snake seemingly3 disappear and never reappears ever. Indeed, 2

In the presence of light, darkness disappears. It happens simultaneously and the two are not causally related. Light, therefore, is not a cause, nor darkness an effect. In the same way, the resolution of the phenomenon through knowledge is also instantaneous, and not governed by any cause-effect relation. 3 Although experienced, the snake never existed. All along there was only the rope. Indeed, one can never speak of the disappearance of an object which never existed in the first place. Therefore, in the case of the snake illusion, at most one can say is that as it was seemingly present, the snake seemingly disappeared when the rope became evident.

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with the negation of even the status of creatorhood, symbolized by the final mergence of ‘mak¢ra ’ (being identical with the causal state of Pr¢j®a) into am¢tr¢, the universe is no more than a passing shadow to the realized one. However, for those whose bent of mind is more practice oriented, preferring rituals and actions over inquiry, Om can be used as a tool for meditation. In particular, the s¢dhaka can meditate on each component m¢tr¢ with the corresponding aspect of the Self superimposed on it. And as mentioned in the preceding three mantras, meditation on the

m¢tr¢-p¢da complex brings with it certain benefits. But, notwithstanding whatever maybe the benefits or attainments, one must not forget that these are still within the realm of phenomenality, conditioned by time, space and causation, and therefore can never be eternal.