Author: Traditional
The Mandukya Upanishad is the shortest yet most profound of the major Hindu scriptures, containing only 12 Sanskrit verses. Associated with the Atharva Veda, it details the Four States of Consciousness and explains how the mystic syllable Om represents the ultimate reality (Brahman) and the true Self (Atman).The Four States of ConsciousnessThe text breaks human experience down into four distinct states:
Jagrat (Waking): The state of experiencing the external physical world through the senses.
Swapna (Dreaming): The state of experiencing internal mental impressions and images.
Sushupti (Deep Sleep): The state of dreamless sleep where the mind is dormant and free from desire.
Turiya (The Fourth): The state of pure, limitless, and unchanging witness consciousness that underlies the other three.
Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Verse #1
ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवाः |
भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः |
स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्टुवागँसस्तनूभिः |
व्यशेम देवहितं यदायूः |
स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः |
स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः |
स्वस्ति नस्ताक्षर्यो अरिष्टनेमिः |
स्वस्ति नो वृहस्पतिर्दधातु |
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ||
oṃ bhadraṃ karṇebhiḥ śṛṇuyāma devāḥ | bhadraṃ paśyemākṣabhiryajatrāḥ | sthirair | vyaśema devahitaṃ yadāyūḥ | svasti na indro vṛddhaśravāḥ | svasti naḥ pūṣā viśvavedāḥ | svasti nastākṣaryo ariṣṭanemiḥ | svasti no vṛhaspatirdadhātu | oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||
o bhadra karnebhi snuyama deva | bhadra pasyemaksabhiryajatra | sthirair | vyasema devahita yadayu | svasti na indro vddhasrava | svasti na pusa visvaveda | svasti nastaksaryo aristanemi | svasti no vhaspatirdadhatu | o santi santi santi ||
O devas, may we (always/only) hear what is auspicious with our ears,
O gods/worthy of sacrifice, may we (always/only) see what is auspicious with our eyes;
O gods/who are praised, may we reach/attain with steady limbs and bodies the life(span) that has been established by the gods.
May Indra (of) exalted fame give us well being;
May the omniscient Pūṣā give us well being;
May Tārkṣya of indestructible wheel rims give us well being;
May Bṛhaspati give us well being.
Om, peace, peace, peace.
O gods/worthy of sacrifice, may we (always/only) see what is auspicious with our eyes;
O gods/who are praised, may we reach/attain with steady limbs and bodies the life(span) that has been established by the gods.
May Indra (of) exalted fame give us well being;
May the omniscient Pūṣā give us well being;
May Tārkṣya of indestructible wheel rims give us well being;
May Bṛhaspati give us well being.
Om, peace, peace, peace.
Verse #2
हरिः ओम् |
ओमित्येतदक्षरमिदं सर्वं तस्योपव्याख्यानं भूतं भवद्भविष्यदिति सर्वमोङ्कार एव यच्चान्यत्त्रिकालातीतं तदप्योङ्कार एव |
१ ||
hariḥ om | sarvaṃ eva eva ||
hari om | sarva eva eva ||
1. Hariḥ Aum. Aum, the word, is all this. A clear explanation of it (is the following). All that is past, present and future is verily Aum. That which is beyond the triple conception of time, is also truly Aum.
Verse #3
सर्वं ह्येतद् ब्रह्मायमात्मा ब्रह्म सो चतुष्पात् |
२ ||
sarvaṃ hyetad brahmāyamātmā brahma so 'yamātmā ||
sarva hyetad brahmayamatma brahma so 'yamatma ||
2. All this is verily Brahman. This Ātman is Brahman. This Ātman has four quarters.
Verse #4
जागरितस्थानो बहिष्प्रज्ञः सप्ताङ्ग एकोनविंशतिमुखः स्थूलभुग्वैश्वानरः प्रथमः पादः |
३ ||
jāgaritasthāno bahiṣprajñaḥ saptāṅga ekonaviṃśatimukhaḥ sthūlabhugvaiśvānaraḥ prathamaḥ ||
jagaritasthano bahisprajna saptanga ekonavisatimukha sthulabhugvaisvanara prathama ||
3. The first quarter (Pāda) is Vaiśvānara whose sphere (of activity) is the waking state, who is conscious of external objects, who has seven limbs and nineteen mouths and whose experience consists of gross (material) objects.
Verse #5
स्वप्नस्थानोऽन्तः प्रज्ञाः सप्ताङ्ग एकोनविंशतिमुखः प्रविविक्तभुक्तैजसो द्वितीयः पादः |
४ ||
svapnasthāno'ntaḥ prajñāḥ saptāṅga ekonaviṃśatimukhaḥ praviviktabhuktaijaso dvitīyaḥ | 4 ||
svapnasthano'nta prajna saptanga ekonavisatimukha praviviktabhuktaijaso dvitiya | 4 ||
4. The second quarter (Pāda) is the Taijasa whose sphere (of activity) is the dream, who is conscious of internal objects, who has seven limbs and nineteen mouths and who experiences the subtle objects.
Verse #6
यत्र सुप्तो न कञ्चन कामं कामयते न कञ्चन स्वप्नं पश्यति तत्सुषुप्तम् |
सुषुप्तस्थान एकीभूतः प्रज्ञानघन एवाऽऽनन्दमयो ह्यानन्दभुक् चेतोमुखः प्राज्ञस्तृतीयः पादः |
५ ||
yatra supto na kañcana kāmaṃ kāmayate na kañcana svapnaṃ paśyati tatsuṣuptam ||
yatra supto na kancana kama kamayate na kancana svapna pasyati tatsusuptam ||
5. That is the state of deep sleep wherein the sleeper does not desire any objects nor does he see any dream. The third quarter (Pāda) is the Prājña whose sphere is deep sleep, in whom all (experiences) become unified or undifferentiated, who is verily, a mass of consciousness entire, who is full of bliss and who experiences bliss, and who is the path leading to the knowledge (of the two other states).
Verse #7
एष सर्वेश्वरः एष सर्वज्ञ एषोऽन्तर्याम्येष योनिः सर्वस्य प्रभवाप्ययौ हि भूतानाम् |
६ ||
eṣa sarveśvaraḥ eṣa sarvajña eṣo'ntaryāmyeṣa yoniḥ sarvasya prabhavāpyayau hi bhūtānām ||
esa sarvesvara esa sarvajna eso'ntaryamyesa yoni sarvasya prabhavapyayau hi bhutanam ||
6. This is the Lord of all; this is the knower of all; this is the controller within; this is the source of all; and this is that from which all things originate and in which they finally disappear.
Verse #8
नान्तःप्रज्ञं न बहिःप्रज्ञं नोभयतःप्रज्ञं न प्रज्ञानघनं न प्रज्ञं नाप्रज्ञम् अदृष्टमव्यवहार्यमग्राह्यमलक्षणं अचिन्त्यमव्यपदेश्यमेकात्मप्रत्ययसारं प्रपञ्चोपशमं शान्तं शिवमद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते स आत्मा स विज्ञेयः 7 ||
nāntaḥprajñaṃ na bahiḥprajñaṃ nobhayataḥprajñaṃ na prajñānaghanaṃ na prajñaṃ nāprajñam adṛṣṭamavyavahāryamagrāhyamalakṣaṇaṃ acintyamavyapadeśyamekātmapratyayasāraṃ prapañcopaśamaṃ śāntaṃ śivamadvaitaṃ caturthaṃ manyante sa ātmā sa vijñeyaḥ 7 ||
nantaprajna na bahiprajna nobhayataprajna na prajnanaghana na prajna naprajnam adstamavyavaharyamagrahyamalaksana acintyamavyapadesyamekatmapratyayasara prapancopasama santa sivamadvaita caturtha manyante sa atma sa vijneya 7 ||
7. Turīya is not that which is conscious of the internal (subjective) world, nor that which is conscious of the external (objective) world, nor that which is conscious of both, nor that which is a mass all sentiency, nor that which is simple consciousness, nor that which is insentient. (It is) unseen (by any sense organ), not related to anything, incomprehensible (by the mind), uninferable, unthinkable, indescribable, essentially of the nature of Consciousness constituting the Self alone, negation of all phenomena, the Peaceful, all Bliss and the Non-dual. This is what is known as the fourth (Turīya). This is the Ātman and it has to be realised.
Verse #9
सोऽयमात्माध्यक्षरमोङ्कारोऽधिमात्रं पादा मात्रा मात्राश्च पादा अकार उकारो मकार इति |
८ ||
so'yamātmādhyakṣaramoṅkāro'dhimātraṃ pādā mātrā mātrāśca pādā akāra ukāro makāra iti ||
so'yamatmadhyaksaramonkaro'dhimatra pada matra matrasca pada akara ukaro makara iti ||
8. The same Ātman (which has been described above as having four quarters) is, again, Aum, from the point of view of the syllables (akṣaram). The Aum with parts is viewed from the standpoint of sounds (letters, mātrāḥ). The quarters are the letters (parts) and the letters are the quarters. The letters here are A, U and M.
Verse #10
जागरितस्थानो वैश्वानरोऽकारः प्रथमा मात्राऽऽप्तेरादिमत्त्वाद्वाप्नोति ह वै सर्वान्कामानादिश्च भवति य एवं वेद |
९ ||
jāgaritasthāno vaiśvānaro'kāraḥ prathamā mātrā''pterādimattvādvāpnoti ha vai sarvāṅkāmānādiśca bhavati ya evaṃ veda ||
jagaritasthano vaisvanaro'kara prathama matra''pteradimattvadvapnoti ha vai sarvankamanadisca bhavati ya eva veda ||
9. He who is Vaiśvānara, having for its sphere of activity the waking state, is A, the first letter (of Aum) on account of its all-pervasiveness or on account of being the first (these being the common features of both). One who knows this attains to the fulfilment of all desires and becomes the first (of all).
Verse #11
स्वप्नस्थानस्तैजस उकारो द्वितीया मात्रोत्कर्षादुभयत्वाद्वोत्कर्षति ह वै ज्ञानसन्ततिं समानश्च भवति नास्याब्रह्मवित्कुले भवति य एवं वेद |
१० ||
svapnasthānastaijasa ukāro dvitīyā mātrotkarṣādubhayatvādvotkarṣati ha vai jñānasantatiṃ samānaśca bhavati nāsyābrahmavitkule bhavati ya evaṃ veda ||
svapnasthanastaijasa ukaro dvitiya matrotkarsadubhayatvadvotkarsati ha vai jnanasantati samanasca bhavati nasyabrahmavitkule bhavati ya eva veda ||
10. Taijasa, whose sphere of activity is the dream state, is U (उ), the second letter (of Aum) on account of superiority or on account of being in between the two. He who knows this attains to a superior knowledge, is treated equally by all alike and finds no one in his line who is not a knower of Brahman.
Verse #12
सुषुप्तस्थानः प्राज्ञो मकारस्तृतीया मात्रा मितेरपीतेर्वा मिनोति ह वा इदं सर्वमपीतिश्च भवति य एवं वेद |
११ ||
suṣuptasthānaḥ prājño makārastṛtīyā mātrā miterapītervā minoti ha vā idaṃ sarvamapītiśca bhavati ya evaṃ veda ||
susuptasthana prajno makarasttiya matra miterapiterva minoti ha va ida sarvamapitisca bhavati ya eva veda ||
11. Prājña whose sphere is deep sleep is M (म) the third part (letter) of Aum, because it is both the measure and that wherein all become one. One who knows this (identity of Prājña and M) is able to measure all (realise the real nature of the world) and also comprehends all within himself.
Verse #13
अमात्रश्चतुर्थोऽव्यवहार्यः प्रपञ्चोपशमः शिवोऽद्वैत एवमोङ्कार आत्मैव संविशत्यात्मनाऽऽत्मानं य एवं वेद |
१२ ||
amātraścaturtho'vyavahāryaḥ prapañcopaśamaḥ śivo'dvaita evamoṅkāra ātmaiva saṃviśatyātmanā''tmānaṃ ya evaṃ veda ||
amatrascaturtho'vyavaharya prapancopasama sivo'dvaita evamonkara atmaiva savisatyatmana''tmana ya eva veda ||
12. That which has no parts (soundless), incomprehensible (with the aid of the senses), the cessation of all phenomena, all bliss and non-dual Aum, is the fourth and verily the same as the Ātman. He who knows this merges his self in the Self.