Hari Aum.
I recently visited the Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh, India and obtained some teaching on the Mandukya Upanishad from a senior Swami there. These teachings are based on the commentary on this Upanishad by Sivananda.
I would like to share what I learned at the Ashram here.
"What is Aum?" asked the Swami at the start of our study session. I replied saying that "Many things are said about Aum but it is said that it is beyond description. So, I don't know what it is!" I added that the Mandukya upanishad (which I had read in preparation for the class) says that Aum is the goal and Aum is the way (to the goal). Another listening Swami laughed and agreed, saying that "I don't know" was a smart answer!
I will summarise briefly below what the Mandukya Upanishad says about Aum. As you probably know, the Upanishads are the final part of the Vedas (which are said to be eternal, ever-existing), and are thus also called 'Vedanta' (Vedas + anta/end = Vedanta/end of the Vedas). These ancient teachings discuss the highest goal of life, known as moksha, nirvana, supreme consciousness, God, Truth and so on. They discuss the goal and how to attain the goal. Therefore, they are a very important subject of study for students who seek to know their true Self.
The Swami told me that the Mandukya is one of the shortest Upanishads but one of the most important. It has 12 verses (shlokas) only but the ideas described here are most wonderful. The demi-god of water, Varuna, is the seer or rishi who gave the teachings of this Upanishad.
The Mandukya Upanishad describes Aum, its connection with the four states of human consciousness- namely, waking state, dreaming state, deep sleep state, and the superconscious state. It describes the four aspects of God that govern the four states of human consciousness. It describes how all beings are part of the body of God.
In brief, the Mandukya Upanishad says that:
1. Aum is the name of the Supreme (known as Brahman or Atman). It is everything. It is the past, the present and the future and that which is beyond the three periods of time.
2. All this is truly the Supreme, the Atman. This Atman, can be described as having four aspects.
3. The first aspect is the waking consciousness. This is called 'Vaishnavara'. In this state, external objects in the world are known through the senses and the mind.
Sivananda explains that the individual who is awake and experiencing the world, is called 'Vishwa'. All individuals who are awake jointly make up the body of God, known as 'Virat'. Just as billions of cells make up one human body, so also, billions of beings exist within the body of God.
4. The second aspect is the dreaming state, the consciousness that exists when we dream. This is called 'Taijasa'. In this state, one experiences an 'inner world'.
Sivananda explains that the individual dreamer is called 'Taijasa' experiences a subtle light (tejas) during the dream state. All individual dreamers exist within the Cosmic Dreamer, an aspect of God that governs the dream state, known as 'Hiranyagarbha' (the golden One/womb/source).
5. The third aspect of the Atman is the deep sleep state. Here, there is no awareness of either body or mind. There is no experience of either the external world/waking state, nor of the internal world/dreaming state. Here consciousness alone exists and one experiences the bliss of the Atman.
Sivananda explains that the individual in the state of deep sleep is called 'Pragna'. The Supreme Being who governs the deep sleep state, and whose body includes all individuals in the state of deep sleep, is known as 'Ishvara'.
However, for those who have not attained Self-realisation, there is a 'veil of ignorance' that covers the individual in the state of deep sleep. One enjoys the bliss of God here, but one is not aware of it. When one wakes up in the morning, one feels well if one slept deeply and one says 'I slept well last night'. One remembers there was bliss but one is not aware of anything in this state (due to the veil of ignorance).
6. The Supreme is the lord of all, the knower of all, the ruler within, the origin and the end of all beings. By the will of the Supreme, the universe is projected out of the Supreme, and then withdrawn back into the Supreme.
7. There is a fourth state, beyond waking, dreaming and deep sleep. This fourth state of consciousness is called 'Turiya'. It is peaceful, blissful and full of knowledge. It is beyond the three other states. It cannot be described in words nor can it be understood/grasped by the intellect or mind. It can be experienced. It should be experienced.
Sivananda says that the Turiya state is the state of pure consciousness, of Brahman. It is different from Ishvara. Turiya or Brahman is that aspect of God which has no connnection with the world. However, Ishvara is that aspect of God which governs the world.
Ishvara is cosmic consciousness. Brahman (or Turiya) is above this, it is supra-cosmic consciousness.
Note- All the above are merely words and cannot truly describe these states of consciousness which can only be known through experience. Hence the reason why we do sadhana/spiritual practice- in order to experience this ourselves.
8. The sound 'Aum' describes the Supreme, the Atman. The three parts of Aum are the sounds 'A', 'U' and 'M'.
(Pronounced as 'uh', 'oo' and 'ma' in Sanskrit).
9. The 'A' in Aum refers to the waking state, known as 'Vishwa' (described above). One who experiences this truth has all desires fulfilled (the criteria to attain this state, however, is to rise above all desires).
10. The 'U' in Aum refers to the dreaming state, the 'Taijasa'. One who experiences this truth is great in knowledge, and nobody ignorant of Brahman is born in his/her family.
11. The 'M' in Aum refers to the deep sleep state, the 'Pragna'. One who experiences the truth of this state is able to know the true nature of this world.
Sivananda says that the waking and dream states dissolve into the deep sleep state which is the origin of them both. In this state, there is no separate identity/egoism. All becomes one.
12. Aum as a whole refers to the fourth state, the state beyond the other three, the state which cannot be described, the blissful state. One who truly experiences Aum merges the lower self into the Supreme Self.
Sivannda says that meditation on the sound 'Aum' enables the seeker to experience the truth of Aum, to become aware of one's eternal connection with the Supreme.
We do not have to become anything new. We already are part of God, we already are one with God. The purpose of meditation on Aum is simply to realise this, and thus rise above all worldly suffering and experience the bliss of our true nature- which Sivananda says is our birthright.
Only human beings have access to the fourth state according to the yogis. Many souls in animal bodies experience the three states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep. But they cannot enter the fourth state until they obtain a human body by the grace of God.
Thus the yogis say that a human body is a rare gift from God. It is the 'moksha dwar', the door to moksha or God-realisation. It is the 'sadhana dham', the place where tapas/sadhana is done. Such a rare opportunity should not be wasted they say.
Many mantras start with Aum. Aum is not just a word, it is the sound-form of God Him/Herself. It is the Supreme.
Aum is the goal. Aum is the way.
The Swami reminded me that Aum is not something very far away. No. It is our very nature, it is us, it is we ourselves.
May we all experience the truth of Aum in this very lifetime. May we experience the bliss of Aum in this very lifetime through meditation on Aum.
Hari Aum Tat Sat.
I recently visited the Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh, India and obtained some teaching on the Mandukya Upanishad from a senior Swami there. These teachings are based on the commentary on this Upanishad by Sivananda.
I would like to share what I learned at the Ashram here.
"What is Aum?" asked the Swami at the start of our study session. I replied saying that "Many things are said about Aum but it is said that it is beyond description. So, I don't know what it is!" I added that the Mandukya upanishad (which I had read in preparation for the class) says that Aum is the goal and Aum is the way (to the goal). Another listening Swami laughed and agreed, saying that "I don't know" was a smart answer!
I will summarise briefly below what the Mandukya Upanishad says about Aum. As you probably know, the Upanishads are the final part of the Vedas (which are said to be eternal, ever-existing), and are thus also called 'Vedanta' (Vedas + anta/end = Vedanta/end of the Vedas). These ancient teachings discuss the highest goal of life, known as moksha, nirvana, supreme consciousness, God, Truth and so on. They discuss the goal and how to attain the goal. Therefore, they are a very important subject of study for students who seek to know their true Self.
The Swami told me that the Mandukya is one of the shortest Upanishads but one of the most important. It has 12 verses (shlokas) only but the ideas described here are most wonderful. The demi-god of water, Varuna, is the seer or rishi who gave the teachings of this Upanishad.
The Mandukya Upanishad describes Aum, its connection with the four states of human consciousness- namely, waking state, dreaming state, deep sleep state, and the superconscious state. It describes the four aspects of God that govern the four states of human consciousness. It describes how all beings are part of the body of God.
In brief, the Mandukya Upanishad says that:
1. Aum is the name of the Supreme (known as Brahman or Atman). It is everything. It is the past, the present and the future and that which is beyond the three periods of time.
2. All this is truly the Supreme, the Atman. This Atman, can be described as having four aspects.
3. The first aspect is the waking consciousness. This is called 'Vaishnavara'. In this state, external objects in the world are known through the senses and the mind.
Sivananda explains that the individual who is awake and experiencing the world, is called 'Vishwa'. All individuals who are awake jointly make up the body of God, known as 'Virat'. Just as billions of cells make up one human body, so also, billions of beings exist within the body of God.
4. The second aspect is the dreaming state, the consciousness that exists when we dream. This is called 'Taijasa'. In this state, one experiences an 'inner world'.
Sivananda explains that the individual dreamer is called 'Taijasa' experiences a subtle light (tejas) during the dream state. All individual dreamers exist within the Cosmic Dreamer, an aspect of God that governs the dream state, known as 'Hiranyagarbha' (the golden One/womb/source).
5. The third aspect of the Atman is the deep sleep state. Here, there is no awareness of either body or mind. There is no experience of either the external world/waking state, nor of the internal world/dreaming state. Here consciousness alone exists and one experiences the bliss of the Atman.
Sivananda explains that the individual in the state of deep sleep is called 'Pragna'. The Supreme Being who governs the deep sleep state, and whose body includes all individuals in the state of deep sleep, is known as 'Ishvara'.
However, for those who have not attained Self-realisation, there is a 'veil of ignorance' that covers the individual in the state of deep sleep. One enjoys the bliss of God here, but one is not aware of it. When one wakes up in the morning, one feels well if one slept deeply and one says 'I slept well last night'. One remembers there was bliss but one is not aware of anything in this state (due to the veil of ignorance).
6. The Supreme is the lord of all, the knower of all, the ruler within, the origin and the end of all beings. By the will of the Supreme, the universe is projected out of the Supreme, and then withdrawn back into the Supreme.
7. There is a fourth state, beyond waking, dreaming and deep sleep. This fourth state of consciousness is called 'Turiya'. It is peaceful, blissful and full of knowledge. It is beyond the three other states. It cannot be described in words nor can it be understood/grasped by the intellect or mind. It can be experienced. It should be experienced.
Sivananda says that the Turiya state is the state of pure consciousness, of Brahman. It is different from Ishvara. Turiya or Brahman is that aspect of God which has no connnection with the world. However, Ishvara is that aspect of God which governs the world.
Ishvara is cosmic consciousness. Brahman (or Turiya) is above this, it is supra-cosmic consciousness.
Note- All the above are merely words and cannot truly describe these states of consciousness which can only be known through experience. Hence the reason why we do sadhana/spiritual practice- in order to experience this ourselves.
8. The sound 'Aum' describes the Supreme, the Atman. The three parts of Aum are the sounds 'A', 'U' and 'M'.
(Pronounced as 'uh', 'oo' and 'ma' in Sanskrit).
9. The 'A' in Aum refers to the waking state, known as 'Vishwa' (described above). One who experiences this truth has all desires fulfilled (the criteria to attain this state, however, is to rise above all desires).
10. The 'U' in Aum refers to the dreaming state, the 'Taijasa'. One who experiences this truth is great in knowledge, and nobody ignorant of Brahman is born in his/her family.
11. The 'M' in Aum refers to the deep sleep state, the 'Pragna'. One who experiences the truth of this state is able to know the true nature of this world.
Sivananda says that the waking and dream states dissolve into the deep sleep state which is the origin of them both. In this state, there is no separate identity/egoism. All becomes one.
12. Aum as a whole refers to the fourth state, the state beyond the other three, the state which cannot be described, the blissful state. One who truly experiences Aum merges the lower self into the Supreme Self.
Sivannda says that meditation on the sound 'Aum' enables the seeker to experience the truth of Aum, to become aware of one's eternal connection with the Supreme.
We do not have to become anything new. We already are part of God, we already are one with God. The purpose of meditation on Aum is simply to realise this, and thus rise above all worldly suffering and experience the bliss of our true nature- which Sivananda says is our birthright.
Only human beings have access to the fourth state according to the yogis. Many souls in animal bodies experience the three states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep. But they cannot enter the fourth state until they obtain a human body by the grace of God.
Thus the yogis say that a human body is a rare gift from God. It is the 'moksha dwar', the door to moksha or God-realisation. It is the 'sadhana dham', the place where tapas/sadhana is done. Such a rare opportunity should not be wasted they say.
Many mantras start with Aum. Aum is not just a word, it is the sound-form of God Him/Herself. It is the Supreme.
Aum is the goal. Aum is the way.
The Swami reminded me that Aum is not something very far away. No. It is our very nature, it is us, it is we ourselves.
May we all experience the truth of Aum in this very lifetime. May we experience the bliss of Aum in this very lifetime through meditation on Aum.
Hari Aum Tat Sat.
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