Paanchajanya

is

a

non-sectarian,

non¬

political

movement

devoted

to

Truth

rooted

in

Reason.

Paanchajanya

aims

to

channel

the

al¬

truistic

urge

to

its

votaries

to

labours

of

love

according

to

their

bent

and

capa¬

bilities

MAANDOOKYA

THE

UPANISHAD

OF

UPANISHADS

A

MODERN

RENDERING

AND

A

MODERN

INTERPRETATION

K.S.

Rangappa

&

L.B.

Ahuja

Paanchajanya

Mysore

-

India

Maandookya

Upanishad

-

A

Modem

Rendering

and

a

Modem

Interpretation

by

Dr.

K.S.

Rangappa

&

L.B.

Ahuja

Published

by

PAANCHAJANYA

82,

First

Stage

Industrial

Suburb,

Mysore

South

-

570

008

India

First

Published

1997

©

All

Rights

Reserved

This

book

is

published

with

the

financial

assistance

of

Thirumala

Devasthanam

under

their

scheme

of

Aid

to

Publish

Religious

books

V
_I_
)

Prabodha

Printing

&

Publishing

House

Basaveshwara

Road

Mysore

570

004

THE

CHOICE

(Maandookya,

the

Upanishad

of

Upanishads)

The

Maandookya

Upanishad,

unlike

most

other

Upanishads,

plunges

business-like

directly

into

the

exposition

of

the

philosophy

it

has

set

out

to

expound

without

cocooning

its

substance

in

a

Mythical

story

or

an

imaginary

dialogue.

And

in

this

questioning

age

of

keen

reasoning

we

can

hardly

do

better.

Perhaps

the

most

concise

of

upnishads,

Maandookya

is

an

inspired

insight

unmatched

in

the

adventures

of

the

prob¬

ing

intellect

of

homo

sapiens.

In

its

search

for

Truth,

nothing

short

of

a

divine

flash

could

have

stretched

out,

as

in

this

Upanishad,

to

the

totality

of

human

experience

instead

of

confining

itself

to

the

truncated

patch

of

mere

waking

experi¬

ence,

as

all

thinkers

and

giants

of

science

have

been

doing

through

the

ages

to

this

day.

As

if

this

weren't

enough,

the

mastermind

has

sought

out

the

chant,

AUM,

invariably

used

in

all

Hindu

rituals,

shelled

the

pod,

labelled

the

seeds,

breathed

meaning,

significance

and

symbolism

into

each

seed

and

recomposed

them

into

a

single

whole

-

the

inherent

divinity

of

deathless

Light.

In

the

necklace

of

Upanishad

-

pearls

Mandookya,

the

bright

pendant

is

enough

for

enlightenment

of

the

seeker.

In

this

presentation

of

Maandookya,

each

mantra

of

the

Upanishad

is

rendered

first

into

English.

The

rendering

aims

primarily

to

translate

the

spiritual

intent

and

implication,

and

only

next,

semantic

faithfulness

to

the

original.

The

interpretation,

which

follows

the

rendering,

while

giving

respectful

weight

to

Gaudapada's

Karika

and

Shankara's

commentary

on

it,

does

not

claim

adherence

to

them.

Our

interpretation

and

explanation

axe

sought

to

be

based

on

the

totality

of

ubiq™uitous

human

experience.

As

such

no

scrip¬

tural

prop

has

been

resorted

to.

For

the

same

reason

we

believe

none

is

needed

by

the

reader

for

understanding

the

fresh

presentation

-

provided

be

comes

to

it

with

a

virgin

mind

and

checks

every

deduction

and

statement

with

his

own

experience.

For

corroboration

with

irrefutable

experience

is

the

ultimate

proof

of

logically

arrived

conclusion.

Here

we

may

remind

ourselves

that

Shankara,

the

invincible

logician,

warns

against

raising

the

philosophic

edifice

on

vicarious

experience

and

conclusions,

however

eminent

the

authority.

Conclusions

derived

from

exceptionless

self-experience

would

naturally

bear

the

stamp

of

Universality.

Conviction

bom

of

reasoned

probe

is

likely

to

root

deeper

and

prove

more

faithful

and

durable

than

faith

grafted

from

sources

foreign

to

oneself.

Mysore,

October,

1997

K.

S.

Rangappa

L.

B
.

Ahuja

FOREWORD

The

Maandukya

is

counted

amongst

the

principal

Upanishads,

though

in

its

size

it

is

perhaps

the

smallest,

comprising

only

twelve

mantras.

Its

importance

is

unique

in

that

it

speaks

to

us

invitingly

about

our

own

secret

truth

of

being

along

with

the

integral

truth

of

cosmic

Reality

and

the

supreme

Truth

of

the

Absolute

Reality,

and

thus

subtly

leads

our

consciousness

into

identity

with

the

Supreme

Reality,

significantly

called

"OM".

Also

spelt

as

A-TJ-M.

Presumably

for

this

importance

the

authors

of

its

"Modem

Rendering

and

Modem

Interpretationﬂ,

Shri

K.S.

Rangappa

and

Shri

L.B.Ahuja,

appreciate

it

as

"The

Upanishad

of

Upanishads".

The

Upanishad

announces

at

the

veiy.outset

that

'OM'

the

Imperishable

Word,

is

the

Supreme

Reality,

both

in

its

ultimate

essence

and

also

its

cosmic

manifestation

in

cease¬

less

Time,

including

all

that

was

and

is

and

will

be

in

the

world-creation.

It

purports

to

effectively

arouse

in

us

the

awareness

of

the

truth

of

our

own

spiritual

Self

to

be

the

same

identical

OM

in

its

fourfold

poise

of

Consciousness.

This

fourfold

poise

of

the

Self

is

typified

in

experiential

terms,

viz.,

the

waking,

jagarita',

the

dreaming,

'
svapna
',

the

deep

slumber,

™susupti',

and

the

superconscient

fourth,

'turiya'.

Each

one

of

the

these

poises

is

a

poise

of

essential

conscious¬

ness,

'prqjna.

Wisdom,

characterised

respectively

as

outward

Wisdom,

inward

Wisdom,

Wisdom

per

se,

self-contained,

self-

existent.

Consciousness

and

the

transcendent

Wisdom

of

the

Absolute,

the

supreme

nondual

Self

Gnosis

is

beyond

all

predications.

It

is

the

last,

the

fourth

poise

of

the

Absolute

Conscious¬

ness

which

verily

is

the

singly

composite

syllable

™OM',

itself

triply

syllabled

as

A-U-M,

in

which

and

of

each

syllable

is

integrally

one

with

the

composite

whole

and

everyone

is

a

measure

of

the

Supreme

Reality.

The

signification

of

the

triple

syllable

'A-U-M

is

explicated

by

the

Upanishad

respectively

in

terms

of

successive

measures

of

the

Supreme

as

Creative

Consciousness,

Prqjna.

First,

wakefully

poised

is

the

Vaisvanara,

the

Universal

Male,

repre¬

sented

by

the

syllable

A'

which

is

the

initial

and

the

all

pervasive

sound.

The

second

is

the

dream-poised

Tayas,

the

Luminous,

represented

by

the

syllable

'IT,

signifying

rising

and

advancing

and

centrally

common

to

all

sounds.

The

third

is

the

sleep-poised

Lord

of

Wisdom,

Prqjna,

represented

by

the

sonant

'M',

singnifying

measure

and

finality

of

sounds.

Con¬

sistently,

the

measureless,

non

sonant,

soundless

is

the

tran¬

scendent

Poise,

the

'turiya.',

Incommunicable,

That

in

which

is

the

cessation

of

all

phenomena,

the

other-less

One,

the

Supreme

Good,

Sivo'dvaita'.

Thus

is

™OM™

the

Self

Itself.

The

Upanishad

not

only

speaks

of

what

the

composite

syllable

'A-U-M
1

stands

for

and

the

Reality

and

its

measures

signified

by

each

sonant,

it

also

assures

what

spiritual

realisations

one

would

attain

by

becoming

conscious

of

the

mystic

truths

of

the

component

sonants

of

the

single

syllable

'OM'.

The

knower

of

the

waking

Poise,

Vaisvanara,

signified

by

the

sonant

'A',

attains

all

that

he

longs

for

and

becomes

the

source

of

inspiration;

the

knower

of

the

Dream-Poise,

Taijas,

signified

by

the

sonant

V

attains

to

advancement

of

knowl¬

edge

and

enhances

the

heritage

of

Wisdom

of

Brahman

to

further

generations.

He

who

knows

the

Sleep-Poise,

the

Prajan,

signified

by

the

sonant

M,

measures

all

this

existence

with

himself

and

attains

to

the

final

entry

into

the

Eternal.

He

who

knows

Him

in

the

fourth

Poise,

the

Supreme,

really

knows

Him

and

enters

by

his

self

into

the

Self.

Shri

Rangappa

and

Shri

Ahuja

have

expressly

chosen

the

Maandukya

Upanishad,

in

full

praise

for

its

merits,

for

render¬

ing

and

interpreting

it

for

the

modern

mind.

They

have

dealt

with

each

of

the

twelve

mantras

of

the

Upanishad,

as

if

a

theme

by

itself,

in

consistent

development

with

the

entire

text,

bringing

out

the

whole

message

and

its

spiritual

teaching.

This

they

have

done

with

faithfulness,

close

study,

clarity

and

consistency

which

they

feel

to

be

of

logical

merit.

The

whole

treatment

is

marked

out

by

something

like

a

psycho-spiritual

philosophy

leaning

on

Advaita.

Their

work

speaks

of

both

labour

and

inspiration

and

it

will

be

of

interest

to

not

only

the

modem

mind

but

also

to

those

having

a

grounding

in

Indian

spiritual

tradition.

One

deserve

to

see

that

the

Upanishadic

Wisdom

has

its

great

value

because

of

the

intrinsic

truth

it

carries,

irrespective

of

idiosyncratic

appeal,

modem

or

tradi¬

tional.

The

language

of

the

Mandukya

Upanishad

is

straight

and

packed

and

enunciative,

communicating

spiritual

tmths

in

experiential

and

convincing

terms.

To

get

at

these

tmths

through

mind's

appropriate

ideas

is

quite

normal

to

man™s

intellect,

perhaps

necessary

and

appealing

to

the

modem

man.

But,the

Upanishads

are

nothing

less

than

Upanishads

and

the

intimate

spiritual

tmths

are

to

be

intimately

realised.

The

Maandukya

speaks

to

us,

the

seekers

of

Self,

not

only

enunciatively

and

convincingly

but

also

assuringly,

inviting

and

preparing

us

for

possible

realisations

for

which

alone

a

philosophical

systematisation

is

meant

to

serve

some

purpose.

May

'OM'

become

a

living

realisation

in

its

integrality

as

the

Mandukya

declares

it,

whatever

its

conceptual

value

in

this

or

that

philosophical

scheme!

April

7,

1995

H

MAHESWARI

Sri

Aurobindo

Ashram

Pondicherry

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We

are

specially

thankful

to

the

authorities

of

Thirumala

Thirupathi

Devasthanams

for

generous

grant

for

the

Publication

of

this

work.

We

appreciate

veiy

much

the

Meticulous

care

and

devotion

of

Shri.

M.

N.

Bheemesh

and

his

team

of

Prabodha

Printing

and

Publishing

House

in

the

Production

of

this

volume.

Paanchajanya

Scheme

of

Transliteration

and

Pronunciation

of

Sanskrit

Words

Sanskrit

Italics

with

(romans

w/o)

diaclrics.

ST

a

[a]

stt

a

[aa]

?

i

[i]

c

?

i

[ee]

3

u

[u]

35

u

[00]

r

[rri]

K

e

[e]

$

ai

[ae]

sit

0

[o]

sit

au

[ou]

si

rii

[am]

ST:

h

[ah]

k

[K]

kh

[kh]

g

[g]

gh

[gh]

%

h

c

[ch]

ch

Ł

[chh]

j

[j]

jh

Oh]

n

t

[t]

Pronounced

as

in

come

far

pin

feel

full

cool

ring

cake

mite

note

count

some

soft

half

'h'

Kite

silk-hat

(uttered

together)

go

log-hut

sing

.

church

churc
h-h
ill

jug

hed
g
e

h
og

fringe

curt

Sanskrit

Italics

with

(romans

w/o)

diactrics.

Pronounced

as

in

*

th

[th]

hot-house

d

[d]

bird

dh

[dh]

red-hot

n

bond

(cerebral)

t

[t]

't'

soft

a

sin

(French)

th

[th]

thunder

d

[d]

though

dh

[dh]

breathe-hard

n

[n]

.

pen

p

[p]

pun

P
h

[ph]

top-hat

\

b

[b]

but

bh

[bh]

abhor

.

m

[m]

mother

y

[y]

young

\

r

[r]

rest

1

[1]

lump

%

V

[v.w]

vault

s'

[sh]

ship

(palatal's)

<1

s

[sh]

should

s

-

[s]

sun

h

[h]

home

^1

ks

[khy]

st

jn

fey]

(%)

(,)

Symbol

denoting

el

Lsion

of

a

or

aa

when

sandhi

takes

place.

Compound

Sanskrit

letters

sr,

ssr,

«r,

sr

Italics

sra,

sla,

sva,

sea,

sna

CONTENTS

Page

Invocation

First

Mantra

1

Second

Mantra

9

Third

Mantra

15

Fourth

Mantra

21

Fifth

Mantra

29

Sixth

Mantra

35

Seventh

Mantra

43

Eighth

Mantra

49

Ninth

Mantra

55

Tenth

Mantra

61

Eleventh

Mantra

67

Twelfth

Mantra

73

Appendices

83

Glossary

91

INVOCATION

To

listen

to

Maandookya

Is

to

invite

divine

promise;

To

study

Maandookya

Is

to

drink

nectar

-

Aunv

To

assimilate

Awn

Is

to

climb

the

summit.

Ever

bright,

serene,

blissful.

q*F^&«hlHlcfld

ttPVTgK

^

|K||

Awnity

etadaks

ramidam

sarvam

tasyopavyakhyanam

bhutam

bkavadbhavisyaditi

sarvam

onkara

eva;

yaccanyat

trikalatitam

tadapyonkar

eva.

3

MAANDOOKYA

UPANISHAD

First

Mantra

*

I

Aum
1
,

this

sonant,

is

imperishable
2
;

All

this

3
,

its

near-expression
4
,

Past,

present,

future
5

-

-

All

are

Aumkaara
6

itself;

And

else
7

beyond

the

trio
8

Is

Aumkaara

too.

1.

Aum

-

-

Spiritual

chant

(pronounced

'Om')

used

univer¬

sally

in

Hinduism.

2.

Imperishable

-

-

ak§aram

in

the

original.

This

word

in

Sanskrit

stands

for

indestructible,

unalterable,

a

letter,

a

word,

a

sound,

a

vowel

and

the

syllable

"Om"

($6).

3.

All

this

-

-

All

the

perceivable

world.

4.

Near

-

expression

-

-

Limited

manifestation

of

Aum.

5.

Past,

present,

future

-

-

The

gamut

of

all

experiences

and

happenings.

6.

Aumkaara

-

-

The

term

for

intoned

Aum.

7.

And

else

-

-

Everything

else

which

survives

all.

Beyond

the

trio

-

-

Beyond

the

experience

of

the

phenom

enal

world

in

time

and

space,

as

well

as

beyond

thought

and

imagination.

8
.

4

Commonly

the

words

in

this

mantra

are

grouped

in

Sanskrit,

as

follows

:

"aum

iti

etat

aksaram

idam

sarvam

tasya

upavyakhyanam

bhutam

bhavadbhavisyat

iti

sarvam-onkara

eva

yat

cca

anyat

trikalatitam

tat

api

onkara

eva."

As

per

this

arrangement,

the

rendering

in

English

would

be

:

Called

Aum,

this

word

is

all

this.

Its

elucidation

:

Past,

present,

future

-

-

All

are

Aumkaara

itself.

And

also

beyond

the

three

spans,

is

Aumkaara

too.

Considering

the

fact

that

the

Upanishadic

form

of

enun¬

ciation

is

the

most

crystallised

and

pithiest

manner

of

expres¬

sion

of

human

thought,

the

expression,

"its

elucidationﬂ

ap¬

pears

superflous.

Similarly,

to

interpret

aksaram

superficially

as

"word",

is

to

rob

it

of

its

due

and

profound

meaning,

apart

from

avoidably

pointing

to

the

obvious,

that

Aum

(<3b)

is

a

word.

In

the

context

here

and

of

the

whole

of

the

Upanishad,

it

would

be

more

appropriate

to

interpret

it

as

a-ksaram,

the

undying,

imperish¬

able,

invariant

Principle.

With

regrouping

of

the

words,

as

given

below,

the

mantra

should

be

able

to

avoid

redundancy

and

convey

more

fully

the

meaning

built

into

it.

5

'Aum

iti

etat

aksram

idam

sarvam

tasya

upavydkhyanam

bKutam

bhavadbhavisyat

iti

sarvam

onkara

eva

yat

ca

anyat

trikalatitam

tat

api

onkara

eva."

Aum

iti

--

Universally

known

and

chanted

as

Aum.

etat

-

-

This

(Aum)

akasararh

(a-ksaram)

-

-

Undecaying,

imperishable.

idam

sarvam

-

-

All

of

this

tasya

-

-

of

Aum

upavydkhyanam

(upa-vyal&iydhani)

-

-

Near,

close

or

approximate

explanation.

(The

rest

of

the

mantra

remains

as

before).

This

part

of

the

mantra,

with

words

regrouped

thus

and

interpreted

in

this

manner

would

in

general

state

as

follows

:

This,

the

perceivable,

ever-changing,

perishable

phenom¬

enal

world,

when

viewed

as

the

involuted

Aum,

is

indeed

imperishable.

The

evolution

or

unfurling

of

the

phenomenal

world

in

the

states

of

waking

and

dream,

and

its

involution

or

furling

into

ONE

and

only

ONE

in

the

state

of

dreamless

sleep,

and

the

identity

of

Aum

with

the

Atman,

the

indivisible,

imperishable,

will

be

enunciated

later

in

the

Upanishad.

Aum,

like

any

other

vocalisation,

is

a

particular

combina¬

tion

of

selected

vowels

and

consonant.

This

understanding

is

essential

for

an

objective

approach

to

this

Upanishad

which

arrives

at

the

concept

of

ultimate

Reality

with

a

rigorous

logic.

6

Here

it

would

be

helpful

-

-

perhaps

necessary

-

-

to

recognise

at

the

outset

the

crucial

distinction

between

"Real¬

ity"

of

Vedanta

(as

of

philosophy

in

general),

which

is

immu¬

table

(and

therefore

everlasting)

and

the

"realityﬂ

of

daily

parlance.

In

common

usage

™™realityﬂ

is

all

that

is

perceptible

by

one

or

more

of

the

five

senses

and

therefore

by

the

mind.

This

applies

to

both

objects

and

feelings.

And

this

reality,

sadly,

is

the

inescapable

victim

of

the

tyranny

of

change

-

-

birth,

growth,

decay

and

death.

Absolute

Reality,

in

contrast,

is

meant

to

connote

that

which

is

delightfully

beyond

the

reach

of

the

freezing

hand

of

change.

In

order

to

be

precise

and

clear

and

to

obviate

needless

confusion,

we

have

opted

for

terms,

seeming

reality
,

apparent

reality
,

appearance

and

such

equivalents

to

indicate

the

ephemeral,

perceived,

so-called

reality

of

daily

life.

We

have

reserved

the

word

™™Reality'

(with

capital

R)

to

signify

the

invariant

ultimate

Principle,

which

philosophy

(and

science)

is

after.

The

word

upavyakhyanam

is

generally

taken

to

mean,

"clear

explanation.ﬂ

Both

semantically

and

contextually,

how¬

ever,

upa-vydkhydnam
t

seems

to

signify

something,

both

dif¬

ferent

and

deeper.

The

word,

upa,

for

instance

in

™upanishad",

means

close

and

near.

This

meaning

is

particularly

apt,

when

the

nature

of

Reality

is

taken

into

account.

When

it

is

realized

that

Reality

is

anirvacaniyam;

that

is,

indescribable,

it

will

be

clear,

no

verbal

explanation

(including

what

follows

in

this

Upanishad)

can

do

justice

to

it.

It

has

therefore

necessarily

got

to

be

a

mere,

upa,

an

approximation.

As

such

Aum

can

be

but

a

close

pointer

to

Reality,

verily

a

mere

signpost.

In

this

mantra,

the

line

:

"And

else,

beyond

the

trio,ﬂ

calls

for

elaboration.

If

the

earlier

line,

™Past,

present,

future

-

cryptically

covers

all

the

activity

of

waking

consciousness,

this

line

comprehends

the

experience

of

dream-consciousness

as

7

them

too.

"Whatever

else"

is

not

a

verbal

excess,

since

it

includes

the

domains

,of

thinking,

imagination

and

fantasy,

too.

Aum

here

is

being

referred

to,

without

exception,

to

the

totality

of

life's

experience

-

-

of

the

congnizable

universe

as

well

as

the

inexpressible

yet

undeniable

experience

that

life

invariably

goes

through

during

sleep,

when

the

mind

(waking

consciousness

and

dream

consciousness)

is

non-functional,

and

beyond.

And

Aum's

reach,

indicates

the

mantra,

goes

beyond

the

three

states

of

experience,

too.

In

this

comprehensive

connotation,

Aum

it

must

be

pointed

out,

is

only

a

symbol,

quite

like

the

sculpted

stone

idol

consecrated

in

a

temple,

taken

by

the

faithful

to

represent

the

beneficent

Supreme.

The

methodology

adopted

in

the

Upanishad

to

elucidate

the

nature

of

Reality

is

worthy

of

note.

Strainghtaway

is

enunciated

succinctly

the

theorem,

"Aum

is

all."

It

then

proceeds

step

by

step

to

prove

it.

This

mantra

defines

the

term,

"all,"

and

in

the

next

continues

its

elaboration.

10

HT

3

^Wlr^IxlciaTr^ll^ll

Sarvam

hyetad

brahma

ayamatma

brahma
,

so'yaniatma

chatushpat

1

Second

Mantra

II

All

this

is

but

Brahman
1
,

This

atman

is

Brahman
2
,

And

this

Atman

Is

of

four

quarters
3
.

1.

All

this

is

but

Brahman

-

-

All

this

around,

which

perceivable

is

Brahman

only.

Brahman

is

a

class

vedantic

term

to

signify

Reality.

2.

This

atman

is

Brahman

-

-

The

guru,

sitting

as

it

we:

before

the

disciple,

is

pointing

to

himself

and

saying

"Th

atmanﬂ

is

Brahman.

By

"this

Utmari

he

refers

to,

for

tl

time

being,

to

his

individual

self.

3.

And

this

Atman

is

of

four

quarters

-

-

It

follows

from

tl

above

two

statements

that

the

Atman,

which

is

Brahms

(and

therefore

spelt

here

with

capital

A)

is

of

four

qua

ters.

A

new

term.

Brahman,

is

being

introduced

in

this

mantr

(This

is

quite

different

from

Brahmaa,

one

of

the

Hinc

Trinity).

The

magnum

opus

of

Hindu

philosophy,

the

Brahm

sootras,

is

devoted

to

the

exposition

of

Brahman,

the

unive

sal,

invariant

Principle.

Brahman,

the

ultimate

Reality,

is

al

denominated

as

Kevala

(the

Absolute),

parama

(the

Suprem

the

Atman

(the

SELF),

and

so

on.

The

word

atman

in^Sanskr

stands

among

others,

for

the

individual

self

as

well.

For

t

purpose

of

clarity

in

these

discussions,

the

word

Atm,

(capital

A)

will

be

used

for

Reality.

The

statement,

"All

this

is

but

Brahmanﬂ,

it

may

be

note

would

follow

as

a

corollary

of

the

postulate

of

the

first

manl

-

"Aum

is

all

this.ﬂ

For

if

Aum,

the

sonant,

is

all-inclusive,

automatically

includes

Brahman,

the

invidividual

self,

a

12

anything

else

you

would

name.

In

this

is

implicit

the

imma¬

teriality

of

name

and

form

for

the

ultimate

Truth.

It

signifies,

too,

that

for

him

who

sees

the

Light,

all

sounds

are

Aum,

all

perceptibles

are

Brahman,

both

of

which

stand

for

the

invari¬

ant

Principle,

the

Atman.

The

seeming

repetition

and

redundance

involved

in

the

assertion,

'This

atman

is

Brahman",

and

the

guru's

selection

of

the

individual

self

out

of

all

that

exists

in

the

entire

cosmos

for

naming

it

as

Brahman,

is

the

point

of

take-off

for

establish¬

ing

logically,

the

classical

Vedantic

enunciation

of

Reality

"(aham

brahmas

mi),

I

am

Brahman",

and

"Everything

is

Brah¬

man,

(sarvam

khalu

idam

brahma),"

which

the

guru

is

going

to

expand

and

prove

to

the

seeker.

The

Upanishad

here

states

that

the

experience

of

"I"

is

far

more

than

the

feel

of

the

limited

ego.

The

experience

of

"I"

indeed

comprehends

the

cosmos,

states

the

mantra.

The

enormous

significance

built

into

the

word,

"this",

by

the

guru

needs

to

be

elaborated

here.

By

reference

to

himself

as

this,

the

guru

is

not

referring

to

his

body-mind

complex.

He

means

the

existence

which

each

and

every

creature

expe¬

riences

intuitively

at

all

times.

And

that

the

universal

aware¬

ness

of

existence,

the

guru

implies,

is

undeniable,

self-evident,

and

needs

no

proof.

It

is

THAT

awareness

of

existence,

which

the

guru

means

by

the

term

"this",

the

Atman.

The

Sanskrit

term

"pada",

is

a

word

of

multiple

meanings.

It

stands

for

foot,

step,

part,

quarter

as

well

as

destination.

The

physical,

mental

and

supramental

experiences

of

an

indi¬

vidual

are

sought

to

be

categorised

as

made

up

of

four

seemingly

distinct

parts.

Not

that

the

Atman,

which

comprises

them

all,

is

so

divisible.

It

is

like

considering

indivisible

space

in

terms

of

east,

west,

south

and

north

Š

only

for

the

sake

of

of

life

as

made

up

of

physical

and

mental

components,

the

synergetic

combination

of

which

yields

something

more

than

the

mere

addition

of

the

two.

In

the

subsequent

mantras

the

different

types

of

experi¬

ences

are

identified

and

classified

for

purposes

of

analysis

and

inference

for

a

full

and

precise

understanding

of

the

true

nature

of

Brahman.

U^HI^IId^
:

^el^ts^FR:

Ł

5TSOT:

qic[:

ll^ll

jagaritasthano

bahisprqjnah

saptdnga

ekonavimsatimukhah

sthulabhugvaisvaharah

prathama

padah

17

Third

Mantra

III

The

waking

state

its

sphere
1
;

Conscious

of

outer

world
2
,

With

parts

seven,

Gateways

nineteen,

Revelling

in

the

gross
3
,

Vaishwanara
4

is

the

first

quarter.

1.

The

Waking

state

its

sphere

-

-

Having

the

state

of

waking

for

its

domain.

2.

Outer

World

-

-

Objects

other

than

itself.

3.

Revelling

in

the

gross

-

-

Indulging

in

experiences

of

the

objective

world.

4.

Vaishwanara

-

-

The

name

given

to

the

First

quarter

of

"this

Atman"

(of

the

second

mantra)

as

having

the

above

features.

Having

stated

in

the

earlier

mantra

that

this

Atman

(Brahman)

is

made

up

of

four

quarters,

the

demarcations

between

them

and

their

distinctive

features

are

now

defined.

The

first

quarter

or

component

or

category

of

the

Atman

is

the

human

experience

which

spans

the

waking

state.

The

waking

state

is

made

up

of

sensory

perceptions

of

the

waking

consciousness,

the

actions,

reactions

and

interactions

(voluntary

as

well

as

involunatry),

flowing

from

the

ever¬

growing

heap

of

perceptions,

as

distinct

from

the

experiences

of

the

dream-world.

(Insubstantial

experiences

like

hysteria,

hallucination

and

lunacy

can

all

be

classed

for

the

purpose

of

this

philosophical

discussion

with

those

of

the

dream-world

without

loss

of

generality

and

logical

validity.)

18

The

responses

of

waking

consciousness

(that

is,

of

the

waking

mind)

to

the

ceaseless

stream

of

stimuli

imply

a

rigid

sense

of

separation

of

the

perceiver

from

the

perceived

world.

From

this

arises

the

inalienable

conviction

of

an

unbridgeable

chasm

between

the

Atman-Brahman

and

the

objective

world,

and

differentiation

between

the

limited

individual

self

(atman-

ego)

with

its

sense

of

me

and

mine,

and

other

differing

similar

ego-selves.

The

first

quarter

is

named

Vaishwanara.

Vaishwanara,

the

Upanishad

says,

is

the

enjoyer

of

the

gross

experience

of

the

waking

state.

As

the

experiencer

is

the

Utman-e
go,

Vaishwanara

is

indeed

the

waking

ego
.

And

the

waking

ego

is

being

described

as

having

seven

parts

and

nineteen

inlets.

The

Chhandogya

upanishad

personifies

the

universe

as

Vaishwanara*,

with

the

firmament

for

its

head,

the

sun

for

its

eye,

the

air

for

life-breath,

the

space

for

its

trunk,

the

ocean

for

its

organ

of

exertion,

the

earth

for

its

feet

and

Aahavaneeya

(one

of

the

sacrificial

ritual

fires)

for

its

device

of

ingestion

and

assimilation.

The

nineteen

gateways

of

Vaishwanara

for

receiving

infor¬

mation

are

the

five

organs

of

perception

(sight,

sound,

smell,

taste

and

touch),

five

organs

of

action

(hands,

feet

and

organs

of

speech,

generation

and

evacuation),

five

vital

airs

(prana-

breath,

apana-rectal

wind,

s
a
mdna
-digestive

air,

uddna-betch¬

ing,

yawning,

sneezing

and

the

last

gasp,

and

vy
ana-systemic

air).

These,

together

with

four

distinctive

types

of

cerebrations

-

-

reception

of

stimulus

(manas),

collection

and

comparison

of

experiences

(citta),

discrimination

and

decision-making

(buddhi),

and

sense

of

individuality

(ahamkara),

make

up

the

tools

of

*

This

image

and

its

significance

are

elaborately

portrayed

in

Chhandogya

19

consciousness

for

acquisition

and

application

of

information

and

gathering

experience.

Clearly,

the

intent

of

the

imaged

resemblance

between

Vaishwanara

and

the

universe

is

a

step

towards

recognising

the

identity

between

the

two.

The

first

place

given

to

Vaishwanara,

which

experiences

the

waking

state,

has

a

certain

justification.

As

Shankara

points

out,

only

the

waking

state

can

normally

recall

the

experience

of

all

the

states,

including

those

of

dream

and

dreamless

sleep,

appraise

and

juxtapose

the

different

types

of

experiences,

and

reason

out

its

way

to

the

ultimate

Truth.

The

prime

ranking

of

Vaishwanara

also

fits

in

with

several

semantic

meanings

-

-

that

which

heads

all

creatures;

that

which

comprehends

all

existence;

that

which

enables

the

function

of

experiencing

external

stimuli.

On

the

mundane

plane,

we

come

across

many

a

creative

accomplishment

-

-

like

Coleridge's

Kubla

Khan

and

Kekule's

hit

of

the

ring

structure

of

benezene

-

-

during

the

free¬

wheeling

states

of

night

dreams

and

day

dreams.

Why,

many

a

prophet

has

claimed

for

his

religious

faith

divine

revelation

in

his

dreams.

On

this

score,

the

validity

of

primacy

to

Vaishwanara

(waking

consciousness)

may

be

questioned.

But

the

facts

only

point

to

the

rather

thin

line

between

waking

and

dream

experiences,

the

philosophical

implication

of

which

Mandookya

later

reveals.

By

and

large,

however,

the

priority

and

predominance

assigned

to

Vaishwanara,

the

waking

state,

are

largely

war¬

ranted.

It

is

perhaps

necessary

and

useful

to

realise

the

identity

and

extensive

connotation

of

the

terms

"waking

state,"

"waking

experience,"

"waking

consciousness"

and

"waking

ego,"

with

20

Vaishwanara.

The

validity

of

this

becomes

clear

when

it

is

seen

that

the

mind,

the

ego

and

the

experience

are

simulta¬

neous

and

inalienably

associated

with

each

other,

like

the

sun,

the

sunlight

and

the

clear

sight

of

the

environment.

This

applies

no

less

to

Taijasa,

the

dream

state,

spelt

out

in

the

succeeding

mantra.

22

^n^fHts^T:

air:

^rmf

fs^fa:

11VII

Svapnasthano'ntah

prajnah

saptariga

ekonavimsatimukhah

pravivriktabhuktayaso

divittyah

padah.

23

Fourth

Mantra

IV

The

dream

state,

its

sphere
1
,

Conscious

of

inner

world'",

With

parts

seven

Gateways

nineteen
3
,

Revelling

in

aiiy

shine

Of

experience,

subtle
3
,

Taijasa

is

the

second

quarter
4
.

1.

The

dream

state,

its

sphere

-

-

Having

the

state

of

dream

for

its

domain.

2.

inner

world

-

-

Judging

only

from

the

waking

view-point,

dream

play

is

generally

taken

to

be

occurring

inside

the

organism

in

contrast

to

be

activity

during

wakefulness,

which

is

taken

to

be

happening

outside

the

body.

3.

airy

shine,

of

experience,

subtle

-

-

Unlike

the

universe

of

seemingly

gross

waking

experience,

the

domain

of

dream

experience,

we

realise

(looking

back

from

the

waking

state),

is

deceivingly

fallacious

actuality,

no

more

true

and

reliable

than

a

movie

run

on

an

immovable

screen.

4.

is

the

second

quarter

-

-

Taijasa,

the

name

given

to

the

second

quarter

of

"this

Atman,"

as

having

the

above

features.

The

placement

of

Taijasa,

the

dream

state,

in

the

Upanishad,

after

the

waking

state

is

significant

and

has

to

be

correctly

appraised.

"Second

quarter"

does

not

imply

subordi¬

nation

or

inferiority.

It

only

denotes

that

the

two

states

are

next

to

each

other.

Both

Vaishwanara

and

Taijasa

have

parts

seven

and

gateways

nineteen

and

they

both

revel

in

their

bodies.

The

24

thrust

of

the

Upanishad

is

to

point

up

the

equality

in

the

logical

status

of

the

two

states.

It

may

be

stated

as

a

fact

that

dream

is

founded

on

the

experiences

in

the

waking

state.

It

is

inevitably

the

child,

albeit

distorted,

of

waking

experience.

No

waking

experience,

no

dream.

Sensations

garnered

during

waking

hours

are

churned

up

to

concoct

the

bizarre

dream

world.

Dream

never

presents

an

experience

beyond

the

ingredients

of

the

waking-

experience

or

of

the

waking-imagination.

For

example,

an

English

child

brought

up

on

Christian

love,

dreams

of

Santa

Claus,

but

not

of

the

flying

Hanuman

of

Hindu

mythology,

of

which

he

has

never

heard.

And

the

converse

is

equally

true

of

the

Hindu

child.

Similarly

a

tropical

inhabitant,

altogether

a

stranger

to

the

arctics,

does

not

dream

of

an

igloo

or

a

polar

bear,

while

the

Eskimo

does

not

dream,

for

the

same

reason,

of

the

sizzling

thirst

of

midsummer

drought

or

of

a

tiger.

It

may

here

be

argued

that

dream

experience

being

totally

dependent

on

waking

experience,

the

dream

state

cannot

be

considered

equal

to

the

waking

state.

This

negation,

it

must

be

noted,

is

being

asserted

only

in

the

waking

state.

Were

you

discussing

this

subject

in

a

dream

-

-

as

well

you

may

-

-

then

"the

other"

earlier

waking

state,

would

appear

to

have

been

the

dream

state.

And

on

waking

you

may

well

be

laughing

at

the

interchange

and

amazing

actuality

of

the

dream

while

you

were

going

through

it.

Occasionally

one

goes

through

a

dream

within

a

dream.

Such

an

experience,

too,

comes

within

the

same

logic

and

leads

to

the

same

conclusion.

Further,

both

waking

and

dream

states

have

the

common

factors

of

subject

,

object

and

their

mutual

relationships.

25

Every

response

in

the

waking

as

well

as

in

the

dream

state

is

the

result

of

instincts

and

experiences.

Instincts

like

hunger

and

thirst

do

sometimes

surface

in

the

dream

before

they

do

in

the

waking

state.

This,

however,

does

not

contradict

the

fact

of

equality

of

status

of

the

two

states.

The

common

objection

to

equating

dream

with

waking,

however,

is

that

"while

dream

is

an

altogether

insubstantial,

inconsequential,

purposeless

and

fruitless

experience,

waking

is

totally

contrary

to

it."

The

objection

clearly

arises

from

the

fact

that

the

dream

is

being

judged

in

the

waking

state

from

the

standpoint

of

the

waking

state.

It

has

to

be

realized

that

during

dreaming

the

"actuality"

of

experience

is

never

in

question.

Every

event

in

the

dream,

as

in

waking,

appears

during

the

experience

as

indubitably

"real,

rational

and

true."

Taijasa

(dream

experience)

is

never

a

present

experience;

for

it

appears,

while

it

lasts,

verily

like

Vaishwanara

(waking

experience)

itself,

without

a

shadow

of

a

doubt.

The

realisation

that

an

experience

was

"but

a

dreamy

deception"

dawns

only

in

the

succeeding

waking

state.

The

dream,

as

a

dream,

is

always

a

post-experience,

a

past

experience

and

always

a

hindsight.

One

invariably

believes

that

one's

present

experi¬

ence

is

positive

waking.

This

at

once

casts

doubt

on

"reality"

of

the

so-called

waking

state,

too.

In

other

words,

"waking"

and

'dream"

are

both

either

equally

"real"

or

equally

"unreal."

Thus

is

established

the

logical

equality

of

the

two

states.

In

the

unending

cyclic

run

of

the

three

types

of

experi¬

ence,

ranking

the

states

as

the

first,

second

and

third

would

be

obviously

arbitrary

and

irrational.

As

the

analysis

of

the

subject,

however,

has

to

begin

somewhere,

the

Upanishad

takes

it

up

from

and

in

the

state

in

which

it

is.

And

that

state,

26

it

names

as

Vaishwanara,

and

the

succeeding

one

as

Taijasa.

The

crucial

point

to

be

grasped

in

this

mantra

is

the

concept

of

equality

between

Taijasa

and

Vaishwanara

confi¬

dently

put

forth

by

the

Upanishad.

And

the

equation

between

the

two,

we

shall

see

later,

is

as

valid

as

it

is

vital

for

deriving

reality.

The

Fond

Fallacy

"Waking

is

waking

And

dream

is

dream.

And

the

twain

Are

never-the

same."

Is

a

fallacy

Fondly

held,

Like

:

The

roving

sun

Daily

rounds

The

constant

earth.

Probing

thought.

Discontent

with

seeming

sight,

Dives

to

bottom

truth

:

Kingdom

of

dream

Though

instant

built.

Instant

lost

Looks

in

dream-life

So

like

wake

As

if

from

ever

to

ever.

Hindsight,

alert,

awake.

Wonders

then

If

"wake"

is

indeed

wake

at

all

?!

If

"reality",

blind

believed

Fallacy

exposed.

Truth

revealed,

Illumined

thought

Settles

firm

on

bedrock.

Shining

below,

Speeding

change,

To

let

dancing

parades

Of

wake

and

dream

Go

smiling

by.

The

knowing

wise

one,

And

the

blind

believer,

both.

Though

look

and

act

Like

the

commoner

the

same,

The

faithful

simple,

Always

in

the

night.

Are

pushed

and

pulled

Never

knowing

why;

The

knower

of

truth

Walks

in

the

Light

Ever

calm,

ever

content.
1

*

30

*FTT

^

'EiTJ?

M-.WMd,

R^SR

*RCR

qWcf,

^

gjFT^R'3^cT:

y

^

^4-1^1:

?

qTFFh^J^

RcfrgR:

STTfR^cflR:

RR:

INI

ijulra

suj7tono

kancana

kamam

kamayate
,

na

Kancana

svapanam

pasyati,

tat

susuptam;

susuptasthana

ekibhutah

prajnanaghana

evanandamayah

,

hyanand-

bhuk,

cetomukhah

prqjnah

tritiyah

padah.

31

Fifth

Mantra

V

Where

sleeper

desires

no

desire

at

all;

Dreams

no

dream

at

all,

That

is

Sushupti
1

The

sphere

of

Sushupti,

Wherein

all

is

unified
2
,

Verily

consciousness

congealed
3
,

Blissful
4
,

Enjoyer

too.

Spring

of

all

knowledge
5

-

-

That

Praagya
6

is

the

third

quarter.

1.

Sushupti

-

-

Profound

sleep,

absence

of

consciousness,

quiescence

of

mind,

dreamless

slumber.

2.

unified

-

-

All

experience

becomes

one

without

conscious¬

ness

of

diversity.

3.

congealed

-

-

Both

waking

consciousness

and

dream

consciousness

are

frozen

to

total

inactivity.

4.

Blissful

-

-

Unbroken

serenity

"without

a

trace

of

infelic¬

ity"

pervades.

5.

all

knowledge

-

-

Information

relating

to

external

and

internal

worlds

within

the

domain

of

mind

born

out

of

subject

-

object

differentiation

during

waking

and

dream

spells.

6.

Praagya

-

-

The

name

given

to

the

all-pervasive,

whole

and

sole

experience

which

obtains

in

Sushupti.

Sense

organs,

perceptivity,

mind

as

conglomerate

and

classifier

of

perceptions,

intellect

(digestor

of

gathered

informa¬

tion

and

director)

-

-

all

being

inactive,

experience

of

deep

32

sleep

is

nature

ally

uncognisable,

and

therefore

the

experience

is

inexpressible.

Yet,

this

mantra

indicates,

Sushupti

is

the

experience

of

unalloyed

intuitive

awareness

of

the

SELF

(Brah¬

man).

This

pure

experience

is

in

contrast

to

the

intuitive

awareness

which

is

camouflaged

by

consciousness,

in

the

waking

and

dream

states,

of

a

sense

of

multiplicity.

The

mantra

adds,

further,

that

the

bliss,

pure

and

total

permeates

this

state,

and

that

the

triad

of

the

enjoyer,

the

enjoyed

and

the

act

of

enjoyment,

herein

involutes

into

unity.

In

other

words,

the

knower,

the

known

and

the

act

of

knowing

-

-

subject,

object

and

predicate

-

-

merge

into

a

single

whole

without

a

second.

This

unity,

the

mantra

calls

as

Praagya.

There

are

people

who

swear

that

they

have

never

known

a

sleep

without

dream.

Evidently

they

do

not

realise

that

a

sleep

that

is

"known"

-

-

like

waking

and

dream

wherein

the

mind

is

alert

and

active

-

-

would

no

longer

be

deep

sleep

-

-

the

"sleep

of

the

dead."

A

mind-coginsable

Sushupti

is

obvi¬

ously

a

self-contradiction.

An

unmistakable

understanding

of

two

major

characteris¬

tics

of

Sushupti

is

a

prerequisite

for

satisfactory

grasp

of

the

nature

of

the

ultimate

Truth

expounded

in

Mandookya.

The

first

is

:

the

total

absence

is

Sushupti

of

the

sense

of

separation

of

subject

and

object

(ego

and

non-ego).

This

is

a

consequence

of

quiescence

of

the

mind,

the

mechanism

of

sense

and

response

which

obtains

in

the

states

of

waking

and

dream.

The

second

is

:

despite

the

absence

of

the

mind,

and

the

indescribability

of

the

experience,

the

state

of

deep

sleep

is

not

a

state

or

an

experience

of

void.

As

the

mind

is

still

and

non-functional

deep

sleep,

one

is

inclined

to

jump

to

the

conclusion

that

there

is

nothing

to

experience

during

the

spell

of

immobility,

or

that

deep

sleep

is

the

experience

of

nothingness.

The

fallacy

of

such

a

facile

33

deduction

is

exposed

when

we

consider

the

stultifying

conse¬

quence

of

such

an

experience.

Were

Sushupti

a

void,

each

spell

of

deep

sleep

would

snap

the

continuity

of

experience

between

every

two

wakings.

That

is,

you

would

not

be

able

to

recall

in

the

morning

the

happenings

of

the

day

before.

In

other

words,

memory

would

be

impossible

and,

therefore,

every

sleep-break

would

spell

a

death

and

every

waking

would

bell

a

new-birth.

And

in

the

absence

of

accumulated

waking

experience,

there

would

be

no

memory,

and

there

would

be

no

dream

experience

either,

for

the

memory

of

waking

experience

is

the

foundation

of

the

dream

world.

To

realise

that

dreamless

sleep

cannot

be

an

experience

of

void,

however,

is

not

to

mean

that

you

can

place

your

finger

on

the

"thing"

you

enjoy

during

Sushupti,

the

distinctive,

third

slice

of

experience;

nor

that

you

can

identify

the

medium

which

carries

memory

forward

through

Sushupti

from

waking

to

waking

or

dream

to

dream.

By

definition

and

by

its

very

nature,

deep

sleep

is

the

state

of

quiescence

of

the

mind

and

therefore

of

absence

of

cognition

of

sensations.

Being

without

them,

Sushupti

expe¬

rience

has

necessarily

to

be

beyond

thought

and

expression

-

-

avamaniyam.

And

yet

-

-

and

this

is

crucial

-

-

dreamless

sleep

is

not,

as

we

have

seen,

a

state

of

nothingness.

The

experience

of

indescribable

Brahman

in

Sushupti

is

customarily

indicated

negatively

as

neti,

neti,

netU

"not

this,

not

this,

not

this."

This

has

to

be

so

in

as

much

as

Sushupti

is

bereft

of

perceptible,

concrete

qualities.

But

yet

the

expe¬

rience,

it

should

be

noted,

does

lend

itself

to

definitive

though

abstract,

indication.

As

we

have

seen,

that

which

obtains

in

deep

sleep

is

NOT

nothing.

Whatever

it

is

that

pervades

Sushupti,

though

an

unwordable

experience

of

unrivalled

3

34

serenity,

wrapped

in

blissful

silence,

it

makes

you

on

waking

declare

:

"I

slept

a

heavenly

sleep".

The

positive

nature

of

Sushupti

is

further

affirmed

by

the

ubiquitous

need

and

craving

for

sound

sleep

by

all

living

beings.

The

precise

and

positive

description

would

therefore

be

:

Sushupti

is

that

state

where

in

the

experience

is

indescribable

but

deducible

abstractly

as

a

positive

experience

in

the

succeeding

waking

state.

$>

36

msr

^

5Wc||U|iftf|

^THTHjftll

esa

sarvesvara

esa

sawqjnah

eso'ntaryamU

esa

yonih

sarvasya

prabhavapyayau

hi

bhutandm.

37

Sixth

Mantra

VI

This
1
,

the

sovereign

lord
2

of

all,

.

This,

the

all-knower
3
,

This,

the

inner

governor
4
.

This,

the

womb

of

everything.

The

source

and

sink
5
,

too.

For

all

beings.

1.

This

-

-

The

sole,

vital,

primordial

and

immortal

Principle,

Praagya,

which

is

experienced

in

its

pristine

state

in

Sushupti.

2.

sovereign

lord

-

-

Ruler

supreme.

3.

all-knower

-

-

That

which

knows

all

that

is

knowable,

including

the

entrances,

enactments

and

exits

of

all

three

states

of

experience.

4.

inner

governor

-

-

The

director

within.

5.

The

source

and

sink

-

-

The

genesis

as

well

as

the

end

of

all

that

exists.

6.

For

all

beings

-

-

For

each

and

all

that

was,

is

and

will

be.

The

previous

mantra

has

identified

the

attributes

of

the

ubiquitous,

immortal

Principle

behind

the

subjective

system

(the

body-mind

complex).

The

present

mantra

portrays

the

similarity

between

the

same

fundamental

Principle

and

the

external

world.

™™This,"

the

Praagya

of

Sushupti,

is

now

called

saroesvara,

the

overlord

of

all.

True

to

the

concentration

of

thought

and

meaning,

characteristic

of

the

upanishadic

method,

the

word

sarvesvara

embodies

here

more

than

its

mere

general

and

surface

meaning.

It

extends

from

the

relationship

at

one

end

38

of

fear

and

obedience

between

master

and

servant,

through

respect

and

willing

submission

of

the

subject

to

the

Lord,

to

the

obsessive

devotion

of

the

devotee

to

his

deity.

Sarvesvara

has,

in

addition,

built

into

it

the

vital

signifi¬

cance,

that

He

is

the

one

and

only

Lord

of

all.

And

it

would

be

perfectly

justifiable,

too,

to

read

into

it,

that

there

is

no

intermediaiy

either

between

the

sarvesvara

and

beings

all

under

his

empire.

The

term,

sarvesvara
,

has

to

be

taken

as

a

sample

and

example

of

several

synonymous

names

given

to

the

Principle

experienced

in

its

natural,

pristine,

unalloyed

state,

sahqjasvabhdva

or

sahqjasvarupa,

in

deep

sleep.

Other

terms

are

the

Atman,

Brahman,

Eeshvara,

Paramaatmaa,

the

Abso¬

lute,

the

Supreme,

the

Reality,

the

Self

and

so

on.

Similarly

the

term,

sarvqjna
,

the

All-knower

should

be

understood

in

its

full

and

extensive

meaning.

His

knowledge

comprises

among

others,

the

knowledge

and

power

needed

to

evolve,

sustain

and

dissolve

the

cosmos

as

Sovereign

Lord,

and

total

comprehension

of

the

inner

and

outer

functioning

of

beings,

making

Him

the

perfect

Inner

Governor.

The

question

arises

as

to

how

beings,

moved

by

the

sovereign,

all-knowing,

perfect

inner

governor,

come

to

be

wicked

or

virtuous,

and

how

such

an

almighty

over

all,

permits

"evils"

and

"inequalities"

and

blatant

™injustices"

in

life.

The

logical

answer

seems

to

be

the

varied

definitions

and

stan¬

dards

of

™wickedness"

arid

'virtues'

formulated

by

beings,

far

less

perfect

and

knowing

than

the

all-knowing

and

all-power¬

ful

One,

are

not

evidently

the

same.

Hence

the

apparent

incongruities

and

paradoxes.

As

the

All-knower,

the

sole

Principle

(the

Atman)

of

39

witness

of

the

unceasing

cyclic

run

of

the

three

states

of

waking,

dream

and

deep

sleep.

And

yet,

without,

being

a

participant

in

any

of

the

states,

the

Atman

is

integral

to,

and

the

cause

and

the

controller

behind

all

that

exists.

It

is

not,

however,

as

if

it

were

a

distinct,

separate

string,

threading

the

triple

states

of

experience.

More

exactly,

it

is

the

elemental

gold

in

a

jewel

of

the

metal,

regardless

of

the

architecture

and

looks

of

the

piece

of

jewellery.

The

terms

'inner

governor,"

"womb"

and

"source

and

sinkﬂ

make

it

evidently

clear

that

"This

is

the

birthplace,

the

living-

place,

as

well

as

the

death-place

of

the

phenomenal

universe,

consciously

experienced

in

the

waking

and

dream

states.

Further,

"This"

is

the

master,

too,

that

unfelt,

invisibly

directs

every

action

and

inaction

of

beings

created

by

it.

In

other

words,

nothing

imaginable

comes

into

being,

exists

or

dies

outside

"This."

As

the

emanating

womb

of

everything,

the

Atman

is

that

which

is

experienced

inexpressibly,

in

its

integrated

singleness

in

Sushupti,

when

consciousness

of

subject

-

object

differen¬

tiation

is

apparently

furled

into

quiescence

and

which

seems

to

unfurl

Itself,

equally

smoothly

into

the

waking

and

dream

worlds

again

and

again

in

endless

cycles.

Sushupti,

in

addition

to

being

the

treasure-chest

of

the

three

types

of

experience,

embodies

in

itself

the

autonomous

power

and

the

will,

too,

to

open

and

to

close

the

chest.

Hence

Sushupti

is

the

state

of

direct

experience

of

the

Atman

and

the

Atman

only.

The

evidence,

argument

and

conclusions

in

this

upanishadic

mantra

are

based

upon

the

gamut

of

exceptionless

experience

of

all

living

beings.

In

dreamless

sleep,

the

subject,

object

and

predicate,

(sleeper,

sleep-experience

and

the

act

of

enjoyment

of

sleep),

all

involute

into

ONE

simple,

single

40

whole,

the

Atman,

with

nothing

else

beside

Itself.

The

nature

and

significance

of

deep

sleep,

the

third

type

of

experience,

thus

reveals

the

fact

that

the

positive

experience

obtaining

in

Sushupti

is

the

unitary

(advaitic)

Principle,

the

power

and

potential

of

both

waking

and

dream

universes

as

well

as

of

dreamless

sleep

in

its

pristine

perfection

(natural

state,

sahqja

swabhava).

This

ONE,

the

Atman,

seems

(not

really)

to

evolute

by

its

own

power

and

volition

into

the

worlds

of

multiplicity

of

waking

and

dream

with

effortless

spontaneity

and

with

equal

ease

appears

to

curl

back

into

its

sahqja

swabhava,

its

natural

state,

of

unity

and

felicity

perfect.

Here

it

should

be

explicitly

noted

that

the

Atman

itself

remains

delightfully

untouched

by

all

the

cycles

of

seeming

changes.

The

quies¬

cence,

if

not

absence,

of

the

mind

and

intellect

in

Sushupti

naturally

keeps

the

totality

of

Atman

-

experience

beyond

word

and

thought

-

-

anirvacaniyam

and

acintaniyam.

This

insight

into

the

true

nature

of

life

-

-

as

a

ceaseless

cycle

of

flowering

and

fading

of

mind

-

ridden

multiplicity

and

mind-free

unity

-

-

it

is

note

worthy,

reflects

the

classic

portrayal

of

the

birth,

growth

and

dissolution

of

the

cosmos

at

the

behest

of

the

all-knowing,

all-powerful

Lord

in

Hindu

mythology

(and

in

many

others

too).

Indeed

it

is

hard

to

escape

the

realisation

that

the

mythological

scenario

of

the

macrocosm

is

but

a

figurative

representation

by

the

inspired

seers

of

the

ubiquitous

spectrum

of

human

experience.

We

are

thrilled

by

the

discovery

that

each

of

us

is,

indeed

at

once

the

creator,

director,

actor

and

audience,

every

moment

and

all

the

time,

of

the

worlds

(of

waking

as

of

dream)

reeling

past

in

bewildering

variety.

With

this

Self-discovery,

all

the

various

traits

of

the

Sushupti

Principal

described

in

the

Upanishadic

womb,

the

source

and

the

sink

of

everything

-

-

fall

neatly

into

meaningful

place.

The

mantra

thus

crystallises

the

unique,

and

rigorously

logical

foundation

of

Advaita,

the

unitary

philosophy

of

Vendanta.

The

next

mantra

extends

and

elaborates

this

insight.

44

'TT'tT:

5st

qr

=fnrocT:

g§r

qr

STsT

?TW-HJ

3^^

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4«Mi4I^J4H

5PT^TTT

W3

T%T5ffl£ci

J-F^rT

H

STIrJTT

?T

f^$HT:

j

|^5|

|

nantah

prqjham

na

bahisprqjnam

nobhayatah

prqjnam

na

prqjnanaghanam

na

prqjnam

naprqjnam;

adrastavyavharya-

magrahyamalaksanam

acintyamauyapadesyamekatma-

pratyasaram

prapancosamam

sdntam

sivamadvaitam

caturtha

mangyanate

sa

atmd

sa

vijneyah.

45

Seventh

Mantra

II

Knower

not

of

inner

world
1
.

Not

of

outer

world
2
;

Not

of

in-between

the

two
3
;

Not

consciousness

congealed
4
;

Not

the

sentient
3
,

nor

the

in

sentient
8
,

Unseeable
7
,

unrelatable
8
,

ungraspable
9
.

Quality-free
1
0
,

unconceivable
1
1
,

unvoiceable
1
2
,

Intuited

as

the

Atman

by

the

Atman

alone
1
3
;

Phenomenon-free
1
4
,

serene
1
5
;

Of

the

nature

of

bliss
1
6
,

Of

one-ness
1
7
;

Deemed

the

Fourth
1
8
;

-

-

THAT,

the

Atman

-

-

THAT

is

to

be

realised

inner

world

-

-

Taijasa,

the

dream

state.

outer

world

-

-

Vaishwanara,

the

waiting

state,

in-between

the

two

-

-

This

points

to

the

transitional

(twilight)

experiences

between

states

and

to

experiences

like

day-dreams

and

dreams

within

dreams.

consciousness

congealed

-

-

Praagya,

referred

to

in

Mantra

V.

3.

Not

the

sentient,

nor

the

insentient

-

-

Not

the

perceiver

of

the

phenomenal

(subject-object)

world,

nor

the

percep¬

tible,

in

waking,

dream

and

any

other

possible

state.

12.

Unseeable

_

unvoiceable

-

-

These

indicate

the

total

absence

of

any

relationship

between

prajnam

(subject)

and

aprcgnam

(object).

46

13.

Intuited

as

the

Atman

by

the

Atman

alone

-

-

The

Atman,

impossible

of

being

proved

objectively,

is

evidenced

by

the

intuitive,

undeniable

experience

of

"I

am"

of

all

beings.

14.

Phenomenon

-

free

-

-

Independent

of

manifestation

as

the

phenomenal

world,

and

therefore

immutable.

15.

serene

-

-

Ever

free

from

inner

disturbance,

never

ruffled.

16.

Of

the

nature

of

bliss

-

-

Bliss

through

integration

of

everything

into

ITSELF.

17.

Of

oneness

-

-

Secondless

unity

beyond

division,

differ¬

ence,

distinction

and

alienation.

18.

Deemed

the

Fourth

-

-

Said

to

be

the

™Fourthﬂ

quarter

of

the

totality

of

experience

of

animate

existence

-

-

the

other

three

being

waking,

dream

and

dreamless

sleep.

The

previous

mantra

explained

Reality

as

the

substratum

of

the

three

states

of

experience.

This

was

achieved

by

describ¬

ing

it

in

positive

terms.

This

Mantra

points

out

that

Reality

is

independent

of

every

state

of

experience,

waking,

dream

or

sleep,

or

of

any

other

state

imaginable.

While

denying

the

possibility

of

describing

Reality,

it

asserts,

too,

the

positive

nature

of

Reality.

This

Mantra

clears

up

a

possible

misunderstanding

that

Reality

deemed

the

™™Fourth

(
p
ada)'\

is

a

distinctive

state

of

experience

on

a

level

with

the

states

of

waking,

dream

and

sleep.

Reality,

though

considered

the

™™Fourth

fpadajﬂ-

-

synonymously

termed

Tureeya,

as

it

is

here

sought

to

be

explained

-

-

is

not

to

be

equated

in

any

manner

whatsoever

with

the

two

perceptive,

conscious

states

of

waking

and

dream,

or

with

deep

sleep

(Sushupti),

the

inferred

state

of

experience,

wherein

waking

actuality

and

dream

fantasy

are

kennelled

to

quiescence,

if

not

to

non-existence.

47

Reality,

having

no

concrete

properties,

to

identify

It

by,

is

beyond

mind

-

consciousness

and

therefore

beyond

cerebra¬

tion

and

verbal

expression

as

an

objective

entity.

The

mantra

drives

home

this

fact

by

denying

illustratively

both

positive

and

negative

aspects

by

which

an

object

can

be

identified

-

-

e.g.,

not

the

sentient

etc.,

phenomena-free

etc.

Ever

the

subject

(the

Atman)

can

be

and

is

identified,

the

mantra

explains,

only

by

ITSELF

as

intuitive

experience

of

ITSELF.

Tureeya

is

the

unceasing

SELF-awareness,

co-existing

unremittingly

with

every

state

of

experience.

The

abstract

of

abstracts,

IT

is

the

one

and

only

intuitive

experience

("I

exist)"

ticking

away

unfailingly,

independent

of

mind-consciousness,

(of

time

and

space

of

waking

and

dream,

and

of)

their

absence

in

Sushupti.

It

is

this

never-broken,

indivisible,

intuitive

SELF-experience

without

which

nothing

exists.

None,

animate

or

otherwise,

it

should

be

noted,

can

ever

feel

or

state

"I

don™t

exist."

For,

obviously

one

can

never

deny

one's

own

existence.

The

experience

of

"I"

is

shown

here

to

be

both

distinct

from

and

concurrent

with

and

surviving

and

surpassing

the

three

states

of

experience

-

-

waking,

dream

and

dreamless

sleep.

The

Upanishad

directs

our

attention

to

the

above

vital

aspect

and

uniqueness

of

Tureeya

and

exhorts

us

to

"realise"

IT.

Here,

"realise"

is

indeed

a

puerile

and

inadequate

expres¬

sion

for

the

enormous

burden

of

significance

it

has

to

convey.

Total

and

uninterrupted

conscious

awareness

of

the

deathless,

undimming,

infinite,

quality-free

Atman

with

unwavering

con¬

viction

and

identity

is

Vedantic

"Realisation."

It

is

SELF-

understanding

and

SELF-awareness

(as

distinct

from

the

mind-

consciousness

of

the

flitting

ego)

so

deep

as

to

be

axiomatic.

As

sage

Ramana

indicates,

"Realisation"

is

the

deep

conviction,

that

the

SELF

is

not.

the

very

limited

individual

but

the

limit-

free

Atman,

as

firm

and

instinctive

as

the

belief

that

one

is

a

human

being

and

not

a

quadruped.

"Realisation"

would

imply

total

assimilation

of

the

unitary

(adviatic)

concept

and

dis-

association

from

the

limited

eg.

Staying

effortlessly

anchored

in

Atman-awareness

through

stress

and

storm

and

flights

of

ever-flowing

conscious

experience

is

"Realisation"

-

-

very

much

like

the

unobtrusive,

subdued,

sweet,

sustaining

stream

of

the

tempura

notes,

witnessing

the

infinite

variations

of

the

melody

cavorting

before

it,

without

itself

being

affected

by

the

ever-changing,

ephemeral

melody.

But

unlike

the

limited

anal-,

ogy,

SELF-awareness

is

not

sensed

apart

from

perceptible

experience

of

the

objective

world.

In

different

words,

while

intuitive

SELF-awareness

is

the

birthmark

(swabhRva)

of

crea¬

tures

all,

conscious

experience

of

the

individual

SELF

is

the

mark

of

only

the

"Realised

one."

Such

a

being

is

said

to

be

in

the

state

of

Tureeya.

That

is

the

consummation

of

human

existence.

^frs

forn^f

3^Rtr^7R?fcn|<:i|

so'yamatmadhyaksramo-

nkaro'dhimdtram

pada

mdtra

matrasca

pada

akar

ukaro

makar

itl

51

Eighth

Mantra

VIII

That

this

Atman

the

same
1

When

lettered
2
,

is

the

sonant

Aum
3
:

When

syllabled.

The

quarters
4

are

syllables
5
,

The

syllables

are

quarters

As

sounds,

a
6

7
,

u

,

m
8
.

1.

This

Atman

the

same

-

-

The

primordial

ubiquitous,

timeless,

infinite,

identified

earlier

through

dissection

of

the

distinctive

categories

of

human

experience.

2.

lettered

-

-

Spelled

out

in

the

terms

of

the

Sanskrit

alphabet.

3.

the

sonant

Aum

-

-

A

chant,

intoned

as

Om.

4.

The

quarters

-

-

Planes

of

experience

clearly

demarcated

earlier

as

jagarita

(waking),

taijasa

(dream)

and

sushupti

(dreamless

slumber).

5.

the

syllables

-

-

The

letters

a,

a,

m.

each

of

which

makes

an

articulate

self-contained,

complete,

syllable

compo¬

nent,

matra
,

of

the

sonant

Aum.

6.

a

-

-

vowel

sound

of

'a
f

as

in

alert.

7.

u

-

-

ﬁ3

Vowel

sound

of

'U'

as

in

Usurp.

8.

m

-

-

A

consonant

in

the

Sanskrit

alphabet,

corre¬

sponding

to

'm'

in

mum.

The

Upanishad

started

out

in

the

first

mantra

with

the

assertion

that

the

sonant

Aum

symbolizes

completely,

nay,

is*

Brahman,

the

Reality.

It

processed

to

protray

the

characteris-

52

tics

of

the

three

states

of

experience,

waking,

dram

and

sleep

and

of

the

Reality

underlying

the

states

so

far

as

it

can

be

comprehended

by

the

mind.

All

the

explanation

so

far

has

been

from

the

stand

point

of

the

Atman,

giving

prominence

to

that

which

is

indicated

by

the

sonant

Aum.

Now

the

sonant

is

sought

to

be

identified

with

its

audible

components,

A,

LJ,

SL

The

Upanishad

now

indicates

a

method

to

be

adopted

for

the

realisation

of

the

Atman.

Thus',

the

mantra

picks

up

the

thread

from

the

enunciation

of

the

Atman

(Reality)

in

the

first

mantra.

The

sonorous

chant,

Aum,

a

combination

of

two

vowels

and

a

consonant,

picked

out

of

the

Sanskrit

alphabet,

crystal¬

lizes

symbolically

the

Atman,

previously

identified

as

the

stainless

subject,

"I,"

the

pure

SELF-awareness

-

-

the

Vedantic

concept

of

the

Unitary

Principle

(advaitic

unity)

behind

the

seeming,

changing

variety

of

the

flowing

universe.

The

question

arises,

that,

while

previously

the

Atman

has

been

stated

to

comprise

four

quarters

(paicla),

Aum

has

only

three

syllables

(matra).

This

question

is

answered

in

the

subsequent

mantra.

Suffice

it

here

to

point

out

that

the

fourth

pada

of

the

Atman,

as

explained

previously,

is

not

indeed

a

distinct

pada,

unlike

the

three

known

states

of

experience.

The

believing

Hindu

is

inclined

to

attribute

to

the

sonant

a

mystical,

occult,

extra-sensory

potency.

Any

sonorous

incan¬

tation,

chanted

long

enough

by

a

credulous

mind,

it

is

known,

can

induce

a

self-hypnotic

somnolence

or

euphoria

-

-

even

a

trance.

Any

substance

Š

or

lack

of

it

-

-

in

such

a

belief,

however,

does

not

shake

the

sound

logical

conclusion

of

monism

derived

in

Maandookya.

It

is

therefore

likely

to

prove

more

fruitful

if

Aum

is

taken

to

be

a

symbolic

euphonious

53

condensation

for

a

meaningful

chant

of

the

philosophy

of

Vedanta

and

omnific

vision

crystallised

in

it.

56

srarn

wuimrfe^i&fss^mR

51

^rat^SFWRTf^sr

*RfcT

INI

jagaritasthamo

vaisvanaro'

karah

pratharnd

matraptera-

ditivadva

'prioti

ha

vai

sarvdn

Jmrndnddisca

bhavati

ya

evam

veda.

57

Ninth

Mantra

IX

The

waking

state,

Vaishwanara,

Is

utterance

™A'

3T

prime

syllable
1
.

For

pervasiveness
2

And

for

primogeniture
3
.

Whoso

knows

it

as

such,

Verily

overcomes

desires

all

And

becomes

the

First.

1.

utterance

A'

3T

prime

syllable

-

-

A'

3T

is

the

prime

syllable

of

sonant

Aum

and

the

prime

letter

of

almost

all

alphabets.

2.

For

pervasiveness

-

-

Because

A'

^

leavens

all

articulate

sounds.

3.

for

primogeniture

-

-

Because

of

being

the

first

(in

alpha¬

bet,

in

sonant

Aum

and

of

the

three

states

of

experience).

4.

the

First

-

-

The

foremost,

the

supreme.

In

the

last

mantra,

the

Upanishad

has

pointed

out

the

congruence

between

Aum

and

Reality,

the

Atman.

Now

it

explains

in

detail

the

similarities

between

the

two

with

the

aim

of

directing

the

mind

to

the

Reality

at

every

thought,

symbol

and

chant

of

the

sonant,

Aum,

and

to

its

potency

to

pull

the

mind

and

tether

it

to

the

Atman.

Placement

of

A'

3T,

the

first

letter

in

the

Sanskrit

alphabet,

as

the

first

syllable

in

Aum,

to

represent

the

waking

state,

deemed

to

be

the

first

in

the

sequence

of

the

three

distinctive

types

of

experience,

may

not*

seem

to

be

logically

valid

inasmuch

as

the

unbroken

cycle

of

experiential

states,

giving

prime

rank

to

any

one

of

them

would

seem

to

be

arbitrary.

For

the

dream

state,

no

less

than

wake-like

during

58

the

dream,

can

lay

equal

claim

to

the

first

place.

(In

fact,

the

Upanishad

itself

has

earlier

claimed

to

Taijasa,

a

™superior"

importance

with

tenable

justification,

compared

to

others).

More

valid

-

-

and

of

value

in

the

philosophic

discussion

-

-

is

the

resemblance

in

the

significance

between

'A'

and

Vaishwanara.

Language

cannot

be

complete

without

the

vowel

or

letter

A

ST

which

therefore

can

be

considered

to

be

prathama,

the

first.

In

various

states

of

experience,

Vaishwanara

can

be

assigned

the

first

rank,

as

only

during

waking

we

generally

undertake

to

analyse

the

three

states

of

experience

and

arrive

at

the

underlying

Reality.

Another

common

feature

between

™A™

ST

and

Vaishwanara

is

their

ubiquity.

As

there

cannot

be

any

utterance

in

the

absence

of

the

vowel

A

there

cannot

be

any

cosmos

in

the

absence

of

Vaishwanara.

We

generally

think

of

dream,

sleep

and

other

worlds

only

in

the

waking

state.

The

mantra

portrays

the

state

of

the

seeker

who

recognises

the

similarity

between

A™

^

of

Aum

and

Vaishwanara.

Commentators

in

general

confine

themselves

to

the

literal

meaning

of

the

words

and

state

that

such

a

seeker

attains

TIH

|

fcl

apnoti)

the

fulfillment

of

all

desires

and

becomes

the

foremost

ddij

among

men.

They

argue

that

the

prizes

offered

are

intended

to

encourage

the

seeker

in

his

pursuit.

But

in

the

Upanishad

which

is

devoted

to

freeing

the

aspirant

from

mundane

desires,

the

interpretation

seems

to

be

rather

incongruous.

No

doubt

for

the

seeker

who

has

succeeded

in

identifying

A™

ST

of

Aum

with

Vaishwanara,

both

of

them

with

the

Self,

naturally

the

desires

of

Vaishwanara

of

all,

become

his

own

and

their

satisfaction

become

his

own

fulfillment.

Or

in

a

different

plane,

beyond

the

Light

radiating

from

the

unbroken

awareness

of

Satchidananda

Brahman,

there

can

hardly

be

any

desire

left

in

the

realised

sadhak,

who

has

achieved

the

sum

of

all

desires.

For

the

aim

of

eveiy

human

59

effort

is

unbroken

happiness

which

invariably

proves

ephem¬

eral.

He,

when

therefore

through

Aum

(or

otherwise)

under¬

stands

that

the

worlds

of

waking

and

dream

are

nothing

but

creatures

of

his

mind,

unending

felicity

is

achieved

and

desire

ceases

without

a

trace.

For

the

worlds

are

conterminous

with

the

mind

and

therefore

for

each

mind

the

world

is

not

only

primordial

but

also

ends

with

it.

(Lest

the

sadhak

who

has

intellectually

comprehended

the

identity

of

Vaishwanara

with

'A'

3T

of

Aum

come

to

believe

that

he

is

greater

than

his

creation,

that

is,

the

worlds,

the

next

mantra

disabuses

him

of

any

such

notional

separation

between

the

mind

and

its

crea¬

ture,

the

phenomenal

world).

The

world

'first'

3Tlf^

adi)

in

the

mantra

has

been

commonly

interpreted

as

the

'first

of

the

great'

or

'the

first

among

seekers'

or

'the

foremost

among

men'.

But

taking

the

semantic,

philosophical

connotation

of3Tlfc?adi

-

-

the

prime,

pristine,

primordial

-

-

the

mantra

assures,

'whose

knows

as

such'

attains

the

very

ultimate

of

his

spiritual

aspiration

-

-

that

is

to

become

(

bhavati),

adi

,

the

primordial

ITSELF.

And

this

would

be

quite

in

keeping

with

the

raison

d'etre

of

the

Upanishad

-

-

to

expound

the

fundamental

Reality

and

to

guide

and

direct

the

seeker

to

‚the

Light

-

-

rather

than

to

promise

ithe

sadhaka

mundane,

ephemeral

eminence.

-

-

through

the

enhanced

understanding

of

synonimity

between

'A'

of

Aum

and

Vaishwanara.

It

is

perhaps

significant

that

Gaudapada-

-

Kaarika

hardly

touches

on

the

incentives

apparently

offered

in

this

mantra

and

the

two

subsequent

ones,

which

do

not

add

in

any

way

to

the

thesis,

logic

or

argument

enshrined

in

the

Upanishad.

ŁA

_

%€
The

mantra

puts

cfScjM<

vaisvanara

(Vaishwanara),

jagaritasthana

(waking

state),

akara

(Utterance

'A'),

all

the

three

in

the

nominative

case,

suggesting

the

equality

of

the

three.

The

commentaries,

it

is

rather

curious,

choose

to

interpret

jagoritasthana,

as

if

it

were,

in

the

locative

case.

Their

interpretation

runs

on

the

lines

:

"Vaishwanara,

whose

sphere

of

activity

is

the

waking

state

is

'A'

3T

."

On

the

other

hand,

faithfulness

to

the

original

nominative

case

of-all

the

three

factors,

(jagaritasthana,

vaisvanara,

akara),

asserts

unequivocally

that

jagaritasthan,

the

seeming

object,

vaisvanara,

the

seeming

subject;

akara,

the

seeming

act

of

experience;

to

be

identical.

In

other

words,

the

perceived,

the

perceiver

and

the

act

oi

perception,

the

three

factors,

are

but

one

and

same

intrinsi¬

cally,

states

the

mantra.

The

design

of

Maandookya

is

perhaps

more

faithfully

served

by

faithfulness

to

the

mother

-

-

mantra.

62

QLcTI^I

NO

X

t

?IR^™dfci

W4

¥*orfcT,

dTW3W3ci;^

?T^^|Ko||

svapnasthanastaiyasa

ukaro

dvitiya

matra

utkarsadubhaya-

tvad,

utkarsati

ha

vai

jnana-

_

/

santatim

samansca

thavati,

nasyabrahmavit

kale

ya

evam

veda.

63

Tenth

Mantra

X

The

dream

state,

Taijasa,

Is

utterance

'U'

3

second

syllable,

For

superiority

\

And

for

place

amidships
2
.

Whoso

knows

as

such,

Surely

swells

comprehension
3
,

Same

with

all
4
;

No

one

in

his

line.

Will

unknowing

be

of

Brahman.

1.

Superiority

-

-

'U

3

in

Aum

(pronounced

as

in

full)

standing

for

Taijasa,

dream

experience,

is

deemed

supe¬

rior

to

A™

-3T

the

waking

experience,

in

the

order

of

placement

in

the

alphabet

and

in

the

order

of

origin

of

its

utterance

in

the

vocal

apparatus.

2.

amidships

-

-

Dream

state

sandwiched

between

the

states

of

waking

and

deep

sleep.

3.

swells

comprehension

-

-

Inquiry

into

the

role

and

signifi¬

cance

of

Taijasa,

dream

experience,

expands

the

compre¬

hension

and

discernment

of

Vedantic

Reality.

4.

Same

with

all

-

-

Looks

equally

an

all

as

Atman

the

same.

The

upanishadic

seer

who

earlier

expounded

the

logical

equation

between

the

waking

state

and

the

dream

state,

now

reveals

that

dream

experience

is

in

fact

superior

to

waking

experience.

On

first

hearing,

this

may

sound

whimsical.

For

A™

3T

in

Aum

is

the

First

letter

of

the

alphabet.

'A'

3T

is

the

pervasive

syllable

of

utterance.

Standing

as

it

does

for

Vaishwanara,

it

is

the

state

in

which

the

experiences

of

all

the

states

are

cognised,

threshed,

vinnowed

and

sieved

for

Atman-

64

grain.

With

all

this

in

its

favour,

it

would

naturally

be

hard

to

accept

'A'

3T

the

waking

state,

as

inferior

in

any

respect

or

degree

to

™U™

5

the

dream

state.

Digging

deeper,

however,

we

discern

the

crucial

impor¬

tance

of

dream-experience

in

the

hunt

for

Truth.

In

the

appraisal

and

analysis

of

this

distinctive

segment

in

the

gamut

of

experience

common

to

all

human

beings,

we

cannot

but

be

struck

by

the

fact

that

if

it

were

not

for

Taijasa,

we

could

never,

repeal

never,

make

the

vital

discovery

:

Mind

-

-

and

mind

alone

-

-

is

the

progenitor

of

the

beguilingly

actual

dream

-

world.

And

without

command

of

this

knowledge,

we

could

never

come

to

realize

the

incredible

fact

that

the

waking

universe

is

a

caricature

no

less

of

the

mind.

Lack

of

this

fundamental

discovery

would

deny

us

the

evidence,

argument

and

logic

that

can

lead

to

the

unitary

concept

of

Vedanta.

Now

in

seeing

Taijasa

as

the

indispensable

link

in

the

chain

of

unitary

philosophy,

we

have

to

grant

the

superiority

assigned

to

dream-experience

by

Maandookya

over

the

other

compo¬

nents

of

life-experience.

To

reiterate

:

without

the

aid

of

Taijasa,

experience

of

the

other

states

by

themselves

cannot

ferry

us

across

to

the

haven

of

Truth.

As

in

the

previous

mantra,

the

Upanishad

declares

that

the

three

factors

-

-

the

subject,

the

object

and

the

predicate

-

-

though

seemingly

separate,

are

fundamentally

identical.

This

is

achieved

by

putting

all

the

three

-

-

svapanasthana

(dream

state),

(t'jRrf

taijasa

(Taijasa)

and

ukara

(utterance

'U

j

-

-

in

the

nominative

case.

Treating

svapanasthana,

the

seeming

object,

as

it

were

in

the

locative

case,

in

their

translation,

as

commentators

do,

would

intro¬

duce

duality

against

the

avowed

thesis

of

the

Upanishad

-

-

indivisible

unity

of

all

the

factors.

Advaita

is

again

asserted

in

the

second

part

of

the

65

mantra.

Critics,

sticking

to

the

literal

meaning

of

the

words,

treat

this

part

as

offering

prizes

to

the

aspirant

who

comes

to

equate

Taijasa

with

™U'

3

°f

Aum.

For

example,

the

prize,

"No

one

among

the

descendants

of

the

enlightened

seeker

will

be

unknowing

of

Brahman"

would

be

rather

unrealistic.

For

the

progeny

of

souls

even

perfectly

realised

like

Vyasa

and

Lord

Krishna

failed

to

rise

to

the

level

of

gyanis.

With

the

insight

into

the

mechanism

of

the

dream

state

-

-

that

it

is

but

the

projection

of

the

mind

-

-

the

seeker

who

equates

'U'

3

of

Aum,

comes

to

realize

that

the

subject

(the

singular

ego)

explodes

in

the

dream

into

a

whole

new

objective

world

of

infinite

variety

of

perfect

verisimilitude

with

the

waking

world.

He

who

comes

to

realise

thus,

truly

enlarges

the

sphere

and

modes

of

comprehension

of

the

Atman

or

Reality.

That

is,

he

spreads

the

torch

for

and

wide.

A

characteristic

of

such

a

realised

seeker

is

his

felt

sense

of

identity

with

all

existence.

Further

in

his

circle

(not

necessarily

limited

to

has

family

or

descendants),

no

one

is

unknowing

of

Brahman

or

the

Reality.

Perhaps

the

significance

of

this

statement

is

better

appreciated

when

the

experience

is

recalled

of

some

of

the

sadhakas

who

come

under

the

wings

of

gyanis

like

Ramana

and

Ramakrishna.

It

is

said

that

seekers

who

approached

Ramana,

bristling

with

questions

spiritual,

quickly

found

them¬

selves

tongue-ties,

with

the

questions,

unasked,

melting

away,

and

doubts

resolved.

68

vm,

faMd41

fTFrilcT

i

m

??

y«f«4)d«r

verier

null

susuptasthanah

prajno

makaras

tratiya

rriatra

miterpitervaj

minoti

ha

va

idam

sarvamapitsca

bhavati

ya

evam

veda.

69

Eleventh

Mantra

XI

The

state

of

dreamless

sleep,

Praagya,

Is

utterance

'M'

the

third

syllable
1
,

For

measure
2
,

for

mergence
3
,

to.

Whoso

knows

as

such,

Verily

measures.

And

becomes

merger

of

this

all.

1.

third

syllable

-

-

™M™

ranking

third

in

Aum,

corre¬

sponds

to

Sushupti

(deep

sleep),

in

the

sequence

of

the

three

states

of

experience.

2.

For

measure

-

-

Because

Sushupti

(deep

sleep),

witness

as

it

does,

the

emergence

and

mergence

of

both

Vaishwanara

and

Taijasa,

is

able

to

appraise

their

nature,

and

reveals

their

dependence

on

Sushupti.

Similarly

'M'

in

the

repetitive

chant

of

Aum,

witnessing

the

entry

into

and

exit

from

Aum,

of

the

two

syllables

A'

3T

and

'U'

3

defines

their

dependent

nature

in

the

sonant

Aum.

3.

For

mergence

-

-

Because

Sushupti

absorbs

Vaishwanara

and

Taijasa

into

itself

and

makes

them

ONE

with

itself.

Similarly

'M'

absorbing

'a'

CST

and

'U'

3

integrates

.

them

into

the

undivided

whole,

sonant

Aum.

It

is

note

worthy

that

in

this

mantra,

as

in

earlier

ones

the

words

pragma,

and

susuptasthana

are

both

placed

in

nomina¬

tive

case.

By

the

use

of

the

nominative

in

all

the

three

mantras

9-11

for

describing

the

correspondence

of

A'

3T

'U'

3

'M'

with

Vaishwanara,

Taijasa

and

Praagya

respectively,

the

Upanishad

asserts

the

indivisibility

of

the

substratum

underling

the

states.

A'

3T

'U'

3

'M'

and

their

ranking

as

first,

second,

and

third,

are

only

a

division

70

and

classification

of

convenience

for

arriving

at

the

fundamen¬

tal

Principle.

The

sadhak

who

has

realized

the

equality

of

'M'

with

Praagya

of

Sushupti

evaluates

and

"measures"

out

portions

of

the

waking

and

dream

states

out

of

the

totality

of

experience.

In

other

words

be

recognises

that

the

waking

and

dream

worlds

are

no

more

than

a

modicum

of

the

infinite

potential

of

Reality.

As

in

the

repetitive

chant

of

Aum,

A'

3T

and

'U'

3

the

syllable

preceding

'M'

sink

into

it,

the

waking

and

dream

worlds

get

absorbed

in

Sushupti,

to

become

one

with

it,

Praagya

of

Sushupti

is

the

absorbent

a
pile)

of

all

that

exists.

Similarly

the

sadhak

who

has

identified

'M'

of

Aum

with

Sushupti,

comprehends

everything

within

himself.

He

knows

the

extreme

limitation

of

the

ego,

in

contrast

to

the

limitless

of

the

Atman

with

which

be

comes

to

identify

himself.

He

is

convinced

that

the

world

is

nothing

but

the

projection

of

his

ego-mind.

Mantras

9-11

declare

the

identity

of

each

of

the

matras

of

Aum

with

the

ultimate

Reality

or

the

Atman,

and

indicate

incentives

as

it

were

for

the

sadhak

who

succeeds

in

identify¬

ing

himself,

through

the

in

identification

of

each

of

the

matras,

with

one

of

the

three

states

of

experience.

Commen¬

tators

are

given

to

sorting

out,

grading

and

separating

the

fruits

according

to

the

seeker

by

his

successive

identification

with

the

matras

successively
1
.

Indeed

for

the

seeker

who

has

come

to

so

identify

himself

with

the

Ultimate,

there

can

be

no

gradation

or

differentiation

at

all

between

things

or

qualities

or

phenomena.

If

the

sadhak

has

comprehended

and

assimilated

the

significance

of

ubiquity

and

equality

of

all

symbolised

by

71

one

rriatra,

he

has

realised

them

in

all

matras

of

Aum.

It

is

like

a

connoisseur

gourmet

aware

of

the

essential

sweetness

of

the

several

desserts

placed

before

him

in

different

forms

and

flavours.

Every

state

and

every

rriatra

(syllable)

holds

out

for

him

the

same

total

comprehension.

&>

1.

Seeming

incentives

can

be

considered

as

conforming

to

the

convention

of

"eulogy

of

the

subject

matter"

in

such

works

as

described

in

"Vendantasara

of

Sadananda,"

Chap

V

statements

183,

184

and

189.

74

TST^tstcT

u^J-ligk

3TTc^

H^RTrE|T?JPTRJ?R

5T

V&

1
1

^

11

amatrascaturtho

'vyaharyah

prapancosamah

sivi'dvaita

evamonikara

atmaiva

samvisaty^tmandtmanam

ya

evam

veda.

75

Twelfth

Mantra

XII

Syllable-less
1
,

the

fourth
2
,

the

noumenal
3
.

The

worlds

ceased
4
,

Bliss,

secondless.

Thus

Aum

is

Atman

itself
5
.

Whoso

knows

as

such

Merges

himself

with

the

Atman
6
.

1.

Syllable-less

-

-

The

unpronounced,

soundless

wake

of

Aum

that

succeeds

and

survives

the

audible

utterances

A'

3T

"U*

3

™M'

preceding

it.

2.

the

fourth

-

-

Tureeya.

As

explained

at

length

earlier

in

the

seventh

mantra,

this

is

not

the

ranking

of

states

of

experience

in

sequence,

but

a

pointer

to

the

unbroken,

intuitive

awareness

of

the

SELF

that

sustains

and

outlasts

conscious

(waking),

subconscious

(dreaming)

and

pure

SELF-awaxeness

(deep

sleep)

experiences.

3.

the

noumenal

-

-

Beyond

the

purview

(reach)

of

the

activities

of

the

body-mind

complex,

that

is,

beyond

physi¬

cal

and

mental

grasp,

but

ceaselessly

intuited.

4.

The

worlds

ceased

-

-

For

the

one

in

Tureeya,

the

worlds

of

waking

and

dream

cease

to

exist,

inasmuch

as

he

is

but

a

witness

of

the

two.

In

Sushupti,

on

the

other

hand,

both

the

worlds

disappear

for

the

sleeper.

5.

Aum

is

Atman

itself

-

-

Comprising

as

it

does

the

articu¬

late

and

the

audible

as

well

as

the

inarticulate

and

the

inaudible,

Aum

stands,

like

the

Atman,

for

the

total

sum

of

all

existence,

the

perceivable

and

the

imperceivable,

too.

6.

Merges

himself

with

the

Atman

-

-

His

individual

sell

76

realises

that

he

is,

in

truth,

the

immanent,

ubiquitous,

immortal,

infinite

self

alone.

The

crowning

verse

is

an

analogy,

an

analysis,

a

logical

argument

which

protrays

Aum

as

a

symbol

and

pointer

to

the

advaitic

Atman

through

the

dissection

of

the

gamut

of

biologi¬

cal

experience

common

to

all

life.

This

verse

crystallises

as

it

were

the

avowed

object

of

the

Upanishad,

namely

to

expose

the

mistaken

identity

of

the

ephemeral

ego

with

the

inherent

immortal

Atman

-

Reality

-

and

thus

enlightens

the

seeker

with

the

supreme

truth

of

the

underlying

intuitive

self-awareness.

A

close

analogy

between

the

immortal,

ubiquitous

Atman

and

the

three

states

of

human

experience

would

be

:

The

same

substratum

H
2
0
,

when

liquid,

is

titled

as

water,

when

gas

as

vapour,

when

solid

as

ice.

The

prqjnahaghana

(ice)

of

Sushupti

melts

into

Vaishwanara,

or

evaporates

into

Taijasa.

Only

the

name-and

form

of

the

self-same

sat

keep

changing.

That

the

vapour

is

different

from

the

liquid

and

the

liquid

from

the

solid

of

the

same

substance

is

an

illusion

(
m
aya
).

Understanding

of

this

essential

Truth

underlying

(running

through)

the

seeming

variables

is

gyana,

enlightenment.

Another

helpful

image

of

the

phenomenon

of

the

ONE

appearing

as

many,

would

be

that

of

a

blank

screen,

and

the

images

appearing

and

disappearing

on

it.

The

audible

compo¬

nents

of

Aum

appear

and

disappear,

we

observe,

on

the

snow

-

white

screen

of

blank

silence.

As

no

image

can

exist

without

the

canvas

behind

it,

no

sound

can

be

perceived

in

the

absence

of

its

parent,

silence.

In

contrast,

silence

(the

Atman)

:an,

like

the

blank

screen,

exist

and

does

prevail

by

itself,

for

tself,

without

its

perceivable

offshoots.

Thus

silence,

like

the

Vtman

-

-

why

as

the

Atman

itself

-

-

is

the

all-pervasive.

77

immortal,

infinite

Reality,

which

is

both

the

fertile

soil

and

the

terminal

grave

for

the

mortal

acoustics.

Substitute

now

"ego"

for

the

audible

Aum

and

the

Atman

for

silence,

and

you

have

the

true

relationship

between

the

ever

-

changing

phenomenal

world

and

the

never-changing

Atman-Reality.

It

is

necessary

to

point

out

here,

even

at

the

risk

of

repetition,

that

the

Aum

sonant

(Aumkaara)

does

not

merelv

symbolize

the

three

states

of

experience,

but

extends

beyond

them

too.

Tureeya

of

Aumkaara,

its

mother-silence,

stretches

from

before

the

audible

utterance,

during,

and

after

the

chant

of

the

sonant

ceases,

too.

And

this

silence

is

in

perfect

correspondence

with

the

Atman-SELF

which

threads

the

three

states

of

experience

in

precisely

the

same

manner

as

silence

does

Aumkaara.

Aum,

we

observe,

is

identical,

point

to

point,

with

the

three

states

of

experience

(waking,

dream

and

sleep)

and

the

Reality.

Tureeya,

underlying

them.

The

states

emerge

out

of

Tureeya,

the

unremitting

intuitive

experience

of

the

SELF,

and

merge

back

again

into

Tureeya

in

endless

cycles.

As

the

waking

world

is

a,

projection

of

the

conscious

mind,

the

dream

world

is

a

projection

of

the

subconscious

(realised

only

after

waking).

In

Sushupti

the

causative

mind-

consciousness

and

the

ego

are

absent

(aSleep).

The

seed

of

Vaishwanara

and

of

Taijasa

can

be

deemed

to

be

dormant

in

Sushupti,

sprouting

again

in

the

waking

and

dream

states.

Sushupti,

associated

with

the

absence

of

mind-consciousness,

is

distinguished

by

experience

of

secondless

Self-awareness.

Tureeya,

on

the

other

hand,

experienced

uniquely

by

the

gyani,

the

enlightened

one,

is

the

state

of

ceaseless

Self-

awareness

in

all

the

three

states.

Tureeya

is

endowed

with

another

vital

distinction

too.

While

Sushupti

of

the

agyani,

the

unenlightened

one,

is

fertile

ground

for

the

birth-and-death

cycle

of

wake

and

dream,

for

the

gyani

who

has

attained

permanently

the

state

of

Tureeya,

the

seed

of

the

cycle

is

burnt

out

for

good.

The

silence

that

follows

and

precedes

the

incantation

of

Aum

is

shown

to

be

the

"Open

Sesame"

of

the

unsuspected,

priceless

treasure

of

Ali

Baba's

secret

cave.

Pondering

over

Tureeya,

the

unuttered

foundation

of

Aum,

we

discover

that

silence

is

the

coveted

ocean

of

blessed

serenity

of

limitless

immensity.

In

the

unfathomless

intensity

of

blissful

silence,

all

and

every

sound

is

but

a

momentary

bubble,

collapses

and

loses

itself

in

the

mother-main,

silence,

whence

it

had

stri¬

dently

erupted.

Silence,

the

ground

immortal

of

the

audible

Aum,

is

time-

free,

all-pervasive;

sound,

its

offspring

(like

the

ego),

is

pitifully

limited

and

ephemeral,

and

regresses

helplessly

back

to

the

womb

of

silence

(as

the

ego

does

to

the

boundless

Atman

in

Sushupti).

The

opening

statement

of

Maandookya

in

mantra

2,

that

the

Atman

is

of

four

quarters,

we

can

now

see,

is

a

division

of

convenience,

hypothesized

by

the

seer

for

the

benefit

of

the

seeker.

The

declaration

of

successive

identity

of

each

of

the

matras

of

Aum

with

the

Atman

establishes

the

indivisibility

of

the

Atman

with

all

that

exists

in

each

and

every

state

of

experience.

The

total

perspective

portrayed

by

Maandookya

leads

to

the

convincing

revelation

of

advaitic.

Reality.

Viewing

objectively,

Aum

is

clearly

the

invention

of

the

keen

searching

spirit

of

man,

sculpted

with

purpose

and

determination

of

a

defined

end.

That

end

is

to

raise

the

mind

to

conscious

SELF-awareness

(that

is,

in

spite

of,

or

concur

rently

with,

the

presence

of

the

ego-mind),

and

to

cultivate

such

SELF-awareness

to

prevail

without

break

through

the

ites

of

ever-changing

experience.

The

precious

thought,

analysis

and

profound

conclusion

Maandookya

have

been

capsuled

into

Aum-

-

an

ever

ining

crystal

with

the

lattice

of

the

three

states

of

vibrating

perience

embedded

in

the

infinite,

all-embracing,

transpar

t

space

around

-

-

(the

Tureeya)

-

-

in

an

unforgettable,

ditory

architectural

pattern.

A

device

as

concise

and

elegant

as

it

is

convenient,

Aum

n

prove

to

the

sadhak

a

solicitously

reminding

guru

ever

al

3

elbow-

-

bodiless,

yet

none

more

real-

-

verily

the

manifest

esence

beside

him

of

the

blissful

Atman

Itself.

Put

in

different

words,

Aum,

the

symbolic

sonant

of

danta,

emerges

as

the

most

ingenious

invention

of

human

ought,

crystallising

as

it

does

the

entirely

logical

basis

of

Ivaita,

or

monism,

and

provides

the

seeker

with

a

felicitous

inter

to

and

reminder

of

the

ultimate

Reality.

Aum

is

ually

remarkable

for

comprehending

the

entire

range

ol

iman

experience

as

well

as

the

meaningful

ocean

of

sustain-

g

mother-silence.

The

Aum

sonant

thus

continually

reminds

e

sadhak

of

both

the

beads

of

experience

and

the

stringing

lden

thread

of

Reality,

thereby

constantly

pulling

him

back

jm

the

shining,

distracting

beads

to

silent,

but

immortal,

imanent

Atman.

The

final

aim

and

achievement

would

be

r

disappearance

of

the

ego

and

its

mergence

with

the

%€
a
l
i
t
y
.

The

realisation

of

unity

with

the

Universal,

won

through

mprehension,

practice

and

assimilation

of

the

total

signifi-

mce

of

the

Aum

sonant

has

a

unique

fruit

awaiting

the

;pirant.

While

only

Sushupti,

deep

sleep,

confers

on

one

and

1

blissful

serenity,

the

Tureeya

to

the

enlightened

one

offers

ibroken

anchorage,

consciously,

in

unified

Atman

even

in

80

the

states

of

apparent

multiplicity

and

diversity.

Clearly,

it

is

this

observation

that

prompted

Lord

Krishna

to

explain

to

his

disciple

Partha,

in

the

Bhagavad

Geetaa

:

"What

is

night

for

creatures

all,

Bright

day

it

is

for

the

yogi

self-reined;

Wherein

creatures

are

all

wide

awake,

That

indeed

is

night-like

For

the

yogi

enlightened"

(II,

69)

Maandookya

helps

us

trace

the

foundation

of

the

multistoried

edifice

of

waking,

dream

and

sleep,

to

the

mis¬

taken

identity

of

the

extremely

limited,

individualised

mortal

ego-mould

with

the

enormous,

unmeasurable,

immortal

Atman-

mountain.

To

illustrate

by

another

example:

The

ego-shadow

is

ever

attempting

to

eclipse

the

undying

Atman-sun.

Fear,

hate,

love

and

all

emotions

are

creations

of

our

own

ego-mind

complex.

This

fact

comes

home

the

moment

we

pause

and

reflect

on

the

happenings

in

the

dream

from

which

we

have

just

woken

up.

Maandookya

points

out

that

we

have

no

logical

justification

to

presume

that,

in

spite

of

appear¬

ances,

the

emotions

and

creatures

and

experiences

in

the

so-

called

waking

state

are

no

less

dreamy

creations

of

the

ego-

mind

complex.

The

realisation

and

rooted

conviction

in

regard

to

the

above

Truth

at

once

drops

the

curtain

of

the

mistaken

multi¬

plicity

from

the

ONE

and

ONLY

ONE

that

is

appearing

as

many.

When

the

Light

of

this

Truth

grows

intense,

full,

continu¬

ous,

what

else

can

the

enlightened

become

but

a

still,

silent

Ramana

?

He

becomes

inevitably

an

automaton,

ever

a

mere

witness

of

the

parade

streaming

around

him,

including

him¬

self,

now

but

a

body,

an

object,

apart

from

the

indivisible

81

ubiquitous,

i
m
mortal

SELF.

Such

a

gyani,

whom

can

he

love,

whom

can

he

hate

?

For,

if

he

does

he

is

but

hating

and

loving

the

image

of

himself

in

the

maya

mirror.

May

Aum,

the

pregnant

pranava.

Grow

into

a

magnificent

obsession

Till

the

seeking

spirit-individual

Blossoms

into

the

ONE,

Atman,

Undifferentiate,

immortal

Spirit-universal.

Santi

Santi

83

APPENDIX

I

Awareness

and

Consciousness

Awareness

is

the

intuition

of

existence

(being)

experi¬

enced

by

all

beings

in

the

states

of

waking

and

dream.

As

such

it

is

identified

in

and

as,

the

state

of

dreamless

sleep,

after

waking

by

inference.

Consciousness

is

the

sense

of

existence

which

the

indi¬

vidual

cognises

by

the

mind

in

the

waking

and

dream

states.

The

distinction

and

marked

difference

between

awareness

and

consciousness
,

as

used

in

this

work

need

to

be

empha¬

sized.

Awareness

of

intuitive

existence

which

needs

no

proof,

prevails

in

all

the

three

states

of

experience,

while

conscious¬

ness

can

exists

only

when

the

mind

exists-

-

that

is,

only

during

waking

and

dream.

Unlike

awareness,

consciousness

can

exist

only

in

association

with

an

object

concrete

or

abstract.

APPENDIX

II

An

Insight

into

Mandookya

for

the

Sadhak

K.

S.

Rangappa

An

elaboration

of

an

insight

into

Maandookya,

albeit

unorthodox,

is

perhaps

wanted

here.

A

deeper

and

wider

comprehension

of

the

Upanishad

may

aid

the

seeker

more

in

his

sadhana.

The

Upanishad

has

established

that

the

mistaken

impor¬

tance

and

seriousness

attached

to

the

pitifully

limited,

ephem¬

eral

personality

of

oneself-the

ego-is

the

sole

cause

of

un¬

wanted

experiences

suffered

by

the

individual

during

his

life¬

span.

Two

main

questions

normally

assail

the

seeker

of

the

Truth.

The

first

is

:

Why

the

ego

?

The

second

is

"

How

the

ego

?

Maandookya

has

shown

up

logically

the

fallacy

of

the

first

doubt.

It

proves

that

the

mortal,

changing

phenomenal

world

being

but

a

projection

of

the

mind,

itself

a

victim

of

the

same

infirmities,

the

ego,

a

twin

inalienably

entwined

with

the

mind,

is

no

less

unreal-

-

a

gossamer

ghost,

identical

with,

and

therefore

as

unworthy

of

being

taken

seriously

as

the

last

night's

dream

events

-

-

in

so

far

as

the

emotional

responses

of

the

ego

to

its

environment

is

concerned.

One,

wisely

convinced

of

this

has

clearly

a

fair

chance

of

remaining

unruffled

in

the

ups

and

downs

of

work-a-day

life.

An

understanding

now

of

"How

the

ego?"

-

-

its

birth,

growth

and

demise,

its

in

constancy,

its

cyclic

diurnal

behaviour

-

-

could,

with

the

insight

gained,

help

the

seeker

attack

the

85

incorrigible

mischief-monger,

and

chisel

it

down

to

the

barest

bone.

The

reciprocal

sequel

would

be

the

steady

release

of

the

sadhak

from

the

strangle-hold

of

his

ego

to

rise

towards

the

peak

of

permanent

self-awareness.

To

know

the

enemy

is

to

win

half

the

battle.

In

order

to

comprehend

the

"How

the

ego?',

we

do

well

to

begin

from

the

beginning.

What

is

'ego"?

Ego

is

here

conceived

and

defined

as

the

individual

mind-consciousness

(when

senses

axe

awake

and

alert)

which

makes

every

organism

unquestioningly

feel

and

believe

that

it

has

a

distinctive

and

separate

existence

of

its

own.

"Ego"

is

the

sense

that

drives

the

organism

to

fight

not

only

for

its

survival,

but

to

retain

its

separate

identity

from

other

egos.

Maandookya

has

established,

as

we

have

seen

before,

that

the

ego

is

an

illusory

projection

of

the

wakim>

and

dream

minds,

and

that

it

is

but

a

seeming

spark

of

the

timeless,

infinite

and

ubiquitous

Atman.

The

process

ot

tearing

down

the

delusion

is

sadhana

and

achievement

is

gyana,

enlighten¬

ment.

The

gyani,

freed

from

the

ego

is

ever

anchored

in

the

Light

of

conscious

identity

with

Universal

Existence

-

-

sthitaprqjna
1

of

the

Bhagavadgeetaa.

Conviction

bom

out

of

an

understanding

of

the

birth

and

shaping

of

the

ego

may

help

-

-

to

give

a

fresh

analogy

-

-

in

working

out

a

cure

for

the

illusion,

as

a

study

of

the

etiology

of

a

disease

can

often

help

shape

a

treatment

for

the

syn¬

drome.

Specific

observation

reveals

that

the

new

born

human

babe,

like

other

creature,

is

but

a

bundle

of

instincts

-

-

and

no

more

-

-

characteristic

of

the

specie.

The

babe

is

not

86

conscious

(self-conscious)

of

its

body

at

birth,

nor

of

other

bodies

or

things

around

it.

That

is,

the

ego

in

the

new

born

has

not

made

its

appearance

yet.

Its

functions

are

ruled

entirely

by

its

inherited

instincts

(vasanas

or

prdrabdha).

beyond

the

purview

and

need

of

mind-consciousness.

Mind,

for

our

purposes,

can

be

defined

as

consciousness,

an

end-product

forged

by

inherited

intelligence

(specific

to

each

specie

and

characteristic

of

it)

working

upon

the

cease¬

less

stream

of

sensual

responses

to

stimuli

buffeting

the

senses.

Physical

experience

steadily

piling

up

in

the

creature

is

ever

in

ferment,

catalysed

by

intelligence.

The

complex

inner

interaction

between

the

experiences

of

the

different

senses

in

unpredictable

permutations

and

combinations

is

continually

etched

in

the

recording

part

of

the

brain.

This

storehouse

is

the

memory.

This

gamut

of

abstract

activities

and

their

products

make

up

the

abstraction

we

grossly

call

the

Mind.

And

necessarily

the

content

of

every

mind

has

to

be,

and

is,

peculiarly

its

own,

and

unique

-

-

although

its

tools,

the

senses,

the

sense

organs,

intelligence

and

intellect,

and

its

method

of

working

are

similar

and

limitations

and

potentials

of

the

mind

vary

from

the

microbe

to

man.

At

the

bottom

of

the

evolutionary

ladder

if

it

is

all,

and

only,

instinct,

at

the

very

top

it

is

an

unmeasurable

mix

of

beast

and

brain.

The

crucial

key

to

the

disparities

between

the

minds

of

different

species

seems

to

lie

in

the

nature

and

degree

of

Intelligence

each

has

inherited.

Intelligence

can

be

deemed

to

be

the

repository,

among

others,

of

potentials

of

faculties.

Determined

by

genetic

inheritance,

the

variety,

order

and

sharpness

of

faculties

are

not

only

specific

to

specie,

but

are

chiselled

finely

different

even

from

individual

to

individual

within

the

specie,

too.

87

To

illustrate.

A

cat,

bom

and

bread

in

Mysore

or

Delhi

or

London

can

only

mew.

At

best

the

meows

of

the

cats

may

differ

in

tone

and

pitch.

On

the

other

hand,

the

human

offspring

of

Mysore

develops

articulate

speech

in

Kannada,

the

child

of

Delhi

in

Hindi,

and

the

one

in

London

in

English.

Here

two

faculties

come

into

play

-

-

capacity

for

speech

and

the

capacity

to

leam

languages.

While

the

homo

is

endowed

with

both,

the

canine

is

denied

both.

(That

the

faculties

of

speech

and

language-learning

are

separate

and

distinct

is

proved

by

the

fact

that,

while

the

faculty

of

speech

lasts

all

through

life,

the

ability

to

leam

new

languages,

so

fecund

in

childhood,

largely

dries

up

with

age.)

To

glance

the

distinguishing

major

faculties

of

the

human

kind.

Human

intelligence

commands

insatiable

curiosity,

capacities

for

observation,

mental

record,

recall,

comparison,

deduction,

generalisation,

reasoning,

deduction,

generalisation,

reasoning,

conscious

decision-making,

and

the

will

to

plan

and

execute

the

decision.

It

may

be

necessary

to

repeat

that

the

above

inventory,

unique

to

homo

sapiens

is

but

the

potential,

rarely,

if

ever,

realised

to

the

full

in

any

individual.

It

also

demonstrates

the

unbridgeable

distinction

between

man

and

beast,

and

gives

a

glimpse

of

the

amazing

Ali

Baba's

cave

that

the

human

brain

is.

Its

superiority

by

far

to

that

of

the

nearest

animals

in

the

evolutionary

ladder

like

the

baboon,

the

chimpanzee,

the

porpoise

and

the

talking

cockatoo.

After

this

apparent

digression,

to

steer

back

to

the

evolu¬

tion

of

mind

in

human

kind.

The

self-exclusive

sense

of

individuality,

arising

concomi¬

tantly

with

the

mind,

constitutes

the

ego.

Mind

and

ego

are

so

inextricably

entwined

in

their

formation

-

-

their

appear¬

ance,

activity

and

behaviour

in

waking

and

dream,

and

their

simultaneous

disappearance

in

deep

sleep,

that

it

would

be

88

more

precise

to

conceive

them

as

the

mind-ego

complex.

For

mind

and

ego

rise

and

set

together

like

the

sun

and

its

light.

In

the

newborn

human

babe,

a

creature

yet

of

pure

instincts

and

reflexes,

the

mind-ego

complex,

as

noted

earlier,

has

not

shaped

yet.

This

is

proved

by

the

experience,

without

exception,

of

every

normal

human

being.

No

man,

for

instance,

is

able

to

recall

the

happenings

to

himself

in

the

first

few

months

after

birth,

even

as

he

cannot

read

his

prenatal

experience.

And

this

blankness

is

not

that

there

were

at

the

time

no

senses

and

no

external

environment

impinging

on

them.

But

the

clear

reason

is:

Memory

(of

experience)

had

not

formed

yet

-

-

it

takes

evidently

a

mini¬

mum

living

span

to

collect

the

needed

quantum

of

sensual

experience

(albeit

instinctively)

and

their

interactions

for

the

formation

of

a

Memory.

And

no

Memory,

no

Mind.

And

no

Mind,

no

Ego;

for

as

we

have

seen,

mind

and

ego

are

insepa¬

rable

twins.

Conversely,

if

mind,

memory

and

ego

were

present

before

birth

in

the

babe,

they

would

all

-

-

as

they

do

after

every

waking

from

every

sleep

-

-

reassert

themselves

fully

again

in

the

creature

exactly

with

the

same

profiles

and

contours

as

before.

The

fact

that

this

does

not

occur

at

birth

proves

again

that

Memory.

Mind

and

Ego

have

to,

and

do,

begin

to

shape

from

scratch

only

after

the

expulsion

from

the

mother's

womb

of

the

babe

-

-

hitherto

vatapattra

say

ana
2
,

the

sole,

sovereign

Lord,

floating

blissfully

in

its

Singleness

in

the

sea

of

amniotic

fluid.

Only

on

its

entry

into

a

new

environment

of

bewildering

multiplicity

the

babe's

enjoyment

of

serene

indivisibility

begins

to

be

attacked

and

to

break

up

to

its

own

citadel

of

pitiful

individuality.

If

inherited

Intelligence

of

the

babe

catalyses

the

forging

of

its

memory

and

mind

with

sensual

experiences

pouring

into

it

relentlessly,

the

chance

environment

of

its

outer

world

plays

no

less

a

determined

role

in

shaping

the

profile

and

content

oi

its

Mind,

and

therefore

of

its

Ego.

No

two

environments

being

ever

the

same,

the

character¬

istics

of

no

two

mind-ego

complexes

can

ever

be

the

same

-

-

not

even

of

the

identical

twins.

This

accounts

for

the

palpable

differences

in

the

sense

of

individuality

binding

and

ruling

every

creature.

The

State

of

the

Newborn

The

newborn

babe,

before

its

mind-ego

formation,

we

can

imagine,

is

in

precisely

the

same

state

of

existence

as

we

are

in

deep,

dreamless

sleep

-

-

alive

but

blissfully

free

of

the

mind-ego.

This

is

the

state

of

unalloyed

Self-awareness

and

absence

of

self-consciousness.

This

state

of

the

cherubim

is

deluged

without

let

with

sensual

experiences

from

its

own

particular

environment.

This

stream,

filling

the

empty

pot

(potential)

of

mind,

creates

simul¬

taneously

Memory,

Mind

and

Ego.

Hardly

has

the

gyani

bom

completed

the

first

year

of

life,

his

limitless

divine

Self-

awareness

is,

willy

nilly,

overwhelmed

by

a

pitiful

little

self-

consciousness,

like

an

enormous

uncut

diamond

powdered

into

smithereens

and

each

tiny

particle,

in

its

ignorance,

posing

proud

as

a

separate,

distinctive

individual.

And

the

tragic-comic

part

of

the

fall

is

his

all-but-inerasable

delusion

that

he,

as

the

ego

stamped

with

death,

is

superior

and

preferable

to

the

immortal

SELF

of

which

he

is

but

a

flying

spark.

90

The

upshot

of

this

gross

misconception

is

the

tireless

struggle

of

the

individual

to

survive

endlessly

as

such,

as

futile

as

it

is

pathetic,

blind

to

his

heritage

of

blissful

immortality.

Maandookya,

putting

us

wise,

logically,

and

therefore

convincingly,

to

the

Reality,

enables

the

sadhak

to

complete

the

cycle

back

to

the

gyana

of

the

newborn

babe.

The

sooner

he

is

able

to

achieve

it,

the

sooner

he

is

free

from

the

machinations

of

the

ego-pretender,

attains

the

Light,

and

becomes

the

sthitaprqjna,

ever

anchored

is

SELF-awareness,

awakes

asleep.

1.

Sthitaprqjna

:

One

who

has

realized

Brahman,

the

Real¬

ity,

the

SELF,

the

Atman,

who

is

always

anchored

in

Atman-awareness.

2.

vatapattra

sayana

:

As

per

Hindu

mythology

the

Almighty

lay,

before

Creation,

blissfully

on

a

banyan

leaf

on

the

lap

of

infinity.

GLOSSARY

acintaniyam

:

the

unthinkable.

That

beyond

thought.

advaita

:

unitary

concept

of

Hindu

philosophy.

agyani

:

the

unenlightened.

anirvacaniyam

:

(with

capital

'A'

pronounced

as

Aatman)

stands

for

the

intuitive

experience

of

metaphysical

Reality.

(See

Brahman

also).

Aum

:

(with

capital

A™)

is

a

vocal

symbol

for

the

meta¬

physical

Reality,

in

Vedanta.

Eveiy

sacred

utterance

and

performance

are

initiated

and

terminated

with

the

ehant

of

Aum.

Aumkaara

:

intoned

chant

of

Aum.

avarnaniyam

:

the

indescribable.

Awareness

:

(See

Appendix

I)

Bhagavad

Geetaa

:

A

well-known

Hindu

scripture.

Brahmaa

:

One

of

the

Hindu

Trinity.

Brahman

:

(with

capital

'B')

stands

for

absolute

meta¬

physical

Reality

when

viewed

objectively

fox

purpose

of

com¬

munication.

The

impersonal

God

in

English

language

corre¬

sponds

to

Brahman.

the

Brahma

sootra

:

the

authoritative

work

of

aphorisms

about

Brahman

(Reality).

Chhandogya

Upanishad

:

one

of

the

eleven

major

upanishads.

Coleridge

:

(Samuel

Taylor

Coleridge)

an

English

poet

of

92

nineteenth

century.

Consciousness

:

(See

Appendix

I)

Ego

:

cannotes

the

individual

mind-consciousness

which

every

organism

invariably

feels

that

it

has

a

distinct

exclusive

existence

of

its

own

(Š

jivatma)

Gaudapada

:

the

earliest

known

commentator

of

Maandookya.

gyana

:

(pronounced

as

gyaana)

enlightenment

in

respect

of

metaphysical

Reality.

gyani

:

(pronounced

as

gyaani)

the

enlightened

one

Hanuman

:

a

heroic

character

in

Ramaayana,

a

Hindu

epic

Karika

:

(pronounced

as

kaarikaa)

gloss.

Kekule

:

a

classical

German

chemist.

kevala

:

not

connected

with

anything

else,

the

Absolute.

Lord

Krishna

:

a

central

figure

in

Hindu

mythology.

Kubla

Khan

:

a

poem

by

Coleridge.

mantra

:

(plural,

mantras),

in

the

context

of

this

Upanishad

is

the

statement

of

philosophic

content.

rriatra

:

a

syllable

matras

:

syllables

maya

:

illusion

Onkara

:

Aumkaara

pada

:

a

foot,

a

step,

a

quarter,

a

fourth

part.

parama

:

the

most

excellent,

the

supreme,

the

ultimate.

Partha

:

(Pronounced

as

Paartha),

Arjuna,

one

of

the

Pandavas,

a

major

characters

in

Mahabharala.

a

Hindu

epic.

Praagya,

prqjna

:

is

the

name

given

to

experience

in

the

state

of

deep

sleep,

or

in

other

words

whole

and

sole

experi¬

ence

obtained

in

Sushupti,

which

is

pure,

whole,

secondless,

ego-free.

prqjnanaghana

:

consciousness

congealed.

pranava

:

a

synonym

for

Aumkaara.

Ramakrishna

:

a

realized

Hindu

saint

of

the

19th

century,

who

inspired

the

Ramakrishna

Mission.

Ramana

:

a

realized

soul

of

the

20th

century,

the

inspi¬

ration

for

the

Ramana

Movement.

Reality

:

(with

capital

'Rj

is

the

ubiquitous,

imperishable,

cosmic

Principle,

whence

everything

evolves,

by

which

every¬

thing

is

sustained,

and

wherein

everything

dissolves

into

Unity.

Synonymous

with

the

Atman,

the

Absolute,

the

Ulti¬

mate,

the

Fundamental

Truth,

Self-awareness,

God,

and

so

on.

Sadhak

:

an

aspirant

after

Reality.

Sadhakas

:

aspirants

after

Reality.

Santa

Claus

:

a

mythical

figure

of

Christianity.

santi

:

peace,

serenity.

sarvesvara

:

overlord

of

all

sat

:

Existence

Absolute

satchiddnanda

:

the

Self

or

SELF

:

corresponds

to

the

94

Sanskrit

term,

the

Atman.

To

distinguish

it

from

the

'self'

(the

ego),

it

has

been

spelt

with

capital

'S'

and

preceded

by

the

article

'the'.

Sushupti,

susuptastkana

:

is

the

state

of

deep

sleep

(the

inferred

state

experience)

Shankara

:

a

well-known

Hindu

philosopher

and

sage.

swabhava

:

born

nature.

Taijasa,

tcqjasa

:

is

the

name

given

to

all

that

which

is

experienced

in

the

dream

state

by

the

ego,

including

itself.

tanpura

:

(pronounced

as

taanpooraa)

:

a

stringed

instru¬

ment

in

the

background

in

Indian

music

for

keeping

the

song

in

tune.

Tureeya

:

literally

means

the

fourth.

In

Vedanta

it

stands

for

the

Reality

and

is

identified

with

the

Reality

-

and

is

identified

with

the

state

of

ITS

realization

upanishad

:

(an

aphoristic

composition

concerned

with

Reality

-

-

upanishadic

adj

-

-

where

'up'

is

a

preposition

or

prefix

to

verbs

or

nouns

expressing)

towards,

near

to,

by

the

side

of.

Vaishwanara,

vaiswanara

:

is

the

name

given

to

all

which

is

experienced

by

the

ego

including

itself

in

the

waking

state.

Vedanta

:

(pronounced

as

Vedaanta),

the

philosophy

en¬

shrined

in

the

Vedas;

the

core

or

the

essence

or

the

ultimate

goal

of

Veda

-

-

Vedantic,

adj.

Vyasa

:

(pronounced

as

Vyaasa),

the

codifier

of

the

Vedas,

the

author

of

Mahabharata,

etc.

The

Authors

Dr.

K.

S.

Rangappa,

Scientist

and

literary

writer,

and

Shri

Laxman

B.

Ahuja,

Steel

Technologist,

have

long

been

stu¬

dents

of

philosophy,

particularly

Advaitha

of

Vedanta,

the

Prin¬

ciple

of

Unity

of

All

Existence.