Suppose we have three different forms of ornament all made of Gold 
1) Bangle 2) Necklace 3) Ring 4) GOLD

Some one tells you that these are just names and forms but the ‘reality’ is ‘GOLD“. There is a very interesting story about this . 

Once there was man who wanted to sell the statue of ‘Lord Ganesha with his vahan mouse’ all made of gold . When he went to the jeweler to sell the statue , the Jeweler weighed the ‘Ganesha’ statue and  gave him some money based on the rate of gold . Then he again weighed the mouse and gave back money to the Man . 

That Man got furious he asked the Jeweler how it is possible you are giving same price for Lord Ganesha Statue and his Mouse . Then the Jeweler replied that “Sir , for you  it is lord Ganesha and his mouse but for us it is Just GOLD “

So, the real Substance is ‘GOLD’ . Bangle , Necklace and Ring are just shapes and forms , they are not separate from Gold . When Bangle is melted and made into necklace it is the same Gold , when necklace is melted and made into Ring there also it is the same gold . 

Hence the ‘Reality’ is the substance which is Gold which is in through Bangle , Necklace & Ring.

Similarly, “TURIYA”  is referred here as Reality . 

1. You or Turiya is the same reality which is now being called as Waker in waking state experiencing the waking world , interacting with the world through sense organs , mind and body . 

2. You or Turiya is the same reality which is now being called as a Dreamer in a dream state , experiencing the dreams . 

3. You or Turiya  is the same reality which is now being called as the Sleeper in a Sleep blankness experiencing the deep sleep.  

Then what is the difference between these state . The difference is : 

1. In the waking state we have a Physical body which is awake with mind interacting with world through sense organs. In the Waking state there is a great preponderance of physical body & interaction with the physical world through sense organs. So here the term used in Mandukya Upanishad is  “Bahish chitta” i.e.  Extroverted Consciousness . It is the consciousness which is flowing out into the world . 
2.  Dream world is something which is constituted out of our mind based on the experiences we had in the waking state. Dreams are entirely constructed out of the Mind so the term used in Mandukya Upanishad is “ntah-prajnah ” i.e. Consciousness Directed inwards which is working only in the mind not in the external world. 
3.  In the deep sleep there is no experience except the blankness . So, after  a sound sleep we usually say that “I don’t know anything I slept like a log of wood”. Not awake , not dreaming just a peaceful sleep . So , the term used for absolute blankness experienced in deep sleep in Mandukya Upanishad is “prajnanaghana” i.e. mass of Consciousness . Mass(ghana) meansthere is nothing for Consciousness to illumine. It just remains in blankness. All the external world , dream is pushed into a mass which since is not illumined by Turiya so it is not experienced by us  hence we experience nothing in a deep sleep. It is kind of in a “Potential” State and the next moment we wake up we again experience the same world and then world interaction with our body & mind then dreams in dream state and back to potential state . It goes on . We daily experience it in our own experience  !

So, According to Mandukya Upanishad all of these is not the reality but the reality is the “Consciousness” flowing through all of these states . 

Just like Gold is apart from Bangle , Necklace & Ring but is in & through all of them . Why we are saying Gold is apart from all three is because – 

• If Bangles melts and goes away .. Gold survives and it can be made in to Necklace
• If Necklace melts and goes away .. Gold still survives and it can be made into Ring . 
• If Ring melts and goes away .. Gold still survives and it can be made in to another form . 

Gold survives so it is apart from all of the three but is in and through all of the forms  i.e. bangle , necklace & ring . But bangle , ring and Necklace are all apart from each other . 

Similarly, 

1. The Waker is apart from the dreamer 
2. The Dreamer is apart from the sleeper
3. The sleeper is apart from the Waker and the dreamer 

But there is something which is continuing in all of these three states i.e Turiya 

” Turiya ” the reality is right now here it is passing through all the states  of waking to dream to deep sleep but is apart from all the three states . 

Just Like GOLD you have Consciousness  or Turiya . Body & Mind keep on changing with age but we still as consciousness witnessing everything in the changing body & mind 

• I was the one in a 10 year old body & Mind
• I was the one in a 30 years old body & mind
• I was the one in a  90 years old body & Mind. 

Who is this ‘I” continuing with all ages this is the consciousness or Turiya. 

Similarly every day when we go from  waking to dream to sleep ,consciousness is illumining all the states . 

• Consciousness or Turiya —–> Illumines the Waking state and we are able to experience the Waking world 
• Consciousness or Turiya —–> Illumines the Dream state and we are able to experience the Dream
• Consciousness or Turiya —–> Doesnot Illumines any thing in the deep sleep and so we are unable to experience anything in deep sleep . It is a potential state with nothing i.e. sleep blankness

Hence the actual question is what are we apart from the waking state , apart from the dream state or state of imagination and apart from sleep state . We are Pure Consciousness or TURIYA ( the fourth)

Example – 

• Station master  (Turiya)  is watching – a train comes with lot of passengers going in & out . Then the Station master gives signal and the train Goes away. ( This is the WAKING STATE which represent the interaction with the world in form of passenger train with passengers goin in and out )
• The next train comes which is a goods train , not much rush but the Station master (Turiya) is still watching , and then he gives the signal and the train goes away . ( This represent the DREAM State where good train comes with some good be loaded or unloaded just like dreams we get at night while sleeping)
• Then no train come , a blank platform but the  Station Master ( Turiya) is still there watching the blank platform. ( this is the state of DEEP SLEEP when no dream are there , we experience nothing in deep sleep likea blank platform )

This is exactly what happens with us daily we experience it – 

• You the pure consciousness , you watch the arrival of the waking state just like a passenger train with lot of dreams, hopes, success , failures , aspirations etc. all of it comes with a body mind interacting with the world and you are Watching . Only thing is You get identified with the body and mind in the waking state and say I Mr so and so experiencing this or that in the waking state.
• You the pure consciousness, you become identified with the dream world with a dream body and experience the dream world and but you are still watching it  then it goes away
• You the pure consciousness watching the blank platform i,e. deep sleep and again the wakinh state comes and goes on and on . 

But You the pure Consciousness (TURIYA ) which is apart from all these states but in and through these states . Not only TURIYA is apart from all the three states but is “UNTOUCHED” by all the three states. The sufferings and enjoyment of the Waking state and Dream State & the blankness of the Deep sleep state none of them touch the Pure consciousness (TURIYA) which is apart from all of these . 

In the light of Turiya the Entire Game is illumined !!