“nivṛtteḥ sarvaduḥkhānām / निवृत्तेः सर्वदुःखानामी” – ‘You’ the Turiya are beyond all the dukkha’s (sadness). Right now we feel that ” I am in Pain” but one who has realized Turiya will say -” I am the witness of the pain in the body or mind”.
e.g. Same sunlight falls on the ditch , it falls on the ganga river and it falls on the Himalayas . But it is not polluted by the ditch or purified by the Ganga river, it illumines . Same way ‘Turiya’ the pure consciousness which we are illumines the sufferings of the waking world , nightmare or good dreams of dream world and nothingness of deep sleep.
īśānaḥ prabhuravyayaḥ / इशानः प्रभुरव्ययः – ‘You’ the ‘Turiya’ is God and it is Unchanging . Turiya is witness to all states
अद्वैतः सर्वभावानां देवस्तुर्यो विभुः स्मृतः– ‘You’ the Consciousness , you are the non dual (Advaita) with all the existing things . There is no second independent reality apart from Turiya (pure consciousness)
I or Ego or Knower ——————–> experiencing the “World” or “Prapanch” Prapanch came from Sanskrit term ” prapancha prakrishtrain panch ” . The idea is out of the five elements (panch) this world is constructed ,so we use this term ‘prapanch’ for the world
‘I’ is the ‘Waker’ (who is awake ) ——> experiencing the “Waking World” or “Jagrit Prapanch” in Sanskrit
‘I’ is the Dreamer ( who is dreaming ) —> experiencing the “Dream World”
‘I” is the Sleeper ( who is in deep sleep) —> experiencing sleep blankness or no dream & thought just a sound sleep.
Turiya
Mandukya Upanishad mentions that there is a Fourth state which is called ” Turiya”. From the above story Ashtavakra Muni was trying to explain King Janaka there is a “Fourth State” i.e. “Turiya” which is witnessing
King Janak as a ‘Waker’ experiencing the court room, courtiers , luxury, wealth etc.
King Janak as the ‘Dreamer’ Experiencing the battle field, sadness , hunger, misery
There is also a third state where there is no dreams and complete sound sleep , we usually experience nothing but Turiya is witness to sleep blankness .
In the previous blog we learnt about the three states how it is apart from the 4th state ‘Turiya’ ( the reality itself).
Through this blog I will share my understandings on the “Exploration of TURIYA” by Gaudapadacharya in the Mandukya Karikas!
Knower
Known
State
1. Waker
Waking world
Waking
2. Dreamer
Dream World
Dream
3. Sleeper
Sleep Blankness
Deep Sleep
Now as per Gaudapadacharya’s Mandukya Karikas certain terms have been given to the Knower as :
Knower
Known
State (Awastha)
1. Waker ( it is called as Viswa)
Waking world ( Jagrit prapanch)
Jagrat
2. Dreamer ( it is called as Taijasa )
Dream World ( Swapna Prapanch)
Swapnah
3. Sleeper ( it is called as Prajñā)
Sleep Blankness ( Sushupti )
Sushupti
These names are given from the upanishad (the reason of the same shall discuss in the upcoming blogs) i.e. Viswa , Taijasa and the Prajñā .
When you are awake in a waking state you are called as Viswa
You the same person, when you are dreaming ,you are called as Taijasa
You the same person when you are in a deep sleep, you are called as Prajñā.
So if I say who am I? I am Viswa when I am awake , I am Taijasa when I am in a dream and I am Prajñā when I am in a deep sleep. And, these are the three states which we experience through out the day or daily we experience it.
But, the upanishad tells us that you are none of them. You are actually in reality , in yourself, you are “TURIYA”.
It is the Turiya who appears as Viswa in the waking state.
It is the Turiya alone who appears as Taijasa in the dream state.
It is the Turiya alone who appears as Prajñā in the dream state.
A fundamental idea of “Advaita Vedanta” States that – “IGNORANCE causes ERROR“
Ignorance —–Causes————–> Error
(e.g. There is a “Rope” in the darkness and I do not know if there is a rope , I see something in the darkness and in the very next moment I thought its a “Snake”. The Sanskrit term for Rope is ” rajju” & for snake is ” sarpa”. Here , Rajju is the reality ( rope) which I do not know. Not knowing that reality I suddenly mistake it for a snake and I say there is snake ( sarpa ) – ” Sarpa brahma ” . Brahma means mistake or delusion.
What caused me to see the snake , there is a actually no snake ( its a mistake or delusion) but what caused me to see the snake is the ignorance of the “Rope” i.e. the reality. I am ignorant of the reality (rope) therefore I mistake it to be a “snake”.
Hence, Ignorance of the “reality” causes me to make a mistake about the reality or Error.
Ignorance
Error
Rope
Snake
As you are ignorant about the rope , you make an error and thought it to be a Snake . Similarly, we shall explain about why we say we mistake ourselves to be Waker , dreamer and sleeper in the below table!
Ignorance
Error
Turiya
Viswa
Because ,I do not know my true nature ” Turiya ” I mistake it to be “Viswa” with this physical body and mind.
When we are awake and seeing this world which is actually ” Turiya” & “I am also “Turiya”, but I am seeing it as a limited knower called “Viswa” and I see the world as Jagrit prapanch. Hence, I have an ignorance here about my true nature (Turiya) and I am making a mistake by seeing this Turiya as “Viswa” and as Jagrit (world).
Ignorance
Error
Viswa
✓
✓
Taijasa
✓
✓
Prajñā
✓
❌
Turiya ( the reality itself )
❌
❌
According to the upanishad in the “Waking state ” we are ignorant about our true nature “Turiya” and we think that we are this body and mind (Viswa) and we see this world as distinct from ourselves.
So, we have an ignorance about or true nature (Turiya) and we are making a mistake – what is actually one undivided reality called “Turiya” or “Brahman” or “Pure consciousness ” , we see it as a multifarious divided world. What is actually ” Advaitam” (Non-Dual) we see it as a “dvait” (Dual) world i.e. I am separate from you. All are separate discrete independent entities . That’s what we experience the world as . But, this is not true, truth is that Turiya is “one undivided reality” which you are!!which we all are!!
Incase of a Dream ( Taijasa ) we do not feel we are fully conscious in dream . Like this waking world , mind is constructing the dream world so we are unware and unconscious about it. Hence , in dream also we are ignorant of our true nature i.e. Turiya (pure consciousness) and yes we have Error in the dream state, because we are seeing a dream world , with a dream body experiencing the dreams , & only after we wake up we realize its a dream but there it seems to be pretty real.
In the state of Deep sleep ( Prajñā ) , I am asleep there is complete blankness or nothing. I don’t even know that I am asleep. I don’t know any thing. I don’t know myself and I don’t know the world also. Nothing just blankness .
So, now in Prajñā do we have “Ignorance” ?? Yes, we do have “Ignorance”. The reason is because I don’t know myself in a deep sleep.
Do we have “Error” in Prajñā?? No, we do not have “Error”. In deep sleep the error of “Dvait” i.e. there is separate existence apart from me , that error is not there. The knowledge of Advaita or Pure consciousness is not there but the error is also not there!
And finally Gaudapadacharya mentions – In Turiya , there is neither Ignorance nor Error! When we realize ourselves as “Turiya” then there is no error. I know that I am Pure Consciousness. When I see this world I see everything thing but I know its no different from me. I am the pure consciousness , what I am, appears infront of me . I am one with all of you! I am the one with everything that I experience! This knowledge will be there when I am looking at the world & experiencing it as Turiya in the waking state .
That is the reason great saints have instinctive identity with the people. They feel the sense of “Oneness” with everybody!!
In Bhagavad Gita , again and again you will come across this term ” समदर्शन:” (Samdarshan) i.e.
Saints who have realized that they are pure consciousness they have समदर्शन: (samadarshan) towards friends and enemy !! Deep inside they know that ‘I am appearing inside these forms’.
Towards wealth & poverty the have समदर्शन: (samadarshan)
Ignorance
Error
Agrahanam / अग्राह्यम् ( which cannot be grasped) or Non- Perception
anyatha-grahanam /अन्यथाग्रहण (grasped something else or wrongly grasped ) or Non-apprehension
Karanam /कारणम् (Cause)
Karyam / कार्यं (effect)
bijam/बीज ( seed)
Ankur /अङ्कुर(Sprout)
Nidra /निद्रा (Sleep) / spiritual ignorance
svápna / स्वप्न (Dream)/
There are few terms which Gaudapadacharya has used for ignorance and error-
Ignorance is अग्राह्यम् / Agrahanam about my true nature due to which I make an error i.e. anyatha-grahanam , which means you have not even grasped the true nature who you are but also have understood it wrongly . That’s why it is an error.
Ignorance is the cause (कारणम्) and Error is the effect (कार्यं ) . As mentioned in the above example for a rope & snake – I don’t know the “rope” that is the cause of seeing a snake. And the moment I realise its a rope the effect is gone , and I no longer say its a snake .
Ignorance is the seed (बीज ) and Sprout (अङ्कुर() is the effect. Hence, from Ignorance comes the seedling (sprout) of Error. All the problems of this world (Saṃsāra) has come from a small seed of not knowing the reality i.e. Turiya
Gaudapadacharya says not knowing the true nature is Sleep (निद्रा ) . i.e. you are asleep, and the Error you make is that – “I am this body & mind” , “I am this limited individual” , “these are my friends”, “these are my enemies” , “this is my goal in life” , “this is my failure”, “happiness”, “sadness”, etc. all this , this enormous world (Saṃsāra) which we see infront of us that is an ERROR called as “DREAM”(स्वप्न).
The interesting thing is that both the “Waking” state and the “Dream” state are called DREAM by Gaudapadacharya. We do not know the reality in both states.
Your life is like a dream (स्वप्नवत) and the waking which you have got that’s also a Dream!
We are in the sleep of Ignorance making the dream of Error!
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 :
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 .
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.
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,
The Waker is apart from the dreamer
The Dreamer is apart from the sleeper
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 !!
One day King Janaka was sleeping peacefully and suddenly a commander came running to him shouting “Maharaj ji get up !! we have been attacked by an enemy!! ” .
King Janaka immediately got up and summoned all his generals, commanders and soldiers, put up his sword & armor and went off to fight the battle. And there was a fierce battle in which king Janaka was ‘Defeated‘ !! . King Janaka was wounded, captured by the enemies , dragged before the enemy king and the enemy king said to king Janaka ” Your kingdom is now mine !! . Since you’re a King , I won’t kill you, but I will Exile you!! You get out of this Kingdom!!” Poor king Janak was depressed , sad, tired & exhausted . Somehow he started walking to get some food & water and found that surprisingly! people in his own capital earlier refused to offer him food or water as they were all afraid of the new King . The new King was very cruel and anyone who would offer even food and water to King Janaka would get punished . After walking for two days he came to the border of his kingdom and across the border was the next kingdom where he found that food was getting served to poor people / beggars in a line. He joined that line and as he advanced in the queue when he came up to the place where the food was getting served by that time all food was finished !! He could not take it anymore , he was terribly exhausted ! and the person who was serving food said ‘just the starch lying at the bottom of the bowl is there , if you want it I can give you“. King Janaka said ” ok sure give me ” and the starch was served to his plate . As soon as the king Janaka lift the bowl and put the food in his mouth , a big kite bird dived and hit the bowl and knocked it out of the hands of king Janak. All the left out food which he was about to eat spilled on the floor some of it the bird ate it. Now, King Janaka was extremely exhausted and started crying & fell on the ground! Alas !! Suddenly king Janaka heard a voice ” Maharaj ji what happened , why are you crying ?? “ and … King Janaka Woke up completely wet in sweat !!He looked up and realized that it was all a DREAM!! Since the king Janaka had a very analytical mind he started thinking what is the “TRUTH” King Janaka asked his Commander ” Wo sachh …. ya ye sachh ” ? Commander was unable to understand so he called the Queen. Queen came in and asked the King what happened ?? King Janaka again said the same thing ” Wo sachh..Ya ye sachh! ” But nobody could understand him. Next day in the morning this news spread in the city and people were talking about this ! On that day ! Ashtavakra muni came into the city and he was walking in the city & he heard all the talks going on between the people about this .. so he decides to visit King Janaka! Ashtavakra muni went to meet king Janaka and as soon as he enter the court room he asked the King Janak ” How are you?? King Janaka replied the same thing he is repeating since he woke up i.e. ” Wo sachh.. Ya ye sachh“? Nobody in the court room was able to understand this question of King Janak . But, Ashtavakra muni understood and asked the King Janaka ..” When you were in the battle field experiencing the defeat, hunger depression sorrow were you there??” King Janaka said “Yes, I was there and I experienced it all even though it was a dream but I experienced it …the defeat , the sorrow, the hunger everything… “ So, Ashtavakra muni again asked King Janaka ” At that time were all these things which you see now the court room full of courtiers , all this luxury , wealth , was this present at that time ?“ King Janaka said ” No, none of this was present in the dream… only defeat , depression, sadness , hunger was there in the dream ” then again, Ashtavakra muni asked to king Janaka ” do you experience the depression , sadness , misery which you experienced in dream here Now when you are sitting in the court room with all your courtiers around with all the luxury and wealth , is it here??“ King said ” No, here the experience of dream is not here ” . Then Ashtavakra muni said ..”Neither this is the truth nor that is the truth ” King Janaka was confused and asked the Ashtavakra muni ” Then, what is the truth???” Ashtavakra muni replied ” When you were dreaming… ‘YOU’ were experiencing the bad situations , Now ‘YOU’ are experiencing the good situation .’YOU’ are the witness experiencing both situation. So only “YOU” alone is the TRUTH . Neither the dream was the truth, nor the present situation only “YOU” alone witnessing both situations is the TRUTH “
न अन्तःप्रज्ञम्। न वहिःप्रज्ञम्। न उभयतःप्रज्ञम्। न प्रज्ञानधनम्। न प्रज्ञम्। न अप्रज्ञम्। अदृष्टम् अव्यवहार्यम् अग्राह्यम् अलक्षणम् अचिन्त्यम् अव्यपदेश्यम् एकात्मप्रत्यसारं प्रपञ्चोपशमम् शान्तं शिवम् अद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते विवेकिनः । सः आत्मा सः विज्ञेयः ॥
Anvaya Transliteration
na antaḥprajñam | na vahiḥprajñam | na ubhayataḥprajñam| na prajñānadhanam| na prajñam| na aprajñam| adṛṣṭam avyavahāryam agrāhyam alakṣaṇam acintyam avyapadeśyam ekātmapratyasāraṁ prapañcopaśamam śāntaṁ śivam advaitaṁ caturthaṁ manyante ( vivekinaḥ )| saḥ ātmā saḥ vijñeyaḥ ||
Expanation of the Mantra
न अन्तःप्रज्ञम् / na antaḥprajñam – ‘YOU’ the ‘Turiya’ are not the dreamer
न वहिःप्रज्ञम् / na vahiḥprajñam – ‘YOU” the ‘Turiya’ are not the waker .
This means You are not the person named as Mr. SO & SO but “YOU” are the consciousness or Turiya illumining this temporary appearance of physcial body and mind in the waking state .
न उभयतःप्रज्ञम् / na ubhayataḥprajñam – ‘YOU’ the ‘TURIYA’ are not something in between waker or dreamer i.e state which is inbetween waking and dream .
न प्रज्ञानधनम् / na prajñānadhanam – ‘YOU’ the ‘TURIYA’ are not the Sleeper i.e. the person who is in a Deep Sleep or Sushupti state .
न प्रज्ञम्। न अप्रज्ञम् / na prajñam| na aprajñam – ‘YOU’ the ‘TURIYA” you are niether any kind of omniscient God ( Bhagwan or Ishwar) and niether you are Sentient ( जड़ वस्तु ) .
अदृष्टम् / adṛṣṭam – ‘YOU” the ‘TURIYA” is not an object of our five sense organs. It is not the subject of normal vision. You cannot see , smell , taste or hear the ‘TURIYA’
अव्यवहार्यम् / avyavahāryam – ‘YOU” the ‘TURIYA’ is not with in transaction. ( Transaction means usable)i.e. pure Consciousness is not an object which can be talked about , seen , felt and used . It is not transactable it is अव्यवहार्यम् . But, remember it is the ground source of all Vyavahar . Without this ‘Turiya’ none of this (touch, smell, see ,taste) can occur. In the light of Turiya everything is illumined.
अग्राह्यम् / agrāhyam – ‘YOU’ the ‘TURIYA” cannot be grasped . It is not the subject of the panch karma indriyas i.e You cannot hold ‘Turiya’ into your hands and you also cannot walk to a turiya just like you walk to pilgrimage . It is not possible to walk to Turiya.
अलक्षणम् / alakṣaṇam – ‘YOU’ the ‘TURIYA’ cannot be inferred.
For e.g if we say ‘the road is wet’ , then what do you infer that there was rain earlier thats why the road is wet . Similarly , There is fire on the hill because I could see smoke coming out of the hill . here there is a relation between smoke and fire .So, if i see smoke i can “infer” that there was fire earlier due to which there is smoke . But , it is not possible to infer TURIYA. Here ‘alakṣaṇam’ means there is no sign by which you can infer to TURIYA.
अचिन्त्यम् / acintyam – ‘YOU’ the ‘TURIYA’ cannot think about it . But, remember the opposite also holds – whatever you think about ,is illumined by the ‘TURIYA’.
अव्यपदेश्यम् / avyapadeśyam – It literally means you cannot name “TURIYA”. It cannot be named.
Shankarayacharya tried to explain this that why “TURIYA” cannot be named –
Where can we use language???there are 5 areas where language can be used but none of the 5 applies to the “TURIYA”. as mentioned below
We could use language if there is some species (जाति) .i.e if some object belongs to a class you could use language like e.g ‘COW’ as we know the characterstics of the cow we could match it with the set and say it belongs to that set . But there is NO class for “TURIYA” . it cannot be part of a class (जाति).
We could use language if there is some Quality (गुण): If you say ” Give me a Red flower ” you are distinguishing the other flowers from ‘Red Flower ‘ by the quality of its colour red. But You cannot say that ” TURIYA” is red or any other colour. “TURIYA” is beyond all quality it is supposed to be called as Nirgunam (निर्गुण).
We could use language if there is some Action (क्रिया) : For e.eg if you are saying ” Call the cook ” how did you use language , by the function of that person. But “TURIYA” has no activity , it is niShkriyaM (निष्क्रियं)
We could use language if there is some Relationship (संबंध) : e.g if you say call the teacher , that means there is a student teacher relation, here we are talking where we can address one as a student and another as teacher . But , with ‘TURIYA” there is no second apart from it , it is the only unchanging reality .
We could use language if there is Convention ( रूढि ) : e.g if you say ” this persons name is prakash”, to call somebody you have to point out to that person i.e. apart from all other objects this person is now on called as prakash . But you cannot point out “TURIYA” that way .
Hence ” LANGUAGE” cannot operate for “TURIYA”
एकात्मप्रत्यसारं / ekātmapratyasāraṁ – ‘Ek’ means one , ‘Atma’ means atma, ‘Prataya’ means congnition , ‘Saram’ means essence . The feeling of “Atmapratya” or I .
i.e. ” If you follow the essence of ‘I” ness (Conscious I in all states ) you shall reach “TURIYA”.
प्रपञ्चोपशमम् / prapañcopaśamam – “TURIYA” is completely untouched by the Jagrit Prapanch ( Waking state ), Swapna Prapanch ( dream state) and Sushupti ( deepsleep ) even though all these three states are illumined by the TURIYA.
शान्तं / śāntaṁ – TURIYA is absolutely Peaceful and ever undisturbed . There is no world to disturb the TURIYA. That is the reality of TURIYA.
शिवम् / śivam – Shivam here means TURIYA is anand swaroopam . It is full of Joy.
अद्वैतं / advaitaṁ – “Advaitam ” means non dual , because there is nothing apart from TURIYA , Just as GOLD is advaitam with respect to Bangle , necklace and Ring .
चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते विवेकिनः / caturthaṁ manyante ( vivekinaḥ ) : Foolish people think there is a 4th reality apart from remaining 3 but actually “TURIYA” is the only reality in whose light the entire game of the waking world ( Jagrit state ) , Dream world ( Swapna state ) and Deep Sleep ( Sushupti ) is illumined .
सः आत्मा सः विज्ञेयः / saḥ ātmā saḥ vijñeyaḥ :
“saḥ ātmā” means that, the answer to the question “who am i” is TURIYA .
“saḥ vijñeyaḥ” means it need to be realised . Just by listening about TURIYA wont work we need to realise it as well.
