Shlokas and meanings

About Vedas & Upanishads

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Shravanam – Hear the knowledge!

Mananam – Reason the knowledge!

Nidhi-Dhyasanam – Then meditate!

Introduction 

“Vedanta Nama Upanishad Pramana ~”. (Vedanta’s are the teachings of the Upanishads’s . The Philosophy based on the teaching of the Upanishads is Vedanta. 

Most of you are familiar with the term Vedanta and the Upanishad to some extent . The Upanishad presents the highest philosophical teachings of the Vedas. These are among the most ancient text known to the mankind. 

There is a long list of Upanishads . In fact , in one of the Upanishads called “Muktika Upanishads” we find a list of 108 Upanishads . 

But among all of these Upanishads there are around 10 or 11 “major ” Upanishads .

Why major??? Because Adi Shankaracharya  some 1200 or 1300 years ago chose these Upanishads to write his commentary  (“Bhashyam”) on these Upanishads and since then these Upanishads have become the central text of “VEDANTA”

Adi Shankaracharya interpreted these Upanishads in a non-dualistic fashion , So his teaching are called as “Advaita Vedanta” . 

Among all these Upanishad there is a one Upanishad which is the smallest and also regarded as the toughest and i.e. called as the “Mandukya Upanishad “. 

There is a saying – ” mumukshunam vimuktaye Mandukyam ekam eva alam “

For the liberation of those who want spiritual Enlightenment ‘ for them Mandukya Upanishad alone is sufficient. In the ‘Atharva Veda’ this Upanishad can be found with 12 mantras. 

In this Mandukya Upanishad the central Mantra is the 7th Mantra , which is the core mantra of the entire Upanishad which gives the highest possible and sophisticated answers. 

Mandukya Upanishad was commented by “Gaudpadacharya ” and he wrote verses on the Mandukya Upanishads called Mandukya Karikas !!

Decision Making – Shreyas & Preyas!

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Decision Making – Shreyas & Preyas!

As per Kathopanishad there are two paths while taking a decision :

  1. Shreyas : What is good for me ? (which is good us )
  2. Preyas : What is pleasant for me ? (something which is pleasing to our senses )

For Example – I am Dieting !

Shreyas ( What is good for me ? )Preyas ( What is pleasant for me ?)
Good food which maintains good healthFood which gives instant pleasurable taste
Good wealth which maintain lifestyle Greed
Good music which keeps mind peaceful and no harm to earsLoud music which may gives pleasure in the beginning but later it may damage ears
Waking up early in the morningSleeping in a cozy bed

Whenever we have a choice like this we need to make a “DECISION” .

While taking a decision we should not just select one option but also completely cut the other option which is not chosen e.g.

The reason is if I am not completely cutting the option B and leave it open and then same thing will happen I will slowly consume little bit of sugar intake and think we will follow the routine from next day . So, decision of choices should always be done in a Right Way !

“So Shri Krishna says the definition of decision is to cut or completely remove the option which you are not going to do in life rather than keeping it open . Also while taking a decision select “Shreyas” in place of “Preyas” !”

Krishna Mentions to chose “Shreyas” rather than “Preyas” while deciding the choice .

Verse 1.18: Eliminating Distinctions-A Journey to Self-Realization

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Verse 1.18

विकल्पो विनिवर्तेत कल्पितो यदि केनचित् ।
उपदेशादयं वादो ज्ञाते द्वैतं न विद्यते ॥ १८ ॥

vikalpo vinivarteta kalpito yadi kenacit |
upadeśādayaṃ vādo jñāte dvaitaṃ na vidyate || 18 ||

Gaudapadacharya says – all this differences would disappear guru-shishya (Student-Teacher), Knower and known ” I am the illiterate who has now realised turiya” , these differences would disappear

उपदेशादयं वादो ज्ञाते द्वैतं न विद्यते (upadeśādayaṃ vādo jñāte dvaitaṃ na vidyate) – all these distinctions have been set-forth by the Upanishads for purposes of instructions. The reason is because we feel it this way , but once we realise turiya , the feeling of Oneness arises ….satchitdanand roop arises ! sat chit and anand !!

“न मे मृत्युशंका न मे जातिभेदः पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्म।
न बन्धुर्न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्यः चिदानंदरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥५॥“

At last Ashtavakra Muni said to King Janaka! I will give you advait Gyan but you give me guru daskhina first , because after the gyan there wont be any guru or shishya … as oneness arises!!

Chidananda roopah shivoham shivoham !!

Verse 1.16: The Awakening from Maya

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Verse 1.16

अनादिमायया सुप्तो यदा जीवः प्रबुध्यते ।
अजमनिद्रमस्वप्नमद्वैतं बुध्यते तदा ॥ १६ ॥

anādimāyayā supto yadā jīvaḥ prabudhyate |
ajamanidramasvapnamadvaitaṃ budhyate tadā || 16 ||

I ( the viswa “waking state”) am asleep in Ignorance due to Maya since Beginningless!!

When did the Ignorance started??? Gaudapadacharya says ! it is from beginningless ….

Infact , all the ignorance is Beginningless !! How??

If I ask you - "Do You know German?", suppose you don't know German then you will say , "No , I don't Know German". 
So, You are ignorant about German!

Now again , If I ask you "Since when you are ignorant about German" ??

You say " since my birth I do not know German ! oh so, before your birth you knew German...? NO!! Hence You are ignorant about German from (अनादि) Beginningless..!!

But , Ignorance has an end … When does it end ??When we take up a book and start learning German!.

Similarly, Ignorance is actually Beginningless (अनादि ), but It can end . When knowledge comes it Ends !

अनादिमायया सुप्तो (anādimāyayā supto) – You cannot say since when you are in Ignorance!

यदा जीवः प्रबुध्यते (jīvaḥ prabudhyate) – when the jīvaḥ (जीवः ) awakens (प्रबुध्यते ) {Buddha came from here }

अजमनिद्रमस्वप्नमद्वैतं बुध्यते तदा ( ajamanidramasvapnamadvaitaṃ budhyate tadā ) – Then I realise

  • I am अजम (Ajam) i.e Unborn
  • I am anidram (अनिद्रम ) i.e Sleepless (without sleep) —-> referring that I am not prājñaḥ
  • I am asvapnam ( अस्वप्नम ) i.e. without dream —-> referring that I am not the Taijasa
  • I am advaitaṃ (अद्वैत) i.e. there is no second reality apart from me , I am the Viswa in waking state , I am the taijasa in the dream state and I am the prājñaḥ in the deep sleep state. Where “Viswa” , “Taijasa” and “prājñaḥ” are all appearances but the reality in all is “Turiya”

Another big questions comes in Mind is after realisation ,will this world disappear ??? will there be body after realisation?? will the body live after realisation ??

Refer next blog for the answer…..

Verse 1.15: Understanding Dreams in Spiritual Contexts

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Verse 1.15

अन्यथा गृह्णतः स्वप्नो निद्रा तत्त्वमजानतः ।
विपर्यासे तयोः क्षीणे तुरीयं पदमश्नुते ॥ १५ ॥

anyathā gṛhṇataḥ svapno nidrā tattvamajānataḥ |
viparyāse tayoḥ kṣīṇe turīyaṃ padamaśnute || 15 ||

What is a dream (Svapna) ? Its a wrong understanding or mistake (अन्यथाग्रहण )! { a rope is mistakenly seen as a snake }

“I donot know the reality (Turiya) and I see an Error or the ‘Dream world’“

निद्रा तत्त्वमजानतः / nidrā tattvamajānataḥ – Here , Nidra means doesnot know the reality (तत्त्वमजानतः )

विपर्यासे तयोः क्षीणे (viparyāse tayoḥ kṣīṇe) – It means when Ignorance goes away … how?? By knowledge then ….

‘turīyaṃ padamaśnute‘ (तुरीयं पदमश्नुते ) : i.e. you realise yourself as the pure consciousness “Turiya”.

Verse 1.14: The Concept of Turiya in Spiritual Awakening

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Verse 1.14

स्वप्ननिद्रायुतावाद्यौ प्राज्ञस्त्वस्वप्ननिद्रया ।
न निद्रां नैव च स्वप्नं तुर्ये पश्यन्ति निश्चिताः ॥ १४ ॥

svapnanidrāyutāvādyau prājñastvasvapnanidrayā |
na nidrāṃ naiva ca svapnaṃ turye paśyanti niścitāḥ || 14 ||

It means “Viswa” the waker & “Taijasa” the dreamer they have swapna (dream) & nidra (sleep) i.e. they have ignorance and error!

‘prājñaḥ’ has only nidra ( the deep sleep or sleep blankness) without dream i.e. A sleep without a dream or “Ignorance without Error“! However,

“Turiya” the pure consciousness has niether sleep nor dream i.e. niether Ignorance nor Error!

Verse 1.13: Understanding Dvaita and Turiya

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Verse 1.13

द्वैतस्याग्रहणं तुल्यमुभयोः प्राज्ञतुर्ययोः ।
बीजनिद्रायुतः प्राज्ञः सा च तुर्ये न विद्यते ॥ १३ ॥

dvaitasyāgrahaṇaṃ tulyamubhayoḥ prājñaturyayoḥ |
bījanidrāyutaḥ prājñaḥ sā ca turye na vidyate || 13 ||

It means , “Dvaitam” a separate reality or Error is not seen by the ” prājñaḥ ” the deep sleeper and “Turiya” the pure consciousness. But, the ” prājñaḥ ” or the one who is in deep sleep is associated to Nidra (i.e Ignorance / blankness), where as, “Turiya” doesnot have ignorance (or deep sleep blankness) .

” prājñaḥ ” donot see dvaita (seperate reality) niether turiya see any seperate reality apart from it . But , ” prājñaḥ ” is covered in darnkness or blankness of deep sleep whereas , Turiya illumines everything!

Verse 1.13 mantra 7th, mandukya upanishad

Verse 1.11: Ignorance(Cause) and Error(effect) in Sleep

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Verse 1.11

कार्यकारणबद्धौ ताविष्येते विश्वतैजसौ ।
प्राज्ञः कारणबद्धस्तु द्वौ तौ तुर्ये न सिध्यतः ॥ ११॥

kāryakāraṇabaddhau tāviṣyete viśvataijasau .
prājñaḥ kāraṇabaddhastu dvau tau turye na sidhyataḥ

It means “Viswa” i.e. Waker and “Taijasa” i.e. Dreamer are associated to Karanam (Cause) & Karyam (effect) where Ignorance is the cause and Error is the effect.

In deep sleep there is Ignorance but there is no error. The nature of dream may be different for You and me i.e. every individual has different types of dream and are not same .

The nature of deep sleep is same for all beings whether it is a mosquito or tiger or elephant or monkey or human being or PHD or any successful businessman or an illiterate person, it is same for all beings !!

The reason is in deep sleep there is ignorance i.e. complete darkness , nothing to illumine by Turiya the pure consciousness!

Usually we do not experience any thing in deep sleep but “Advaita Vedanta” says –

Do you experience the lack of experience in “deep sleep”?

When we wake up we always say “I had a sound sleep”.

“How do you know you had a sound sleep ? if you experienced nothing in deep sleep .. who tells you that , you had a sound sleep ?”

The ‘who’ here is ‘Turiya’ .

Since ‘Turiya’ is the witness to all of the deep sleep blankness , hence when we wakeup we say “I had a sound sleep” .

Actually Turiya is witnessing this information updating in our conscious and subconscious mind that we had sound sleep . So ,when we wake up we know we had a sound sleep . This proves that Turiya exists and we are the Pure conscious beyond this body & mind !

It means “Viswa” i.e. Waker and “Taijasa” i.e. Dreamer are associated to Karanam (Cause) & Karyam (effect) where Ignorance is the cause and Error is the effect.

Verse 1.10: We are Pure Consciousness – Turiya

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Verse 1.10

निवृत्तेः सर्वदुःखानामीशानः प्रभुरव्ययः ।
अद्वैतः सर्वभावानां देवस्तुर्यो विभुः स्मृतः ॥ १० ॥

nivṛtteḥ sarvaduḥkhānāmīśānaḥ prabhuravyayaḥ |
advaitaḥ sarvabhāvānāṃ devasturyo vibhuḥ smṛtaḥ || 10 ||

“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)

Understanding Turiya: The Fourth State of Consciousness

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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

  1. ‘I’ is the ‘Waker’ (who is awake ) ——> experiencing the  “Waking World” or “Jagrit Prapanch” in Sanskrit
  2. ‘I’ is the Dreamer ( who is dreaming ) —> experiencing the “Dream World”
  3. ‘I” is the Sleeper ( who is in deep sleep) —> experiencing sleep blankness or no dream & thought just a sound sleep.
  4. 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 .