MANDUKYOPANISHAD

-translated by Prof K.T Pandurangi

Introduction

This Upanishad belongs to Atharvaveda. Varuna who had assumed the form of a Manduka is the sage for this Upanishad. God in his four forms of Visva, Taijasa, Prajna and Turiya is the deity for this Upanishad. This Upansigad consists of both prose and verses. There are four sections. In each section, the doctrines to be stated are first stated in prose and then elaborated in verses revealed to Chaturmukha brahma.

Thse Brahmadrsta verses are considered as a part of Gaudapada karika in Advaita tradition. However, Dvaita tradition treats them as part of Mandukya Upanishad itself.

The central theme of this Upanishad is to give an exposition of the significance of ‘Om’kara. It is brought out here that the entire ‘Om’kara conveys Aksara, i.e., Brahman, while the syllable a,u,m and nada of ‘Om’kara convey Visva, Taijasa, Prajna and Turiya forms of Brahman. The process and the purpose of creation is also explained in this Upanishad.

First Canto

This Brahman which is designated as ‘Om’ is Aksara. This is sarva, i.e, gunapurna. The explanation of Aksara is, it is same in the past, present, and future.

The Aksara i.e, God designated as ‘Om’ alone is gunapurna. The other one i.e., Chit-prakrti or Sritatva is trikalatita by the grace of God designated as ‘Om’. Brahman who is designated as Aksara and ‘Om’, alone is gunapurna. This is well known in the sruti. The God who is designated as Atman is same as Brahman.

This Atman has four forms. The first form is Vaisvanara. He resides in the eye through which one function during the waking state. He enables to comprehend the outside objects. He has seven limbs and nineteen faces. He enjoys the gross objects.

The second form is Taijasa. He resides in the neck, the place where the Jiva sees the dreams. He sees and also shows to Jiva the dream objects. He has seven limbs and nineteen faces. He enjoys the objects different from the waking state objects.

The third form is Prajna. He resides in hrtkarnika, the place where Jiva remains with the God during deep sleep. Being in this place, the Jiva does not desire anything and does not see even dreams.

This Prajna attains oneness with the other two forms, enables Jiva to comprehend Jiva’s svarupa, ajnana and kala, he enjoys bliss and enables Jiva also to enjoy bliss, he is of the nature of infinite bliss and infinite knowledge.

This Atman of four forms in the lord of all. He is omniscient , he is the regulator from within , he is the source of all and all beings arise and return back to him.

Visva reveals outside objects, Taijasa shows the dream objects within, Prajna enables to comprehend Jivasvarupa etc., during the deep sleep state. One and the same God assumes three forms.

Visva is in the right eye, Taijasa in the manas, Prajna is at the hrtkarnika akasa. Thus, these are present in three ways in the body.

Visva enjoys outside objects, Taijasa enjoys the dream objects that are distinct from the outside object, and Prajna enjoys the bliss. Thus, these enjoy in three ways.

The gross objects delight Visva, the dream objects that are distinct from outside objects delight Taijasa, the bliss delights Prajna.

He who knows the enjoyer and the objects enjoyed in the three places will not be affected by his enjoyment of objects.

The Atman of four forms is the creator of all. This is the firm conclusion of the right minded person. Prana, i.e., the creator of all, creates all.

Purusa, i.e., Purnasadguna creates Jiva containing the rays of knowledge, in many ways.

Some among those who have thought about creation is the modification of Brahman in many forms like Jiva, Jada etc. Others have imagined the creation to be the projection like the dream objects and magical creation.

Those who have firm knowledge in respect of creation, hold that the creation is due to the lord’s will only. Those who think of the time, think that all beings are born of time.

Some think that the creation is intended for the enjoyment of God. Others think that it is for his sport. However, it is the very nature of the God to create. He whose all desires are fulfilled cannot have any desire to be satisfied.

Second Canto

He does not reveal dream objects, does not reveal outside objects, does not reveal both together, does not reveal jivasvarupa etc., during deep sleep state, does not reveal the object of meditation.

However, he is not such who does not give any knowledge at all (as he gives knowledge to the liberated). He is not seen, he is not describable, not definable, unthinkable, unnammable.

He is supreme, full of attributes, of the nature of knowledge and bliss. He removes the bondage. He is auspicious, he removes the erroneous knowledge. He is the fourth form of Paramatma. He should be understood in all his four forms.

There are these verses:

The Turiya is the remover of all miseries, he is the regulator of the liberated, the Lord of all, imperishable, remover of erroneous knowledge, powerful and the goal of all beings.

The Visva and Taijasa superinted the cause i.e., avidya and its effects i.e., the erroneous experiences in waking and dream states of Jiva. Prajna superinted only the cause, i.e., avidya. However, Turiya does not superinted either the cause of the effect.

Prajna does not reveal himself to Jiva, nor other things, other than jivasvarupa sukha, ajnana and kala. He does not reveal the truth or falsehood. However, Turiya reveals every thing that a liberated jiva is entitled to see.

Both Prajna and Turiya do not cause the erroneous knowledge i.e., I and ‘mine’. However, the avidya is present when prajna superintended, while the avidya is removed, when Turiya superintends.

Those who have right knowledge know that Visva and Turiya regulate the avidya and the waking and dream states. Prajna regulates the avidya in deep sleep state, and Turiya does not cause either the waking state experiences etc., or avidya.

He who has erroneous knowledge undergoes a series of erroneous experiences during the state of waking, dream etc. One who does not know the truth, i.e, supremacy of God, continiues to be affected by avidya. When the rotation of avidya and the erroneous experiences is removed, one attains Turiya, i.e., the Supreme God.

The Jiva who is enveloped with the avidya by the will of God, gets out of the grace of God. Then, he realises the Turiya form of God who is unborn, who does not cause dream etc., states, and who removes the erroneous knowledge.

(i) The erroneous knowledge of I and mine is due to the will of God. God is designated as Advaita as he removes the erroneous knowledge. Truly known by the sages is Advaita.

(ii) The fivefold differences would have vanished if these were created. These five fold differences are cognised and guarded by God. God alone is supreme.

(i) The manifold bondage in terms of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ caused by ajnana could be removed by proper instructions. When the Supreme God is known, then no errorneous knowledge remains.

(ii) The five fold differences would have been withdrawn if these were merely projected by some agency i.e., ajnana. It is only the ignorant who fail to understand the difference. One has to understand the truth through proper instructions.

Third Skanda

The Paramatma who is designated as ‘Om’ is supreme and imperishable. He has four full forms. His forms are conveyed by a, u, m and nada. The first form i.e., Vaisvanara who superintendeds the waking state is conveyed by a. This is because, he provides the enjoyments of objects to Jiva and he comes first.

He who knows him i.e., Visva, as the provider of the enjoyment of the objects, and as coming first, will be led to liberation by Visva.

The second form of Paramatma i.e., Taijasa who superintends the dream state is conveyed by u. This is because he draws the jiva into dream state taking him out of waking state, and also because, he provides the two, viz., the sumber of the nature of absence of the experience of outside objects, and gives the experience of dream objects.

He who knows Taijasa in this way, will get permanent knowledge, will draw himself out of the bondage and joins the liberated. In his progeny none who does not know Brahman will be born.

The third form of Paramatma i.e., prajna who superintends the deep sleep state is conveyed by m. This is because he takes jiva unto him during deep sleep state and eliminates vrttijnana i.e., experiences of the waking and dream states.

He who knows prajna in this way will know the world as per his capacity and get rid of his miseries.

When one meditates upon Visva form of paramatma as conveyed by a syllable of ‘Om’ realising his abmatva, then, he will attain adimatva.

When he meditates upon him realising his aptimatva he will attain aptimatva.

When one meditates upon Taijasa form of paramatma as conveyed by u syllable of ‘Om’ realising his Utkarsa, then he attains Utakarsa.

When he meditates upon him realising his Ubhayatva, then he will attain Ubhayatva.

When the fact of Prajna being conveyed by m syllable for ‘Om’ is understood, then, one attains the knowledge to the best of his capacity. When one meditates upon him as conveyed by ‘m’ realising that he eliminates the experiences of waking and dream states, he will get rid of his miseries.

He who knows that by the meditation of these three forms of Paramatma one will attain similarity with Visva etc., in respect of atmatva etc., is respected by all and is considered as a great sage.

Visva conveyed by a syllable leads the meditator to Visva, Taijasa conveyed by u syllable leads to Taijasa, and Prajna conveyed by m syllable leads to Prajna. The mediator certainly reaches the Turiya who is not conveyed by any particular syllable.

Fourth Skanda

The Turiya i.e., the fourth form, who is not conveyed by any particular syllable, who is not describable, who removes the bondage, who is auspicious, who removes erroneous knowledge, is conveyed by the nada aspect of ‘Om’.

One who knows him in this way, casting away the attachment of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ attains Turiya paramatma with the his grace.

The Paramatma conveyed by ‘Om’ should be known as having Visva etc., four forms. These forms are conveyed by the syllables of ‘Om’. Having known the paramatma in his four forms nothing else seeds to be known.

One should fix his mind on the God conveyed by pravana i.e., ‘Om’. He is also called pranava because he causes jagrt etc., states. He is gunapurna, he is fearless.

He who fixes his mind on God conveyed by ‘Om’ shall have no fear from any quarter.

The previous incarnations of God such as Vasudeva etc., are gunapurna, the later incarnations of God such as Visva, Taijasa etc., are gunapurna.

God has no beginning, no end, he is everywhere, he is independent and changeless.

He is the cause of all, he is the sustainer and destroyer. One who knows the God conveyed by ‘Om’ in this way will attain him after he completes his prarabdhakarmabhoga.

The wise who know the God conveyed by ‘Om’ as the regulator of all. Present at the heart of all, and all pervasive will get rid of their misery.

God has many incarnations. His incarnations are not different from him. He removes erroneous knowledge, he is auspicious. One knows him as conveyed by ‘Om’ in this way, is the knower, none else is the knower, none else is the knower.

END OF MANDUKYOPANISHAD

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