ABOUT: The Mandoukya Upanishad, considered to be the first of
the principal Upanishads is the shortest Upanishad and is from the Atharvaveda.
Among the gnostic texts, this particular Upanishad holds much significance for
it is considered to be a point confluence of the modern Buddhist and Hindu
philosophies and contains the metaphysical and spiritual explanation of the
root sound Om and the Self. It is
mentioned in the Muktika Upanishad that a complete understanding of the Mandoukya
Upanishad enables the knower to attain Mukti- the final liberation. The
Mandoukya Upanishad has been rendered in rhymes in light of Sri Aurobindo’s
translation of the same as found in “Kena
and Other Upanishads”, The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo, Vol 18.
The Mandoukya Upanishad opens with this verse which is also repeated after the
Upanishad ends
Om. O Gods,
May
only the auspicious by our ears be heard
By our eyes, may only the auspicious be observed
O
Sacrficial Lords.
Enjoying
sound bodies, your tributes may we give
In our full life-span, A life divine may we live.
May Lord Indra- the swiftest ensure our well being
May we be nourished by Pusha the all
knowing.
May the eager Tarskhya’s grace augur us well
May the same, Brihaspati accord as
well.
Om peace, Om peace, Om peace.
Om
is the indivisible immutable
That
verily holds the entire universe conceivable
The
past, the present and the future of all--
All is only Om and
Om is only all
All else that beyond the three times persists
Is also the Omniscient Om for Om is all that exists|1|
The
Universe is the Bramhan Self’s extension
And this Self is four fold in division|2|
The
conscious being awakened and outwardly located
Experiencing,
knowing and enjoying, in the material, He is situated
Possessing
seven limbs and doorways nineteen
This Vishwanara- the universal male is the first Self seen |3|
Next
is the state that dwells in the dreams
Whose
sphere portends to the inner realms
Possessing seven limbs and doorways nineteen
Enjoyer of all that is subtle-the
radiant Taijasa is seen|4|
Where
when asleep no dreams one does see
Wherein
no remnant of desire or yearning can be
In
that deep sleep, when the being awakened can remain-
In the highest state – Sushupti he is
said to reign.
Situated
in this state of oneness perfect,
Experiencing the bliss complete in every respect
Consuming bliss, He is wisdom’s lord incarnate
And
to his mind consciousness is the opening gate
This state of joy unparalleled or unheard
Is
called Pragnya- the Self’s stage
third|5|
He
is the lord of every single being
The indwelling seer all knowing and all seeing
Who is the womb of everything
And the birth and death of every living thing|6|
He
is not the gnosis of the external
Nor is he that which is solely internal,
Nor just the wisdom of both the outside and inside
He
is beyond the limits of the inside and outside
Neither
is he the gnosis, inherent or gained
Nor the void that in its absence is contained.
The
invisible and the unreachable
He
is attributeless and uncontainable
He cannot be named and is indiscernible
He
is incomprehensible and inexplicable
The
epitome of oneness, he is the One
And
other than him there is none
He is the fourth, thus they mention
The
Self’s ultimate gnosis and final dimension.|7|
And
this Self as per the fourfold description
Is
but identical to the first sonic conception
The Self is Om, the first word and sound
And in its syllables A U M it can be verily found.|8|
The
Vishwanara-the Self of the first awakening
Is
the first letter A, by virtue of its vastness
all -pervading,
He
who has thus realized and overcome desire’s thirst
Pervading all desires, he knows all thus becoming the first|9|
Taijasa
the dreamer awakened is the stage second
This
Self in the letter U does verily
extend
Denoting
excellence and central progression
Knowing
this propels the knower with an upward ascension
With
this gnosis a sameness in all he can envisage
Bereft of Bramhic gnosis, none descend in his lineage|10|
Next
is Pragnya – the innermost state of
sleep
Where dwells the being awakened in a slumber deep
In
the letter third M, this Self is
contained-
The measure by which the final entry is gained
He
who knows this attains a measure of everything
And departs into the eternal by knowing every thing|11|
The
fourth Self, the final one is sylablleless
Unspeakable,
it is the final silence that is endless
It
is in Om -The non-dual bliss of Shaivic
Oneness-
Complete
and final, the peace eternally boundless
He who knows this by his own Self, merges into
the Self
Thus He becomes the knower, Yes He knows the Self!|12|
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