The pinnacle of the wisdom and practices of the ancient sages of Yog is contained in the terse twelve verses of the Maandookya Upanishad, which outlines the philosophy and practices of the Om Mantra.

It has been said that the juice of the Ved is in the Upanishad, and the juice of the Upanishad is in the Maandookya Upanishad. Om Mantra is also suggested as a direct route to Samaadhi in the Yog Sootra The teachings of the Maandookya Upanishad are well worth deep study, discussion, reflection and contemplation. By faithfully and intently engaging these twelve verses, all of the other written and oral teachings can be explored as expansions of the foundation principles and practices encapsulated in this succinct summary. It is not only a most insightful writing, but also a complete outline for Saadhanaa, enlightenment practices. The Om Mantra is a roadmap of the entire process of Saadhanaa and a most practical tool for Self-Realization.

Verses 1-2 describe the Self and the Absolute.
Verses 3-7 explain the four levels of consciousness, and
Verses 8-12 outline the four aspects of Om

The Self and the Absolute (1-2):
(1) Hari Om. Om-ity-etad- aksharam- idam sarvam, tasyopavyakhyanam bhootam bhavad bhavishyaditi sarvam-omkaar eva. Yaccanyat trikalatitam tadapi omkaar eva.

All is OM: Hari Om. The whole universe is the syllable Om. Following is the exposition of Om. Everything that was, is, or will be is, in truth Om. All else which transcends time, space, and causation is also Om.

(2) Sarvam hyetad brahmayam-atma brahma soyamatma chatushpat

Aatmaa has four aspects: All of this, everywhere, is in truth Brahm, the Absolute Reality. This very Self itself, Aatmaa, is also Brahm, the Absolute Reality. This Aatmaa or Self has four aspects through which it operates.

Four Levels of Consciousness (3-7):
(3) Jaagarit-sthaano bahish-pragyah Saptaang ekonavimsatimukhah sthool-bhug vaishwaanarah prathamah padah

First is Waking / Gross: The first aspect of Aatmaa is the Self in the Waking state, Vaishwaanar. In this first state, consciousness is turned outward to the external world. Through its seven instruments and nineteen channels it experiences the gross objects of the phenomenal world.

(4) Swapn-sthaano'ntah-pragyah saptaang ekonavimsatimukhah praviviktabhuk taijaso dwiteeyah padah.

Second is Dreaming / Subtle: The second aspect of Aatmaa is the Self in the Dreaming state, Taijas. In this second state, consciousness is turned towards the inner world. It also operates through seven instruments and nineteen channels, which engage the subtle objects of the mental realm.

(5) Yatra supto na kanchana kaamam kaamaayate na kanchana swapnam pashyati tat sushuptam. Sushupta-asth─Бna ekeebhootah pragyanaghana eva aanandamayo hyanandabhuk chetomukhah pragyastrityah padah.

Third is Deep Sleep / Causal: The third aspect of Aatmaa is the Self operating in the Deep Sleep state, Pragyaa. In this third state, there is neither the desire for any gross or subtle object, nor any dream sequences. In deep sleep, all such experiences have receded or merged into the ground of undifferentiated consciousness. Here, one is filled with the experience of bliss, and can also find the way to clearer knowledge of the two preceding states.

(6) Eesh sarveshwar eesh sarvagya esho'ntaryaamee- eash yonih sarvasya prabhavapyayau hi bhootaanaam.

Find the Experiencer: The one who experiences all of these states of consciousness is the omniscient, indwelling source and director of all. This one is the womb out of which all of the other emerges. All things originate from and dissolve back into this source.

(7) Nantah-pragyam na bahih-pragyam, nobhayatah-pragyam na pragyana-ghanam na pragyam napragyam.
Adrishtam-avyavahaar ayam-agrahyam- alakshanam-achintyam -avyapadesyam- ekaatmaa-pratyayasaram, prapanchopasarnam santam shivam-adwaitam chaturtham manyante sa tm sa vigyeyah.

The Fourth Aspect is Tureeya: The fourth aspect of Atman or Self is Tureeya, literally the fourth. In this fourth state, consciousness is neither turned outward nor inward. Nor is it both outward and inward; it is beyond both cognition and the absence of cognition. This fourth state of Tureeya cannot be experienced through the senses or known by comparison, deductive reasoning or inference; it is indescribable, incomprehensible, and unthinkable with the mind. This is Pure Consciousness itself. This is the real Self. It is within the cessation of all phenomena. It is serene, tranquil, filled with bliss, and is one without second. This is the real or true Self that is to be realized.

Four Aspects of Aum (8-12):

(8) So'yam-aatmaa adhyaksharam- omkaaro dhimaatram pada matra maatrashch padaakar ukaro makar iti.

Those Four are the Same with "A-U-M" and Silence: That Om, though described as having four states, is indivisible; it is pure Consciousness itself. That Consciousness is Om. The three sounds A-U-M (ah, ou, mm) and the three letters A, U, M are identical with the three states of waking, dreaming, and sleeping, and these three states are identical with the three sounds and letters. The fourth state, Tureeya is to be realized only in the silence behind or beyond the other three.

(9) Jaagarit-sthaano vaishwaanaro'karah pratham maatra. apteradimatvad- vapnoti ha vai sarvan kamanadishch bhavati ya evam ved.

The Sound "A" is Waking / Gross: Vaishwaanar is the consciousness experienced during the waking state, and is A, the first letter of Om. That simple sound of A is first and permeates all other sounds. One who is aware of this first level of reality has fulfillment of all longings and is successful.

(10) Swapna-sthaan taijas ukaaro dwiteeya maatrotkarshadu- ubhayatvad- votkarsati ha vai gyaan-santatim samanashch bhavati nasyabrahmavit kule bhavati ya evam ved.

The Sound "U" is Dreaming / Subtle: Taijas is the consciousness experienced during the dreaming state, and is U, the second letter of Om. This intermediate state operates between the waking and sleeping states, reflecting some qualities of the other two. One who knows this subtler state is superior to others. For one who knows this, knower of Brahm, the Absolute Reality, will be born into his family.

(11) Sushupt-sthaanah pragyo makras triteeya mtr miterapiter va minoti ha va idam sarvam-apitishch bhavati ya evam ved.

The Sound "M" is Deep Sleep / Causal: Pragyaa is the consciousness experienced during the state of dreamless, deep sleep, and is M, the third letter of Om. It contains the other two, and is that from which the other two emerge, and into they recede or merge. A knower of this more subtle state can understand all within himself.

(12) Amatras-chaturtho' vyavahaaryah prapanchopasamah shivo'dwait evamomkara aatmaiva samvisaty-atman- aatmaanam ya evam ved.

Silence after "A-U-M" is the True Self: The fourth aspect is the soundless aspect of Om. It is not utterable and is not comprehended through the senses or by the mind. With the cessation of all phenomena, even of bliss, this soundless aspect becomes known. It is a state of non-dual (A-Ddwait) reality, one without a second. This fourth state, Tureeya, is the real Self or true Self. One with direct experience of this expands to Universal Consciousness.

Introspective Approach in Maandookya Upanishad

What is the possible source of all consciousness? This is the crux of the philosophical inquiry into the vast and ocean-like nature of total human experience to extract the ultimate experience of the Supreme Brahman. Also central to the issue is the perception of the permanent versus the ephemeral quality of the experience.

The Maandookya Upanishad analyses the waking, dreaming and deep sleep states that every individual is familiar with to arrive at an understanding of the Self that eternally exists, yet remains unknown.

The Self is the one who experiences the thoughts and actions in all these states, but is unaffected by these and remains free and pure. It is ignorance in us that makes us identify the Self with the passing and short-lived experiences. These experiences do not have any absolute reality.

The first state is the waking state (Vishwa) where there is awareness of the gross world and its activities.
The second, the dream state (Taijas), is where the experiences are of a subtle nature, since they are felt as mental impressions; the mind alone is active and does not factor the sense organs or the gross body.
The third state is that of deep sleep (Sushupt), which is also known as Pragyaa. In this state, there is no desire for, or awareness of, the external or the internal world; no thought is felt and only knowledge and bliss remain.
Beyond all these states is the Tureeya which is the essence of pure consciousness. In fact, it cannot be called a state, because it transcends all states. It has no connection with the finite world.

Universal Validity
The revelation experienced in this state is unthinkable, unnamable and ungraspable, say the scriptures. The Tureeya state leads to a reality which is beyond what is known or understood as subject or object. Yet it has a universal validity in terms of human experience and it is communicable in human terms. The Maandookya Upanishad makes a distinction between the respective
experiences. It makes an introspective approach and begins from the sensible and changeable, to the mind which dreams, then to the soul which thinks and finally to the divine within yet beyond all these.