Mandukya Upanishad

māṇḍūkya upaniṣad is one of the shortest and most profound Upanishads, traditionally connected with the Atharva Veda. In only twelve mantras it teaches the identity of ātmā and Brahman through the analysis of ōṃ and the four quarters of consciousness: waking, dream, deep sleep, and turīya.

The text is foundational for Advaita Vedanta, especially through Gaudapada's Karika and Shankara's bhashya. Its opening declares that all this is ōṃ, and that the Self is Brahman. It then shows that the waking experiencer, dream experiencer, and deep-sleep experiencer are not the final Self; they are understood through the fourth, which is not a state among states but the non-dual reality.

ō-mbha̠dra-ṅkarṇē̍bhi-śśṛṇu̠yāma̍ dēvāḥ । bha̠dra-mpa̍śyēmā̠kṣabhi̠-ryaja̍trāḥ । sthi̠rairaṅgai̎stuṣṭu̠vāgṃ sa̍sta̠nūbhi̍ḥ । vyaśē̍ma dē̠vahi̍ta̠ṃ yadāyu̍ḥ । sva̠sti na̠ indrō̍ vṛ̠ddhaśra̍vāḥ । sva̠sti na̍ḥ pū̠ṣā vi̠śvavē̍dāḥ । sva̠sti na̠stārkṣyō̠ ari̍ṣṭanēmiḥ । sva̠sti nō̠ bṛha̠spati̍-rdadhātu ॥
ōṃ śānti̠-śśānti̠-śśānti̍ḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The peace invocation prays that hearing, sight, limbs, speech, and life remain strong for the pursuit of Brahman.

॥ atha māṇḍūkyōpaniṣat ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
This title announces the beginning of the Mandukya Upanishad.

hariḥ ōm ।
ōmityētadakṣaramidagṃ sarvaṃ tasyōpavyākhyānaṃ
bhūtaṃ bhavad bhaviṣyaditi sarvamōṅkāra ēva
yachchānyat trikālātītaṃ tadapyōṅkāra ēva ॥ 1 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The Upanishad declares that Om is all this: past, present, future, and whatever is beyond time.

sarvagṃ hyētad brahmāyamātmā brahma sō'yamātmā chatuṣpāt ॥ 2 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
It states the mahavakya: all this is Brahman, and this Self is Brahman, having four quarters.

jāgaritasthānō bahiṣprajñaḥ saptāṅga ēkōnaviṃśatimukhaḥ
sthūlabhugvaiśvānaraḥ prathamaḥ pādaḥ ॥ 3 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The waking self, Vaishvanara, is outward-knowing, seven-limbed, nineteen-mouthed, and experiences gross objects.

svapnasthānō'ntaḥprajñaḥ saptāṅga ēkōnaviṃśatimukhaḥ
praviviktabhuktaijasō dvitīyaḥ pādaḥ ॥ 4 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The dream self, Taijasa, is inward-knowing, seven-limbed, nineteen-mouthed, and experiences subtle objects.

yatra suptō na kañchana kāmaṃ kāmayatē na kañchana svapnaṃ
paśyati tat suṣuptam । suṣuptasthāna ēkībhūtaḥ prajñānaghana
ēvānandamayō hyānandabhuk chētōmukhaḥ prājñastṛtīyaḥ pādaḥ ॥ 5 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Deep sleep is the state where one desires nothing and sees no dream; the experiencer there is Prajna, a mass of undifferentiated awareness and bliss.

ēṣa sarvēśvaraḥ ēṣa sarvajña ēṣō'ntaryāmyēṣa yōniḥ sarvasya
prabhavāpyayau hi bhūtānām ॥ 6 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Prajna is the Lord of all, knower of all, inner controller, source and dissolution of beings.

nāntaḥprajñaṃ na bahiṣprajñaṃ nōbhayataḥprajñaṃ na prajñānaghanaṃ
na prajñaṃ nāprajñam । adṛṣṭamavyavahāryamagrāhyamalakṣaṇaṃ
achintyamavyapadēśyamēkātmapratyayasāraṃ prapañchōpaśamaṃ
śāntaṃ śivamadvaitaṃ chaturthaṃ manyantē sa ātmā sa vijñēyaḥ ॥ 7 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The fourth is not inward, outward, both, unconscious, or ordinary cognition; it is unseen, ungraspable, unthinkable, indescribable, peaceful, auspicious, and non-dual.

sō'yamātmādhyakṣaramōṅkārō'dhimātraṃ pādā mātrā mātrāścha pādā
akāra ukārō makāra iti ॥ 8 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The same Self is Om with respect to sound, and its quarters are the matras A, U, and M.

jāgaritasthānō vaiśvānarō'kāraḥ prathamā mātrā''ptērādimattvād
vā''pnōti ha vai sarvān kāmānādiścha bhavati ya ēvaṃ vēda ॥ 9 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
A corresponds to the waking Vaishvanara because it is first and all-pervading; one who knows this attains desired aims and becomes foremost.

svapnasthānastaijasa ukārō dvitīyā mātrōtkarṣāt
ubhayatvādvōtkarṣati ha vai jñānasantatiṃ samānaścha bhavati
nāsyābrahmavitkulē bhavati ya ēvaṃ vēda ॥ 10 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
U corresponds to Taijasa because of elevation and intermediacy; one who knows this raises the stream of knowledge and becomes balanced.

suṣuptasthānaḥ prājñō makārastṛtīyā mātrā mitērapītērvā
minōti ha vā idaṃ sarvamapītiścha bhavati ya ēvaṃ vēda ॥ 11 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
M corresponds to Prajna because of measure and absorption; one who knows this measures all and gathers all into himself.

amātraśchaturthō'vyavahāryaḥ prapañchōpaśamaḥ śivō'dvaita
ēvamōṅkāra ātmaiva saṃviśatyātmanā''tmānaṃ ya ēvaṃ vēda ॥ 12 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The soundless fourth is beyond practical dealings, the cessation of phenomena, auspicious and non-dual; Om is the Self, and the knower enters the Self by the Self.

॥ iti māṇḍūkyōpaniṣat samāptā ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The final closing completes the Upanishadic recitation.

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