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Mandukya Upanishad

The Mandukya Upanishad is considered to be the most important of the 14 Upanishads.

The complete list of Upanishads include: Chandogya , Isa, Aitareya, Mahanarayana, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya, Aitareya, Brhadaranyaka, Svetasvatara, Kausitaki, and the Maitri.

The Mandukya Upanishad is the shortest of all describing our true divinity in just 12 verses. Describing the 4 states/aspects/conditions of consciousness.

Describing the relationship of AUM to the final incommunicable phenomena, the pure, the one, the true ‘OM’.

The Four States/Aspects/Conditions of Consciousness

  • Waking/The Waker ( Vaishwanara ): You’re awake – Corresponds to the letter A
  • Dreaming/ The Dreamer ( Taijasa ): The dream world – Corresponds to the letter U
  • Dreamless Sleep/ The Sleeper ( Prajna ): Lord of wisdom, the universal – Corresponds to the letter M
  • Turiya/Super Conscious/Pure Truth: Oneness to all – Corresponds to OM

Direct English Translation of Mandukya Upanshad (PDF)

This video gives a great overview of AUM and OM and the connection to Divinity.

Download Swami Krishnananda’s interpretation of Mandukya Upanishad (english PDF)