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Mandukya Upanisad with Gaudapada's Karikaka : Truth Witness of Waking, Dream and Deep Sleep
The Mandukya-Upanisad is the shortest amongst the principal Upanisads having just 12 mantras but presents the quintessence of our entire teaching of Upanisads. It analyses the entire range of human consciousness in the three states of waking (jagrata)dream (swapna) and dreamless sleep (susupti) which are common to all humans.It asserts un-eqivocally that the Absolute Reality is non-dual(advaita) and attribute-less (nirguna). It has a unique method of approach to Truth.It provides symbol to for meditation in the mono-syllable AUM comprising of three sounds A,U,M,detailing it's philosophical implications.According to Muktikopanisad,it forms the epitome of all the hundred and eight Upanisads which have been accepted as authentic.
484 pages, Paperback
Published February 19, 2019
About the author
Chinmayananda
386 books143 followersChinmayananda Saraswati, also known as Swami Chinmayananda and born Balakrishnan Menon, was an Indian spiritual leader and teacher who inspired the formation of Chinmaya Mission in 1953 to spread the message of Vedanta. The organization, which was founded by his disciples and led by him, has over 300 centres in India and internationally.
He was a disciple of Sivananda Saraswati at Rishikesh, who founded the Divine Life Society. He was later advised by Sivananda to study under Tapovan Maharaj in Uttarkashi in the Himalayas.
He was a disciple of Sivananda Saraswati at Rishikesh, who founded the Divine Life Society. He was later advised by Sivananda to study under Tapovan Maharaj in Uttarkashi in the Himalayas.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 19, 2026
Advaita Vedanta in a nutshell: Atman= Brahman.
The Mandukya Upanishad is one of the shortest Upanishads, but also one of the most important in Advaita Vedanta. It argues that the nature of the Self (Atman) is identical with ultimate reality (Brahman). And that direct realization of this (Turiya) liberates (Moksha) from ego identification.
The Mandukya Upanishad posits four states of consciousness:
1. Waking — outward awareness of the external world.
2. Dreaming — inward awareness of the mental world.
3. Deep sleep — undifferentiated rest.
4. Turiya (“the fourth”) — not a state in the ordinary sense, but the ever-present, non-dual awareness underlying, preceding and transcending 1-3.
The text also links 1-4 to the sacred syllable AUM (Om):
A = waking
U = dreaming
M = deep sleep
SILENCE = Turiya
The main point is that our usual identity with ego (Atman) including body, mind, and passing experience is incomplete.
The real Self (Brahman) is the silent, unchanging awareness in which all experience appears. Realizing this is liberation (Moksha) entailing a radical disidentifcstion with the Atman, and an enduring deeply known identification with Brahman.
Atman=Brahman.
5/5 ⭐️
The Mandukya Upanishad is one of the shortest Upanishads, but also one of the most important in Advaita Vedanta. It argues that the nature of the Self (Atman) is identical with ultimate reality (Brahman). And that direct realization of this (Turiya) liberates (Moksha) from ego identification.
The Mandukya Upanishad posits four states of consciousness:
1. Waking — outward awareness of the external world.
2. Dreaming — inward awareness of the mental world.
3. Deep sleep — undifferentiated rest.
4. Turiya (“the fourth”) — not a state in the ordinary sense, but the ever-present, non-dual awareness underlying, preceding and transcending 1-3.
The text also links 1-4 to the sacred syllable AUM (Om):
A = waking
U = dreaming
M = deep sleep
SILENCE = Turiya
The main point is that our usual identity with ego (Atman) including body, mind, and passing experience is incomplete.
The real Self (Brahman) is the silent, unchanging awareness in which all experience appears. Realizing this is liberation (Moksha) entailing a radical disidentifcstion with the Atman, and an enduring deeply known identification with Brahman.
Atman=Brahman.
5/5 ⭐️
August 1, 2019
One of the most influential scriptures following the Bhagavad Gita, this short yet very astute Upanishad explains the philosophy and meaning behind the word AUM.
The thundering karika of Gaudapadacharya that follows, and the accompanying commentary by Gurudev need to be etched into our psyche, as the fundamental building blocks of good living.
Certainly an essential book for any advanced student of Vedanta.
The thundering karika of Gaudapadacharya that follows, and the accompanying commentary by Gurudev need to be etched into our psyche, as the fundamental building blocks of good living.
Certainly an essential book for any advanced student of Vedanta.
June 26, 2023
The Māṇḍūkya Upanishad presents the encapsulation of the entire teaching of all the Upanishads. It is the shortest amongst the principal Upanishads, having just 12 verses. A simple way to comprehend who we really are is by analyzing which part of us is enduring in all our different states of consciousness. This Upanishad brilliantly analyzes the entire range of human consciousness in the three states of waking, dream and dreamless sleep. It shows that the real self, the absolute reality, is non-dual and attribute-less. The Upanishad also provides a symbol for meditation in the monosyllable AUM comprising three sounds A, U, M.
Gauḍapāda wrote a Kārikā (glossary) on this Upanishad, providing an insight into the background of the Upanishad. It contains 215 verses. Ādi Śaṅkarācārya wrote a commentary on the Upanishad and the Kārikā together.
This wonderful commentary by Swami Chinmayananda explicates each verse in a very lucid manner. This book must be seriously studied by anyone who is intent on a thorough understanding of the Māṇḍūkya Upanishad with Gauḍapāda's Kārikā.
Gauḍapāda wrote a Kārikā (glossary) on this Upanishad, providing an insight into the background of the Upanishad. It contains 215 verses. Ādi Śaṅkarācārya wrote a commentary on the Upanishad and the Kārikā together.
This wonderful commentary by Swami Chinmayananda explicates each verse in a very lucid manner. This book must be seriously studied by anyone who is intent on a thorough understanding of the Māṇḍūkya Upanishad with Gauḍapāda's Kārikā.
June 5, 2020
Kev read it
Illuminating. Super deep and meaningful. Swamiji's words are both inspiring and clear. He comes down to the level of the neophyte to deliver a VERY high, advanced, and demanding text to any spiritual seeker whether they are well read in the Vedas or not.
Illuminating. Super deep and meaningful. Swamiji's words are both inspiring and clear. He comes down to the level of the neophyte to deliver a VERY high, advanced, and demanding text to any spiritual seeker whether they are well read in the Vedas or not.
April 7, 2019
Excellent, though I’d say that some calming of the mind would be helpful in comprehending the work. I guess one could say it’s tragic that Guadapada isn’t more well-known in the West. The Hindu negation of cause and effect is the negation of you. You are an objectification of your non-dual mind. A rope is a rope, but you think it’s a snake. This path laid out by Guadapada in this book leads to the cessation of pain, suffering, birth and death. It just takes a little wisdom and a little meditation.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews