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Mandukya Upanishad

(Chapter 2)

Chapter Quiz

Verse 1

hariḥ oṃ. oṃ ity etad akṣaram idaṃ sarvam; tasyopavyākhyānaṃ bhūtaṃ bhavad bhaviṣyad iti sarvam oṅkāra eva; yaccānyat trikālātīte tad apy oṅkāra eva ..1..

AI Translation

Om, the syllable, is all this. Whatever was, is, or will be is truly Om; and what is beyond the three times is also Om.

Verse 2

sarvaṃ hy etad brahma; ayam ātmā brahma; so 'yam ātmā catuṣpāt ..2..

AI Translation

All this is Brahman. This Self is Brahman. And this very Self has four quarters (aspects).

Verse 3

jāgrat-sthāno bahiṣ-prajñaḥ saptāṅga ekonaviṃśati-mukhaḥ sthūlabhuk vaiśvānaraḥ prathamaḥ pādaḥ ..3..

AI Translation

The waking-state Self is outwardly conscious, with seven limbs and nineteen mouths, experiencing gross objects—this is Vaiśvānara, the first quarter.

Verse 4

svapna-sthāno 'ntaḥ-prajñaḥ saptāṅga ekonaviṃśati-mukhaḥ praviviktabhuk taijasaḥ dvitīyaḥ pādaḥ ..4..

AI Translation

The dream-state Self is inwardly conscious, with seven limbs and nineteen mouths, experiencing subtle objects—this is Taijasa, the second quarter.

Verse 5

suṣupta-sthāna ekībhūtaḥ prajñānaghana evā'nandamayo hy ānanda-bhuk ceto-mukhaḥ prājñas tṛtīyaḥ pādaḥ ..5..

AI Translation

In deep sleep, the Self is unified, a mass of consciousness, verily blissful, a enjoyer of bliss, with mind as the doorway—this is Prājña, the third quarter.

Verse 6

eṣa sarveśvaraḥ eṣa sarvajñaḥ eṣo'ntaryāmī eṣa yoniḥ sarvasya; prabhavāpyayau hi bhūtānām ..6..

AI Translation

He is the Lord of all, the omniscient, the inner controller, the source of all; for he is the origin and dissolution of beings.

Verse 7

nāntaḥ-prajñaṃ na bahiṣ-prajñaṃ nobhayataḥ-prajñaṃ na prajñānaghanaṃ na prajñaṃ nāprajñam; adṛṣṭam avyavahāryam agrāhyam alakṣaṇam acintyam avyapadeśyam ekātma-pratyaya-sāraṃ prapañcopaśamaṃ śāntaṃ śivam advaitaṃ caturthaṃ manyante sa ātmā sa vijñeyaḥ ..7..

AI Translation

The Fourth is neither inwardly conscious nor outwardly conscious nor both, neither a mass of consciousness nor simple consciousness nor non‑conscious. Unseen, beyond transactions, not graspable, without marks, unthinkable, indescribable; the essence of self‑awareness; the cessation of all phenomena; peaceful, auspicious, non‑dual—this they consider the Fourth: that is the Self, to be realized.

Verse 8

so 'yam ātmā 'dhyakṣaram oṅkāro 'dhimātrā; pādā mātrā mātrāś ca pādāḥ; akāra ukāro makāra iti ..8..

AI Translation

This very Self, with regard to the syllable, is Om; with regard to its measures, the quarters correspond to the measures: A, U, and M.

Verse 9

jāgarita-sthāno vaiśvānaro 'kāraḥ prathamā mātrā; āpter ādimatvād vā; āpnoti ha vai sarvān kāmān ādiś ca bhavati ya evaṃ veda ..9..

AI Translation

The waking Vaiśvānara is A, the first measure—because of obtaining and being first. He who knows thus obtains all desires and becomes the first (leader).

Verse 10

svapna-sthānas taijasa ukāro dvitīyā mātrā; utkarṣād ubhayatvād vā; ūrdhva unnīyate ha vai jñāna-santatiṃ samanāś ca bhavati nāsyābrahmavit-kule bhavati ya evaṃ veda ..10..

AI Translation

The dream Taijasa is U, the second measure—because of exaltation and intermediateness. He who knows thus raises high the stream of knowledge, becomes balanced, and no non‑knower of Brahman is born in his lineage.

Verse 11

suṣupta-sthānaḥ prājño makāras tṛtīyā mātrā; miter apīter vā; minoti ha vā idaṃ sarvam apītiś ca bhavati ya evaṃ veda ..11..

AI Translation

The deep‑sleep Prājña is M, the third measure—because of measure or absorption. He who knows thus measures (encompasses) all this and becomes the absorber.

Verse 12

amātraś caturtho 'vyavahāryaḥ prapañcopaśamaḥ śivo 'dvaita evam oṅkāra ātmāiva; sa ātmā vijñeyaḥ ..12..

AI Translation

The Fourth is without measure, beyond transactions, the cessation of phenomena, auspicious, non‑dual. Thus Om itself is the Self; that Self is to be realized.