Verse 2 & 3 Aum as all states of Atman In verse 2, states the Upanishad, "this brahman is the Whole. Brahman is this self (ātman); that [brahman] is this self (ātman), consisting of four corners." sarvaṁ hy etad brahma, ayam ātmā brahma, so’yam ātmā catuṣ-pāt. 2. All this, verily, is Brahman. The Self is Brahman. This Self has four quarters. 3. jāgarita sthāno bahiṣ-prajñaḥ saptāṅga ekonaviṁśati-mukhaḥ sthūla-bhug Vaiśvānaraḥ prathamaḥ pādah. The first quarter is Vaiśvānara. Its field is the waking state. Its consciousness is outward-turned. It is seven- limbed and nineteen-mouthed. It enjoys gross objects of the world. To join these live classes followed by Q & A with Hersh Khetarpal send a request at the email below for the zoom link, Attention to Gina Loftus yogsadhanashramusa@gmail.com https://www.yogsadhanashram-usa.org/ https://www.yogsadhanashram-usa.org/scripturalreading

Meaning of Shanti Mantra V8 - V11 In verses 9 to 12, the Mandukya Upanishad enumerates fourfold etymological roots of the syllable "Aum". It states that the first element of "Aum" is A, which is from Apti (obtaining, reaching) or from Adimatva (being first). The second element is U, which is from Utkarsa (exaltation) or from Ubhayatva (intermediateness). The third element is M, from Miti (erecting, constructing) or from Mi Minati, or apīti (annihilation). The fourth is without an element, without development, beyond the expanse of universe. In this way, states the Upanishad, the syllable Aum is the Atman (the self) indeed. https://www.yogsadhanashram-usa.org/scripturalreadings To join these live classes followed by Q & A with Hersh Khetarpal send a request at the email below for the zoom link, Attention to Gina Loftus yogsadhanashramusa@gmail.com https://www.yogsadhanashram-usa.org/

YSA 04.04.24 Mandukya Upanishad with Hersh Khetarpal V7 7. That is known as the fourth quarter: neither inward- turned nor outward-turned consciousness, nor the two together; not an indifferentiated mass of consciousness; neither knowing, nor unknowing; invisible, ineffable, intangible, devoid of characteristics, inconceivable, indefinable, its sole essence being the consciousness of its own Self; the coming to rest of all relative existence; utterly quiet; peaceful; blissful: without a second: this is the Ātman, the Self; this is to be realised. so’yam ātmādhyakṣaram auṁkaro’dhimātram pādā mātrā mātrāś ca pādā akāra ukāra makāra iti. To join these live classes followed by Q & A with Hersh Khetarpal send a request at the email below for the zoom link, Attention to Gina Loftus yogsadhanashramusa@gmail.com https://www.yogsadhanashram-usa.org/ https://www.yogsadhanashram-usa.org/scripturalreading

Verse 4, 5 & 6 Aum as all states of consciousness In verses 3 to 6, the Mandukya Upanishad enumerates four states of consciousness: wakeful, dream, deep sleep and the state of ekatma (being one with Self, the oneness of Self). These four are A + U + M + "without an element" respectively. Svapna-sthāno’ntaḥ-prajñaḥ saptāṅga ekonavimśati- mukhaḥ pravivikta-bhuk taijaso dvītiyaḥ pādah. 4. The second quarter is taijasa. Its field is the dream state. Its consciousness is inward-turned. It is seven- limbed and nineteen-mouthed. It enjoys subtle objects. Yatra supto na kaṁ cana kāmaṁ kāmayate na kaṁ cana svapnam paśyati tat suṣuptam suṣupta-sthāna ekī-bhūtaḥ prajñānā-ghana evānanda- mayo hy ānanda-bhuk ceto-mukhaḥ prājñas tṛtīyaḥ pādah. 5. The third quarter is prājña, where one asleep neither desires anything nor beholds any dream: that is deep sleep. In this field of dreamless sleep, one becomes undivided, an undifferentiated mass of consciousness, consisting of bliss and feeding on bliss. His mouth is consciousness. Eṣa sarveśvaraḥ eṣa sarvajñaḥ, eṣo’ntāryami eṣa yoniḥ sarvasya prabhavāpyayau hi bhūtānām. 6. This is the Lord of All; the Omniscient; the Indwelling Controller; the Source of All. This is the beginning and end of all beings. To join these live classes followed by Q & A with Hersh Khetarpal send a request at the email below for the zoom link, Attention to Gina Loftus yogsadhanashramusa@gmail.com https://www.yogsadhanashram-usa.org/ https://www.yogsadhanashram-usa.org/scripturalreading

Prayers- Shanti path and V1 The Mandukya Upanishad describes three states of consciousness, namely waking (jågrat), dreaming (svapna), and deep sleep (suṣupti), and 'the fourth', beyond and underlying these three states: 1. The first state is the waking state, in which we are aware of our daily world. "It is described as outward-knowing (bahish-prajnya), gross (sthula) and universal (vaishvanara)". This is the gross body. 2. The second state is the dreaming mind. "It is described as inward-knowing (antah-prajnya), subtle (pravivikta) and burning (taijasa)". This is the subtle body. 3. The third state is the state of deep sleep. In this state the underlying ground of consciousness is undistracted, "the Lord of all (sarv'-eshvara), the knower of all (sarva-jnya), the inner controller (antar-yami), the source of all (yonih sarvasya), the origin and dissolution of created things (prabhav'-apyayau hi bhutanam)". This is the causal body. 4. Turiya, "the fourth," is the background that underlies and transcends the three common states of consciousness. In this consciousness both absolute and relative, saguna brahman and Nirguna Brahman, are transcended. It is the true state of experience of the infinite (ananta) and non-different (advaita/abheda), free from the dualistic experience which results from the attempts to conceptualise ( vikalpa) reality. It is the state in which ajativada, non-origination, is apprehended. The Mandukya Upanishad opens by declaring, "Aum!, this syllable is this whole world". Thereafter it presents various explanations and theories on what it means and signifies. This discussion is built on a structure of "four fourths" or "fourfold", derived from A + U + M + "silence" (or without an element. Aum as all states of time In verse 1, the Upanishad states that time is threefold: the past, the present and the future, that these three are "Aum". The four fourth of time is that which transcends time, that too is "Aum" expressed. Aum as all states of Atman In verse 2, states the Upanishad, "this brahman is the Whole. Brahman is this self (ātman); that [brahman] is this self (ātman), consisting of four corners." Aum as all states of consciousness In verses 3 to 6, the Mandukya Upanishad enumerates four states of consciousness: wakeful, dream, deep sleep and the state of ekatma (being one with Self, the oneness of Self). These four are A + U + M + "without an element" respectively. Aum as all of etymological knowledge In verses 9 to 12, the Mandukya Upanishad enumerates fourfold etymological roots of the syllable "Aum". It states that the first element of "Aum" is A, which is from Apti (obtaining, reaching) or from Adimatva (being first). The second element is U, which is from Utkarsa (exaltation) or from Ubhayatva (intermediateness). The third element is M, from Miti (erecting, constructing) or from Mi Minati, or apīti (annihilation). The fourth is without an element, without development, beyond the expanse of universe. In this way, states the Upanishad, the syllable Aum is the Atman (the self) indeed. Prayer Om! Bhadram karnebhih s’rnuyāma devāh bhadram pasyemākṣhabhiryajatrāh sthirairangaistushtuvamsastanūbhir vyaśema devahitam yadāyuh svasti na indro vriddhaśravāh svasti nah pūṣhā Viśvavedāh svasti nastārkṣhyo ariṣhtanemih svasti no brihaspatirdadhātu Om śāntih; śāntih; śāntih. “Om. Shining Ones! May we hear through our ears what is auspicious; Ye, fit to be worshipped! May we see with our eyes what is auspicious; May we, endowed with body strong with limbs, offering praise, complete the full span of life bestowed upon us by the divine beings; May Indra, of enhanced fame, be auspicious unto us; May Pūshan, who is all-knowing, be auspicious unto us; May Tārkshya, who is the destroyer of all evils, be auspicious unto us; May Brihaspati bestow upon us auspiciousness! Om. Peace! Peace! Peace! VERSE 1 aum ity etad akṣaram idam sarvam, tasyopavyākhyānam bhūtam bhavad bhaviṣyad iti sarvam auṁkāra eva yac cānyat trikālātītaṁ tad apy auṁkāra eva. 1. OM! This Imperishable Word is the whole of this visible universe. Its explanation is as follows: What has become, what is becoming, what will become – verily, all of this is OM. And what is beyond these three states of the world of time – that too, verily, is OM.