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Atharva Veda · Atharva Veda · 12 mantras

माण्डूक्योपनिषद्

Mandukya Upanishad

Māṇḍūkyopaniṣad

Central theme: Om and the four states of consciousness

Mahavakya

अयमात्मा ब्रह्म

Ayam ātmā brahma

“This Self is Brahman.”

— Mandukya 2

Summary

In just 12 mantras, the entire teaching of Vedanta. All this is Aum. Aum has four parts: A (waking, vaishvanara), U (dream, taijasa), M (deep sleep, prajna), and the silent fourth (turiya) — pure consciousness, the Self. Gaudapada's Karika expanded this into the foundational ajatavada (non-origination) doctrine that became the seed of Advaita Vedanta. The Muktika Upanishad declares that the Mandukya alone is enough for liberation.

Key concepts

  • ●Om = A + U + M + silence
  • ●Four states: jagrat, svapna, sushupti, turiya
  • ●Mahavakya: Ayam Atma Brahma
  • ●Gaudapada Karika

Famous verse

Mandukya 1

ओमित्येतदक्षरमिदं सर्वं तस्योपव्याख्यानम्

Om ityetad-akṣaram idaṁ sarvaṁ tasyopavyākhyānam

Aum — this syllable is all this. Its explanation: what was, what is, what will be — all is Aum.

Takeaway

12 mantras, all Vedanta. Sit with the silent fourth.

All 10 principal Upanishads

IshaKenaKathaPrashnaMundakaMandukyaTaittiriyaAitareyaChandogyaBrihadaranyakaSvetasvataraKaushitakiMaitriYoga TattvaYoga KundaliniDhyana BinduAdvaya TarakaNarayanaPaingalaGanapatiDeviGarbhaJabala DarshanaTripuraAtmaAmritabinduParamahamsaTejobinduVarahaRama TapaniyaNrisimha TapaniyaGopala TapaniyaShandilyaNada BinduBrahmaKaivalyaSubalaJabaliYogachudamaniAkshamalaPaingalaAdvayatarakaKalisantaranaShandilyaMahanarayanaKatha RudraSarvasaraVajrasuchikaMahaNarada Parivrajaka