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Mandukya Upanishad - An Inquiry
Declaimer: The views presented here are completely a layman's view, trying to understand Upanishads and Vedas. Not meant to promote any particular stream of thought. I shall heartily appreciate if any one having knowledge of Sanskrit will help me to translate and understand these words and the meaning.
Mandukya, smallest among Upanishads; yet one of the main text of ancient India and one of the main thought influencing the whole Indian civilization.
The impact of this Upanishad is immense. From the formation of Advait Vedantism to New Age religious moments; from ancient Gaudapada Karikas to latest efforts to relate quantum physics and spirituality; no one can escape the influence of Mandukya Upanishad.
A tiny text composed by mere 12 verses and 144 words, draws thousands of reviews and quotes; yet it was mysterious, it remains mysterious.
Starting from the name of this Upanishad itself - Maandukya ( माण्डुक्य ). The word Maandukya is derived from Maandook ( माण्डूक ), means Frog.
One wonders, why Frog?
The myth behind this name is: Varuna (the author sage or the God of Water?) took the form of a frog to praise AUM.
In this whole Upanishad there is no any mention of frog. It does not narrate any tale. It doesn't even name any sage, which is normal practice in Upanishads.
If we consider the general practice of naming, a name can be derived from an event of the book or the message of the book, or it can be a character of the book or it can be named after the author. Since there is no event or character in this book, then is it related to the overall message this book is trying to present? In other words; Is Frog somehow related to the overall message of Mandukya Upanishad?
As a summery:
In first verse this Upanishad explains, what is AUM/OM? Rather, what is Omkaar (the sound of AUM/OM)?
Verses 2 to 7 describes the Ultimate or Brahm ( ब्रह्म ) as Self or Aatmaa (आत्मा). It classifies the Aatmaa into four Paat ( पात् ). This word Paat or Paadah ( पादः ) is one of the master key of this whole Upanishad; it derives multiple meaning. Literally Paadah means Foot and Step; but it also used as Aspect, Quarter, etc. This is interesting to investigate what might be the meaning here?
Verses 8 to 12 relates, four described Paadah of Aatmaa, and different syllables of Omkaar.
Based on above, two major questions can be highlighted:
1. Why Frog was used for the name of this Upanishad?
2. What does Paat means?
As stated earlier, the meaning of the word Paat makes big difference in the overall meaning of the Upanishad and bigger difference in the message.
If Paat means Aspect or Quarter, as translated in most of the translations available, then the whole meaning becomes a description of Aatmaa; as:
सोयमात्मा चतुष्पात् (soyamaatmaa chatushpaat) - Verse 2
Meaning becomes:
This aatmaa has four aspects.
and then further description of each aspect in successive verses.
If Paat means Step, then the whole meaning becomes a roadmap to know the Aatmaa; as:
This aatmaa has four steps.
and then further description of each step in successive verses.
The meaning 'Step' sounds more logical for two major reasons:
1. The very name of the Upanishad is named after frog. The frog is known for two distinct features; a. Frog can live in water as well as on ground. b. The steps of a Frog is in form of leaps; and this Upanishad also talk about steps.
2. At the end of verse 7, after describing fourth Paat; the Upanishad states:
स आत्मा स विज्ञेयः (sa aatamaa sa vigyeyah) - Verse 7
He is aatmaa (self), he is to be known.
That gives an understanding that it might be a guidance to move (or leap) from Step one, which is Vaishvaanarah ( वैश्वानरः ) or worldly person; to fourth step, the aatma or self.
In subsequent posts I'll try to write the word-to-word meaning of this Upanishad.
Here is the Sanskrit text:
॥ अथ माण्डुक्योपनिषद् ॥
ओमित्येतदक्षरमिदंसर्वं तस्योपव्याख्यानं ।
भुतं भवद् भविष्यदिति सर्वमोंकार एव ।
यच्चान्यत् त्रिकालातीतं तदप्योंकार एव ॥ 1 ॥
सर्वं ह्येतद् ब्रह्मायमात्मा ब्रह्म सोयमात्मा चतुष्पात् ॥ 2 ॥
जागरितस्थानो बहिष्प्रज्ञः सप्तान्ग एकोनविंशतिमुखः स्थूल भुग्वैश्वानरः प्रथमः पादः ॥ 3 ॥
स्वप्नस्थानोन्तः प्रज्ञाः सप्तान्ग एकोनविंशतिमुखः प्रविविक्तभुक्तैजसो द्वितीयः पादः ॥ 4 ॥
यत्र सुप्तो न कञ्चन कामं कामयते न कञ्चन स्वप्नं पश्यति तत् सुषुप्तम् ।
सुषुप्तस्थान एकीभूतः प्रज्ञानघन एवानन्दमयो ह्यानन्दभुक् चेतो मुखः प्रज्ञस्तृतीयः पादः ॥ 5 ॥
एष सर्वेश्वरः एष सर्वज्ञ एषोन्तर्याम्येष योनिः सर्वस्य प्रभवाप्ययौ हि भूतानाम् ॥ 6 ॥
नान्तःप्रज्ञं न बहिष्प्रज्ञं नोभयतःप्रज्ञं न प्रज्ञानघनं न प्रज्ञं नाप्रज्ञम् ।
अदृष्टमव्यवहार्यमग्राह्यमलक्षणं अचिन्त्यमव्यपदेश्यमेकात्मप्रत्ययसारं प्रपञ्चोपशमं शान्तं शिवमद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते स आत्मा स विज्ञेयः ॥ 7 ॥
सोयमात्माध्यक्षरमोंकारोधिमात्रं पादा मात्रा मात्राश्च पादा अकार उकारो मकार इति ॥ 8 ॥
जागरितस्थानो वैश्वानरोकारः प्रथमा मात्राप्तेरादिमत्वाद् वाप्नोति
ह वै सर्वान् कामानादिश्च भवति य एवं वेद ॥ 9 ॥
स्वप्नस्थानस्तैजस उकारो द्वितीया मात्रात्कर्षात् उभयत्वाद्वोत्कर्षति
ह वै ज्ञानसन्ततिं समानश्च भवति नास्याब्रह्मवित्कुले भवति य एवं वेद ॥ 10 ॥
सुषुप्तस्थानः प्रज्ञो मकारस्तृतीया मात्रा मितेरपीतेर्वा मिनोति
ह वा इदं सर्वमपीतिश्च भवति य एवं वेद ॥ 11 ॥
अमात्रश्चतुर्थोव्यवहार्यः प्रपञ्चोपशम: शिवोद्वैत एवमोंकार आत्मैव संविशत्यात्मनात्मानं य एवं वेद ॥ 12 ॥
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