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Mandukya Upanishad & fourth state (Was Re: Avataarams)

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mani Varadarajan • January 4, 1996 


I wanted to clarify what the Mandukya Upanishad says
about the fourth or ``turiya'' state of consciousness.
This is interpreted by all acharyas as the state of
moksha.  Of course, according to Advaita it means
that the unity of Brahman has been achieved, and all
distinctions due to ajnaana have disappeared.

According to our acharyas, the fourth state consists
of the complete and immediate apprehension of Brahman
by the individual self, and it consists of absolute
freedom and bliss.  Sri Kooranaarayana Muni (not
Kooratthaazhvaan but a later acharya) has commented
on this Upanishad explaining it from a Visistadvaita
perspective.

Therefore, the goal of Saranagati is this fourth
state of consciousness, the state of saayujyam
where the self comes face to face with God and
mingles with Him.

Mani