ABOUT: The Mandoukya Upanishad, considered to be the first ofthe principal Upanishads is the shortest Upanishad and is from the Atharvaveda.Among the gnostic texts, this particular Upanishad holds much significance forit is considered to be a point confluence of the modern Buddhist and Hinduphilosophies and contains the metaphysical and spiritual explanation of theroot sound Om and the Self.  It ismentioned in the Muktika Upanishad that a complete understanding of the MandoukyaUpanishad enables the knower to attain Mukti- the final liberation. TheMandoukya Upanishad has been rendered in rhymes in light of Sri Aurobindo’stranslation of the same as found in “Kenaand Other Upanishads”, The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo, Vol 18.

The Mandoukya Upanishad opens with this verse which is also repeated after theUpanishad ends

Om.  O Gods,

Mayonly the auspicious by our ears be heard
By our eyes, may only the auspicious be observed

OSacrficial Lords.

Enjoyingsound bodies, your tributes may we give
In our full life-span, A life divine may we live.
May Lord  Indra- the swiftest ensure our well being
May we be nourished by Pusha the allknowing.
May the eager Tarskhya’s grace augur us well
May the same, Brihaspati accord aswell.

Ompeace, Om peace, Om peace.

Omis the indivisible immutable

Thatverily holds the entire universe conceivable

Thepast, the present and the future of all--

All is only Om andOm is only all
All else that beyond the three times persists
Is also the Omniscient Om for Om is all that exists|1|

TheUniverse is the Bramhan Self’s extension
And this Self is four fold in division|2|

Theconscious being awakened and outwardly located

Experiencing,knowing and enjoying, in the material, He is situated

Possessingseven limbs and doorways nineteen

ThisVishwanara- the universal male is thefirst Self seen |3|

Nextis the state that dwells in the dreams

Whosesphere portends to the inner realms
Possessing seven limbs and doorways nineteen
Enjoyer of all that is subtle-theradiant Taijasa is seen|4|

Wherewhen asleep no dreams one does see

Whereinno remnant of desire or yearning can be

Inthat deep sleep, when the being awakened can remain-
In the highest state – Sushupti he issaid to reign.

Situatedin this state of oneness perfect,
Experiencing the bliss complete in every respect
Consuming bliss, He is wisdom’s lord incarnate

Andto his mind consciousness is the opening gate

 This state of joy unparalleled or unheard

Iscalled Pragnya- the Self’s stagethird|5|  

Heis the lord of every single being
The indwelling seer all knowing and all seeing
Who is the womb of everything

Andthe birth and death of every living thing|6|

Heis not the gnosis of the external
Nor is he that which is solely internal,
Nor just the wisdom of both the outside and inside

Heis beyond the limits of the inside and outside

Neitheris he the gnosis, inherent or gained
Nor the void that in its absence is contained.

Theinvisible and the unreachable

Heis attributeless and uncontainable
He cannot be named and is indiscernible

Heis incomprehensible and inexplicable

Theepitome of oneness, he is the One

Andother than him there is none
He is the fourth, thus they mention

TheSelf’s ultimate gnosis and final dimension.|7|  

Andthis Self as per the fourfold description

Isbut identical to the first sonic conception
The Self is Om, the first word and sound

Andin its syllables A U M it can beverily found.|8|

TheVishwanara-the Self of the first awakening

Isthe first letter A, by virtue of its vastnessall -pervading,

Hewho has thus realized and overcome desire’s thirst

Pervadingall desires, he knows all thus becoming the first|9|  

Taijasathe dreamer awakened is the stage second

ThisSelf in the letter U does verilyextend

Denotingexcellence and central progression

Knowingthis propels the knower with an upward ascension

Withthis gnosis a sameness in all he can envisage

Bereftof Bramhic gnosis, none descend inhis lineage|10|

Nextis Pragnya – the innermost state ofsleep
Where dwells the being awakened in a slumber deep

Inthe letter third M, this Self iscontained-
The measure by which the final entry is gained

Hewho knows this attains a measure of everything

Anddeparts into the eternal by knowing every thing|11|

Thefourth Self, the final one is sylablleless

Unspeakable,it is the final silence that is endless

Itis in Om -The non-dual bliss of ShaivicOneness-

Completeand final, the peace eternally boundless

 He who knows this by his own Self, merges intothe Self

ThusHe becomes the knower, Yes He knows the Self!|12|