“Ekātma-pratyaya-sāra” (The Essence of One Self-Consciousness)
🌼 Mandukya Upanishad – “Ekātma-pratyaya-sāra” (The Essence of One Self-Consciousness) 🕉️ Introduction The Mandukya Upanishad is the shortest among all Upanishads — just 12 mantras, yet it is called the essence of all Vedanta. It describes the four states of consciousness that every being experiences: 1. Jāgrat (Waking) – the state of outward awareness. 2. Svapna (Dream) – the state of inner imagination. 3. Suṣupti (Deep Sleep) – the state of unknowing peace and rest. 4. Turīya (The Fourth) – the transcendental state, the witness-consciousness beyond the first three. ✨ Meaning of “Ekātma-pratyaya-sāra” Eka = One Ātma = Self, pure consciousness Pratyaya = Awareness, cognition, experience Sāra = Essence, truth, core So the full expression means: > “The one Self, which is the essence of all cognitions and experiences in every state.” In other words: though we seem to have many different experiences (waking, dream, sleep), the same one awareness shines in all of them. 🌿 Advaitic Expla...