Omkara (Pranava Mantra) with Mandukya Upanishad Exposition
Complete lyrics with original text, transliteration, and meaning, 15 sections
Aum Primordial Sound Supreme Symbol Brahman mantra
The Primordial Mantra (Moola Mantra)
Original
ॐ
Transliteration
Om (Aum)
Meaning / Translation
The primordial sound; the supreme symbol of Brahman (Ultimate Reality); encompassing creation (A), preservation (U), dissolution (M), and the silence beyond (Turiya).
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 1: Om as All
Original
हरिः ॐ। अयमात्मा ब्रह्म। अयमात्मा चतुष्पात्।
Transliteration
Hariḥ Om. Ayamātmā Brahma. Ayamātmā catuṣpāt.
Meaning / Translation
Hari Om. This Self (Atman) is Brahman. This Self has four quarters (states of consciousness).
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 2: Brahman is All
Original
सर्वं ह्येतद् ब्रह्मायमात्मा ब्रह्म सोऽयमात्मा चतुष्पात्।
Transliteration
Sarvaṁ hyetad Brahmāyamātmā Brahma so'yamātmā catuṣpāt.
Meaning / Translation
All this is verily Brahman. This Self is Brahman. This Self has four quarters.
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 3: First Quarter - Vaishvanara (Waking)
Original
जागरितस्थानो बहिष्प्रज्ञः सप्ताङ्ग एकोनविंशतिमुखः स्थूलभुग् वैश्वानरः प्रथमः पादः।
Transliteration
Jāgaritasthāno bahiṣprajñaḥ saptāṅga ekonaviṁśatimukhaḥ sthūlabhug vaiśvānaraḥ prathamaḥ pādaḥ.
Meaning / Translation
The first quarter is Vaishvanara, whose sphere is the waking state, who is conscious of the external world, has seven limbs and nineteen mouths, and enjoys the gross (material) objects.
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 4: Second Quarter - Taijasa (Dreaming)
Original
स्वप्नस्थानोऽन्तःप्रज्ञः सप्ताङ्ग एकोनविंशतिमुखः प्राज्ञभुक् तैजसो द्वितीयः पादः।
Transliteration
Svapnasthāno'ntaḥprajñaḥ saptāṅga ekonaviṁśatimukhaḥ prājñabhuk taijaso dvitīyaḥ pādaḥ.
Meaning / Translation
The second quarter is Taijasa, whose sphere is the dream state, who is conscious of the internal world, has seven limbs and nineteen mouths, and enjoys the subtle (mental) objects.
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 5: Third Quarter - Prajna (Deep Sleep)
Original
यत्र सुप्तो न कञ्चन कामं कामयते न कञ्चन स्वप्नं पश्यति तत् सुषुप्तम्। सुषुप्तस्थान एकीभूतः प्रज्ञानघन एवानन्दभुक् चेतोमुखः प्राज्ञस्तृतीयः पादः।
Transliteration
Yatra supto na kañcana kāmaṁ kāmayate na kañcana svapnaṁ paśyati tat suṣuptam. Suṣuptasthāna ekībhūtaḥ prajñānaghana evānandabhuk cetomukhaḥ prājñastṛtīyaḥ pādaḥ.
Meaning / Translation
Where the sleeper desires no desire whatsoever, sees no dream whatsoever — that is deep sleep. The third quarter is Prajna, whose sphere is deep sleep, in whom all becomes undifferentiated, a mass of pure consciousness, who enjoys bliss, and whose face is thought (consciousness itself).
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 6: The Lord Within (Ishvara)
Original
एष सर्वेश्वर एष सर्वज्ञ एषोऽन्तर्यामी योनिः सर्वस्य प्रभवाप्ययौ हि भूतानाम्।
Transliteration
Eṣa sarveśvara eṣa sarvajña eṣo'ntaryāmī yoniḥ sarvasya prabhavāpyayau hi bhūtānām.
Meaning / Translation
This is the Lord of all; this is the knower of all; this is the inner controller; this is the source of all; this is the origin and dissolution of all beings.
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 7: Fourth Quarter - Turiya (The Self)
Original
नान्तःप्रज्ञं न बहिःप्रज्ञं नोभयतःप्रज्ञं न प्रज्ञानघनं न प्रज्ञं नाप्रज्ञम्। अदृष्टमनव्यवहार्यमग्राह्यमलक्षणमचिन्त्यमव्यपदेश्यमेकात्मप्रत्ययसारं प्रपञ्चोपशमं शिवमद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते स आत्मा स विज्ञेयः।
Transliteration
Nāntaḥprajñaṁ na bahiḥprajñaṁ nobhayataḥprajñaṁ na prajñānaghanaṁ na prajñaṁ nāprajñam. Adṛṣṭamanavyavahāryamagrāhyamalakṣaṇamacintyamavyapadeśyamekātmapratyayasāraṁ prapañcopaśamaṁ śivamadvaitaṁ caturthaṁ manyante sa ātmā sa vijñeyaḥ.
Meaning / Translation
Not conscious of the internal world, nor the external, nor both; not a mass of consciousness, nor conscious, nor unconscious; unseen, ungraspable, without attributes, unthinkable, indescribable; the essence of the knowledge of the One Self; the cessation of the phenomenal world; auspicious (Shiva); non-dual (Advaita) — this is the Fourth (Turiya). This is the Self. This is to be realized.
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 8: Om as the Self (Atman)
Original
सोऽयमात्मा ओमित्येतदक्षरम्। अधिदैवमधिभूतमध्यात्ममिति च। भूतं भव्यं भविष्यच्च सर्वमोमित्येव। यच्चान्यत्त्रिकालातीतं तदप्योमित्येव।
Transliteration
So'yamātmā Omityetadakṣaram. Adhidaivamadhībhūtamadhyātmamiti ca. Bhūtaṁ bhavyaṁ bhaviṣyacca sarvamomityeva. Yaccānyattrikālātītaṁ tadapyomityeva.
Meaning / Translation
This Self is the syllable Om. This syllable is the Supreme (Adhidaiva), the Elemental (Adhibhuta), and the Individual (Adhyatma). Whatever is past, present, and future is all Om. And whatever transcends the three times (past, present, future) is also Om.
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 9: All is Brahman
Original
सर्वं ह्येतद् ब्रह्मायमात्मा ब्रह्म। सोऽयमात्मा चतुष्पात्।
Transliteration
Sarvaṁ hyetad Brahmāyamātmā Brahma. So'yamātmā catuṣpāt.
Meaning / Translation
All this is verily Brahman. This Self is Brahman. This Self has four quarters.
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 10: The Four Quarters = The Letters of Om (A-U-M)
Original
मात्रा एव पादा मात्रा मात्रा एव पादा। अकार उकार मकार इति।
Transliteration
Mātrā eva pādā mātrā mātrā eva pādā. Akāra ukāra makāra iti.
Meaning / Translation
The quarters are the letters (mātrās), and the letters are the quarters. The letters are A, U, and M.
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 11: A (Vaishvanara) - Waking
Original
जागरितस्थानो वैश्वानरोऽकारः प्रथमा मात्रा आप्तेरादिमत्त्वाद्वा आप्नोति ह वै सर्वान् कामानादिश्च भवति य एतद्वेदा।
Transliteration
Jāgaritasthāno vaiśvānaro'kāraḥ prathamā mātrā āpterādimattvādvā āpnoti ha vai sarvān kāmānādiśca bhavati ya etadvedā.
Meaning / Translation
Vaishvanara (waking state) is the letter 'A', the first letter, from 'āpti' (obtaining) or 'ādimattva' (being first). He who knows this obtains all desires and becomes the first (foremost).
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 12: U (Taijasa) - Dreaming
Original
स्वप्नस्थानस्तैजस उकारो द्वितीया मात्रा उत्कर्षादुत्कर्षात्वा सन्ततिं संवेदनं चैतद्वेद य एतद्वेदा।
Transliteration
Svapnasthānas taijasa ukāro dvitīyā mātrā utkarṣādukṛṣṭavā santatiṁ saṁvedanaṁ caitadveda ya etadvedā.
Meaning / Translation
Taijasa (dream state) is the letter 'U', the second letter, from 'utkarṣa' (exaltation) or 'utkarṣa' (intermediateness). He who knows this exalts the continuity of knowledge and becomes equal to it; no one ignorant of Brahman is born in his family.
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 13: M (Prajna) - Deep Sleep
Original
सुषुप्तस्थानः प्राज्ञो मकारः तृतीया मात्रा मितेरपीतेः वा मिनोति ह वै एतद्वा सर्वमपीतिश्च भवति य एतद्वेदा।
Transliteration
Suṣuptasthānaḥ prājño makāraḥ tṛtīyā mātrā miteḥ apīteḥ vā minoti ha vai etadvā sarvamapītiśca bhavati ya etadvedā.
Meaning / Translation
Prajna (deep sleep) is the letter 'M', the third letter, from 'miti' (measuring/erecting) or 'apīti' (merging). He who knows this measures (comprehends) all this and becomes the merging point (all dissolves in him).
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 14: Turiya (Silence after Om) - The Fourth
Original
अमात्रः चतुर्थोऽव्यवहार्यः प्रपञ्चोपशमः शिवोऽद्वैत एवमोमकार आत्मैव संविशत्यात्मनात्मानं य एतद्वेदा।
Transliteration
Amātraḥ caturtho'vyavahāryaḥ prapañcopaśamaḥ śivo'dvaita evamomakāra ātmaiva saṁviśatyātmanātmānaṁ ya etadvedā.
Meaning / Translation
The Fourth (Turiya) is without parts (amātra), beyond ordinary transaction, the cessation of the phenomenal world, auspicious (Shiva), non-dual. Thus the syllable Om is the Self. He who knows this enters the Self with his self.