The Mandukya explains the “four-facted” or Self (atma) which is me. Sometimes the Self is said to be the fourth “factor” when we look at it from the personal perspective. The ultimate teaching the Upanishad gives is that I, by Myself, am pure Consciousness. Later, Consciousness will be called Turiyam, the fourth. I am pure Consciousness, the fourth facet or factor, which is not limited by time or space. This ‘I’ Turiya Consciousness appears in three different forms in the waking state, in the dream state, the causal state with the help of three different costumes of three different names and forms.
One and the same gold, with one name and form appears as bangle. The same gold with another name and form appears as ring. The same gold appears as chain. The gold by itself is neither bangle nor ring nor chain. The bangle can be imagined as the first facet, the ring as the second facet and the chain as the third facet. Gold then is the fourth which is in and through the bangle, ring and chain.
Really speaking, there is no substance called bangle, no substance called ring, no substance called chain. The substance is only gold which appears in three different versions, three different ‘costumes’.
Similarly, I, Consciousness, in the waking state am called the first facet, tangible-Atma because I manifest as the gross, tangible creation. According to Mandukya, the tangible creation is not a substance by itself, just as bangle is not a substance. The tangible universe is not a substance. Consciousness is the only substance which appears as the tangible universe. This will be repeatedly asserted later.
According to all the Upanishads, especially the Mandukya, there is no tangible gross matter at all separate from the non-tangible Consciousness. This is the conclusion which will be repeatedly asserted. I, Consciousness, in the waking state appear as tangible-Atma, the first facet which consists of both the knower and the known in the waking state.
Similarly, with another set of individual names and forms, I, Consciousness, appear as the second facet called subtle-Atma, the subtle dream universe. This subtle-Atma includes both the dream-knower and the dream-known, the subject-object pair. Both are my own appearance.
I Myself, Consciousness, in the causal state, have another name and form but that name and form is in seed form, in potential form. For example, butter is in ‘seed form’ in milk. Similarly, in the causal state, all the names and forms are in unmanifest form. I, Consciousness, Turiyam, the fourth, with the potential name and form am called causal-Atma. It also includes the knower-known pair, but in an undifferentiated potential form.
In each stage, there is knower-known pair or microcosm-macrocosm pair. Technically, it is called Vishva-Virat in the first facet, Taijasa-Hiranyagarbha in the second facet, Prajna-Antaryami in the third facet.
Antaryami was defined in the 6th mantra. I Consciousness, in which all names and forms are in potential form, am present in the causal state. The miniature version of total resolution of creation, is experienced in deep sleep with all the potential names and forms which I am. That ‘I’ is called Antaryami.
What is Antaryami with all potential names and forms? It is the cause of the universe. Any potential is a cause. The seed is called a cause because in it, the whole tree is present in potential form. A pregnant woman is called ‘mother’, the cause, because in her, the baby is in potential form. Potential means being a cause. Therefore, Antaryami is the cause of the universe. It is both the intelligent cause as well as the material cause.
The Upanishad points to the intelligent cause through two words: omniscient and masterful or skillful. To be the intelligent cause requires knowledge and skill for creation. The carpenter requires not only the knowledge of furniture, but also the skill to make furniture. So intelligent cause means knowledge plus skill.
Antaryami has total knowledge and total skill because Antaryami is the cause of the whole waking, dream, causal worlds, matter. The total skill is indicated by the word ‘omnipotence’ and total knowledge is indicated by the word ‘omniscience’. Omniscience plus omnipotence is the intelligent cause, Antaryami. Antaryami is also the material cause, which is indicated by the word ‘womb’. Thus, omniscience plus skill is equal to the intelligent cause. The phrase ‘womb of all’ is equal to the material cause. So, Antaryami is my third costume.
Having talked about the three costumes, I must now discover who I am without the three costumes, without any costume at all. I have been so caught up, so identified with the three costumes, that I do not know who I am in my absolute nature. Who am I without playing the role of a waker nor the role of a dreamer nor the role of a deep sleeper?
That ‘I’ without any facet, without any costume, is called Turiyam. This is the crucial topic. Only that knowledge will liberate me. Every costume has complications. Every costume means playing a role. A role means a problem. The father-role has father’s problems. The mother-role has mother’s problems. Children have children-problems. There is no role which is free from problems. Even Bhagavan, the Lord, playing the role of Creator will have problems.
Swami Paramarthananda
