Treasures of the Past


Welcome to the VI issue of Treasures of the Past!


In the last issue we left at a point where we saw in detail what Surrender to God is all about. Dedicating every human activity to the God and engaging oneself in the activities of the worldly existence, in the same consciousness. By doing so we shall progress in our quest to reach higher levels of consciousness and at the same time avoid getting bound by the resultant effects of the activities we are engaged in, that otherwise would entangle us to the lower conscious planes or material thinking.

Scriptures frequently mention three levels of consciousness that play a major role in the Sadhana. They are Bhu, Bhuvar,Suvar.

These three will have to be surpassed to realize the eternal truth. Bhu means earthly or material consciousness. Bhuvar means the intermediate consciousness, and Suvar means heavenly abode or all encompassing consciousness where one realizes the state of oneness of all multiplicity, their essential source, unity as the base!



Here we have something to be proud of. Our Dharma or the code of conduct, that we had dealt with in the earlier issues, is unique as it had taken into account all perceptions of the subject of consciousness, that are possible, from people of different attainments with respect to development of consciousness! It starts with ordinary folks and ends with those who are pursuing the eternal truth! We have also inherited a wealth of literature, in the form of various scriptures, puranas, ithihasas, sutras etc. that guide us throughout our journey! This variety, complexity, is unique to our religion and gives you enormous freedom to think independently and question every doctrine before arriving at the central truth! And once you arrive at the truth, it remains infallible!


Enquiry into the eternal truth is mentioned as Brahmavidya. They had devised a method to safely undertake this through a combination of Mantra, Tantra, and Yantra! These three are sastras or practical guides to achieve the objective in a more scientific manner! Mantra comprises of an idea that is the central objective, this idea is given a physical form in a Yantra, and in order to fix the mind and contemplate on the physical form given to the Mantra through the Yantra one requires Bahya Pooja Outward expression of respect, Manasika Pooja Inwardly turned mind, paying respects to the form, so conceived and Ashtanga Eight limbed Yoga is all part of the Tantra. Sri Lalitha Sahasranama is one of the foremost of these Vidyas comprising all the above mentioned branches.



The Pranava or the primordial sound representing the all encompassing consciousness is “Ohm” that is divided into four quarters. The First quarter is known as Vaiswanara or Jagrat avasta, or the waking state of consciousness ruled by the Sun God and is sub divided into seven parts. These comprise of the celestial region that includes Sun, Air, Ether, Water, Earth, Celestial region and Avahaniya fire. This part of the Pranava is said to have nineteen faces that are 5 organs of perception and 5 organs of action and 5 vital airs, and 4 inner senses related to cognition.



The Second quarter of the Pranava is called Taijasa or svapna avasta or dreaming state. This state is an inwardly turned conscious state that has to be carefully understood in order to proceed further. To begin with our cognition is entirely out bound! In other words it is primarily governed by the material consciousness and is ruled by the organs and is dependent on them for any cognitive solution! In such a state mind remains a slave of these instruments and is limited in its scope. It is also unable to act independently of these instruments of perception, action and senses. Our first exercise is to break this bond and free the mind from its shackles! Once this is achieved then it is insulated from fresh influences from the outer environment. This requires constant practice and contemplation. Brahmavidya practice helps us to progress in this path. Once this has been achieved then

The latent expressions alone are reflected in the mind. That is the Yantra and the related Tantra and the Mantra that is being contemplated upon. The expressions of the outer world though remains as it is, it is not reflected in the mind.


After one spends considerable time at this stage, he or she moves on to the Third stage called Sushupta avasta or sleeping state of consciousness! This state is known as Prajgya where the two states of existence of consciousness that is waking state of consciousness and dreaming state of consciousness merge into one. The sadak only looks at the Eternal truth as the base consciousness that connects the variety of all the names and forms. He surpasses the influences of all the organs and senses and totally identifies himself with all the creation, and the outer environment too reciprocates this towards him. He becomes the true instrument of the Eternal consciousness that expresses fully through him. After this state of consciousness one proceeds further to reach the fourth state.



This fourth state of consciousness is called Antaryamin Turiya avasta, into that state all expressions merge and mind ceases to exist. This state is beyond all the above three states. This is neither external nor internal or both being non existent too! This can not be expressed adequately through words, but can only be realized. This state is called Turiya.


Still beyond is a state called Turiya Turiya that is Brahman the all encompassing Eternal consciousness, the Eternal truth!


Nrsimha Tapaniya Upanishad that belongs to Atharva Veda that deals with the Mantra, Yantra and Tantra concepts in detail talks about the Mantra Raja. This means that it is the ultimate Mantra that is superior to all others and prescribes various injunctions to impart this to a disciple. While detailing the necessary pre qualifications that were adopted by the Devas to accomplish the above stated four states of consciousness This indirectly states that humans have only reached the state of consciousness by which are called Devas! are as below: The Devas wearing only a bare loin cloth with their heads clean shaven like people of Sama Veda Saka or Branch, devoid of sacrificial thread like children yet to go through upanayana or sacred thread ceremony, dumb and deaf like Sri Sukha the son of Veda Vyasa, before the damsels of heaven, having no desire for sex like Arjuna in the company of Urvasi, dumb alike towards flattering and constantly loitering around like Naradha,

Always in tranquil state like Vyasa, possessed of supreme self control like Narayana! Inner and outer senses thoroughly abated like Sage Sounaka and others, Forbearing like Vasishta and last but not the least with mental equipoise like that of Lakshmana did the contemplation on instructions of Lord Brahma and realized the fourth state of consciousness!!


Now let us take up the interactive states of consciousness that lie between the four states of consciousness. The four states are 1.Vaiswanara or visva 2. Taijasa 3. Pragjya 4. Turiya. These four states of consciousness interact at all four levels thereby giving rise to different states of consciousness that are intermediate between them. Visva in its interaction results in the following: 1.Visva- Visva 2. Visva- Taijasa 3.Visva-Pragjya 4. Visva-Turiya states of consciousness. Similarly Taijasa in its interaction results in 1 Taijasa-Visva 2. Taijasa- Taijasa 3. Taijasa- Prajgya 4.Taijasa- Turiya. Next Pragjya in its interaction results in 1. Pragjya –Visva 2. Pragjya- Taijasa 3.Pragjya- Pragjya and 4. Pragjya- Turiya. Then the Turiya state in its interaction 1.Turiya-Visva 2. Turiya – Taijasa 3.Turiya – Pragjya 4. Turiya- Turiya.



This state of Turiya and that lies beyond the state of Turiya - Turiya are not in the scope of any verbal definition. If we can understand that the Sadhana Contemplation takes place within the mortal body using it as an instrument. It is the consciousness that is dynamic in the entire process and keeps changing and progressing to different states. The whole process involves a thorough transformation of the body that is the instrument as well as the consciousness. We can from this stand point understand the scriptures, as this concept forms the central theme of all the four Vedas and their Upanishads, Puranas etc.


In the forthcoming issues, progressively we shall take up the Upanishads, then Yajur Veda, particularly certain yagnas or rituals offering oblations into the fire. Later we shall take up the Sama Veda that is in the form of prayers addressed to various Vedic deities. Rig Veda is identical with Sama Veda, but not in the song format. We shall presently leave the Atharva Veda because it is in the format of Mantras, Tantras and Yantras that are adopted by those who actually practice this Sadhana.