Consciousness - 3

The fourth state

Turiya, literally means fourth. It is the fourth state of consciousness or state of bliss achieved when the kundalini awakens and ascends beyond the aagnya chakra. It is the true nature of a jeeva’s swaroopa, that is awareness.

Unlike the other three states, Turiya does not occur naturally. It is a state to be achieved through spiritual practice (saadhane). The jeeva contemplates on God through its sookshma manassu. The state of Turiya results in the awakening of ‘jeeva swaroopa’, like being conscious in a deep sleep state, or being in a state of ‘thought-less awareness’. It is said that “the brain can transcend the boundaries of logic and reason, and experience states of awareness, commonly unrecognised by science”.

The four states of consciousness are represented by ‘AUM’. AUM comprises of four aspects, ‘A’, ‘U’, ‘Ma’ and ‘_’(naada).

The bhagawad rupa representing the Turiya state is Vaasudeva (who grants moksha / moksha-daayaka). Vaasudeva is not within the body but is 12” above the crown of the head. Vaasudeva can be ‘seen’ only when one is granted ‘aparoksha darshana’ (vision of God in the mind’s eye) or through ‘swaroopada anubhava’ (vision of God through the subtle eye). Any other vision of god one experiences is a projection of the conscious/sub-conscious mind.

Vaasudeva is not found through states of deep meditation (dhyaana) or even through deeper states of meditation (samaadhi). He can only be found in the state of moksha (God-realisation). Scholars say that ‘vaasu’ refers to that which is concealed in the three states as well as that which is revealed in the fourth state.

Vaasudeva is present in 16 forms in the crown of the head, representing the vowels ‘a’ to ‘aha’, as described by Jagannatha daasaru in Harikathaamruthasaara.

Once, a jeeva experiences Turiya, he becomes fully aware (jaagrutha), and sleepless and dreamless (anidra and aswapna). There is neither false understanding (agnyaana) nor illusion (vipareetha buddhi or bramhe).

The past karmas (the fruits of good and bad deeds) of a jeeva who has experienced Turiya vanish, and new actions performed do not accrue karma. The mukta-jeeva may still err due to his human nature, but the errors are forgiven by the divine.

The Vedas, Puraanas and Upanishads use cryptic language (guhya bhaashe). Their true meanings maybe understood (by saatvik jeevas), confused (by raajasic jeevas), or misunderstood (by taamasic jeevas).

Turiya has been described in the Maanduka Upanishad as Aikaatma, Prapancha, Shivam and Advaitham. An attempt at its true description has been made below.

Aikaatma refers to a complete entity (god who is paripoorna) who destroys ignorance (agnyaana) and misery (dukkha) and is therefore an embodiment of awareness and joy (Gnyaanaanada swaroopa).

Prapancha refers to all-pervasive bliss (sarva-vyaaptha aananda), that is the state of bliss granted to the jeeva who loses identification with everything else except its relationship with god.

Shivam means he who is and he who grants pure and undiluted bliss to the jeeva’s swaroopa.

Advaitham may be interpreted as
a. The whole which has no difference from its parts. The supreme lord has the same power and divinity in every aspect of his form. He can ‘see’ with his feet or ‘smell’ with his ears and so on. b. The dispeller of false notions. The one who provides the ultimate knowledge (yathaartha gnyaana).