Lectures on the Mandukya Upanishad | 30/05/2022

The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad is the shortest of all the Upanishads.

It is in prose, consisting of twelve short verses, assigned to Atharvaveda. It discusses the syllable Aum; presents the theory of four states of consciousness; and asserts that Aum is Brahman – which is the Whole – and that Brahman is this self (Atman).

The Mandukya Upanishad is notable for having been recommended in the Muktikā Upanishad by Lord Rama to Hanuman, as the one Upanishad that alone is sufficient for knowledge to gain moksha. It is alse one of the eleven principal Upanishads commented on by Adi Shankaracharya. The text is also notable for inspiring Gaudapada's Mandukya Karika as well as commentary by Adi Shankaracharya.