That there is ātma ajñānam itself is not known. Everyone has an opinion about self and merrily goes about the same. But as an adult there is a gap in behaviour, there is confusion and psychology comes into the picture to validate the behaviour and still one is not completely at home. But there are moments one is completely at home. That is the norm. That shows there is another version of self. Mandukya Upanisad unfolds this self through an analysis of om-kāra corresponding to the three states of experience that everyone goes through daily.

Mandakya Upanisad with Gaudapada Karika and Sankara Bhasya, as taught by Pujya Swamiji during the three-year course in Vedanta and Sanskrit in 1992-93 at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Anaikatti has been a long sought-after book by disciples of Pujya Sri Swamiji. Swami Sakshatkrtananda, Chief Acarya at Swami Dayananda Ashram, Rishikesh has mentored us to give shape to the book. John Warne, a student of Pujya Swamiji at the Gurukulam initiated the effort by handing over a base document in English.

Subsequently, Arsha Vidya Research and Publication Trust using the original transcripts of the classes has ensured that the teachings of Pujya Sri Swamiji have been fully and truly captured in the book without compromising the inimitable style of Pujya Sri Swamiji. This book, therefore, is an authentic work of Pujya Sri Swamiji dedicated to the brahma jijnäsus, all over the world.

Pujya Swamiji's unfoldment as it appears in the book. literally transports the readers to the ambience of the Gurukulam and helps them remain pivoted in the teaching and gain the vision of the text.

This book on Mandukya Upanisad with Karikas by Pujya Sri Swamiji is a prasada grantha, a blessing work of nectar that will quench the thirst of many a committed student of Vedanta as well as help the disciples of Pujya Sri Swamiji to dwell upon the vision. With this book, AVR & PT has crossed one more milestone in the publication of Prasthanatraya covering the Sanskrit commentary of Adi Sankara in most of them. I am sure the publication division will have a sense of fulfillment in bringing out this book.

Swami Ramesvarananda, who is the resident sannyasi at Manjakkudi, has been painstaking in his efforts in completing the editing of this book free of any errors. His commitment to bring out more and more books is commendable. I express my sincere appreciation to Smt. Sheela Balaji, the Chairperson of AVR & PT for making this possible and also for maintaining high standards in design and publication. Now we can expect publication of more prakarana granthas of Pujya Sri Swamiji in the days to come.

May the blessings of Lord Sri Daksinämürti and Pujya Sri Swamiji be upon all the people responsible for this publication and also on all the readers for imbibing the teachings and making it their own that will give the result of jivanmukti, freedom while living.

Atharvaveda has a number of upanisads, Mundaka, Praśna and this Mandukya. Mandukya Upanisad is one of the short upanisads, like Kenopanisad. It unfolds the subject matter using predominantly two prakriyas. Prakriya means a method of unfolding. In Taittiriya Upanisad we have karya karana prakriya, cause-effect prakriya, and also the pancakosa viveka prakriya. Pancakosas are pointed out because five levels of experience are there, and at each of the five levels of experience a mistake is committed. Therefore at the first of these universal five levels of experience, ātmā is taken to be the one which has the dharma, the qualities of the physical body. Sthalo ham, manusyo'ham ityadi; many examples are given. Afterwards we have the prana as the level of experience, I am hungry, I am thirsty, etc. The third level is manah indriyani, When you say andho'ham, I am blind, I am deaf, etc it is all manomaya and indriyani together. Then sankalpavan vikalpavan aham asmi, I am the one with. sankalpa, vikalpa, etc. Again the manodharmas are attributed to the atma; atma is taken to be so and similarly vijnanamaya, kartaham iti kartyteam. Anandamaya, we can take it as bhoktṛtuam. Therefore, karta bhokta iti, and ajñaḥ also, I am ignorant; all these are superimpositions upon the atma. This is universal; only when it is universal you can deal with it in the sastra. Subjective means it becomes entirely personal. Then it becomes a matter for special treatment. That is entirely a different thing. Sastra treats the common, the samsara vyadhi, the common vyadhi of all jivas, not a particular vyadhi. The universal disease, bhavaroga it is called, is dealt with in the sastra, and sastra does not deal with any other vyadhi. This is called pañcakośaprakriya. Yoga deals with a few vyadhis, smaller vyadhis, but then again, universal.