The first state is that of waking consciousness, in which we are aware of our daily world. "It is described as outward-knowing (bahish-prajnya), gross (sthula) and universal (vaishvanara)". This is the gross body.
The second state is that of the dreaming mind. "It is described as inward-knowing (antah-prajnya), subtle (pravivikta), and burning (taijasa)". This is the subtle body.
The third state is the state of deep sleep. In this state, the underlying ground of consciousness is undistracted. "[T]he Lord of all (sarv’-eshvara), the knower of all (sarva-jnya), the inner controller (antar-yami), the source of all (yonih sarvasya), the origin and dissolution of created things (prabhav-apyayau hi bhutanam)". This is the causal body.
In the waking consciousness, there is a sense of 'I' (self-identity) and awareness of thoughts. In the sleep or dream state, there is no or little sense of 'I'; however, there are thoughts and the awareness of thoughts. Waking and dreaming are not true experiences of Absolute Reality and metaphysical truth, because of their dualistic natures of subject and object, self and not-self, ego, and non-ego.
Advaita also posits the fourth state of Turiya, which some describe as pure consciousness, the background that underlies and transcends these three common states of consciousness. Turiya is the state of liberation, where according to the Advaita school, one experiences the infinite (ananta) and non-different (advaita/abheda), that is free from the dualistic experience, the state in which ajativada, non-origination, is apprehended. According to Candradhara Sarma, Turiya state is where the foundational Self is realized, it is measureless, neither cause nor effect, all pervading, without suffering, blissful, changeless, self-luminous, real, immanent in all things and transcendent. Those who have experienced the Turiya stage of self-consciousness have reached the pure awareness of their own non-dual Self as one with everyone and everything, for them the knowledge, the knower, the known becomes one, they are the Jivanmukta.
Advaita traces the foundation of this ontological theory in more ancient Sanskrit texts. For example, chapters 8.7 through 8.12 of Chandogya Upanishad discuss the "four states of consciousness" as awake, dream-filled sleep, deep sleep, and beyond deep sleep. One of the earliest mentions of Turiya, in the Hindu scriptures, occurs in verse 5.14.3 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. The idea is also discussed in other early Upanishads.
There are four kinds of people who seek God on the basis of the Bhagavat Gita; they are the Actors of the earthly Drama who move to the temples, who perform rituals, practice meditations and so forth. The first type known under the name Arta, those are afflicted, suffering from various adversity of life such as illness, depression, tension, disaster, tragedy, despondency etc. The second category called as Jijnashu, the curious persons having inquisitiveness though they search for Divinity but are under the impulse of self interest. The third one better known as Artharthi, the cravers of wealth who always run after the materialistic prosperity. The fourth class of men is Jnani who are passionate for the acquisition of knowledge offering their unconditional love for Lord. The forth type people are somehow better than the formers though they have greedy for God-realization. However, the people of the modern society being regarded as so called religious and spiritual persons seek God for the following reasons which can be taken into account.
1. First Type known as Habit Oriented Seekers, being inspired by their parents on the basis of their tradition, family background they are habituated from their childhood to worship God, to do religious performances not knowing what for.
2. Second Type known as Fear Oriented Seekers who are always afraid of falling into hell, afraid of being called as atheists, afraid of their security for which they worship God, offer prayers and go to the religious shrines.
3. Third Type is known as Desire Oriented persons who aspire for the attainment of Swarga, heaven, Vaikuntha, abode of God, they are persuaded by the greediness of gaining something better. These people are ambitious by nature and being power-lust their theory revolves round only happiness having self-centric attitude.
4. Fourth Type is Reasoning Oriented seekers who always try to prove God, reveal the mystery of life and death through their logic and arguments based on the Sastras and scriptures. They are the Pandits and Theologians of the society who try to persuade others by their sweet speeches, writings and Pravachan as if they are all knower. They are only carbon copy of the Texts nothing else.
5. Fifth Type is Relaxed Oriented people who worship various deities, travel to the holy places, listen to the Pravachan, and assemble in the religious ceremonies etc only for their relaxation as they are disgusted and over-burdened with the journey of life. These people do all those things only for time pass, recreation and entertainment.
Major Obstacles on the way of Self-Realization: Sastra says that there are three major obstacles which blockage the path of Self-Realization. The first and foremost obstacle or impediment is the Asama Bhavana, the Thought of Improbability. The spiritual seeker who thinks that the mortal body composed of five gross elements is everything, nothing is beyond that concept, comes under this category. He never tells that “I am no other than Brahma” as he is deluded by the bodily elements, mind and sense organs etc. Though he reads scriptures, religious texts and listens to the spiritual discourses of the pious soul, spiritual Gurus but he is always under the veil of ignorance and impossibility. He is so much attached with Deha Bhavana that he never thinks of Videha state and never accepts that he is Sat-Chit-Ananda , The Immortal Soul. He is spirit in form but matter in body. The philosophy of “Ayamatma Brahma” or “Jiabhutah Sanatanah” never comes to his mind; it is beyond his perception and imagination.
The second obstacle on the way of Self-Realization is Bisama Bhavana, the Complicated Thought. This type of seeker makes the simple things complicated and tends to create something out of nothing through the application of cunning intelligence. Many questions and doubts peep into the mind of this spiritual seeker. He tries to get the answer and wants to clear the doubts through logic, reasoning and above all through the interpretation of Sastras but unable to arrive at the conclusion. He lays stress on indirect knowledge gained from books and from the spiritual speakers or Gurus, however lastly he becomes restless and disappointed as his thirst is quenched by none. He is out and out extrovert and argumentative in nature and behaves as if he knows everything. He rests in peace when all his doubts are cleared. He should be aware of the Gita version “Samsayatma Binasyati”
The third obstacle on the way of Self-Realization is the Biparita Bhavana, the Opposite Thought. The spiritual seeker of this type thinks the unreal entity as real and Anatma Vastu as Atma Swarupa or to say non-self as self objects. He has the strong conception that the very Self or Soul can be knowable through senses, mind and intellect. He regards body as self and imagines all the changeable transitory materials as eternal and permanent. His deep association with body, bodily connected elements and his long habituated union with the non-self gives birth to the Biparita Bhavana. With the rising of Self-consciousness this chronic disease comes to an end. Then only he focuses on the light of the Soul and becomes so delighted that he starts chanting “Jyotisham tad Jyotirupam”.
Be what you really are, discover your innate nature, and discard the imitation. When you establish yourself in your true nature, your inborn attribute then there will be no need of seeking God as seeker and sought is one...
Authored by Dr Anadi Sahoo
