In
the Ganapathyopanishad Ganesha is described as the form of Turiya indicated
by 'omkara' (form of 'OM') abiding in the Muladharam. This is an abstract
metaphysical statement. We have studied something about Muladharam and
now we have to study something about 'OMKARA' to appreciate the description
of Ganesha given in the Ganapathyopanishad.
Mandukyopanishad speaks about 'OM' as follows:
"OM Ithiekaksharamitham sarvam, thasyopa
vyakyanam, butham bavath bavishyabhithi
sarva omkara mevachanyath thrikalathitham thadpyomkara eva.
The gist of the above verse is as follows:
All this world is of the form 'OM'.
In further explanation, the past, present and future are all 'OM'. And
whatever transcends the three divisions of time, is also 'OM'. This upanishad
identifies 'OM' as brahman or atman which manifests itself in four states,
viz, (1) the waking state (2) the dreaming state (3) the state of deep
sleep and (4) the state of super consciousness. 'OM' is universally accepted
by Hindus and even by Buddhists as the sound symbol of the supreme power
which can be analysed into three sound elements viz., 'A' 'U' and 'M'.
The sound element 'A' is indicative of the
waking state, 'U' of the dream state and 'M' of the deep sleep state.
The waking state represented by the sound
element 'A' is the outwardly cognitive world, which is ephemeral and which
is sustained by the ego. The dream state represented by the sound element
'U' is also a world but inwardly cognitive which is also ephemeral and
sustained by the ego. The events in the world of dream state appear as
much realistic as they appear in the world of the waking state. The feeling
that the dream events appear to be lasting only for a short time, while
events in the waking state appear to last longer is brought about by confounding
the standard of time in the waking state with the standard of time in
the dream state which differ from each other. |