The Kundalini Turiya Dhyana Mantra is a meditative formula for realizing Turiya, the fourth state of consciousness described in the Mandukya Upanishad (verse 7). This Upanishad delineates four states: jagrat (waking), svapna (dreaming), sushupti (deep sleep), and turiya, which is pure consciousness beyond the other three. The mantra is chanted to transcend the mind's ordinary states and directly experience the Atman or Brahman. In the tradition of Kundalini yoga, as expounded in texts like the Shat-Chakra-Nirupana (part of the Tantric Rudrayamala), the awakening of Kundalini culminates in the realization of Turiya, where the individual consciousness merges with the universal. The mantra often incorporates the beej-akshara 'Om' (प्रणव), which is considered the primordial sound representing the unmanifest Brahman.
The phoneme 'Om' consists of three matras (A, U, M) symbolizing the three states, and the silence after it represents Turiya. According to the Mandukya Upanishad (verse 12), the fourth state is amatra (without a syllable), beyond sound and thought. The traditional purpose of this dhyana mantra is to facilitate the ascent of Kundalini through the chakras and to stabilize the practitioner in the state of liberation (moksha). Benefits include profound peace, dissolution of ego, and direct knowledge of the Self. Recommended chanting context: ideally during brahma muhurta (pre-dawn hours), in a quiet meditation space, with a count of 108 repetitions using a rudraksha mala.
The practitioner should sit in a stable posture (siddhasana or padmasana) with spine erect, focusing on the crown chakra (sahasrara). Cautions: this mantra is advanced and should be attempted only under the guidance of a qualified guru, as premature or improper practice can lead to energetic imbalances. It is not recommended for those with severe mental health conditions. The mantra is also associated with the Mahavakyas of the Upanishads, such as 'Tat Tvam Asi' (That Thou Art), which point to the identity of Atman and Brahman. The Kundalini Turiya Dhyana Mantra thus serves as a direct means to realize the non-dual reality, as affirmed in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (I.2-3) where yoga is defined as the cessation of mental modifications, leading to the seer abiding in its own nature.
Salutations to the Fourth State (Turiya).
The mantra begins with the seed-syllable 'Oṁ', which is the pranava beej. Oṁ comprises three matras (A, U, M) symbolizing the three states of consciousness (waking, dreaming, deep sleep), and the silence after represents Turiya, the fourth state beyond sound.