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Brahma is the One that defies positive identification and description; the One that can be indicated only by negations and denials; the One that is Eternal and Infinite; Being-Awareness-Bliss Absolute.

The one all-pervasive Brahman permeates the entire universe of animate and inanimate objects. This al-inclusive Brahman has assumed the audible form of the primordial word AUM. There are four inseparable elements in this Supreme Parabrahman. They are Vishwa, Taijasa, Prajna and Turiya.

Jagratavastha, the wakeful state, is the state of normal consciousness, and is concerned with the gross world of matter. It brings empirical knowledge of the phenomenal world acquired through sensations and perceptions. It has several means of knowing. These consist of the karmendriyas (the five organs of action), the jnanendriyas (the five organs of perception), the five pranas (vital energies), manas (mind), buddhi (intellect), chitta (consciousness) and ahankara (ego). In the Jagratavastha these nineteen aspects of sensational or empirical knowledge are integrated. It is essentially this knowledge which hankers after the pleasures of the material world.

Swapnavastha, the dream state of consciousness, has the subconscious faculty of recognizing and getting an inkling of the holy experience of divinity and sanctity. It is concerned with the subtler aspects of human knowledge and experience. It carries with it subtler impressions of the experience of the jagratavastha.

Prajna and turiyavastha assume different characteristics. Prajnavastha is a transcendental state of consciousness in which the dichotomy between grossness and subtlety disappears in super consciousness. It is pure prajna or consciousness of Divinity. In prajnavastha, the differentiating and diversifying faculties of the mind become inoperative. That is why it is said that prajnana is Brahman. To help man reach this summit of Divinity, Krishna has expounded in the Bhagavad Gita the sadhana of dhyana, the path of meditation. In prajnavastha, all mundane desires and dream wishes are sublimated into the bliss of spiritual experience. The lambent light of prajnana shines steadily in this state of higher consciousness.

The turiyavastha is the highest state of consciousness in which the essential nature of the Atma is experienced. Santam (Tranquility), Sivam (Goodness) and Advaitam (Non-duality) are experienced by the sadhaka. The turiyavastha is pure, tranquil and steady state of super consciousness in which all discriminating and differentiating gunas (attributes) are transcended and dissolved in the eternal and absolute reality of Brahman.

Omkar is the fusion of the three primal sounds, A, U and M. These three letters represent respectively the jagrata, the swapna and the sushupti states of consciousness. They also symbolize Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. This trinity represents the three personified realities corresponding to the aforementioned three states of consciousness. In a garland of beads a string passes through them and holds them together. In a similar manner, Brahman passes through all jivas and makes them interdependent and inter-related.

Sakshatkara is the immediate, intimate and unitive apprehension of the absolute, supreme and integral reality of Brahman. It is a mystical experience beyond mind, space and time. Dhyana is an aid to sakshatkara. The eye cannot see itself. Similarly, the Atma also cannot see itself. If a doll made of salt is sunk into the sea for finding its depth, the doll gets dissolved in the water and becomes irrecoverable. In a similar manner, the jivatma in search of the Paramatma loses its individuality and identity. Brahman is an unfathomable ocean. A jiva which goes in search of Brahman becomes one with Brahman. Atma and Paramatma are ontologically identical and non-dual. They are only aspects of the highest state of consciousness.

In dhyana, manas (mind), buddhi (intellect) and the various indriyas (senses) are transcended by means of self-control. All dualities, dichotomies, differences and relativities disappear in the super conscious state of dhyana. Dhyana is synonymous with the unitive knowledge of the Godhead. It is a divya darshana, a vision of and a path to the Divine. It leads to Sat-Chit-Ananda or the integral reality of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. It grants 'nityananda' or everlasting bliss, and confers 'atmananda' or the bliss of the Atma. It helps man attain 'paramananda' or supreme bliss, and 'adwaitananda' or the bliss of non-duality.

Krishna said, "Ahamatma Gudakesha." Krishna who is Hrishikesha addressed Arjuna as Gudkesha. Hrishikesha is the Lord, the Master of all senses. Arjuna is Gudakesha, the one who has acquired sense-control. Gudakesha is the disciple of Hrishikesha. The Lord of the senses is the Supreme Guru and the one who has acquired control of the senses in His sishya. Krishna is the supreme Guru and Arjuna is His sincere sishya. Arjuna is Narottama, the ideal human being and Krishna is Purushottama, the Supreme Purusha or God. Today, there may be good gurus but there are no sincere sishyas. This is the influence of Kali on human beings. People remember and repeat the name of Krishna but they do not put His teachings into practice.

Once upon a time there was a noble guru. He had a disciple. One afternoon the guru who had gone somewhere returned home in the hot sun. The disciple was then performing the guru's worship. The guru had arrived in the blazing heat of the sun. His bare feet were being scorched by the hot earth. He asked the disciple to open the door and let him in. The disciple who was reciting the ashtothara of his guru said that he should not be disturbed during the puja. He did not open the door until he had finished the puja. The poor guru had to stand in the hot sun until the disciple had completed his worship. We find many such foolish disciples today. What is the use of worshipping the guru but causing him pain? There are many devotees who worship Krishna without caring for His teachings.

Every individual must recognize the truth that there is only one Parameshwara for all. God may be conceived in many ways. Brahman may be either 'saguna' or 'nirguna'. Saguna brahman is Brahman with attributes and Nirgunabrahman is Brahman without attributes. There is no essential difference between the two, just as there is no substantial difference between a piece of cloth and cotton. Nirgunabrahman is like the cotton, the basic substance, while Sagunabrahman is like the fabric, the derivative. Sagunabrahman and Nirgunabrahman are only two levels of Reality.

A beam of light falling on a prism is refracted. As a result of refraction, we see the different colours of the spectrum. The colours of the spectrum are different, but the light is only one. Similarly, there may be various names and forms of the ultimate Reality. Brahman is one and its manifestations are many.

A sadhaka will have several types of experiences during meditation. When he is absorbed in Divinity he listens to many kinds of sounds. He develops a sort of extrasensory perception. He listens to the sounds of musical instruments like the veena, mirdangam and flute. These sweet strains of music are symbolic of Sakara Brahman. They are the first results of dhyana. During the preliminary stages of dhyana, all sensory organs become hypersensitive. This acute sensitivity enables the sadhaka to respond to extraordinary sights and sounds. In course of time, this faculty of hypersensitivity or extrasensory perception develops into the highest faculty of listening to the Voice of Silence itself. There is 'shabda' in 'nishabda' (the Voice of Silence). It is the primordial sound of Iswara's Pranava. The sadhaka listens to the repetition and reiteration of the Primal Voice of Atma. He experiences the ineffable and inexplicable bliss of the turiya state of Super consciousness.

During profound meditation some sadhakas feel that their bodies have become very heavy and cannot move freely. Some others experience a feeling of extreme lightness and levitate upwards. Some sadhakas have a sensation of trembling and shivering. The tenacious and steady minded sadhaka will not be unnerved by these super-normal experience. He will continue his sadhana unhampered by his fantastic experiences.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa went through all these stages of dhyana, from sakara to nirakara (from forms to formlessness). During his spiritual evolution the Divine Mother revealed Herself to him as Kali. But, the Atma is formless. That is why the sadhaka is advised to leave behind him all forms and names and strive for the experience of the Formless Brahman. The absolute Brahman without form and attributes gives the highest spiritual ecstasy. The sadhaka is entranced and enraptured by the divine afflatus of Nirgunabrahman. He experiences perfect bliss. This superconscious state of meditation transcends all dualities. It is a state of unitive knowledge of the Brahman. It is everlasting and transcends all attributes and feelings.

A novice must start with meditation on Sagunabrahman. He must observe all restrictions. He should be regular and punctual in his sadhana. A young sapling must be protected from animals. A fence must be put around it until it grows into a big tree. The fence becomes unnecessary after it becomes a huge tree. Similarly, rules and regulations are necessary for beginners in sadhana. An advanced sadhaka does not depend on external props. He can go into a trance whenever he likes. Meditation becomes spontaneous and habitual.

Dhyana should be distinguished from dharana. Dharana is mere concentration. The first stage of concentration should be followed up by contemplation and absorption. This absorption leads to meditation. Dhyana is not the monopoly of any particular religion. It is a universal and pragmatic programme for gaining the unitive knowledge of the Godhead.