The Kundalini Turiya Mantra is a sacred sound formula aimed at realizing Turiya, the fourth state of consciousness described in the Mandukya Upanishad (verse 7) as that which is 'neither inward-turned nor outward-turned, nor both, nor an indifferent mass, nor knowing, nor not-knowing, unseen, ineffable, ungraspable, devoid of distinctive marks, unthinkable, unnameable, whose essence is the conviction of the oneness of the Self, the cessation of phenomena, peaceful, auspicious, non-dual.' This mantra is chanted to transcend the three ordinary states of waking (jagrat), dreaming (svapna), and deep sleep (sushupti), and to abide in pure consciousness, which is the ultimate goal of Kundalini awakening. The beej-akshara 'Om' is central, representing the primordial sound that encompasses all states; the mantra often includes 'Turiya' or 'Turiya' as a bija itself, signifying the fourth state.
According to the Mantra Mahodadhi (Chapter 2), the phoneme 'T' in Turiya denotes transcendence, 'U' indicates expansion, 'R' stands for radiance, 'I' for dissolution, and 'Y' for union, together guiding the practitioner to the state beyond. The traditional purpose is liberation (moksha) and the culmination of the Kundalini journey, where the serpent energy unites with Shiva in the sahasrara chakra.
Recommended chanting context includes early morning or midnight, in a quiet space, with a count of 108 repetitions using a rudraksha mala. The practitioner should be established in a disciplined sadhana and have guidance from a guru, as this mantra can accelerate spiritual experiences.
Cautions include avoiding chanting without proper purification and preparation, as it may disturb the subtle energies. The mantra is closely associated with the Kundalini texts and the Shaktisangama Tantra, which describe Turiya as the state of supreme bliss (paramananda) beyond the three gunas.
Salutations to the Fourth State (Turiya).
The mantra centers on the seed-syllable 'Oṁ', which itself encompasses the three states (A=waking, U=dreaming, M=deep sleep) and leads to the fourth, Turiya. The phoneme 'T' in Turiya denotes transcendence, 'U' expansion, 'R' radiance, 'I' dissolution, and 'Y' union.