sarvaṁ hy etad brahmāyam ātmā brahma so 'yam ātmā catuṣpāt ||
"All this is indeed Brahman. This Self is Brahman. This Self has four quarters (aspects)."
Mahavakya (Great Saying)
अयमात्मा ब्रह्म
Ayam Ātmā Brahma
"This Self is Brahman"
What This Means:
Everything is Brahman (ultimate reality). Your innermost Self (Atman) is also Brahman. And this Self can be understood through four aspects or "quarters", which the following verses will explain.
Going Deeper:
Catuṣpāt (four-quartered) introduces the key teaching structure. The Self appears to have four aspects, three states of consciousness we experience daily (waking, dreaming, deep sleep), plus a fourth that is our true nature. These aren't parts of a whole but perspectives on what is ultimately one.
How To Apply This:
You already experience three states every day: waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. The Upanishad invites you to investigate: who is the one who moves through all three states? That witness is the fourth, your true Self.
Key Sanskrit Terms: