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: