Relevance of the Turīya and Advaita Principles Expounded in the Twelfth Mantra of the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad in the Context of World Peace: A Critical Study

Abstract

The contemporary world, despite remarkable scientific and technological advancement, continues to face serious challenges such as war, violence, terrorism, hatred, intolerance, cultural polarization, identity-based conflicts, and social divisions. Therefore, the question of world peace is not merely a political, military, or diplomatic issue; it also requires examination from the perspectives of human consciousness, ethics, and interpersonal relationships. Within the Indian knowledge tradition, the concept of peace is closely associated with inner consciousness, self-restraint, non-violence, equanimity, the welfare of all beings, and the awareness of fundamental unity. The twelfth mantra of the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad describes Turīya through a series of significant philosophical attributes such as “amātra,” “the fourth,” “avyavahārya,” “prapañcopaśama,” “śiva,” and “advaita.” The primary concern of this mantra is spiritual and philosophical realization of the Self and Turīya; it does not directly formulate a modern political or military theory of peace. Nevertheless, when its non-dual and consciousness-oriented principles are reinterpreted in the contemporary context, they can enter into a meaningful philosophical dialogue with values such as human unity, human dignity, reduction of othering, non-violent orientation, dialogue, coexistence, and universal welfare. The present study adopts a qualitative, text-based, philosophical, analytical, and interpretive methodology. The twelfth mantra is examined with reference to the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad, Gauḍapāda’s Māṇḍūkyakārikā, and Śaṅkarācārya’s commentary. It also establishes a dialogical relationship between Advaita Vedānta, theories of consciousness, non-violence, and contemporary peace thought. The central argument of the study is that the perspectives of Turīya and Advaita can provide a philosophical basis for the inner transformation of human consciousness, and that such inner transformation may contribute to a psychological and ethical environment conducive to non-violence, dialogue, and coexistence. However, it would not be appropriate to regard these principles as the sole or direct cause of world peace.