Aksaram : Imperishable, Avyaktam: Unmanifested. Here The Supreme is worshipped in three modes: The Imperishable, the Unmanifest and the Personal God. The imperishable Aksaram consists of three parts. The Lower, the Higher, and the Higher than the Higher. The lifeless prakriti is called the lower Aksara. The Vishnu-dependent Aksara is called Higher Prakriti or Aksara. This Higher Prakriti or Aksara is associated with Sri. Hari or Vishnu Himself is called Higher than Higher and therefore perfect in excellences or attributes. This Higher than Higher Aksara / Imperishable is equated with Brahman. All other gods who do not meet the highest standards of excellences and attributes are called Non-Brahman. Therefore Brahman is One, only ONE, second to none, or One without a second. No (more) excellences can be added to Brahman. This Imperishable can neither be sought or avoided, because it is there everywhere. According to Sankara, Brahman is space and the transmigrating selves are like the jars. It is false knowledge to say that the jar spaces are different from the unlimited space outside the jars. From the Imperishable comes the Unmanifest or Avyakta. From Avyakta / Unmanifested comes Hiranyagarba, the primordial Egg. From Hiranyagarba, the whole universe projects.

In Vedanta,  Aakasa  (ether), Aksaram, and Maya are used interchangeably.   Pluripotential  Aakaasa is an undeveloped and imperishable principle  from which all beings and  and the variegated universe project. Aakaasa is the basic material and stem substance of the sentient and the insentient.  We are made of star dust. And that star dust originates from Aakaasa. Prana is the power that breathes life into beings or acts as the immutable laws of nature (Rta), such as magnetism, gravity etc. Einstein calls Rta as cosmic religion.   This prana is not just breath.  The beings and the universe project from Akaasa  and involutes in Aakasa  upon dissolution. 

It is said in Vishnu Purana that Hari in the form of Brahma is the instrumental cause of creation. The matter is imperceptible and invisible to start with, but has been infused by the Supreme Lord with an intrinsic ability to transform, mutate, combine, recombine and permutate into visible substances in this universe. The seed germinates into a plant from its own intrinsic ability, contained within its own substance. All the elements in one species of seed are more or less same as in the seeds from another species. But the combinations and permutations of the elements are different from each other in such ways, that they germinate into two different species of plants. Another way of saying is, that all seeds contain elements such as ether, air, fire, water and earth in different combinations and permutations, to produce different species of seeds. 

How could that be possible that Akaasa is the pluripotential stem substance of this sentient and insentient universe?  Let me give you a well-established fact as a supporting evidence and a parallel.  There is a pluripotential stem cell in the bone marrow and the umbilical cord blood. This stem cell is the cell that has the capability of transforming itself into any cell in the universe of human body. 

Aakaasa is the matter and Prana is the power.  Both are under the control of Isvara.  Akaasa (Ether) undergoes mutation as follows and as told by Brahma to Narada and describes the ether as the base for air etc. Etherà airà fireà waterà earth

Prana is energy. Prana  energizes transformation of  Aakaasa from being an evolute to an evolvent  in this world of evolution.  Prana encompasses all energies discovered and yet undiscovered.  It is thought, it is motion, it is gravity, it is lightening, it is energy in the atom, it is the motion in the atoms, it is the juice in everything  Any discovered or undiscovered energy in our body or universe is prana, call it by any name - respiration, nerve conduction, thought, gravity, magnetism etc.   

Being, Noumenal and Phenomenal States.  Why do we need deep Sleep?

For Sustenance, every Jivatman / the lower individual self  needs communion with the Higher Self.  Without that daily dose of sustenance, we are as bad as dead.  This sustenance or the union is facilitated by deep sleep. It is as if the lesser self goes to the Higher Self for its daily dose of sustenance or recharging  and boosting of its batteries.  It is like getting plugged into the grid every night.  In deep sleep, as it were, we don't exist in physical terms. Our body doesn't exist, as it were.  We  (the individual selves) know our true identity. We are not the body, the mind or the senses but the self.  The lower self and the Higher Self commune in the spiritual heart  and the former  basks  in the Bliss of the Higher Self.  After all, we are a bit of the Higher Self and go Home to our Maker.  This nightly bliss is for the ordinary beings.  If one becomes a perfected yogi,  that yogi , can at will enjoy that Bliss at any time or any place.  That is Turiya.  That is Eternal Bliss.

Being is of two kinds, Noumenal and Phenomenal.

Phenomenal States: Visva, Taijasa and Prajna

1: Visva  is the waking state, and  cognizes external objects and  duality of experience. Consciousness is outward moving. Perceptual self. A state of actions, reactions, and dualities. The empirical world.

2: Taijasa, the dream state. Dream state, enjoys subtle objects.  Duality of experience. Consciousness inward moving. Imaginative self. Dreams are woven from the experiences of the waking state. The self is released temporarily from the empirical world.

3: Prajna the deep sleep . No desire. The third quarter is prajna, state of knowledge. Full of bliss. Enjoys bliss. Consciousness enjoys peace and there is no awareness of external or internal objects. Temporary state. Conceptual self. A state of union with Brahman. It is Prajna consciousness because it  does not have  heterogeneous experience and it knows only one homogeneous mass of Bliss. It is not Bliss itself, but enjoys Bliss. Objective consciousness is absent , but its seed is present.

Noumenal State

4: Turiya, Spiritual Transcendental consciousness. Visva, Taijasa and Prajna merge  and fuse sequentially. Turiya is without any attributes. It or He is the Self.  Objective consciousness is absent and its seed also is absent. That is what is meant by Wakeful Sleep by Ramana MahaRishi. Turiya is present and functional in the perfected ones, even when they are awake. In Turiya, there is an irreversible union with Brahman. There is Oneness with Brahman. There is a permanent Metaphysical Unity.  There are four progressive Turiya states, one deeper and subtler than the previous one. A: Jiva Turiya:  Jiva realizes its pristine spiritual  nature and its organic relationship with God or Self.  Duality still exists. B: Para Turiya:  Jiva realizes Brahman, and union, absorption, or merger takes place.  It is still NOT united.  Duality is still apparent between Jiva and Brahman. C:  Brahman Turiya: Jiva unites with Brahman, and is fully absorbed and integrated into One Being.  The Greater Self is the Subject and the jivatman is the object.  Subject-Object fusion.  The jivatman is the seeker and the Paramatman is the sought.  He is existence and Reality.   D: Beyond Turiya:  Jiva and Brahman become ONE as butter is poured into butter, and  water is mixed with water. Undifferentiated state.

This tells us the distinction between The Absolute and God, Brahman and Isvara, Turiya and Prajna.

Supreme Noumenal  Level : Absolute, Brahman, Turiya, and the Silence after AUM.  All are Imperishable. Brahman is all thought, all Bliss, no dream, no sleep, no name , no form, all light.

The Phenomenal Level: Isvara, Hiranyagarbha and Viraat in the descending order equates with or corresponds to  Prajna, Taijasa and Visva. and in turn to deep sleep, dream sleep and wakefulness.         

Isvara*: Personal God.   As per Madhava, Brahman in association with Mâyâ becomes Isvara  who is the cause of the world.   Brahman and avidya provide the material and the Brahman and maya provide the change and diversity of this phenomenal world.

The Noumenon is perception of an object  at an intellectual,  non-sensory and intuitional level divorced from concepts of time and space.  Brahman is noumenal, while Isvara is phenomenal.  Brahman is absolute and Isvara is an adjunct status, but the status is no less potent. Vishnu as Isvara is a special entity (Purusa-visesa), whose nature is pristine.  

The Highest Phenomenal Level One: God, Isvara, Prajna and AUM belong to the category of the Unmanifest becoming the manifest universe of beings and matter. These are derivatives of the imperishable, and  immeasurable Brahman.  There is no descent, no reduction, and no diminution.  As per Brahma Sutra,  Isvara is Brahman with creative energy.  His Maya-sakti is the mediating cause of this phenomenal world.  Isvara is both transcendent and immanent.  He is transcendent in relation to Brahman and immanent in relation to the created world.  This immanence is not a descent  from transcendence for the sake of upaasana or worship.  They are the two sides of the same coin, one side is Brahman and the flip side is Isvara - no pun is intended.  Brahman is maya-free and Isvara is a Mayin.   Brahman, and transcendence have to be without attributes and so are maya-free. Brahman transcends three gunas - Trigunaatita ( three gunas transcended).

Prajna is knowledge by intuition and self realization.  Prajna is transcendental wisdom.

Brahman BECOMES ISVARA OR PERSONAL GOD with pure wisdom / Prajna. Brahman doesn’t diminish or cease to be, by becoming Isvara.  Isvara is an adjunct status.

Isvara is the Principle behind the Mula-Prakriti or the unmanifested, the inner guide of all souls.

The Higher Phenomenal Level Two: Isvara is the immediate cause of Hiranya-garbha. It is the embryo of the world.  This Embryo stage is comparable with the dream state, ideas, possibilities etc. The Embryo stage is an internalized stage.  Brahma is the creator of this dream world of possibilities.

The High Phenomenal Level Three:  Viraat or manifestation of of the Phenomenal world. When this embryo ( Hiranyagarbha) is projected into space and time, we get viraat or manifestations.

Ramanuja says that Isvara is the inner controller of Cit and Acit – Beings and universe, sentient and insentient. When the embryo stage is thus exteriorized, the manifest world is like the waking state. When retrograde involution takes place, the Cit, the Acit, Hiranyagarba,  and Isvara go ( trace their steps backwards) into Brahman.

AUM straddles all levels and is imperishable. A is for the waking state, U is for the dream state and M is for the Deep Sleep. The silence that follows AUM is the Turiya state. AUM is worshipped as Isvara and Brahman.

Devotion is of several kinds, thus bringing different results.  The object of  devotion or worship can range from nature, to lesser gods, to personal God, to Saguna Brahman to Nirguna Brahman.  The Self is the same in all these entities.  The fruits of this worship or devotion are according to the object of worship.  The fruits can range from acquisition of earthly goods, to success in certain endeavors, graduated liberation, samadhi,  jivanmukti, or  moksa.  The results are also dependent on the mental make-up and the aptitude of the devotee. Not everyone is capable of becoming a Jnaana Yogi. They may have to be satisfied with karma yoga, bakhti yoga, Prapatti or Sarnagatti.  The Self is the same in the snake worshipper and the yogi practicing Jnaana yoga.  The Self at both ends of the spectrum and in between is limited by the excellence of the mind.  But all  have the potential for eventual moksa.