April 21, 23014: The third foot of the Atman, the third phase of its analysis, is deep sleep, where all perceptions and cognitions converge into a single mode of the mind - Ekibhutah. It becomes a mass of consciousness, which is not projected outside; - Prajnana-ghanah. There is no modification of the mind, and so there is no external consciousness. We are not aware of the world outside in the state of sleep because of the absence of Vrittis, or psychoses, of the mind. Only when the mind becomes extrovert can it have consciousness of the outer world, whether in dream or in waking. But, there is no agitation of the mind, of that nature, in sleep. It is as if there is a homogeneous mass of all perceptions, where all the Samskaras, Vasanas, commingle into a single mode, or condition, instead of there being many cognitive psychoses. Anandamayo anandabhuk cetomukhah prajnah: It is all bliss. The happiness of deep sleep is greater than all other forms of happiness or pleasure born of sense-contact. It is filled with Ananda, bliss, delight, satisfaction. Even a king cannot be happy if he does not have sleep for a week. All the worlds may be given to you, but if you will not be allowed to sleep, you would rather say, "Let me sleep. I do not want any world. You take your kingdom back, all your empire. You allow me to sleep peacefully." An empire cannot give you that happiness, the power which you may seem to have over the world cannot give you that satisfaction, which you have while you are alone in deep sleep, unbefriended, unprotected, unseen, uncognised, unpossessed of anything. While you are possessed of so many things in the world, with all the retinue of a kingdom, with the power that you wield in society, you have a satisfaction; but it is no comparison with the happiness of sleep, where you have no empire, no retinue, no power conceivable, and nobody even to look at your face. In that condition, when you are alone, you are more happy than when you are in the midst of people in the waking state. Just imagine your condition. While you are alone, you are so happy, and while you are in the midst of many people, you are agitated, vexed, worried and complain about everything. You make no complaints in sleep, and you want nothing. Look at it! When you are fast asleep, you want nothing, you ask for nothing, you do not want anybody even to see you or speak to you, and, yet, you are more happy there than when you are an emperor. From where has this happiness come? From where has this Anandamayatva come to you? This subject is dealt with in the Mantra which describes the third phase of the Atman. Your real nature is aloneness, not sociability. Your real nature is Kevalata, not Indriya-Samyoga with Vishayas, objects. Your real nature is singularity, not multiplicity. Your real nature is a total transcendence of all sensory and mental phenomena, not contact with objects. Therefore you are Anandamaya, Anandabhuk: filled with bliss, enjoying bliss.

                                                                                ---Excerpts from Sri Ramana Maharshi’s preaching