[Advaita-l] What is consciousness or chaitanya?

[Bhaskar YR]

praNAms Hare Krishna

>  Sri Sada prabhuji just replied you.  

What is the definition of consciousness or chaitanya in Advaita?

> As per Advaita consciousness is indefinable or indescribable as it is beyond the reach of speech and mind.  The Advaita philosophy which follows the dictum of scriptures say the same thing : yato vAchO nivartante aprApya manasa saha ( taittireeya Upanishad) , na tatra chakshurgacchati na vaag gacchati nO manaH ( kena shruti).  But for the communication sake it is called brahman / bhUma / Atman etc.  

Modern Science and even Buddhism, equates consciousness with the human mind, since according to them, its the mind that always remain conscious or aware of everything around it.

>  Sri Sada prabhuji explained the shortcomings of this approach.

But Advaita says, consciousness or chaitanya is different from the mind.
Please explain to me, how is it so?

>  in deep sleep state you are not aware who you are, what you are or where you are obviously mind which is the instrument to know all these things not there but YOU are there in sushupti.  That you which is akhanda Chaitanya in all the three states uses the instrument called mind in waking and dream to determine where, what you are.  Mind is karaNa (instrument) to know you are Chaitanya.

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar