Mundakopanishad : ( Seven tongues of fire ).Mantram-4.

Mundaka-Upanishad


Chapter-1.


Section-2. ( Rituals )


Mantram-4. ( Seven  tongues  of  fire )



"kali  karali  ca  manojava  ca  sulohita  ya  ca  sudhumra-varna,


sphulingini  visvaruci  ca  devi  lelaya-mana  iti  sapta  jihvah."




kali  =  kali ( the black  one );

karali  =  karali  ( the  terrific  one );

ca  =  and;

manojava  =  as  swift  as  mind;

ca  =  and;

sulohita  =  deep-red-coloured;

ya  =  who;

ca  =  also;

sudhumra  varna  =   the  smoke - coloured;

sphulingini  =  the  sparkling;

visvaruci  devi  =  the  variegated,  the  bright,  all  shining;

ca  =  and;

lelaya-mana  =  flickering;

iti  =  that;

sapta  =  seven;

jihvah  =  tongues.



"The  seven  flickering  tongues  ( jwala-s )  of  flames  are :

1. Kali,  the  black  one;

2. Karali,  the  terrific  one;

3. Manojava,  the  swift-as-mind  one;

4. Sulohita,  the  deep-red  one;

5. Sudhumra-varna,  the  smoke-coloured  one;

6. Sphulingini,  the  sparkling  one;

7. and  Visvaruci,***  the  bright  all  shining  ---  variegated  one;


***  There  is  a  another  reading  i.e,  Visva-rupi  =  of  all  forms.  This  is  not  as  happy  as  the  reading  we  have  accepted.



  Next : Discussion-1. "the significance  of  various  classifications  and  types  of  flames  ( fire )  in  the  Homa-kundam......."

To be continued   .....