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Mundakopanishad : { A seeker seeing meaningless-ness of the wordly and heavenly pleasures advised to approach a teacher and seek 'Supreme Knowledge.' } Mantram-12.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram-12. { A  seeker  seeing  meaningless-ness  of  the  wordly  and  heavenly  pleasures  advised  to  approach  a  teacher  and  seek  "Supreme  Knowledge." } Mantram-12. Discussion-3. "Sruti's  advice  to  such  brahmana,  ....." Such  a  brahmana  is  being  advised  by  the  Sruti  here  to  examine  ruthlessly  the  various  fields  of  results  that  they  can  gain,  due  to  the  ritualistic  acts  of  piety  and  ceremony. Mother  Sruti,  here  is  directing  the  attention  of  such  an  enquirer  to  consider  whether  he  can  ever  gain  the  "unmade" through  any  known  methods  of  "making". The  idea  is  that  'Moksham' is  not  and  cannot  be  the  result  of  any  action  performed;  for,  in  that  case,  like  a  pot  made  by  a  pot-maker,  'Moksham' also  will be  a  perishable  state. Next : Discussion

Mundakopanishad : { A seeker seeing meaningless-ness of the wordly and heavenly pleasures advised to approach a teacher and seek 'Supreme Knowledge.' } Mantram-12.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram-12. { A  seeker  seeing  meaningless-ness  of  the  wordly  and  heavenly  pleasures  advised  to  approach  a  teacher  and  seek  "Supreme  Knowledge." } Mantram-12. Discussion-2.  "QUALITIES  REQUIRED  IN  A  TRUE  BRAHMANA.............." The  qualities  required  in  a  true  brahmana  are  not  physical; they  are,  to  be  to  an  extent  mental; to  a  large  degree  intellectual; and  in  the  main  "Spiritual." "He  who  has  all  these  qualities  : 1. 'Purity  of  thought, 2. Clarity  of  reasoning,  3. Sincerity  of  motives  and  an  4. Insatiable  EAGERNESS  to  realize  that 'Spiritual  fullness',  --" "Whether  he  be  in  a  'butcher's  seat'  or  in  front  of  'sacrificial  fire',  whether  he  be  in  a  ' 'puja-room' or  on a  'railway  station,'  whether  he  be  on  the

Mundakopanishad : { A seeker seeing meaningless-ness of the wordly and heavenly pleasures advised to approach a teacher and seek 'Supreme Knowledge.' } Mantram-12.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram-12. { A  seeker  seeing  meaningless-ness  of  the  wordly  and  heavenly  pleasures  advised  to  approach  a  teacher  and  seek  "Supreme  Knowledge." } Mantram-12. Discussion-1. What  Sruti  says  and  the  term  "brahmana".... If,  as  Sruti  says :  Yajnas,  Yaga-s  and  such  other  rituals  cannot  in  themselves  take  a  seeker  to  the  Supreme  state,  it  is  natural  that  a  burning  aspirant  would  wonder  what  he  is  to  do. Here,  in  this  mantram,  the  duties  of  a  true  seeker  in  whom  the  rituals  have  fulfilled  themselves  are  explained. "Brahmana" :   It  is  a  tragedy  of  the  decadent  Hinduism  that  this  divine  word  of  sacred  meaning  has  come  to  be  misinterpreted  and  put  to  endless  abuses. Today  we  have  come  to  believe  that  brahmana  means  the  caste ( son  of  a  brahmana). This  interpretation

Mundakopanishad : { A seeker seeing meaningless-ness of the wordly and heavenly pleasures advised to approach a teacher and seek 'Supreme Knowledge.' } Mantram-12.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram-12. { A  seeker  seeing  meaningless-ness  of  the  wordly  and  heavenly  pleasures  advised  to  approach  a  teacher  and  seek  "Supreme  Knowledge." } Mantram-12. Parikshya  lokan  karmaicitan  brahmano nirvedam-ayan-nasty-akrtah  krtena, tad-vijnan-artham  sa  guru-mevabhi-gacchet samit-panih  srotriyam  brahma-nishtham. parikshya  =   after  examining; lokan  =  worlds  of  experiences; katmacitan  =  gained  by  karmam; brahmanah  =  a  brahmana  ( an  aspirant ); nirvedam  =  freedom  from  all  desires; ayat  =  after  reflecting; na  asti  =  cannot  be  had; akrtah  =  that  which  is  eternal; krtena  =  by  karmam; tat  =  that; vijnanartham  =  in  order  to  obtain  the  knowledge /experience; sah  =  he; gurum  =  preceptor; eva  =  alone; abhigacchet  =  ( let  him )  approach; samit  panih  =  with  sacrificial  fuel  in  hands; sr

Mundakopanishad : [ What men with knowledge ( Upasana ) attain]. Mantram- 11.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 11. [ What  men  with  knowledge  ( Upasana )  attain ]. Mantram-11. Discussion-4. 'Summation' ..........  "Kaivalya  Mukti"  ( Pure  liberation )  ............... But,  as  far  as  Jnani  is  concerned,  as  in  the  case  of  a  'Buddha,  a  Sankaracharya,    a  Ramanujacharya,  a  Madhvacharya,   a Ramakrishna  Paramahamsa,  a  Vivekananda,  an   Aurobindo, a  Ramana Maharishi, a  Sivanada,  a  Krishnananda,   a  Tapovanam   a  Chinmayananda,  there  is  no  going  and  comming;  they  reach  what  is  called  as  "Kaivalya  Mukti" ( Pure  liberation )  or  "Sadyo  Mukti"  ( immediate  liberation )  or   " Jivan  Mukti "   in  this  very  life. There  is  no  going  to  this  place  or  that  for  them;  for  they  have  "become  the  all"   while  here  itself. Mantram 11. Discussion : ENDS. Next : Mantram-12. { A  seeker  

Mundakopanishad : [ What men with knowledge ( Upasana ) attain]. Mantram- 11.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 11. [ What  men  with  knowledge  ( Upasana )  attain ]. Mantram-11. Discussion-3. "Krama - mukti" ........ Those,  who,  not  only  perform  the  Yajna-s  and  Yaga-s,  but  along  with  these,  also  meditate  upon  the  great  Truth  of  our  philosophy  (  i.e,  those  who  perform  'Karma' and  Upasana),  at  death  leave  the  body  and  take  the  northern  route  ( Utharayanam )  and,  through  the  corridors  of  the  "Sun,"  go  beyond  and  enter  the  Brahma  lokam,  the  Supreme-most  world  of  the  Creator. There,  these  lucky  souls  not  only  live  of  the  higher  joy,  but  also  attend  to  the  great  discources  given  out  to  them  by  Brahmaji,  the  first  Guru  of  "Brahma-Vidya. It  is  a  belief  that  they,  along  with  the  creator,  at  the  end  of  the  "Yugam," during  the  "Pralayam,"  get  merged

Mundakopanishad : [ What men with knowledge ( Upasana ) attain]. Mantram- 11.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 11. [ What  men  with  knowledge  ( Upasana )  attain ]. Mantram-11.  Discussion-2.  " Surya  dvarena (  the  path/orb  of  the  Sun ) ... third  line  of  the  mantram....." Though  the  orb  ( path )  of  the  Sun  ( Surya  dvarena )  : The  route  taken  by  the  subte  body  after  death  in  the  world  are  of  two  kinds  : 1.  the  Moon - path  and  2.  the  Sun - path. The  Sun - path  is  called  is  called  "Uttarayanam"  and  the  Moon - path  the  "Dakshinayanam." It  is  the  theory  of  Vedantam  that  those  who  merely  perform  'Karma-s,'  on  departing  from  here  ( after - death )take  to  the  southern  path  i.e,  "Dakshinayanam" to  live  in  the  "Pitrulokam" ( World  of  his  ancestors );  and  enjoying  there  for  an  interval,  the  come  back ( to  this  world ).   Next : Discussion-3. "Krama -

Mundakopanishad : [ What men with knowledge ( Upasana ) attain]. Mantram- 11.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 11. [ What  men  with  knowledge  ( Upasana )  attain ]. Mantram-11. Discussion-1.  "Slaves  of  ritualism  and  Men  of  REALISATION  ........." Comparing  the  slaves  of  ritualism  with  the  men  of  Realisation,  'Sruti'  is  bringing  forth  the  glory  of  'Sannyasam' to  the  forefront  by  this  mantram. 'Mother  Sruti'  says  that  those  who  perform  'Karma-s' with  the  desire-born  motives  reach  only  temporary  joys,  from  where  they  will  have  to  come  back  to  this  painful  finite  world  of  mortality. On  the  other  hand,  those  rare  few  who  gained  the  required  spirit  of  renunciation,  and  who  have  retired  into  the  life  of  meditation  in  solitude,  depending  for  their  existence  only  upon  help  reaching  them  in  unexpected  chances  ----  to  them,  'Sruti' promises  a  perfect  success. Ne

Mundakopanishad : [ What men with knowledge ( Upasana ) attain]. Mantram- 11.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 11. [ What  men  with  knowledge  ( Upasana )  attain ]. Mantram-11. Tapah  sraddhe  ye  hy-upavasanty-aranye santa  vidvamso  bhaiksya-caryam  carantah, surya-dvarena  te  virajah  prayanti yatra-mrtah  sa  purusho  hyavya-yatma. tapah  sraddhe  =  austerity,  penance  ( tapas )  and  devout  worship  ( sraddha ); ye  =  they  who; hi  =  verily; upavasanti  =  live; aranye  =  in  the  forests  ( solitude ); santah  =  having  control  over  their  senses; vidamsah  =  the  learned; bhaiksya-caryam  =  life  of  mendicant; carantah  =  ( moves  about )  living; surya-dvarena  =  through  the  orb  of  the  Sun; te  =  they; virajah  =  ( their )  good  and  bad  deeds  consumed; prayanti  =  go; yatra  =  where; amrtah  =  immortal; sah  =  That; purushah  =  Absolute/ Brahmam / Lord; hi  =  verily; avyayatma  =  undecaying. "But  they  w

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram-10. Discussion-6. "Summation......" In  this  mantram,  we  have  also  a  positive  declaration  against  the  optimistic  view,  held  by  some  of  our   'pundita-s,'  including  some  of  the  most  sympathetic  'guru-s'. According  to  them,  having  once  got  the  form  of  man  that  ego  can  never  go  down  to  any  lower  plane  of  existence,  whatever  be  his  actions  in  life. This  idea  is  being  blasted  into  smithereens  in  this  mantram. It  is  also  noteworthy  here,  that  a  man  can,  as  a  result  of  his  vicious,  deliberate  criminality,  come  down  upon  the  ladder  of  evolution  of  the  existence  of  even  a  miserable  worm  in  a  dust-bin! In  this  mantram,  it  is  said  that  having  enjoyed  the  fruits  of  all

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram-10. Discussion-5. "Nakasya  .. the  term  in  the  third  line  of  mantram...." Nakasya : - This  term  ( First  word  in  the  third  line  of  mantram )  is  being  used  here  in  a  peculiar  etymological  meaning  of  it. 'Kama'  :  means,  in  samskrtam  "Bliss";  'akama' naturally  means  then  'pain',  na + akama = meaning  that  state  where  pain  is  unknown. There  is  a  particular  reason  why  Mother  Sruti  has  specially  chosen  this  word  to  point  out  the  heavens. She  wants  us  to  understand  that,  though  in  heaven  there  is  none  of  the  pains  of  mortal  life,  it  is  only  a  relative  happiness  there. The  denizens  in  heaven,  including  the  'Vikunta   Narayanan  i.e.  Lord  Vishnu,  are  creatur

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram-10. Discussion-4. "What  Upanishads  say  about  the  above  two  "ISTA and  PURTA"  ......" "The  Upanishad-s  say  that  one  should  be  a  'Colossal  Fool' to  claim  that  these  ( Ista  and Purta )   and  these  alone  constitute  the  Supreme  most  act  of  divinity,  and  that  there  is  nothing  superior  to  it." This  condemnation  of  the  Scriptures  is  because  the  meritorious  acts  of  both  the  categories,  in  their  reactions,  only  provide  for  us  subtler  field  of  experiences,  caled  the  "Heavens." One  who  has  thus  gained  'heavens',  as  result  of  the  meritorious  act  performed  by  him  here  below,  will  have  one  day,  on  exhausting  the  merit-balance  against  him,  to  return  back  

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram-10. Discussion-3. "Meritorious  acts  ......" Meritorious  acts  are  divided  into  two  groups  by  our  ancient  Rishi-s  on  the  basis  of  the  text-book  that  allow  it. These  noble  acts  of  spiritual  merit,  advocated  in  the  "Sruti-s" called  "ISTA"***,  constitued  the  "Yajna-s" and  "Yaga-s"; and  those  prescribed  in  the  "Smriti-s"  constituted  the  digging  of  a  well,  opening  a  path,  building  of  a  hospitals,  schools,  feeding  the  poor,  tending  the  sick,  helping  education  etc.,  which  is  called  "PURTAM". *** 1. "ISTA :  Agnihotra - { the  fire - kindling  ceremoney  ( homam ) }  traditionally  enjoins,  on  a  brahmana  house - holder,  learning  and  teaching  of

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram-10. Discussion-2. "Mint-house-intellects  and  Bank-hearts ............" Today,  the  so-called  educated  class,  in  their  spiritual  illiteracy,  cry  down  the  very  vital  life  of  meditation,  because,  with  their  "Mint-house-intellect  and  Bank-hearts,"   they  read  nothing  but  their  own  "Cheque-Book-Scriptures ( Leaves ),"  and  their  own  sins  come  to  haunt  them.          Naturally,  they  cannot  understand  any  life  more  happy  than  the  life  of  sighs,  tears  and  sweat. That  desire-prompted-actions  alone  constitute  life,  was  a  theory  as  old  as  the  scriptures  and  this  is  evident  from  the  'Mantram  in  the  Sruti'. But,  that  advocacy  of  the  greater  life  of  meditation  is  also  equally  

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10

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. Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram-10. Discussion-1. " Karmam  and  Jnanam" ..... Never  was  the  world  without  this  bitter  controversy  between  the  two  principles  of  life,  namely,  (1).laborious,  extrovert  action  and  (2). peaceful  introvert  seeking. 'KARMA  JNANAM'have  been  at  tug-of  war,  unbroken  at  all  times,  and  this  endless  controversy  itself,  we  may  say,  was  the  main  'motive-force,'  which  have  "HINDUISM"  such  a  perfect  and  tight  "Science" of  "Spiritualism.' This  strength  never  realised  by  the  Bharatheeya  people passed  on  by  way  'Rishi  parampara'  through  'Mother Sruti'. "The  so  called  instrument  'Secularism' is  mis-used  by  politicians  and  the  so-called  minoriti

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram-10. Ishta-purtam  manya-mana  varishtam nanyac-chreyo  vedayante  pramudhah, nakasya  prsthe  te  sukrte-nubhutva imam  lokam  hina-taram  va  visanti. ishta-purtam  =  sacrificial  and  charitable  acts; manya-manah  =  regarding; varishtam  =  most  important; na  =  not; anyat  =  any  other  thing; sreyah  =  bliss; vedayante  =  know; pramudhah  =  these  ignorant  men; nakasya  prsthe  =  in  heights  of  heaven  (  the  abode  of  pleasure ); te  =  they; sukrte  =  good  deeds; anubhutva  =  having  enjoyed; imam  =  this; lokam  =  world; hina-taram  =inferior; va  =  or; visanti  -  enter. "These  ignorant  men,  fancy  sacrificial  and  charitable  acts  as  most  important,  do  not  know  any  other  way  of  bliss.  Having  enj

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram-9. Discussion- 4.  Summation . This  is  equal  to  saying  tat  these  men,  wise,  energetic,  devoted  and  sincere,  when  in  them  ritualism  has  fulfilled  itself  ----  pursue  this  wrong  path  of  wasteful    stupidity  only  because  of  the  germs  of  "desires,"  that  still  breed  in  their  hearts. Now  the  diagnosis  is  complete  and  the  cure  is  suggested  by  scriptures. In  every  religion  in  the  world,  there  is  one  and  the  same  way,  namely,  to  be  intelligently  discriminative   and  be  poignantly  aware  of  the  world  of  objects. In  the  following  mantra-s,  we  have  the  prescription  given  out  by  the  "Mother  Sruti" herself. END. Next  : Mantram-10. To be continued  ....

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram-9. Discussion-3.  " It  is  the  desire  ........" It  is  the  desire,  as  we  have  seen,  that  generates  the  flow  of  thoughts  in  the  mind,  and  it  is  again  the  quality,  texture,  quantity  and  direction  in  which  the  thoughts  flow,  that  determine  the  actions. Thus,  the  'Karmam',  cannot  be  where  desires  have  ended. Thoughts  cannot  end  where  desires  have  not  ceased. Where  thoughts  are  bubbling,  there  the  mind  must  be  gross  with  its  dense  power. Therefore,  "mano-nasam"  ----  "annihiation  of  the  mind,"  is  possible  only  when  "desires  are  annihilated." Next : Discussion- 4.  Summation . To be continued  .....   

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram-9. Discussion-2. "ritualism  is  but  a  market-place  ......" To  such  seekers,  titualism  is  but  a  market-place,  where  they  pay  the  price  to  get  the  thing  that  they  want. Prompted  by  desires  and,  wishing  to  purify  them  by  fulfilling  them  they  perform  the  karma - s  as  advised  in  the  Veda-s. We  have  already  seen  in  the  beginning,  how  desires  only  multiply  as  each  desire  gets  fulfilled,  unless  the  sources  of  eruption  of  desires  is  dried  up  or  choked. Why  such  learned  'pandita-s',  in  spite  of  their  great  knowledge  should,  till  death,  waste  their  time,  energy  and  attention  only  in  performing  'Karma-s' and  not  dare  to  go  beyond  the  planes  of  this  initial  spiritual  trai

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram-9. Discussion-1. "Sruti  is  not  angry  ........ " This  mantram  is  again  a  repetition  for  the  purpose  of  emphasis. Sruti  is  not  angry  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  term,  her  anger  is  like  the  anger  of  a  mother,  when  her  child  has  not  succeeded  in  life,  as  she  had  planned  him  to. Here  the  actual  word  "balah"  ( children )  is  used,  while  mentioning  the  "blind  followers  of ritualism." In  her  endless  love  for  the  generation,  she  cannot  stand  the  sight  of  even  one  single  soul,  wandering  in  the  jungles,  having  lost  his  way. In  this  mantram,  we  must  hear  only  the  love-call  of  the  'mother  Sruti'  to  those  who  missed  the  way,  to  come  back  to  the  grand  r

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram-9. Avidysysm  bahudha  vartamana vayam  krtartha  ity-abhimanyanti  balah, yat  karmino  na  pravedayanti  ragat tena-turah  kshina-lokas  cyavante. avidyayam  =  in  the  ways  of  the  ignorant; bahudha  =  many; vartamanah  =  present  ( being ); vayam  =  we; krtarthah  =  reached  the  goal; iti  =  that; abhimanyanti  =  think; balah  =  people  of  childish  nature; yat  =  because; karminah  =  men  of  actions ( the  sacrifice-rs ); na  =  not; pravedayanti  =  attain  knowledge; ragat  =  by  passion  and  attachment; tena  =  by  that; aturah  =  dejected,  wretched; kshina  lokah  =  ( when ) the  fruits  of  their  deeds  are  exhausted; cyavante  =  ( they )  fall  down. "Engrossed  in  the  many  ways  of  the  ignorant,  the

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram - 8. Discussion-3. " But  it  is  not. ".....  to  explain  this  an  example  follows....".   When  your  child  is  in  the  elementary  classes,  you  have  to  insist  that  child  should  daily  read  and  learn  the  multiplication  table. But,  when  he  has  come  to  the  standard  of  pure  mathematics,  it  should  be  absurd  if  you  are  to  insist  that  he/she  should  yet  read  and  learn  every  day  the  multiplication  table,  even  during  his  post-graduate  studies! In  primary  classes,  arithmetic-tables  were  to  him,  certainly  his  Bible,  but  in  the  college-classes,  it  is  redundant,  in  as  much  as,  the  student  by  then  has  amassed  the  knowledge. Similarly,  rituals  have  an  elementary  purpose,  without  which  nothing  

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram - 8. Discussion-2. "Sruti  ........." We  must  not  forget  that  this  'Sruti,'  at  the  same  time,  belongs  to  Vedam,  and  the  Veda-s  being  eternal  knowledge,  shall  not  suffer  any  contradiction. In  the  earlier  part  of  the  Veda-s  viz. ,   in  the  'Karma-kandam' there  is  a  sincere  advocacy  of  the  performance  of  the  'Krma-s;  later  on  in  the  Upanishadik  portion,  we  find  in  mantram-s  like  these,  a  vehement  condemnation  of  the  same. This  would  like  as  though  it  is  palpable  contradiction;   Next  :  Discussion-3. " But  it  is  not. ".....  to  explain  this  an  example  follows....".    To be continued    ....

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram - 8. Discussion-1. "laugh  at  fanatical  ritual-mongers  ........................." The  very  scheme  of  this  section  is  to  laugh  at  all  fanatical  ritual - mongers,  and  to  win  those  individuals,  in  whom  ritualism  has  fulfilled,  back  to  the  greater  endeavors  in  higher   meditations. Sruti  has  pointed  out  the  enormous  responsibility  of  a  ritualistic  and  the  terrible  difficulty  in  performing  a yajnam  properly,  strictly  to  the  prescription  given  by  the  Vedam-s. Not  being  satisfied  with  these,  the  Sruti  here,  out  of  her  extreme  love  for  mankind,  pities  and  laughs  at  those  who  have  allowed  themselves  to  be  shackled  in  the  little  world  of  desire - prompted  actions. The  sincerity  of  'mot

Mundakopanishad : [ Description of the sad state of knowledge-less ( devoid of Upasana ) rituals ]. Mantram-s. 8 to 10.

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Mundaka-Upanishad Chapter-1. Section-2. ( Rituals ) Mantram - 8 to 10. [ Description  of  the  sad  state  of  knowledge-less  ( devoid  of  Upasana )  rituals ] Mantram - 8. Avidyayam - antare  vartamanah  svayam dhirah  panditam  manya - manah, janghanya - manah  pariyanti  midha andhenaiva  niyamana  yathandhah. Avidyayam  =  in  ignorance; antare  =  in  the  modst  of; vartamanah  =  existing; svayam  =  themselves; dhrah  =  wise; panditah  =  learned; manyamanah  =  fancying  themselves; janghanya  manah  =  oppressed  and  miserable; pariyanti  =  go  round  and  round; mudhah  =  the  ignorant  beings; andhena  eva  =  by  the  blind; niyamanah  =  when  led; yatha  =  as; andhah  =  the  blind  people. "Ignorant  beings  existing  ( gloating )  in  the  midst  of  ignorance,  but  fancying  themselves  to  be  wise  and  miserable,  as  blind  people  when  led  by  the  blind." Next : Discussi