Upanishads : "The cream of Vedas"

MUNDAKA  UPANISHAD  CHAPTER-3. SECTION-1. MANTRAM-1. { Another  method  of  pointing  to 'Brahmam'  ----   two  birds  staying  on  the  same  tree.  } Dvau  suparna  sanuja  sakhaya samanam  vrksham   parisasvajate, tayor  anyah  pippalam  svadv-atty- anasnan  anyo  abhicakasiti. dvau  =  two; suparna  =  birds; sayuja  =  closely  united; sakhaya  =  in  friendship; samanam  =  the  self  -  same; vrksham  =  tree; parisasvajate  =  perch  on; tayoh  =  among  the  two; anyah  =  one; pippalam  =  fruit; svadu  =  with  relish; atti  =  eats; anasnan  =  without  eating; anyah  =  the  other; abhicakasiti  =  ( just )  looks  on. "Two  birds  bound  to  each  other  in  close  friendship,  perch  on  the  self - same  tree.  One  of  them  eats  the  fruits  of  the  tree  with  relish,  while  the  other  ( just  )  looks  on,  without  eating." Discussion-1.  Introduction. This  is  one  of  the  famo

Mundakopanishad : CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram-11. { All - pervasiveness  of  Brahmam.} Brahmai-vedam-amrtam   purastad  brahma pascad  brahma  dakshinatas-cottarena adhas-cordhvam  ca  prasrtam brahmai-vedam  visva-midam  varishtham. Iti  mundakopanishadi  dvitiya-mundake  dvitiyah  khandah. brahma  =  Brahmam; eva  =  verily; idam  =  this; amrtam  =  immortal; purastat  =  in  front; brahma  =  Brahmam; pascat  =  at  the  back; brahma  =  Brahmam; dakshinatah  =  on  the  right; ca  =  and; uttarena  =  on  the  left; adhah  =  below; ca  =  and; urdhvam  =  above; ca  =  and; prasrtam  =  everywhere; brahma  =  Brahmam; eva  =  verily; idam  =  this; visvam  =  the  world; idam  =  this  ( is ); varishtham  =  the  Supreme. "Verily,  all  this  is  the  Immortal  Brahmam.  He  is  EVERYWHERE ----  above,  below,  in  front,  at  the  back,  on  the

Mundakopanishad : CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. MANTRAM- 10. { All  illuminating  nature  of  Brahmam Discussion-4. "moon  and  stars,  earthly  fire,  ....the  whole  process  of  knowing" If  not  the  sun,  probably,  the  moon  or  the  stars  may  have  some  illumination;  even  this  is  denied  by  the  Sruti. And  this  is  but  natural;  when  even  the  sun  dies  not  shine  how  can  lesser  light  or  the  borrowed  light  of  the  sun  shine  at  all ? Again,  if  to  the  Lord;  hence  the  question  here,  " How  could  then  this  earthly  fire? " Though,  here  the  Sruti  has  taken  examples  of  objects,  luminous  in  the  physical  sense,  the  statement  is  applicable  to  " the  whole  process  of  knowing." All  objects  become  available  for  our  knowledge  when  we  live  by  the  light  of  the  "ATMA". When  once  the  "Life-centre" has  rolled  out  of  an  individual  body,  that

Mundakopanishad : CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. MANTRAM- 10. { All  illuminating  nature  of  Brahmam } Discussion -3.  "light-giver  -------    does  not  shine" There,  in  the  heart-centre,  where  is  seated  Pure  Consciousness,  not  even  the  sun  shines. This  is  not  because  in  the  realm  of  the  Atma  there  are  some  lightless  gases  like  carbon  dioxide  that  put  out  even  the  sun. The  statement  is  made  in  the  sense  in  which  we  would  say  that  a  lighted  match  shines  not  in  the  midday  sun  in  Chennai. Compared  with  the  brilliance  of  the  midday  sun  in  a  tropical  country  in  summer,  the  tiny  illumination  of  a  match-stick  flame  deems  itself  insignificant. Similarly,  compared  with  the  Atma,  the  illuminating  principle,  even  the  sun  the  light-giver  in  the  world,  itself  cannot  shine  .....  " does  not  shine."  Next : Discussion-4. "moon  and  stars,  e

Mundakopanishad : CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. MANTRAM- 10. { All  illuminating  nature  of  Brahmam }   Discussion-2. " Arati" "Camphor  flame" at  the  end  of  a  Puja  ( ritualism ) ... It is  generally  chanted  ( this mantram )  soon  the  offering   of  camphor  flame  in  the  'Arati ' ( arti ). When  the  devotee  has  in  an  extremely  worshipful  attitude  shown  a  tiny  speck  of  flame  to  the  Lord  as  "Light,"  the  great  declaration  of  the  Rishi-s  comes  to  the  mind  of  the  devotee. He  is  reminded  of  the  glorious  seat  of  all  illuminations,  and  sings  the  great  song  of  realization  of  the  above  mantram. Next : Discussion -3.  "light-giver  -------    does  not  shine" To be continued  ....

Mundakopanishad : CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. MANTRAM- 10. { All  illuminating  nature  of  Brahmam }   Na  tatra  suryo bhati  na  candra - tarakam nema  vidyuto  bhanti  kuto - yam - agnih, tameva  bhantam - anubhati  sarvam tasya  bhasa  sarva -  midam  vibhati. na  =  neither; tatra  =  there; suryah  =  sun; bhati  =  shines; na  =  nor; candra  =  the  moon; tarakam  =  the  stars; na  =  not; imah  =  these; vidyutah  =  lightenings; bhanti  =  shines; kutah  =  how; { tat  prakasayet  =  would  illumine  that }; ayam  =  this; agnih  =  fire; tam  =  Him; eva  =  verily; bhantam  =  who  shines; anubhati  =  shines  after; sarvam  =  all; tasya  =  His; bhasa  =  by  light,  reflection; sarvam  =  all; idam  =  this  world; vibhati  =  is  illuminated. "There  the  sun  does  not  shine,  nor  the  moon  nor  the  stars;  these  lightenings  also  do  not  shine  ---  how  then  ( can )  this  earthly  fir

CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram-9. { Self-effulgent  Brahmam} Discussion-5. " the "Self-effulgent  Brahmam"... If  we  can  by  consistent  pursuit  revolutionise  our  mind  to  modify  its  constitution  through  a  process  of  diligent,  self-discipline  and  right  understanding,  even  the  worst  of  us  can.  from  that  moment  onwards  become  best  of  men. The  Sun  is  stainless;  the  reflected  Sun  in  the  mirror may  have   stains,  which  are  sure  to  be  stains  on  the  surface   of  the  mirror. Even  in  an  age  when  we  have  not  even  a  single  saint  anywhere  and  and  in  age  of  criminality,  the  Supreme  Lord  is  perfectly  stainless. All  other  epithets  of  glory  used  here  for  'Brahmam' have  been  already  discussed  in  the  earlier  mantram-s. We  only  invite  your  attention  to  them. END Next : Mantram-10.{ All  illuminating  nature  of  Brahmam }   To be continued  .....

CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram-9. { Self-effulgent  Brahmam} Discussion-4. "Truth  is  without  stains"..... Truth  is  without  stains  and  yet  we,  as  individuals,  behave  as  sinners  not  because  nature  is  sinful,  but  because  our  mind  and  intellect  are  stained. If  my  bed-room  lamp  is  giving  out  a  blue  light,  ot  is  not  because  of  electricity  in  my  house  is  blue;  it  must  be  because  of  the  colour  of  the  bulb. The  life - force  that  runs  through  every  name  and  form  is  one  and  the  same  but  according  to  the  constitution  of  the  individual  mind  and  intellect,  the  different  personalities  manifest;  here,  a  criminal,  there  an  honest  man;  here,  a  sinner  and  there,  a  saint. Next : Discussion-5. " the "Self-effulgent  Brahmam"... To be continued  .....

Mundakopanishad : CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram-9. { Self-effulgent  Brahmam} Discussion-3. "The  Golden  Sheath,  the  highest" ..... continued, Thus  the  Bliss-sheath  is  in  fact  a  state   of  negative  happiness  i.e,  it  is  state  wherein  there  is  no  pain. No  pain  is  not  joy,  no  agitation  is  not  peace. Thus  Bliss - sheath  is  considered  "golden" because  it  is  nearest  to  the  Awareness,  the  seat  of  all  Consciousness. This  sheath  is  considered  the  highest  or  the  subtlest,  again  because  it  is  the  inner-most  realm  which  is  reached  while  transcending  both  the  mind  and  the  intellect. It  is  in  this  "Kosam" ( Sheath )  that  the  great  seeker  rediscovers  himself  to  be  nothing  other  than  the  pure  Consciousness,  the  divine  in  him,  descibed  here  as  " stainless". Next : Discussion-4. "Truth  is  without  stains"..... To be continued  ...

Mundakopanishad : CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram-9. { Self-effulgent  Brahmam} Discussion-2. "The  Golden  Sheath,  the  highest" ..... We  have  already  seen  that  the  human  personality  is,  for  purposes  of  philosophical  apprehension,  taken  to  be  the  spirit  enveloped  by  five  concentric  circles  of  'matter' :  1. the  food - sheath, 2. the  vital-air-sheath, 3.  the  Mental - sheath, 4.  the  intellectual - sheath, 5.  and  the  Bliss - sheath. The  attempt  of  the  seeker  is  to  withdraw  his  entire  attention  from  his  identifications  with,  the  outer  layers. When  a  seeker  has  thus  renounced  his  attachments  to  the  body,  the  vital-air,  mind,  and  intellect,  spiritually  he  transcends  them  all  and  this  state  is  considered  to  be  unearthly,  the  blissful  and  divinely  peaceful,  because  all  our  peace  and  joys  are  shattered  due  to  the  play  of  pain-givi

Mundakopanishad : CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram-9. { Self-effulgent  Brahmam} Hiranmaye  pare  kose  virajam  brahma  nishkalam, tac-chubram  jyotisham  jyotih-tad  yaditma-vido  viduh. hiranmaye  =  golden; pare  =  the  highest,  innocent  sheath; kose  =  sheath; virajam  =  stainless; brahma  =  Brahmam; niskalam  =  indivisible; tat  =  that; subram  =  pure; jyotisam  =  of  all  lights; jyotih  =  light; tat  =  that; yat  =  which; atma-vidah  =  knowers  of  the  Atma; viduh  =  know. "The  stainless,  indivisible  'Brahmam',   the  pure,  the  light  of  all  lights,  is  in  the  inner  most  sheath  of  the  golden  hue --- the  highest.  That  is  what  the  knowers  of  the  Atma  know." Discussion-1. Here  we  begin  a  three - stanza  peroration  with  which  the  'Sruti' is  concluding  this  section  and  naturally,  we  have  here  a  glorious  repetition,  deliberate   and  purposeful  for  e

Mundakopanishad :  CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram- 8. { Fruits  of  realization  of  "Brahmam"  } Discussion - 4. "Dreamer" ..... The  dreamer  in  me  while  dreaming,  becomes  dream-father  of  the  dream-son  born  to  my  dream-wife; but  on  waking  up,  the  dreamer  has  ended  and  so  the  awakened  me  shall  have  no  botheration  of  looking  after  my  dream-wife,  nor  the  blessedness  of  having  been  served  by  my  dream-children. Thus  on  realizing  our  real  nature  to  be  the  Self ( Jivatma ),  all  egoism  ends  and  thereafter  even  if  that  saint  acts,  he  will  not  be  acting  with  egoistic   self-arrogation. He,  thereafter,  is  but  a  mute  instrument  of  the  Lord  to  work  through. Thereafter,  the  Seer's  work  is  technically  called  in  "Vedantam  is  karma  abhasa"; A  prophet  is  responsible  for  his  actions  as  much  as  you  are  responsible  for  the  murder  you  have  

Mundakopanishad :  CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram- 8. { Fruits  of  realization  of  "Brahmam"  } Discussion-3. "wheel  of  life  and  death".... Such  a  one  cannot  be  caught  within  the  web  of  past  actions  and  the  present  reactions  and  thus  brought  to  be  bound  to  the  "wheel  of  life  and  death." The  ego  alone  is  responsible  for  the  egoistic  actions. Naturally  it  was  the  ego  that  was  suffering  the  consequence  of  its  actions. But  when  the  "EGO"  got  merged  with  the  "REALITY,"  there  is  no  actor  any  more  and    so  there  can  be  "NO  ENJOYER"  of  reactions. Next : Discussion - 4. "Dreamer" ..... To be continued  ....  

Mundakopanishad :  CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram- 8. { Fruits  of  realization  of  "Brahmam"  } Discussion -2. "Pure Consciousness   " In  this  sense,  the  pure  Consciousness  is  the  essence  behind  the  'real' and  the  'unreal;  Truth  is  the  essence  behind  the  'true' and  the  'false.' It  is  with  this  idea  in  mind  that  mother Sruti  says  in  this  mantram  that  having  realized  Him  " who  is  both  high  and  the  low," there  shall  thereafter  be  none  of  the  experiences  of  ignorance  with  that  'Seer' of  'wisdom.'   The  knots  of  the  heart ( ignorance, desires, actions )  are  broken  asunder,  all  doubts  as  to  which  is  'real' and  which  is  'unreal,'  as  to  what  is  'true' and  what  is  'untrue'as  to  what  is  'dharmam' and  what  is  'adharamam,'  all  such  doubts  get  themselves  sol

Mundakopanishad :  CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram- 8. { Fruits  of  realization  of  "Brahmam"  } Discussion-1. "Infinite  and  finite......" That  Infinite  cannot  suffer  the  finite  in  itself;  from  the  stand-point  of  Infinite,  the  finite  is  not. Example :- 1. The  "Sun"  knows  no  "darkness"  since  'light  cannot  suffer  darkness'. 2. The  'rope'  knows  no  'snake ( serpent )'; 3. the 'post'  is  no  friend  of  the  'ghost'. 4. Nor  can  a  deluded  one  afford  to  see  the  post  so  long  as  he  is  in  delusion.. 5.  He  is  not  ecognising  even  a  minute  portion  of  the  post. 6.  But  at  the  end  of  all  delusions  the  post  is  recognized,  the  ghost  goes  out  of  its  existence  by  itself. 7.  From  the  stand-point  of  the  true  knowledge  of  the  post,  we  can  certainly  say  that  the  post  is  the  essence  in  both  the  pos

Mundakopanishad :  CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram- 8. { Fruits  of  realization  of  "Brahmam"  } Bhidyate  hrdaya  -  granthih  chidyante  sarva  -  samsayah, kshiyante  casya  karmani  tasmin  drshte  paravare. bhidyate  =  is  broken,  united;  hrdaya  -  granthih  =  knot  of  the  heart; chidyante  =  dispelled,  solved;  sarva  -  samsayah  =  all  doubts; kshiyante  =  consumed; ca  =  and; asya  =  his; karmani  =  karma-s; tasmin  =  in  it; drshte  =  when  seen; paravare  =  in  the  higher  and  the  lower. "When  He  is  seen  both  in  the  higher  and  the  lower,  the  knots  of  his  heart  becomes  united;  all  doubts  are  dispelled;  and  all  his  karma-s  consumed." Next : Discussion-1. "Infinite  and  finite......" To be continued  ....

Mundakopanishad :  CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram-7.  { Description  of  Lower  'Brahmam'  and  mode   of  contemplation  upon  it. } Discussion - 4. "Self-Discovery..........." In  order  to  gain  this  Self-discovery,  the  unavoidable  quality  to  be  developed  in  discriminative  intellect. An  intellect  when  it  functions  through  the  instrument  of  the  heart  develops  in  itself  the  divine  quality  termed  as  discrimination. Boiled  milk  on  cooling,  gathers  the  cream  on  its  top;  a  noble  heart  streaming  over  a  well-lit smokeless  intellect,  when  allowed  to  cool  down  after  a  time m of  boiling,  gathers  out  of  its  very  essence  the  cream  of  discrimination. The  process  of  brining  discrimination  to  the  surface  is  the  process  of  " Vedantam  Sadhana." Study  of  "Sastram-s"  and  "Satsangam-s"  make  the  heart's  contents  boil  up  over  the  ignited  

Mundakopanishad :  CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram-7.  { Description  of  Lower  'Brahmam'  and  mode   of  contemplation  upon  it. } Discussion : -   "To  know  this  is  to  realize  "BRAHMAM"..... To  know  this,  is  to  realize  the  "Brahmam",  to  fulfil  the  Supreme  goal  of  life. Here  the  doubt  may  come  in  the  mind  of  the  seeker  whether  by  realizing  the  Spark  of  life  in  us,  we  will  be  at once  realizing  the  infinite  glory  of  the  All-pervading. This  doubt  is  removed  by  the  firm  assertion  given  here  by  the  "Sruti" that  by  realizing  the  Self  ( jivatma )  in  us  we  will  be  realizing  at  once  the  Total  Self ( Paramatma  ). Hence  the  word  "Paripasyanti" is  specially  used  in  the  mantram  here. When  a  bottle  is  broken,  the  bottle-space  in  realizing  its  own  nature,  realizes  at  once  the  nature  of  the  total-space,  not  only  the  v

Mundakopanishad :  CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram-7.  { Description  of  Lower  'Brahmam'  and  mode   of  contemplation  upon  it. } Discussion -2. "Brahmapura ".... "Brahma-pure "  : - The term  is  to  indicate  the  spot  where  'Brahmam' or  'Total  Self'  ( referred  as   / Paramatma / God /  Reality / Infinite / Absolute / Truth  etc., by  us )  resides. It  is  only  figurative  explanation  in  terms  of  'finite'  to  indicate  the  place  of  the  "Infinite." This  land  of  'Self '  ( Jivatma )  is  described  as  luminous,  because  'Consciousness'   is  the  very  illuminator  of  all  the  objects  and  the  illuminating - principle  in  all  the  planes  of  "Consciousness." This  is  considered  to  be  located  in  the  "Cave  of  the  'Heart'  " because  it  is  there,  among  vibrations  of  the  intellect ( buddhi )  and  the  waves  of  th

Mundakopanishad :  CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram-7.  { Description  of  Lower  'Brahmam'  and  mode   of  contemplation  upon  it. } Discussion-1.  "Connecting  previous  mantram ....  "  & "His  is  verily  this  Glory"  : - In  the  previous  mantram  the  seat  of  Consciousness  was  only  generally  indicated  as  the  'Hub'  of  'Life' in  the  body. Here,  we  have  now  a  clear  explanation  of  where  it  can  be  most  clearly  perceived. The  term  "All-Wise"  and  "All-Knowing" have  already  been  explained. "His  is  verily  this  Glory"  : -   There  are  very  many  statements  repeatedly  emphasizing  this  idea  in  almost  all  the  Upanishads. It  is  His  glory,  might  or  power,  that  is  behind  every  law  of  nature. Nowhere  do  we  find  the  laws  of  nature  transgressed  by  nature. The  law  is  inviolable  and  unbreakable. The  sanction  b

Mundakopanishad :  CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. Mantram-7.  { Description  of  Lower  'Brahmam'  and  mode   of  contemplation  upon  it. } yah  sarvajnah  sarvavid  yasyaisa  mahima  bhuvi, divye  brahma-pure  hyesa  vyomny-atma  pratisthitah. mano-mayah  prana-sarira-neta pratisthito-nne  hrdayam  sannidhaya, tad  vijnanena  pari-pasyanti  dhira ananda-rupam-amrtam  yad  vibhati.   yah  =  He  who; sarvajnah   =  all-wise; sarvavid   =  all  knowing; yasya  =  to  whom; esah  =  this; mahima  =  glory; bhuvi  =  in  the  world; divye  =  luminous; brahma-pure  =  in  the  city  of  Brahmam ( heart ); hi  esah  =  this; vyomni  =  in  the  sky; atma  =  Self; pratisthitah  =  seated,  established; mano-mayah  =  one  with  the  mind; prana  =  life; sarira  =  body; neta  =  controller,  guiding; pratisthitah  =  seated; anne   =  in  the  food  ( i.e,  in  the  whole  bo

Mundakopanishad :  CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. MANTRAM-6. { Method of contemplation on Brahmam with the help of Pranavam ( Aum / OM ) } Discussion-3. "Godspeed" .... After  thus  explaining  the  goal  and  the  way,  the  Master  in  all  enthusiasm  and  with  an  inexpressible  joy,  "Godspeed  to  you," (the term  'svasti'  in the fourth line of the mantram, meaning, "blessings, Godspeed" ) No  Master  can  bless  a  Seeker  more  than  by  explaining  the  goal  and  the  path. In  fact,  there  the  Master's  job  ends. Thereafter  all  that  he  can  do  for  the  Seeker  is  to  encourage  him  now  and  then  with  repeated  wishes  of  Godspeed  to  him  on  his  path. The  pilgrimage  is  to  be  pursued  by  the  Seeker  himself  and  every  step  is  to  be  taken  by  himself. END. Next : Mantram-7.  { Description  of  Lower  'Brahmam'  and  mode   of  contemplation  upon  it. } To be continued  ...

Mundakopanishad :  CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. MANTRAM-6. { Method of contemplation on Brahmam with the help of Pranavam ( Aum / OM ) } Discussion-2. "Nadi-s  ... Mind"... The medical  profession  need  not  rise  in  protest  against  this  statement. It  is  true  that  scalpel  and  scissors  cannot  expose  and  discover  nerves; 'Nadi-s' are  according  to  our  'Sasta-s',  rays  of  psychic  forces  radiating  from  the  centre  as  channels  of  'Consciousness' to  every  conceivable  part  of  the  body  controlling  and  directing  it,  and  as  such,  no  operation-theatre  can  expose  them. Though  we  all  know  that  in  man  there  is  'mind'  functioning,  no  doctor  has  yet  brought  out  even  a  single  'mind' to  bottle  it  for  the  vulgar  crowed  to  gaze  at!! Meditate  upon  this  'Hub' of 'Life' in  us,  the 'Self' as "OM". How  meditation  on  "OM"

Mundakopanishad :  CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. MANTRAM-6. { Method of contemplation on Brahmam with the help of Pranavam ( Aum / OM ) } Discussion-1. "Hub ... center  of  the  love-heart  .....He .... subtle nerves" Hub  is  the  point  that  is  in  contact  with  every  point  in  the  circumference  and  it  is  that  which  equates  all  the  different  tensions  working  in  the  entire  wheel. Similarl  this  mantram  says  that  in  the  centre  of  love-heart  is  the  seat  of  Pure  Consciousness,  which  is  the  Centre  of  Life  from  the  toe  to  the  tip  of  the  hair ( head ). Every  part  of  the  body  is  in  contact  with  the  centre  through  the  eighty-two  thousand  'subtle  nerves', called  Nadi-s  in  the  'Yoga Sutra'. Next : Discussion-2. "Nadi-s  ... Mind"... To be continued  ....

Mundakopanishad :  CHAPTER-2. SECTION-2. MANTRAM-6. { Method of contemplation on Brahmam with the help of Pranavam ( Aum / OM ) } Ara  iva  ratha-nabhau  samhata  yatra  nadyah sa  esho-ntas-carate  bahudha  jaya-manah, Om-ityevam  dhyayatha  atmanam svasti  vah  paraya  tamasah  parastat. arah  =  spokes; iva  =  like; ratha-nabhau  =  in  the  hub  of  a  chariot  wheel; samhata  =  meet; yatra  =  where; nadyah  =  nerves; sah  =  He; eshah  =  this; atma  =  the  Atma ( Self ); antah - carate  =  dwells ( lit. moves  in  the  heart ); bahudha  =  in  many  ways; jaya -  manah  =  becoming  manifold; om  iti  =as  'Om'; evam  =  thus; dhyayatha  =  you  meditate; atmanam  =  on  the  Self; svasti  =  blessings,  godspeed; vah  =  to  you; paraya  = (  in  crossing  to  the ) farther  shores; tamasah  =  of  the  darkness; parastat  =  beyond. "Where  all  the  nerves  meet  like  the  spokes  of  a  chari