MUNDAKA UPANISHAD - 23. Swami Advayananda.

========================================================================

6 Chapters (64 Mantras)

Chapter-2.

(Mantras - 23-32, 10 no.

Section-1 : THE SUPREME PURUSHA)

========================================================================

Tuesday, March 21, 2023. 07:15.

Introduction 

Post - 23.

========================================================================

"athah dviteeyaa mundake, prathamah khandah."
Thus begins the first Section of the Second Canto.

THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER gave an elaborate breakdown of the firt of two types of 

knowledge, namely, the voluminous Apara Vidya. From this Chapter onwards begins the 

shift towards the Para Vidya. However, the student is advised to be very patient. It is the 

Upanishadic style to nibble at the periphery of the main topic in order to create interest in 

it. This is done through glorification of the topic. In this Chapter the glorification is done by 

showing how every detail of the creation that we are familiar with has its origin in the 

Supreme Purusha, the Highest Being who is present in everything at every level in Creation.

This entire Chapter explains at length how the Great Supreme Purusha is at the heart 

of every process in the manifestation of the Universe. That story has the effect of inspiring a 

sense of awe and wonderment in us, which we should not fail to catch – for it is the very 

purpose of this whole chapter.

Steeped in details of what we may be prone to consider as the “Unreal” world, and 

therefore seemingly irrelevant to our desire to know the Supreme, the knowledge that is 

spread out hereunder inspires in us a great aspiration to know more about the Supreme 

from whom so much “Unreal” has emanated.

Acharyaji quoted an example of successful teaching methods: “If parents want their 

unwilling children to study, they entice them with ‘sweets’. When the children begin to taste 

the joys of study for its own sake, the sweets are not necessary any longer as an incentive.”

The same method is used by most mothers, in trying to get their children to take a 

bitter medicine. They administer it with a spoonful of honey. Dispassion for the world is a 

“bitter pill” for worldly people; they have to be coaxed into it by some means or other. 

In the same way the Vedas, when dealing with people who have no interest in God, 

invite them to come to it by teaching them ways to become successful in the world, and get 

some taste of worldly pleasures through its Karma Kanda. As the person’s faith increases, he 

is asked to do these actions for selfless reasons, purely to attain purification. The fruit of 

better births in higher worlds becomes the new incentive. When even that stage is passed 

and the seeker becomes tired of the repetitive “World Circus”, then he becomes ripe for the 

higher knowledge which the Vedas were trying from the very beginning to bring him to. 

Acharyaji put it very clearly: “The Karma Kanda and Upasana Kanda are the publicity 

wings in the Vedas for the Para Vidya!”

*****

Next
Mantram - 2.1: Sparks From the Flaming Fire
To be continued

=========================================================================