MUNDAKA UPANISHAD - 49. Swami Advayananda

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Friday 05, Mar 2024. 07:05.

6 Chapters (64 Mantras)

4. PENETRATING BRAHMAN

(Mantras - 33-43, 11 no.)

triteeya mundake, prathamah khandah – 

Here begins the first Section of the Third Canto.

5. THE “TWO BIRDS” METAPHOR 

(Mantras - 44-53, 10 no.) 

THE SPIRITUAL ACCESSORIES

Post - 49.

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Mantram - 5.5: 

Accessories to the Path – 3 to 6

1 

satyena = Through 3 veracity  and 4 austerity

tapasaa = labhyah hi  eshah aatmaa,  is verily attained the Self; 

2.

samyak jnaanena  = Through true  5 knowledge and  

brahma-charyena nityam;  = constant practice of  6 self-control  (continence); 

3.

 antah shareere jyotirmayah = Within this very body, when full of resplendence  

hi shubhrah, =  and rendered stainless; 

4. 

yam pashyanti yatayah =  The Self is beheld by the self-controlled ascetics  

ksheena doshaah. =  who have purified themselves of all taints.

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Another four Accessories are given in this verse. They are the cornerstones of the 

edifice of spiritual life, and are to be developed by a seeker of Truth. They have a very 

important place in the making of a saint, and may not be ignored by spiritual aspirants: 

1a 

Accessory No. 3: Satya – “truthfulness”. Among all the qualities, Satya or 

truthfulness is always mentioned first by the Rishis. In the temple of Hinduism, the main 

pillar is Truth. All other qualities spring from it and are founded upon it. Only through these 

qualities is the Self attained. Truthfulness implies absence of crookedness, falsehood and 

pretence (as defined in the Prashna Upanishad). 

1b

 Accessory No. 4: Tapas – “austerity”. Tapas is said to be concentration of the mind. The Mahabharata verse is quoted in the Bhashya:  

“The highest Tapas consists in concentration of the mind and senses.”  

Such Tapas is a favourable discipline to attain the vision of the Self. There are other 

kinds of Tapas for those at the preparatory level where vows are kept such as fasting, 

exposing oneself to much pain and bodily deprivation. The Bhashya warns us that Tapas, 

when divorced from concentration on the Self, becomes worthles to the spiritual pursuit.  

2a

 Accessory No. 5: Jnana – “knowledge”. Thorough knowledge is considered to be 

a direct vision of the Self, nothing short of it. Anything else is only beneficial if it leads us 

towards this goal. 

2b

 Accessory No. 6: Brahmacharya – “restraint of the senses; celibacy”. For this 

higher path of Self-realisation, strict avoidance of all sexual relationships is enjoined. For 

householders, this means entering into such relations only for the sake of progeny.

 

Acharyaji gave us a verse that identifies 8 steps of how one succumbs to sexual 

relationships. This is very important for Brahmacharis and Sannyasins: 

a. “Smaranam darshanam streenaam, guna karma anukirtanam;  

b. Samishi natwadheeh taasu, prithivi sambhaashanam mitah;      

c. Sahavaasascha samsargah, ashtadaa maithunaam viduh;   

d. Etad vilakshanam brahma-, charyam chitta prasaadakam.”

Meaning : “a i) By ruminating; ii) by seeing women; iii) admiring their good qualities; 

iv) praising them; b v) regarding them as the most wonderful; vi) conversing with them; c  

vii) keeping each other’s company; and finally viii) uniting together – these are the eight 

steps that lead one to have a sexual downfall. d These have to be carefully guarded against 

by Brahmacharis if they wish to be rewarded with a pure mind.” 

The word Nitya, meaning “always”, has to be taken for all four of the above accessories, according to the Bhashya.  

In the practice of the above virtues, the intellect should first think correctly and then 

undertake the development of these virtues. Without clear thinking, we will be prone to 

practice them in a lop-sided manner, with Rajas and Tamas predominating. They should be 

done in a Sattwic spirit.  

The second half of the verse leaves one in no doubt as to who is to be attained, and 

what are the primary conditions needed for the attainment. We see that purity of mind is 

the foremost consideration. 

3a

 Antah Shareere: “within the body”. This is to tell us that the realisation of the Self 

can be attained while one is living. It does not have to wait for death to occur.  

Jyotirmayo: The Self seated within, in the “core of our heart”, is said to be full of 

Light, of a golden-hue and luminous.  

3b

 Shubhrah: It is also sacred and holy. One has to approach It with great sanctity, 

reverence and respect. 

4

 Yatayah: “the qualified Sadhaka”. Preparing oneself in the above manner, those 

who have made a total commitment to this path, get to have the Divine Vision, for they are 

stainless and without any flaw. The strong implication in the Bhashya is that to achieve this 

practically, one needs to make a full-time commitment, as made by Sannyasins and 

Brahmacharis.

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Next

49 - Mantram - 5.6 : The Path Ascending to Truth 

Continued

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