Upanishads : "The cream of Vedas"

Mundaka-Upanishad : Chapter-1, Section-1, Mantram-s-1,2. Lineage  of  teachers : Mantram-1. Discussion-2. "about  Brahma-Vidya" ..... This  knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Reality  is  called  "Brahma  Vidya,"   may  be,  because  it  was  first  given  out  by  "Brahmaji"  or  because  it  deals  with  "Brahmam",  the  term  as  used  in  the  Upanishads  for  the   "Eternal  and  Omniscient"  Pure  Consciousness. This  "Brahma  Vidya"  has  been  glorified  in  the  Upanishads  as  the  "Science  of  all  Sciences;"   as  the 'Knowledge  of  all  Knowledges;'  as  the  "foundation  of  all  other  Sciences"! The  'Sel...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Chapter-1, Section-1, Mantram-s-1,2. Lineage  of  teachers : Mantram-1. Discussion-1. "about Brahmaji" ... In  Samskrtam,  the  word  "Brahma"  is  used  both  in  the  masculine  and  in  the  neuter  genders. In  the  masculine  usage,  it  means  that  the  deity  in  the  Trinity,  who  is  the  Creator  of  the  worlds  of  names  and  forms. When  the  word  is  used  in  the  neuter  gender,  as  "Brahmam." It  means  the  "Supreme  Reality"  out  of  which  everything  came  out  including  "Brahmaji" himself.   Here  Sruti  says  that  when  the  very  Creator  manifested  ...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Chapter-1, Section-1, Mantram-s-1,2. Lineage  of  teachers : Mantram-1. Om  Brahma  devanam  prathamah  sambabhuva visvasya  karta  bhuvanasya  gopta sa  brahma-vidyam  sarva-vidya-pratistham atharvaya  jyestha-putraya  praha. om  brahma  =  Brahmaji; devanam  =  of  the  Gods; prathamah  =  being  the  first; sambabhuva  =  born; visvasya  =  of  the  Universe; karta  =  Creator; bhuvanasya  =  of  the  world; gopta  =  protector; sah  =  He; brahma-vidyam  =  knowledge  of  Reality; sarva-vidya-pratistham  =  the  knowledge  of  all  knowledges,  the  foundation  of  all  sciences; atharvaya  =  to  Atharva; jyestha-putraya ...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram : Discussion : 11. The west.. what  happens  there ... In  Europe,  we  find  that  every  changing  vicissitude  of  national  life,  with  every  war,  with  every  revolution,  there  is  a  thorough  re-arrangement  of  material  values  lived,  and  consequently,  there  is  a  change  in  the  attitude  of  the  mind  and  intellect  to  life. With  every  disturbance  in  the  brain  cells  in  kaleidoscopic  variety,  we  get  a  library  of  philosophies  from  Plato  to  date. But  in  Bharatham,  the  Eternal  Veda-s  and  the  Upanishadik  Truths  are  as ...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram : Discussion - 10. "Guru-Sishya Parampara"  .... "West  and  East"...       Every  disciple  when  established  in  his  own  personal  'subjective'  experience  of  the  Truth  indicated  to  him  by  his  own 'Guru',  became  himself  a  'Guru'  and  when  he,  in  his  turn,  explained  and  expressed  that  state  of  experience  to  the  seekers  who  approached  to  him,  did  not  claim  the  discovery  for  himself  but  only  quoted  his  own  'Guru'. Thus,  our  scriptural  text  books  preserved  their  purity  and  chastity  till  today  and  have  com...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram : Discussion-9. "The herm "Sruti"  itself  means  " that  which  is  heard."   ....... Again,  unlike  the  philosophy  and  philosophical  text  books  in  Europe,  in  Bharatham  Upanishads  were  not  commodities  for  growing  rich  or  instruments  for  earning  applauses. To  the  West,  philosophy  is  one  of  the  avenues  for  self-gratification  and  self  satisfaction;  in  the  East,  to  the  Rishi-s  and  their  true  children,  the  Hindu-s,  philosophy  is  is  for  Self-adoration  and  Self-attainment. Hence  they,  as  it  were,  chose  to  remain  behind  the  sc...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram : Discussion-8. "God defined  is  God  defiled" .... Even  when  we  happen  to  write  a  fairly  expressive  letter  of  a  satisfactory  note  we  cannot  but  show  it  to  others  and  share  the  joy  that  is  in  creative  art. All  creative  artists  are  thus  a  liability  and  a  nuisance  with  the  gross  men  of  action  and  dodders  of  beaten  path. A  painter  will  beg  at  your  feet  to  walk  into  his  garret  to  enjoy  his  creation. A  musician  will  go  mad  and  make  you  miss  your  train  . A  writer  ...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram : Discussion-7. "realm  of  perfection" .... When Upanishad-Seers, by complete  elimination  of  their  ego,  achieved  through  the  divine  method  of  submission,  reached  the  palace  of  Truth,   they  entered  therein  to  rediscover  themselves  to  be  the  owers  of  it. That  "realm   of  perfection"  is  indeed  the  world  which  having  reached,  no  one  returned. However,  there  are  some  among  them,  rare  birds  who  had  flown  back  in  their  divinely  selfless  service,  to  lead,  guide  and  encourage  other  manifestations  of  themselves,  unto  the  sam...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram :  Discussion-6. No  peace-invocation  concludes  without  thrice  repeating  or  invoking  "Santhi". The three  repetitions  are,  if  it  is  explained  by  the  Acharya-s,  addressed  to  the  three  groups  in  which  all  the  probable  obstacles  in  the  study  of  the  scriptures  can  be  classified. They  are  the  God-sent  ( Adhi-daivika ),  such  as  Lightening,  thunder,  or  phenominal (Adhi-bhautika)  such  as  fires,  floods,  and  landslides, etc.;  or  purely  subjective (Adhyatmaika) such  as  inertia,  lack  of  faith,  insincerity  and  such  others  that  arise  fro...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram : Discussion-5. "Ivocations to (the Nature) Indra, Vayu (wind), Surya ( Sun) etc ..... Again,  not  only  they  ( Rishi-s  and  people of  Ancient  Bharatham)  lived  in  a  spirit  of  complete  renunciation  and  acted  on  the  principle  of  Universal  love,  but  that  perfect  generation,  perfect  in  every  sense  of  the  term,  was  never  blind  to  the  necessities  of  the  physical  and  the  material  world. They  never  complained  of  life. With  an  appetite,  they  wooed  life  and  were  ever  impatient  in  their  thirst  for  more  of  it : This  is  evident  from ...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram : Discussion - 4.  Here  in  the  prayer  of  the  'Vedik  Masters' we  have  the  'Das Capita  of  the  Hindu-s ...... "If  each  one,  in  a  society  or  a  community,  is  to  ardently  and  sincerely  pray  so  as  to  meet  with  only  auspiciousness  and  act  for  the  same,  in  such  country  at  such  an  era  of  culture,  jails  will  be  redundant,  slum  areas  will  be  unknown,  poverty  unimaginable,  disease  a  mere  exception."     "From  the  state  of  affairs  available  today,  we  may  despair  and  fail  even  to ...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram : Discussion-3. "The  great  Masters in  the  Upanishads   ......  knew  no  desire,  nor  the  sense  world,  which  they  had  enquired  into  and  discovered  to  be  hollow  and  riddled  with  carping  sorrows,  held  any  attraction  for  them. They  prayed  only  for  the  cultural  evolution  of  the  entire  kingdom  of  beings. This  national  character  of  of  the  'Vedik' period  is  stamped  so  faithfully  in  the  words  of  the  'Santi Mantram' in  each  of  the  Upanishads. Both  the  Master  and  disciple  sincerely  wished  and  prayed  that  they ...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram : Discussion-2. Just  before  the  study  of  Upanishads  ..... thus  each  day,  the  Master  and  the  disciple  pray,  and  thus  invoke  the  best  in  them  to  come  out,  through  a  complete  surrender  to  the  mighty  powers  of  an  Omniscient  God-principle. Every  word  in  the  Santi  mantram  is  a  declaration  hinting  at  the  vicious  criminal  instincts  in  ourselves. We  have  started  employing  God,  through  prayers,  as  our  advocate,  commission  agent,  doctor  and  even  an  abetter  in  our  murderous  intentions. This  is  not...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram : Discussion-2. similarity with Sri Iyer  ......    Just  as  Sri Gopala Iyer  becomes  a  policeman  by  a  process  of  self-Invocation,  and  thereafter  the  policeman  forgets  to  act  or  live  the  weaknesses  and  limitations  of  Gopala Iyer   ---  the  father  and  the  husband;  so  too  we  can,  through  prayer,  invoke  the  Divine  in  us  and  come  to  transcend  our  own  today's  personality  and  its  defects  and  limitations. Prayer  is  the  technique  by  which  we  tune  ourselves  to  the  highest  perfection  and  thereby  come  to ...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram : Discussion-1. No  Upanishadic-study  ever  started  without  the  Guru  and  the  Disciple  chanting  together  the  peace-onvocation. Everyday  the  teacher  and  the  student  sat  together  and  started  their  discourses  only  afterb  a  common  prayer. In  these  days  of  acute  scepticism,  the  educated-illitrates  would  wonder  what  would  be  the  power  and  strength,  necessity  and  function  of  prayer  in  life. "Forgive  them  Lord,  they  know  not  what  they  say." Sri Gopala Iyer  is  a  poor  insignificant  member  of  a  bid  family,  and  in  ...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram : " O  ye  Gods,  may  we  hear  with  our  ears  ( always )  what  is  auspicious;    O  worshipful  Ones,  may  we  with  our  eyes  se  ( always )  what  is  auspicious.    May  we  live  the  entire  length  of  our  allotted  life  hale  and  hearty  offering  our  praises  ( Unto  Thee ).    May  Indra,  ( Lord  of  Deva-s )  the  ancient  and  the  famous, Pusan ( Sun )  the  all-knowing,    the  Lord  of  swift  motion  ( Vayu )  who  saves  us  from  all  harms  and    Brahaspati  who  protects  the  spiritual  wealth  in ...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram : bhadram = what is auspicious; karnenhih = by ears; srnuyama = may we hear; devah = Oh ! Gods; bhadram = by eyes; yajatrah = Oh worshipped ones; sthiraih = hale and hearty; angaih = by the limbs; tustuvagm-sah = may we live offering our praises ( Unto Thee ); tanubhih = by the body; vyasema = may we have; devahitam = for the benefit of the deva-s; yat-ayuh = ( lit. whatever ) entire span of life; svasti = blessings; nah = to us; indrah = Devendran ( King/Lord of deva-s ); vrddha sravah = ancient and famous; svasti = blessings; nah = to us; pusa = sun; visva-vedah = the all-knowing; svasti = blessings; nah = to us; taksyah = vayu ( wind ); aristanemih = who saves (us) from harm; svasti = blessings; nah = to us; brahaspaih = Brahaspati ( Protector of the Spiritual wealth in us ); dadhatu = may ( He ) give; Om = symbol of Parabrahmam ( Supreme ); santi = peace be; santi = peac...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Santi Mantram : Om  bhadram  karnebhih  srnuyama  devah     bhadram  pasyem-aksabhir-yajatrah, Sthirair-angais-tustuvagm-sastanubhih           vyasema  devahitam  yadayuh. Svasti  na  indro  vrddha-sravah         savasti  nah  pusa  visva-vedah, Svasti  nastarksyo  aristanemih           svasti  no  Brhaspatir-dadhatu. Om  Santi !                    Santi !!                     Santi  !!! Next : Santi Mantram to be continued  ....

Mundaka-Upanishad : Introduction : Part-4. Thus,  it  is  seen  that  a  study  of  this  Upanishad  and  reflection  on  the  depth  of  meaning  of  the  Mantra-s  is  unavoidable  for  any  sincere  seeker  of  Truth. Like  'Isavasya Upanishad,'  even  this  Upanishad  has  a  great  similarity  with  Bhagavad  Gita,  both  in  comments  and  theme. Mundakopanishad  emphasizes  "Sraddha"  to  be  practical  text  of  "Jnanam,  Yogam,  Bhakti"  in  a  miniature  scale. END of  Introduction. Next : Santi Mantram ... To be continued  ...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Introduction : Part-3. A  method  of  penetrating  'Brahmam' is  given  with  a  practical  anology. One  of  the  most  glorious  mantra-s  of  our  scripture  generally  chanted  soon  after  the  offering  of  camphor  flame  in   'Arati,' without  which  no  ritual  is  concluded,  finds  place  in  this  Upanishad  as  also  in  'Kathopanishad  and  'Svetasvatara  Upanishad-s.' "Him  the  Sun  does  not  illuminate,  nor  moon,  nor  stars,  nor  the  lightening  ---  nor  indeed  the  fires  kindled  upon  earth.  Everything  shines,  illuminated  by  His  light,  reflecting  His ...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Introduction : Part-2. After  explaining  the  Lower  and  Higher  Knowledge,  the  Changeless  Reality  is  pointed  out  to  be  all-pervadibg,  subtler  than  the  subtlest  ---  the  source  of  all. The  creation  of  Universeis  explained,  with  three  beautiful  analogies  of  Spider,  Plants,  and  Hairs  on  the  body  of  man,  to  have  sprung  out  of  Eternal  brahmam. Fruits  of  rituals  and  sacrifices  ( not  animal  sacrifice )  are  finite  and  transient. Good  works,  no  doubt,  lead  them  to  heaven,  where  rewards  are  quickly  exhausted  and  th...

Mundaka-Upanishad : Introduction : Part-1. Mundaka  literally  means  "Shaving  of  the  head". This  Upanishad,  therefore,  is  called  as  the  "Shaving  Upanishad  or  the  Upanishad  of  the "Tonsured." Shaving  Upanishad   ----  because  its  contents  remove  the  super-imposed  veil  of  "Ignorance" obscuring  the  "Atma"  through  direct  and  penetrating  exposition  of  the  "Higher  Knowledge" like  a  razor  removes  the  hairs  from  the  head; and  "Upanishad  of  the  Tonsured"  ---  because  it  is  primarily  intended  for  "Sannyasin-s" to  help  them  in  their  quest  for  the  attainment  of...

ISAVASYA UPANISHAD : or VAJASANEYI    SAMHITA    UPANISHAD Mantram-18. ( Last Mantram ) Last Discussion-3. "We  offer  Thee  our  best  salutations" .....  "Agne  idam  na  mama".. "We  offer  Thee  our  best  salutations" : -  Surrender  of  all  the b false  conceptions  in  us  is  the  way  to  cleanse  our  heart  and  prepare  it  for  intimations  from  the  Higheat. In  the  ritualistic  portion  of  the  Vedas,  we  find  the  Mantram  for  offering  the  oblations ( homa-draviyam / pouring havis in  the  homa-guntam) as  "Agne  idam  na  mama" : - 'O  Fire !  I  give  myself  to  thee  ....  No  more  am ...

ISAVASYA UPANISHAD : or VAJASANEYI    SAMHITA    UPANISHAD Mantram-18. ( Last Mantram ) Discussion-2. "Agni  Devata" ---the  Fire  God  ..... Let  'bhaktas' ( devotees )  understand  that  true  'Vedantham'   is   no  enemy  to  them;  let  true  'Vedantins'   ( followers  of  Vedantham )  come  to  feel  ashamed  of  themselves  when  they  cry  down  'bhakti'  (devotion)  in  the  name  of  their  sacred  faith,  the  religion  of  Vedantham. At  the  time  of  the  'Vedas,'  "Agni"  was  the  God;  here  the  prayer  is  an  invocation  to  "Agni  Devatha" ---  the  Fire  God. "Wealth" : - Here, ...

ISAVASYA UPANISHAD : or VAJASANEYI    SAMHITA    UPANISHAD Mantram-18. ( Last Mantram ) Agne  naya   supatha  raye   asmin   visvanti   deva   vayunani   vidvan, yuyo-dhyas-majjuhu-rana-meno   bhuyistham  te  nama-uktim  vidhema. agne  =  O  Agni  (  O Lord  of  Fire ); naya  =  lead; supatha  =  by  a  good  path; raye  =  wealth; asmin  =  us; visvanti  =  all; deva  =  O  God; vayunani  =  ways; vidvan  =  knower; yuyodhi  =  remove; asmat  =  from  us; juhuranam  =  crookedly  attracting; enah  =  sin; bhuyistham  =  best; te  =  to  you; nama-uktim  =  prayer; vidhema  =  offer. " O  Agni!  (Lord  of...