MANDUKYA UPANISHAD : Chapter-1. "AGAMA PRAKARANA" ( The Scriptural Treatise ) Mantram-3, Discussion-5.

25/10/2017



MANDUKYA UPANISHAD

Chapter-1.

"AGAMA PRAKARANA"
( The Scriptural Treatise )

Mantram-3

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Jagarita-sthano bahih prajnah saptanga

ekona-vimsati-mukhah sthula-bhuk

vaisvanarah prathamah padah.

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Jagarita-sthano : one whose field is waking state;

bahih prajnah : who is conscious of the external;

sapta angah : has seven limbs;

ekona vimsati mukhah : has nineteen mouths;

sthula-bhuk : experiencer of gross objects;

vaisvanarah : (is) vaisvanara;

prathamah : first;

padah ; quarter.

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The first quarter (pada) is Vaisvanara whose sphere of activity is the waking state, who is conscious of the external world of objects, who has seven limbs and ninteen mouths, and who enjoys the gross objects of the world.


The word "mouth,"  used here is, in its amplest significance, as an instrument of conumption.

In this sense we can say ordinarily that we are a five-mouthed-beingenjoying nor consuming the world of objectsthrough the five mouths, namely the five sense organs and thereby deriving our quota of enjoyment in our experiences.

In the mantram, we are told that the waking-state-ego has nineteen mouths meaning the five-organs-of perception, the five-organs-of  action, the five aspects of  our vital breath ( Pranam ), the mind ( manas ), intellect  ( Bhuddhi ), the egoity  (Ahamkaram ), and chittam ( Discrimination ).

To be continued ...