MUNDAKA UPANISHAD - 19. Swami Advayananda.

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6 Chapters (64 Mantras)

Chapter-1.

Section-2 : A CLOSE LOOK AT RITUALS : (Mantras 10-22, 13 no.)

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Tuesday, January 24, 2023. 07:30.

Post - 19.

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Mantram - 2.10 : D. Rituals – When Merits Get Exhausted :

1 ishtaapoortam manyamaanaah varishtham,  =  Regarding such desire-motivated actions as being the most important,

2 na anyat shreyah vedayante pramoodhaah;  =  these extremely ignorant ones do not know any other way to attain happiness.

3 naakasya prishthe te sukrite anubhootvaa-,  =  From the highest of sensual pleasures to which their merits take them,

4 imam lokam heenataram vaa vishanti.  =  they enter again this earthly world of men or even to a state inferior to it.

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Bhashyam (Vyakyanam) :

The Ultimate Assessment of Karma Kanda Rituals :

Mantras  2.7 to 2.9 showed us the reasons why rituals generally prove to be fruitless 

due to human weaknesses as well as the “terms & conditions”. Here we are given a final 

assessment of their worth. Even on the rare occasion when they succeed in bringing the 

desired result, that result is of no help whatsoever in bringing them closer to God.

1-4 The sad practical truth is that these Karmas take people further and further away 

from the Truth. The rich and ignorant ones lose much of their merit by showing off through 

these rituals. Even if they do manage to go to heavenly worlds, they have to return soon 

back to earth when their merits get exhausted. Usually these people are such that their 

merits in heaven get exhausted very rapidly.

The feeling of smugness, which makes them feel “All is fine!” is very harmful to their 

further progress. It stunts them totally. It smothers down all aspiration for God.

These are people who may be very highly-placed in society. They have done well in 

the material sphere, but not well enough to earn spiritual merits. They are spending all their 

hard-earned merits on paltry things that are perishable. Instead of conserving their merits 

to use them for more worthy endeavours, they waste them on pleasures. 

The above assessment of the Kevala Karma path is like that of a mother for her child. 

The mother always wants the best for her child. Sometimes she uses the scolding method. 

The assessment is actually a statement on the limitation of the Kevala Karma path.

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Next
20 Mantram - 2.11: What is the Alternative?
To be continued

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