MUNDAKA UPANISHAD - 54. Swami Advayananda.

Chinmaya Mission: 

During the holy month of Karthika several Chinmaya Mission centres had special celebrations worshipping Lord Shiva and Vishnu. 

Featuring here the celebrations from Chinmaya Amarnath, Pittsburgh, USA and Sripaadakshetra, Bengaluru, India.

Swami Brahmananda of CM Bengaluru conducted a power packed profound Satsang focussed on Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi’s Upadesha Sara.

In Pittsburgh, over 500 plus devotees and community members came together for the Kartika Deepotsav 500 devotees to witness the festive Deepa Prajvalanam.

Chinmaya Mission Visakhapatnam hosted a Panchayatana Maharudra Yaagam in this auspicious month with daily Mahanyasa Poorvaka Rudrabhishekam to one of the Panchayatana deities Surya, Lalita Devi, Vishnu, Ganapati and Rudra, including a Sudharshana Homam.

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

Sunday 16, June 2024. 06:50.
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
Mantram 5.10: Adorations to Such a Jnani!
Post - 54.

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

Mantram 5.10: Adorations to Such a Jnani!

1 

yam yam lokam  = Whatever sphere or world is held (as the goal) 

manasaa samvibhaati, = firmly by the mind  through concentration,  

2 

vishuddha sattvah = by fixing his pure mind upon that desire

kaamayate yaan cha kaamaan; = whatever be the object of the desire,  

3 

tam tam lokam jayate =  to that sphere  or world he goes,  

taam cha kaamaan, = and enjoys those desires  or objects. 

4 

tasmaad aatmajnam hi = Therefore, the man of realization, indeed,   

archayet bhootikaamah. = should be honoured by a seeker of prosperity. 

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

This mantram may sound a bit strange if we forget the fact that a Realised Jnani has 

severed all connection with his egoistic self, and is identified with the Universal Self alone. 

For this reason his idea of ‘being prosperous’ is very different from that held by the ordinary 

man of the world. If the latter desires true prosperity, he is directed to observe the Jnani to 

learn how to be truly prosperous. 

Two Contrasting Views on Prosperity:

1

 What could a pure, divine soul such as that of a Jnani wish for? What would he 

want to enjoy? The answer to this question from an ignorant person’s mind may well be: an 

all-expenses paid holiday to a resort; or a position of power in the Government; or some 

unimaginable wealth like a large home, a flashy car, a private jet perhaps! But a Jnani does 

not think like us. Being one with the universal mind, what comes to him will only be for the 

welfare of the whole world. 

Any heavenly world that the sage wishes for, is available to him instantly. He can 

“astral travel” to any part of the universe! It is not suggested here that this is some form of 

entertainment he might indulge in. What is being suggested is that the sage is unlimited by

 Space, having expanded his Consciousness beyond his individual ego to become one with 

the Infinite Being. The sage has Sat-Sankalpa, which is a Siddhi he gains enabling him to

achieve whatever he wishes. As Acharyaji beautifully put it: “Everything is there for his 

asking, but he is not ready to ask!” 

2

 The purity referred to in the previous verse as a condition for the Self to reveal 

Itself, is brought to our attention at the right moment – when it contrasts with a worldly

minded outlook on prosperity. The thing that a sage would want is the common good of all 

people, their true well-being. This is what the sage wishes in his Cosmic mind. There is 

nothing selfish that he desires.  

3

 These “covetable things” are attained by him, whatever they may be. This is the 

translation of this line, the fulfillment of line 1. The sage’s will is pure and dynamic, 

irresistible, infallible and precise. It operates within cosmic laws, and thus he will not violate 

any governing cosmic principle, as the ego always tries to. 

4

 For this reason, the embodiment of such a great “expansion of Consciousness” 

which transcends mundane desires, is considered to be worthy of our worship, honour and 

adoration. For us to serve such a great Mahatma is our unique privilege. Our true prosperity 

lies in serving such a saint. This is the context as we come to conclude this Chapter. 

Archayet: “should be honoured”. A purified soul becomes worthy of our adoration. 

One who worships the saint, notably by assisting him in his work, becomes himself worthy 

of having his own desires fulfilled, though they may be of a worldly nature. This can be 

taken in two ways:  

i) literally true, i.e. it bestows prosperity on the worldly man; or  

ii) that the worldly man, by his association with a saint, gradually learns to see that 

true prosperity lies in upholding the highest virtue, not in material gain. The influence of the 

saint alters his outlook on prosperity. 

What Happens to a Saint’s Karma?

 Even in the first case, the assurance is not unfounded. It is well said in other 

Upanishadic verses that a saint’s Karmas have far-reaching influences for mankind. Being 

Karmas, a Karmic reaction or result has to be there. Since the sage is indifferent to these 

results, the results go to those who support the saint in his work. All the merit of the saint’s 

deeds go to such kind-hearted supporters of his activities. It is needless to say that those 

who try to obstruct the saint in his work, incur the demerit of such obstruction on a scale 

beyond their own imagination! Such is the majesty of a saint’s benevolent activities. 

It is needless to say that such benevolence extends to all the 14 worlds, mentioned 

in the mantram as Tam Tam Lokam, meaning that a saint’s deeds are beneficial in the higher as 

well as lower worlds. Everyone benefits from a saint’s deeds. 

Acharyaji’s final remark sums up the saint’s deeds: “The Jnani is ‘God on the go’!”

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

iti mundakopanishadi, triteeya mundake, prathamah khandah. 

Thus in the Mundaka Upanishad, ends the first Section of the Third Canto. 

*****

Next

6. QUALITIES SEEN IN A SAGE 

 (Mantrass 54-64, 11 no.) 

Continued

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