Mundakopanishad commentary

*कस्मिन्नु भगवो विज्ञाते सर्वमिदं विज्ञातं भवतीति ॥ ३ ॥*

What is that knowledge by knowing which all other knowledge is known?

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/mundak1/mundak1_1.html

aitareyopanishhad 2.5.1 with PDF & Word files

courtesy; sri.bryan hill

हरिः ॐ । पुरुषे ह वा अयमादितो गर्भो भवति यदेतद्रेतः तदेतत् सर्वेभ्योऽङ्गेभ्यस्तेजस्सम्भूतमात्मन्येवात्मानं बिभर्ति तद्यदा स्त्रियां सिञ्चत्यथैनज्जनयति तदस्य प्रथमं जन्म तत् स्त्रियाम् आत्मभूयं गच्छति यथा स्वमङ्गं तथा तस्मादेनां न हिनस्ति साऽस्यैतमात्मानमत्र गतं भावयति सा भावयित्री भावयितव्या भवति तं स्त्रीगर्भं बिभर्ति सोऽग्र एव कुमारं जन्मनोऽग्रेऽधिभावयति स तत् कुमारं जन्मनोऽग्रेऽधिभावयत्यात्मानमेव तद्भावयत्येतेषां लोकानां सन्तत्या एवं सन्तता हीमे लोकास्तदस्य द्वितीयं जन्म ॥

" # He i.e., Lord nArAyaNa enters into man through food. This food becomes retas(sperm) in man. This retas is the essence arising out of all the limbs of man. This is held in oneself. When this retas is released in woman, then it is the first birth. This retas becomes a part of the woman as her other limbs. Therefore, the husband should not trouble her. The woman should take care of her womb. She should think that the Lord is present in it. The woman who thinks this way should be taken care of by her husband. He who respects the son in the womb, respects the Lord present in him. He obtains the benefit of all the worlds. He occupies the earth. The birth on earth from the mother's womb is the second birth. "

# अयं नारायणो देवः पुरुषे प्रथमं विशेत् । अन्नस्थोऽन्नेन सहितः तस्मिन् रेतस्त्वमागते ॥

तस्मिंस्थितं स्वरूपं स पुरुषस्थो बिभर्त्यजः । तद्रूपं रेतसा साकं स्वयं पुंसि स्थितो हरिः ।

स्त्रियां सिञ्चति तस्यैव स्थानान्तरगते प्रभोः । प्रथमं जन्म विष्णोस्तु स तस्या अङ्गवत् प्रभुः ।

सोऽस्यायमात्मा पुण्येभ्यः कर्मभ्यः प्रतिधीयतेऽथास्यायमितर आत्मा कृतकृत्यो वयोगतः प्रैति स इतः प्रयन्नेव पुनर्जायते तदस्य तृतीयं जन्म तदुक्तमृषिणा –

*ॐ गर्भेऽनुसन्नन्वेषामवेदमहं देवानां जनिमानि विश्वा । शतं मा पुर आयसीररक्षन्नधः श्येनो जवसा निरदीयमिति ॥

गर्भ एवैतच्छयानो वामदेव एवमुवाच स एवं विद्वानस्माच्छरीरभेदादूर्ध्व उत्क्रम्यामुष्मिन्त्स्वर्गे लोके सर्वान् कामानाप्त्वाऽमृतः समभवत् समभवत् ॥२.५.१॥

" The Lord present in the son remains on the earth for some time to get the good things done for the father. Then the Lord present in the father leaves him along with his jIva and goes to the other world. When he is born in another place that is the third birth. This fact i.e., The Lord being born when the jIva is born is sung by the seer as follows:

oM garbhe.anusannanveshhAmavedamahaM devAnAM janimAni vishvA shataM mA pura AyasIraraxannadhaH shyeno javasA niradIyamiti

Being present in the womb only I know that the birth, etc., of the Lord are free from any sorrow etc., Lord vishhNu's hundreds of forms protected me. I came out of my mother's womb safely because of the protection given by the Lord. vAmadeva lying in the womb said this.

One who knows this arises from his body through brahmanADI and obtains all his desires in vaikuNTHa. He becomes immortal, he becomes immortal. "

*

(१) पुरः पूर्णाः आयसीः आयस्यः विशेषतो ज्ञानिन्यः शतं शतसंख्याकाः विष्ण्वाद्याः देवताः माम् अरक्षन् ।

(२) श्येनः सन् विष्णुं स्वामिनं ज्ञात्वा आनन्दज्ञानादिपूर्णत्वात् श्यः विष्णुः स एव इनः स्वामी यस्यासौ तथोक्तः सन् जवसा वेगेन निरदीयं मातुरुदरात् निर्गत्य गर्भमतीतोऽस्मि ।

(३) गर्भे शयानः वामदेवो नाम ऋषिः एतदुवाच ऊर्ध्वः सन् उत्क्रम्य ब्रह्मनाड्या उत्क्रान्तो भूत्वा ।

knr

--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.

  Every moment, thank God

taittirIyopanishhad

courtesy; Sri.Bryan Hill

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न कञ्चन वसतौ प्रत्याचक्षीत । तद्बतम् । तस्माद् यया कया च विधिया बह्वन्नं प्राप्नुयात् । अराध्यस्मा अन्नमित्याचक्षते । एतद्वै मुखतोऽन्नं राद्धम् । सुखतोऽस्मा अन्नं राध्यते । एतद्वै मध्यतोऽन्नं राद्धम् । मध्यतोऽस्मा अन्नं राध्यते । एतद्वा अन्ततोऽन्नं राद्धम् । अन्ततोऽस्मा अन्नं राध्यते । य एवं वेद ॥३.७॥

" No student who approaches for study should be denied the opportunity to study. This should be observed as a vow. A student should get to know the Supreme Lord designated as anna by making all efforts. The Supreme God designated as anna will make Himself available to him. He who studies right from the young age will be able to see the face of the Supreme God in his aparoxa vision. He who studies in middle age will be able to see the middle portion of the Supreme Lord. He who studies in old age will be able to se the feet of the Supreme Lord. He who knows this will also see in the same way. "

                    taittirIyopanishhad 3.7

knr

--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.

  Every moment, thank God

bR^ihadAraNyakopanishhat 5.9.27 - 28

Courtesy: Sri.Bryan Hill

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अथ होवाच ब्राह्मणा भगवन्तो यो वः कामयते स मा पृच्छतु सर्वे वा मा पृच्छत यो वः कामयते तं वः पृच्छामि सर्वान्वा वः पृच्छामीति ते ह ब्राह्मणा न दधृषुः ॥५.९.२७॥

तान् हैतैः श्लोकैः पप्रच्छ

यथा वृक्षो वनस्पतिः तथैव पुरुषोऽमृषा । तस्य लोमानि पर्णानि त्वगस्योत्पाटिका बहिः ॥

त्व च एवास्य रुधिरं प्रस्यन्दि त्वच उत्पटः । तस्मात्तदा तृणात् प्रैति रसो वृक्षादिवाऽऽहतात् ॥

मांसान्यस्य शर्कराणि किनाटं स्नाव तत्स्थिरम् । अस्थीन्यन्तरतो दारूणि मज्जा मज्जोपमा कृता ॥

यद् वृक्षो वृक्णो रोहति मूलान्नवतरः पुनः । मर्त्यः स्विन् मृत्युना वृक्णः कस्मान्मूलात् प्ररोहति ॥

रेतसा इति मा वोचत जीवतस्तत्प्रजायते । धानारुह इव वै वृक्षोऽञ्जसा प्रेत्य सम्भवः ।

यत्समूलमावृहेयुर्वृक्षं न पुनराभवेत् ॥ मर्त्यः स्विन् मृत्युना वृक्णः कस्मान्मूलात् प्ररोहति ।

जात एव न जायते कोन्वेनं जनयेत् पुनः ॥ विज्ञानमानन्दं ब्रह्म रातिर्दातुः परायणं तिष्ठमानस्य तद्विद इति ॥५.९.२८॥

" Then, yAjJNavalkya said: Revered brAhmaNas! Whoever among you desires to ask questions to me, he may ask, or else all of you may ask. Similarly, I will ask questions to whomsoever you name among you or else I will ask questions of all you. The brAhmaNas did not come forward.

                                   Then, yAjJNavalkya asked them by the following shlokas:

Just as the word vR^ixa conveys the true characteristic of a tree, the word purushha conveys the true characteristic of a jIva. (A tree has the characteristic of being cut down, while the jIva has the characteristics of being eternal. Only his body perishes) 

                                                                                                                            The hairs of the body possessed by a jIva are its leaves and his skin is its outer bark. From the skin the blood flows forth and sap from the skin of the tree. Therefore, when a man is wounded, blood flows as sap from a tree that is struck. Flesh is its inner bark, nerves are tough like inner fibres. The bones are the wood within and the marrow resembling the pith.

       When a tree is cut it comes up again from its roots. Similarly, when a person's body is taken away by death, he gets another body from another person (in another birth), but what is the independent and primary source of the tree and the person getting the body (when he loses all the traces of a body in mahApralaya). Do not say it is from retas, because, that can happen only from another living person(in mahApralaya no such person is there). The tree, though arises from the seed, it is not its primary and independent cause.

                                When a tree is uprooted will it not grow? When a person is taken away by death will he not be again? What is the primary and independent cause of a tree and a person? The brAhmaNas did not come forward to answer these questions of yAjJNavalkya. Then yAjJNavalkya himself answered: The cause is brahman, who has infinite knowledge, infinite bliss and is guNapUrNa. He is ever arisen and therefore never born. He bestows all desires of His worshippers and He is the final resort of one who knows and meditates upon Him."

Explanation:

 (1) The question raised and the answer given by yAjJNavalkya himself constitutes the ultimate teaching of this brAhmaNa, this upanishhat, and  the entire sacred literature. The question asked by shAkalya related to the hierarchy of the deities and the Supreme God. After answering that question yAjJNavalkya raises here the fundamental question as to who is the ultimate cause of all and answers that He is brahman. The three most important attributes of brahman viz., His having infinite knowledge, infinte bliss and infinite attributes are brought out here.

(2) To understand the nature  and the scope of the question raised here and the answer given, it is necessary to correctly understand the simile of the tree given here.

                                                                                                                            Firstly, the expression purushho.amR^ishhA (पुरुषोऽमृषा) has to be understood as purushha amR^ishhA(पुरुषः अमृषा), but not as purushhaH mR^ishhA(पुरुषः मृषा). Before comparing vR^ixa and purushha in respect of their birth, destruction and ultimate cause, it is stated in this very opening line that both vR^ixa and purushha are amR^ishhA i.e., REAL. If one takes the reading of the text as mR^ishhA i.e., UNREAL, and states that both are unreal, then the whole comparison becomes unnecessary and purposeless. Therefore, the text reading has to be taken as amR^ishhA i.e., REAL.

                                                                                 The next point is, the expression vR^xa and vanaspati should not be taken as synonyms or one as the adjective of the other. This does not serve any purpose. These two have to be taken as subject and predicate. vanaspati is the subject referrring to tree and vR^ixa is the predicate bringing out its characteristic of being cut down i.e., perishable nature. Thus, stating the perishable nature of the tree, the perishable nature of the body of a person, the permanent nature of the spirit is intended to be conveyed here. This makes a detailed comparison of a tree and that of a body in the following shlokas meaningful. The tree and the body are perishable, but REAL. The spirit is permanent and true. One has to find out the cause of these. To trace the ultimate cause of these a comparison of the perishable aspect and permanent aspect is explained, first in this comparison. Such a comparison is meaningful only if both are REAL.

                                                      Then, the next point is, what is the cause of a perishable tree, a perishable body and the permanent spirit assuming the body again, even after the mahApralaya when no remnant of the cause of a physical body persists. Normally, the seed and the roots are the causes of a tree and retas the cause of a body. However, the present inquiry is not about a routine physical cause, like seed or retas. It is about the primary and fundamental cause. That is brahman. Therefore, to inform that the brahman is the ultimate cause is the driving point here. It is further added that one need not seek a further cause to brahman. He is ever - present, He is not born. One who worships Him gets all desires and one who meditates upon Him reaches the final goal.

knr
--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.

  Every moment, thank God

bR^ihadAraNyakopanishhad 6.3.33; Heirarchy of Ananda

Courtesy: Sri.Bryan Hill

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स यो ह वै मनुष्याणां राद्धः समृद्धो भवत्येषामधिपतिः सर्वैः मानुष्यकैः भोगैः सम्पन्नतमः स मनुष्याणां परम आनन्दः । " A liberated manushhyachakravartin who has completed his efforts for liberation and therefore is superior to the other manushhyas, will enjoy the fruits of his deeds performed after attaining divine knowledge. He will enjoy his innate bliss revealed to him as soon as he is liberated. His innate bliss is the lower limit of the bliss to be enjoyed by the liberated as per their heirarchical position. " अथ ये शतं मनुष्याणामानन्दः स एकः पितॄणां जित लोकानामानन्दः । " A hundred times of this bliss of manushhyachakravartin is one bliss of the Manes(pitR^is) who are liberated. " अथ ये शतं पितॄणां जितलोकानामानन्दः स एको गन्धर्वलोक आनन्दः । " A hundred times the bliss of the liberated manes is one bliss of liberated gandharvas. " अथ ये शतं गन्धर्वलोक आनन्दा स एकः कर्मदेवानामानन्दो ये कर्मना देवत्वमभिसम्पद्यन्ते । " A hundred times the bliss of liberated gandharvas is one bliss of the karmadevas. The karmadevas are those who have attained godhood by their deeds. " अथ ये शतं कर्मदेवानामानन्दाः स एक आजानदेवानामानन्दो यश्च श्रोत्रियोऽवृजिनोऽकामहतः । " A hundred times the bliss of the karmadevas is one blisss of the AjAnadevas. They are learned, sorrow free and not afflicted with material desires. " अथ ये शतमाजानदेवानामानन्दाः स एकः प्रजापतिलोक आनन्दो यश्च श्रोत्रियोऽवृजिनोऽकामहतः । " A hundred times the bliss of the AjAnadevas is one bliss of the prajApatis i.e., that is rudra and sheshha. These are learned, sorrow free and are not affected by mundane desires. " अथ ये शतं प्रजापतिलोक आनन्दाः स एको ब्रह्मलोक आनन्दो यश्च श्रोत्रियोऽवृजिनोऽकामहतः । " A hundred times the bliss of the prajApatis is one bliss of chaturmukha - brahmA. He is learned, sorrow free and not affected by material desires  " अथैव एव परम आनन्दः एष ब्रह्मलोकः सम्राडिति " This is the highest limit of the bliss of the liberated. The bliss of the Supreme God is infinite. " होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः । सोऽहं भगवते सहस्रं ददाम्यत ऊर्ध्वं विमोक्षायैव ब्रूहीत्यत्र " On receiving these instructions, janaka said O yAjJNavalkya! I shall offer a thousand elephants and bulls. Instruct me further the way to liberation. " ह याज्ञवल्क्यो विभयांचकार मेधावी राजा सर्वेभ्यः मां तेभ्यः उदरौत्सीदिति ॥६.३.३३॥ " At this yAjJNavalkya hesitated a little. He thought King janaka is very clever. He has chosen me from among the debators. Now, I have to instruct him about the highest secret if he asks me about it. " ......................   You may want to compare the Ananda - tAratamya with the Celestial Heirarchy of  Dionysius. knr

--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.

  Every moment, thank God

From kathopanishad

Courtesy: Sri.AVMV
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"Indriyebhya: paraa hi artthaa artthebhyascha param mana:
manasasthu paraa buddhi: buddheraatmaa mahaan para:
mahata: parama avyaktam avyaktaath purusha: para:
purushaan na param kimchit saa kaashtaa saa paraa gati: "
--(Yajur Veda, Katha Upanishad, Part One, Chapter III, 10-11)
("Beyond the senses are the objects; beyond the objects is the mind;
beyond the mind, the intellect; beyond the intellect, the Great Atman;
beyond the Great Atman, the Unmanifest; beyond the Unmanifest, the
Purusha. Beyond the Purusha there is nothing: this is the ultimate
limit (summit, the end); the Supreme Goal. ".)

knr

--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.

  Every moment, thank God

Shiksha Valli of Taittiriya Upanishad I:xi:1

Courtesy: Sunder hattangadi
======================
There is probably nothing more sublime than the Shiksha Valli of
Taittiriya Upanishad I:xi:1

yAnyanavadyAni karmANi . tAni sevitavyAni . no itarANi .
yAnyasmAka{\m+} sucharitAni .
tAni tvayopAsyAni .. 2..
no itarANi . ye ke chArumachChreyA{\m+}so brAhmaNAH .
teShAM tvayA.a.asanena prashvasitavyam.h . shraddhayA deyam.h .
ashraddhayA.adeyam.h . shriyA deyam.h . hriyA deyam.h . bhiyA deyam.h .
sa.nvidA deyam.h .
atha yadi te karmavichikitsA vA vR^ittavichikitsA vA syAt.h .. 3..
ye tatra brAhmaNAH saMmarshinaH . yuktA AyuktAH .
alUxA dharmakAmAH syuH . yathA te tatra varteran.h .
tathA tatra vartethAH . athAbhyAkhyAteShu .
ye tatra brAhmaNAH saMmarshinaH . yuktA AyuktAH .
alUxA dharmakAmAH syuH . yathA te teShu varteran.h .
tathA teShu vartethAH . eSha AdeshaH . eSha upadeshaH .
eShA vedopaniShat.h . etadanushAsanam.h . evamupAsitavyam.h .
evamu chaitadupAsyam.h .. 4.. ityekAdasha.anuvAkaH ..
I-xi-1: Having taught the Vedas, the preceptor imparts this
post-instruction to the students:
"Speak the truth. Practise righteousness. Make no mistake about study.
Having offered the desirable wealth to the teacher, do not cut off the
line of progeny. There should be no inadvertence about truth. There
should be no deviation from righteous activity. There should be no
error about protection of yourself. Do not neglect propitious
activities. Do not be careless about learning and teaching.
I-xi-2-4: There should be no error in the duties towards the gods and
manes. Let your mother be a goddess unto you. Let your father be a god
unto you. Let your teacher be a god unto you. Let your guest be a god
unto you. The works that are not blameworthy are to be resorted to,
but not the others. These actions of ours that are commendable are to
be followed by you, but not the others. You should, by offering seats,
remove the fatigue of those Brahmanas who are more praiseworthy among
us. The offering should be with honour; the offering should not be
with dishonour. The offering should be in plenty. The offering should
be with modesty. The offering should be with awe. The offering should
be with sympathy. Then, should you have any doubt with regard to
duties or customs, you should behave in those matters just as
Brahmanas do, who may happen to be there and who are able
deliberators, who are adepts in those duties and customs, who are not
directed by
others, who are not cruel, and who are desirous of merit. Then, as for
the accused people, you should behave with regard to them just as the
Brahmanas do, who may happen to be there and who are able
deliberators, who are adepts in those duties and customs, who are not
directed by others, who are not cruel, who are desirous of merit. This
is the injunction. This is the instruction. This is the secret of the
Vedas. This is divine behest. This is how the meditation is to be
done. This is how this must be meditated on.

knr

--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.

  Every moment, thank God