Mundaka Upanishad – 4

The glory of Brahman 

The second Mundaka opens with the Mantra that defines Brahman as the material cause of the universe in an indirect way.  This indirect definition is called Tadastha lakshanam.  The indirect definition is given in the Mantra through the example of bonfire.  Bonfire is Agni Tatvam associated with fuel in the form of a log of wood.  This throws out sparks.  The sparks are the agni tatvam only associated with the tiny chip of fuel.  So the sparks and bonfire have as the core principle the Agni Tatvam.  From the blazing bonfire manifold sparks come out and go back to it again.  In the same way manifold beings of creation come out of Ishwara, at the time of creation and go back to it at the time of pralaya.  Just as sparks and bonfire have an identical core principle, Agni  Tatvam, the individual being Jiva and cosmic being, Ishwara, have an identical eternal principle.  This eternal tatvam is called Brahman in Ishwara and Athma in Jiva, and this is the consciousness principle or chaithanyam.  This identity is termed Jeeva Brahma Ikyam. 

2^nd Mantra gives a direct definition of Brahman as intelligent cause for the universe.  As it is a direct definition, it is called the Swarupa Lakshanam, as in Mantra 1-1-6 of this Upanishad.

Divyah hi amoortah purushah sa-baahya abhyantarah hi ajah I

Apranah hi amanah shubhrah hi aksharat paratah parah II

He is the self-luminous and formless Purusha, uncreated and existing both within and without. He is devoid of prana, devoid of mind, pure, and higher than the supreme Imperishable. (2-1-2)

The second Mantra reveals that Brahman as pure existence is beyond all the three states of existence, gross, subtle and causal.  It is the ‘amness’ of ‘I am’ and ‘isness’ of ‘it is’.  It is a self shining principle, in that it needs no other source of light to reveal itself anytime anywhere.  In a room which is pitch dark, you need a torch or a source of light to know whether an object is there but what source of light you need to know that you are there? No source of light is needed as your ‘amness’ is self evident to you at all times, in all circumstances. So it is called swayamprakasa. Brahman as cause, pervades every object of the universe.  It is in and out of everything in the Universe, just like water is in and out of the waves of the ocean.  So instead of perceiving that Brahman is in everything in the universe, it is to be perceived that everything in the universe is in Brahman.  Brahman is called here ‘Purusha’, the all pervading infinite being.  As all pervading and infinite, it is beyond space and so cannot be located anywhere.   As our mind cannot conceive of anything without location, we for our convenience of worshipping give location as Vaikunta, Kailasa etc. for Ishwara, the Saguna Brahman.  It is ‘amoorta’ and so it has no sthula sareera, gross body.  It is ‘apranah’ and ‘amanah’ and so it has no sukshma sareera, subtle body, as well.  It is free of karana sareera, the causal body, as well as it is ‘aksharat paratah’, beyond the unmanifested causal state. As it has no sareeras, it is free of  all impurities and so is pure.   As origin of everything else including time and space, it itself has no origin.  The sum total of all these is the direct definition of Brahman, an attempt to describe in words, what is beyond the scope of description.

From Mantras 3 to 9, we get the process of creation, in which the statement, everything is born out of Brahman, is elaborated by pointing out that mountains, rivers, all forms of food, living beings besides heaven, devas and the Vedas, have all come out of Brahman.  Of these Mantra 4 merits special attention especially in the context of Modern Science.  We have in this Mantra description of whole Universe as a person, Virat Purusha, which reveals the interconnectedness of everything in the Universe, like the different organs of the human body that are interrelated to each other.  This view of interconnectedness is shared by Modern scientists.  American Nobel Physicist John Wheeler speaks of entire material Universe as a quantum foam in which every particle is linked to every other particle in quantum interconnectedness.

Some of the unique concepts of Advaita Vedanta, can be derived from the Mantra 10.

Purusha evedam vishvam karma

tapo brahma para amritam I

Etad yo veda nihitam guhaayaam

sah avidyaa granthim vikirati iha somya II    

The Purusha alone is this entire Universe, which consists of the sacrificial works and austerities. He who knows this highest and immortal Brahman as seated in the cavity of the heart, cuts asunder even here the knot of ignorance, O my good friend.  (2-1-10)

The Mantra 10 states that this universe of names, forms, emotions and experiences, that all things, subtle and gross, that go to make this universe, are only the manifestation of the infinite Being, Purusha.  He is the Supreme Brahman and one who knows Him as manifested in the cave of one’s heart cuts asunder the knots of ignorance that bind him to samsara, meaning he is liberated or gains Jivan Mukthi.  The Universe is constantly changing, but Brahman is changeless.  He undergoes no change or modification, while being the material and intelligent cause of this changing Universe.  This is possible because Brahman and Universe are of the order of two different types of realities. As per Advaita Vedanta there are three types of realities.

1.   Prathibhasika Satyam  -  reflective reality  -  it is real only to the person who is experiencing it, at the time of the experience only, like a dream.

2.   Vyavaharika Satyam  -  transactional reality  -  It is available for all experiences, but when you analyze it, it is not at all there as it appears to be like the sky, horizon, moonlight etc. This satyam is also called mithya.  Further the mitya objects keep on changing all the time. They are also not available for experience all the time.  Though we know it as not real, we will still talk and act as if it is real, for transactional convenience.

3.   Paramarthika Satyam  -  Absolute reality  -  Same and unchanging at all times.  Only Brahman is Paramarthika Satyam

The Universe comes under Vyavaharika Satyam, Mithya only.  Mithya is also known by another name, Maya.  Maya means it is not what it appears to be, like sun-rise and sun-set.

Dream is real, during the dream time to the dreamer.  But when dreamer wakes up, to him as the waker the dream time incidents, good or bad, has no impact except as a laughing matter when recalled.  Same way for the realized person, the experiences of the life, are treated as a lila as he has woken up to the higher reality of the Paramarthika Satyam.  So experiences of everyday life do not either excite him or hurt him and he participates in life experiences as a spectator. His attitude is of one watching a TV replay of the game that is already over and of which he knows the result.  Prathibhasika Satyam is real, Satyam, Vyavaharika Satyam is greater reality, Satyasya Satyam and Paramarthika Satyam is the greatest reality, Satyasya Satyasya Satyam, if we can use that word.  What happens in a lesser reality cannot affect the one in higher reality.  So Brahman though pervading the Universe as Karanam, is not affected by the Karyam, the Universe.  Realization of this Brahman, as one’s athma, the consciousness, is  called Jiva Brahma Ikyam,  the oneness of Jiva and Brahman. Here lakshyartham for Jiva is taken, which is Athma, the consciousness in individual.  This realization is termed Athma Jnanam or Brahma Jnanam.  Since this realization lifts your vision to the highest reality, universe and its experiences, even though you participate in it, do not affect you in any way.  This state of realized person is called Jivan Mukthi.  The concepts of three realities, mithya and Jivan Mukthi are unique to Advaita Vedanta.  From this follows the main message of Advaita Vedanta.  Brahma Satyam, Jagat Mithya, Jivo Brahmaiva na para (Brahman alone is real, this world is unreal; the Jiva is identical with Brahman)

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