Mundaka Upanishad – 2

Brahma Lakshanam

Upadesa of guru Angiras starts from Mantra 7 as reply to the question asked by Saunaka.  First he divides the entire range of knowledge into two classes; 1) knowledge of Brahman, 2) knowledge of all that has come from Brahman.  The first he calls as Para Vidya, higher knowledge, and the second he calls as Apara Vidya, lower knowledge.  The distinction, higher and lower, is not from the point of view of knowledge but from the point of view of the subject of knowledge.  Para Vidya is the knowledge of supreme Brahman who is eternal and Apara Vidya is the knowledge of the universe which is ephemeral.  In Apara Vidya all the Vedas and all the ancillary sciences of that time are included.  In Vedas, the former portion dealing with rituals and upasanas, called Veda purva bhaga or Karma Khanda only are included in Apara Vidya.  The latter portion of Vedas, dealing with Brahman, and Jiva, the individual, Jagat, the universe and their relationship with each other, called Veda anta Bhaga or Jnaana Khanda is the only knowledge coming under Para Vidya.  After this classification of knowledge, guru Angiras proceeds to give Brahma Lakshanam in Mantra 6. 

yat tad adreshyam, agraahyam, agotram, avarnam,

achakshuh shrotram, tad apaani paadam;

nityam, vibhum, sarvagatam, susookshmam, tad avyayam,

yad bhootayonim paripashyanti dheeraah.

That which is invisible, ungraspable, un-originated, and attributeless; having neither eyes nor ears, neither hands nor legs;  eternal, full of manifestations, all-pervading, subtlest of the subtle, the Imperishable, and perceived by the wise only as the source of all creation. (1-1-6)

This is termed direct definition or swarupa lakshanam.  But Brahman is not an object that can be defined directly.  So it is defined ingenuously in a way that mind cannot conceive of it as an object from the definition, negative or positive.  Negatively it is defined as not visible, not graspable, having no origin, no attributes, no eyes, no ears, no hands, no feet.  That means it is not available for the senses to perceive and thereby for the mind to conceive as an object.  And as it has no organs to operate, it has no form or shape and it is not subject to changes.  Positively, it is defined as eternal, all pervading, immeasurably subtle, of manifold expression and is the source of creation.  This also defies imagination.  The Mantra goes on to say that this can be realized only by discriminating wise men referred to by the term ‘dheeraah’.  This term refers to one who has the four fold qualifications called sadhana chathushtaya sampathi, which are viveka, vairagya, samadhi shatka sampathi  and  mumukshuthvam which are as follows:

·        viveka - discrimination.  He knows Brahman is the only eternal one and gives top priority to seeking that knowledge of Brahman.

·        vairagya - dispassion.  To everything else he accords low priority.

·        Samadhi shatka sampathi  - six fold disciplines of mind control, sense control, withdrawal, endurance of opposites, faith in the words of guru and sastras and single-pointedness of the mind.

·        mumukshuthvam  -  desire for Moksha i.e. freedom from samsara.

The term used to refer to Brahman as source of creation is ‘bhootayoni’ meaning It is the womb of the Pancha Bhutas, which make up the universe.  This shows that Brahman is the only material cause for the universe, and the Brahman has karana–karya  sambandha or cause–effect relationship with the universe.  From this it follows:

1.   As cause, it pervades the universe in all its aspects.

2.   As cause, it is the very essence of the universe and all the things of the universe are only Brahman +nama,and rupa

3.   As cause Brahman is nityam, permanent, and as effect, the universe is anityam, perishable

                   4. Brahman as cause is singular while the universe as effect is plural

These aspects of cause-effect relationship can be verified from the examples of gold and gold ornaments, clay and mud pots etc.  In these examples we have one other aspect.  There are two causes for creation; namely the material cause, Upadhana Karanam and the intelligent cause, Nimitha Karanam.  For the gold ornaments gold is the material cause, goldsmith, the intelligent cause.  For the mud pots, clay is the material cause, potter, the intelligent cause etc.  We have seen from Mantra 6 that Brahman is the material cause for this universe.  Mantra 7, 8 and 9 refer to the uniqueness of Brahman as the intelligent cause as well, for this universe. Mantra 7 gives three examples to illustrate three aspects of creation.

1.   Spider and the web, it weaves out of itself and withdraws into itself - Brahman is similarly the material and intelligent cause for the universe it brings out and dissolves in itself, but this example has the defect of implying that creation may involve a selfish intention as in the case of spider’s web.

2.   Earth producing various plants and trees of different shapes and colours - Similarly the manifold objects of the universe are created from one Brahman and that Brahman is the adhishtanam for the whole universe. Here, no doubt, no personal, selfish intention is possible but it has the defect that the earth, from which the herbs sprout, is inert which is not the case with Brahman

3.   Sentient body giving rise to insentient hair on the head and all over the body -  Similarly the insentient things of the universe have also come from sentient Brahman only and also the creation is  an effortless projection and it also shows that the creation is a process with vitality as well. 

In Mantra 8, it is revealed that Brahman which is ordinarily without attributes, Nirguna, expands itself with its power of Maya Sakthi to become Iswara, the Saguna Brahman or Brahman with attributes, to initiate creation through its Sankalpa.  So, through this, it is established that Brahman is the Abinna Nimitta Upadhana Karanam for Jagat i.e. the unbroken intelligent, material cause for the universe and on this basis Saunaka’s question can be rephrased as ‘what is the knowledge of Brahman?’ Or ‘Please teach me BrahmaVidya!’  The first Khanda ends with Mantra 9 that glorifies Iswara as Sarvajna and Sarvavit indicating that Iswara has a thorough knowledge not only of the overall aspect of creation, but also of every detail of its execution.

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Guru-Sishya Introduction

Vakyavritti -1

Vakyavriiti is a small work of 53 verses by Sri Adhi Sankaracharya.   Here the word Vakyam refers to Mahavakyam and vritti means a brief commentary. So this work is a brief commentary on Mahavakya, the Mahavakya analysed here being “Tat Tvam Asi (That Thou are)” which is from Chandogya Upanishad of  Sama Veda.  The work opens with two verses of invocation. With this brief introduction let us enter the work.

Verse 1

Sarga-sthitipralaya hetum achintya sakthim,

Vishweshwaram vidita vishwam ananta murthimI

Nirmukta bandhanam apaara sukha-amburaasim,

Shree vallabham, vimala-bodha-ghanam namaami.II

I bow down to that Pure Consciousness, an ocean of unlimited happiness, the beloved of Sri (that is Vishnu), the all-knowing Lord of the universe, assuming endless forms yet free of all bondages, possessing inscrutable power and the Cause of the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the Universe.

In this sloka grace of Lord Narayana is invoked for writing the text. Let us read it seeking Lord’s grace for studying the text.  This verse is called Narayana prarthana or Narayana Mangalacharanam.  Lord Narayana is invoked in this verse in all three forms; as Eka rupa Iswara i.e. sree vallabha (Lakshmi Narayana); Viswa rupa Iswara i.e.anantha murthy; and Arupa Iswara i.e. vimala bodhanam (Pure Consciousness).  After Narayana namaskara in the first sloka, Sri Sankara invokes Guru’s grace in verse no.2.

Verse 2

Yasya prasaadaat aham eva vishnuh,

Mayi eva sarvam pari-kliptam chaI

Ittham vijaanaami sadaathma-roopam,

Tasya angee-padmam pranatah asmi nityam.II

I bow down to the lotus feet of my Guru by whose grace I understand that forever I am the all-pervading Vishnu and that this world of multiplicity is a super-imposition on me alone.

In this verse Sri Sankara offers his worship to the lotus feet of Guru through whose teaching he got the knowledge which he will be sharing with us through this text namely the oneness of one’s Real Self with Brahman, the substratum for this created world of multiplicity.  Only he calls Brahman as Vishnu in line with earlier prayer-sloka. 

Verse 3

Taapa-traya arka santaptah kashchid udvigna maanasahI

Samaadi saadhanaih yuktah sadgurum pari-pricchhati II

Scorched by the blazing sun of the three miseries,  dejected with the world and restless for release, having acquired qualifications like self-control,  the student enquires of a noble teacher:

Verse 4

sishya uvaacha:

Anaayaasena yena asmaan muchyeyam bhava bandhanaatI

Tanme sankshipya bhagavan kevalam kripayaa vada.II

The disciple asks the Guru: “The means by which I may easily get liberated from the sorrows of this bondage, O Holy Teacher, you please explain to me briefly, having pity on me.”

The scenario of a sincere student approaching his revered Guru is presented in these two verses.  Guru and sishya are introduced to indicate that self-knowledge should be gained only from the mouth of a Guru and not by self-study. The disciple yearns to be freed from the scorching misery of Samsara characterised by three types of miseries; adhyathmikam, adhibauthikam and audhidaivikam.  Adhyatmika taapam is pain caused by one’s own body-mind-sense complex like headache, back-pain etc.  Adhibauthika taapam is the pain caused by others; maybe from family members or  neighbours and other people  or even by animals, insects etc.  Adhidaivika taapam is the pain caused by natural forces like heat, cold, storm etc.  The person with the mind disturbed, did not lose his reason and reasoned out that all solutions other than Athmajnanam can give only temporary relief and so he decided to approach a sad-guru and seek Athmajnanam.  The sad-guru is one who is srotriya, well-learned in sastras and Brahmanishta, well-established in Brahman, This action on the disciple’s part shows he has viveka, discrimination; vairagyam, dispassion; and mumukshutvam, desire for liberation.   The disciple is also described to be “Samaadi saadhanaih yuktah”  which means he is also having Samadhi shatka sampathi i.e. the six qualities of sama, dama, uparama, titiksha, sraddha and samadhana. This means the disciple is sadhana chathushtaya sampanna and this qualified disciple approaches the qualified guru and prays to him to take him as a disciple and teach him Athma Vidya through which he can get liberated from the shackles of cycle of birth and death.

Verse 5

Guru  uvaacha:

Saadhvee te vachana vyaktih pratibhaati vadaami te I

Idam tad iti vispashtam saavadhaana manaah shrinuh.II

The Guru said: “Your question is indeed valid and is clearly expressed by you. I shall also answer your question very clearly. Do listen to it with full attention!”

Verse 6

“Tat Tvam asi” aadi vaakya uttham yat jeeva-paramaatmanoh I

taadaatmya vishayam jnaam tad idam mukti-saadhanam II

Statements such as ‘Thou art That’, etc, reveal the identity of individual self and the universal Self. The direct knowledge of that total identity is the immediate means to Liberation.

First, the teacher appreciates the clarity of the disciple’s thinking.   One of the indications of clarity is the capacity to present the question in a precise and short form and the student has revealed it through precision and brevity in his prayer for Self-knowledge.  As the disciple is a qualified student with the sadhana chathushtaya sampathi, the teacher straightaway initiates him in Jnanam by talking about the identity of Jiva, the individual Self with Brahman, the universal Self.  He uses the word Tadatmyam that means identity rather than Ikyam which means merger. For Ikyam can give the wrong impression to a novice that Jiva is in a different location and has to gradually approach Brahman for merger.  But both of them are one entity only and the difference between them is only a seeming difference.  Mahavakakyams convey this identity and Mahavakya vichara helps one to gain this knowledge and establish oneself in this knowledge which is a means to liberation.

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Introduction to Athma Bodha

Athma Bodha -1

Athma Bodha meaning ‘Knowledge of Self’ is a prakarana grantha containing 68 verses written by Sri Adi Sankaracharya, whom we shall refer to hereafter as Sri Sankara, for gaining an understanding of Athma, the Self, from the Advaita Vedanta perspective.  Prakarana Grantha is an explanatory text or a supporting text written by a later day Acharya for understanding the main source, the fundamental three works of Vedanta, Prasthana Triam, namely the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutras.  Since one’s Self is in essence Brahman, the Supreme, Self-knowledge, is also known as Brahma Vidya. 

The importance of Self-knowledge can be seen from the dialogue between Narada and Sanatkumara  In chapter 7 of Chandogya Upanishad.  Here Narada approaches Sanathkumara and seeks knowledge.  Guru Sanathkumara tells sishya Narada “First tell me what you know; afterwards I shall tell you byond what you already know”. Narada replied “I know the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda, history and mythology, grammar, the rules for sacrifices for ancestors, the science of numbers, the science of portents, the science of time, logic, ethice, etymology, the science of pronunciation, ceremonials, prosody, the science of elementals, the science of war, astronomy, the science of snake-charming and fine arts.  But with all this knowledge I feel I only know the words of sacred books as I do not know the Self.  And I have heard from eminent men like you that only the one who knows about Self can overcome grief and feel fulfilled.  Sir, teach me Self-knowledge to overcome this feeling of grief in me.”   Sanathkumara replied “Yes, whatever you have read only is a name” and proceeds to teach him through various upasanas, Athma Vidya which is called here Bhuma Vidya, Bhuma meaning Infinite Reality.  In Mundaka Upanishad, Brahma Vidya is called Para Vidya and is described as one knowing which everything in the universe becomes known.

Swami Chinmayananda in the introduction to his commentary on Athma Bodha says  “In the days of his (Sri Sankara’s) perfect maturity he took up his pen to write “introductory books”, introducing the theme of Vedanta for the infants in the spiritual world.  Athma Bodha is one of them.  This is not an original book as there is not a single idea in it which is an entirely original contribution of Sri Sankara.  Every one of them is culled from the garden of Upanishads and strung together on the chord of his poetry, interspersed with exquisite similes“.  Almost in all slokas the idea is explained with an illustrative example that makes understanding easier.  Athma Bodha starts with a sloka that spells out the Anubandha Chathushtayam, the four factors to be introduced in the beginning of any sastram including tarka, vyakarana. Mimamsa etc.  The sloka runs as follows:

Verse 1

Tapobhih ksinapapanam santanam vitaraginam I

Mumuksunamapeksyo’yam atmabodho vidhiyate II

This Atma Bodha is designed for the benefit of those who who have purified themselves by austerities and are peaceful in heart and calm, who are free from cravings and are desirous of Liberation.

The three factors Adhikari, Vishaya,and Prayojanam are introduced through this verse, while the fourth factor Sambandaha is inferred. 

Adhikari details who will benefit by the study of the book.  It means the target audience for the book. It is given here as “Those who have purified themselves by austerities, who are peaceful in heart and calm, free from cravings and desirous of Liberation.”  This in short means those who have got the Sadhana chathustaya sampathi, the four-fold qualification of Viveka, Vairagya, Samadhi shatka sampathi and Mumukshuthvam or in other words, discrimination between the Real and unreal; dispassion; the six qualities of calmness, self-control, self-settledness, forbearance, concentration and faith; longing for Liberation’

          Vishaya means the subject which is given as Athma Bodha, Knowledge of Athma, one’s true Self

          Prayojana means benefit to be obtained from the study of this book which is indicated by the term ‘mumukshu’ i.e. Liberation

          Sambandaha means the relationship of the subject to the goal and here the sambandha is that of illuminator and illumined, the Prakashiya-Prakashaka Sambandha, where the illuminator is this Self- knowledge and illumined is the qualified seeker.

This verse starts with the word “Tapas” which is an auspicious word and so this verse can be taken as an invocation as well for starting the study of this work on Self-knowledge.

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Jiva Yatra 2

The Path

(Swami Jnananda Bharathi)

Verse 5

Aastikyam drudda moolam eva manujah sampaadayatv aaditah
Karma achaarayutas tatascha bhavatu svargaadi bhogechchayaa |
Svargaadaav api cha kramena gamitho nairaasyam eva asthire
Nitya anitya vichaarane svadhikrutas tatvam samanvichchatu ||
First one should develop strong faith in Iswara. Then let him perform karma (as per Dharma) with desire for pleasure here and hereafter (Swarga etc.). Then realizing the impermanence of these pleasures, he attains gradually a state without such desires. As he develops sufficient maturity to discriminate between eternal and ephemeral, he develops keen desire for Brahma jnanam.

One of the first requirements for a person to start on path of acquiring Athma Jnanam is to develop aasthikya buddhi.  Aasthikya buddhi is having strong faith in Iswara and in scriptures.  With aasthikya buddhi one must lead a dharmic life performing all nithya, naimithika, prayaschitha karmas as stated in the earlier part of Vedas avoiding nishiddha, papa karmas listed in the Vedas.  These can be done in the beginning for worldly pleasures and for enjoyments in other world after death.  This will lead to a stage where he realizes the transient nature of these pleasures and reaches a state where he frees himself of such desires, developing vairagyam towards them.  As vairagyam grows, his vivekam and desire for Brahma Jnanam also also grows. 

Verse 6

Gnaanaapteh paripanthinou kila malo vikshepa doshas tathaa
Chethonishta mahaaripoo prathamatasch onmoolaneeyou yatah |
Kaamam dooram apaasya karmanirato maalinyariktas tatah
Chiththaikaagrya susidhdhaye cha bhajataam nishkaamanopaasanam ||
Malam and Vikshepam are the two obstacles in the way of attaining Jnanam. First, these two have to be uprooted as they are obstacles in mind. He who performs action without having any expectations [concerning fruits of action] is freed from Malam. Then for attaining good mental concentration, he should perform Nishkama upasana.

Malam and Vikshepam are the two obstacles a mumukshu has to overcome for attaining Jnana Yogyatha, fitness for assimilating the Jnanam.   The six qualities; kama, krodha, lobha, moha, madha and matsarya constitute Malam.  Karma yoga is the sadhana for getting rid of Malam and attaining chitha suddhi, purity of mind.  Vikshepa is the result of extrovertedness and nishkama upasana is the sadhana for disciplining the restless mind and acquiring chitha ekagratha, single pointed focus of mind.  The pure, focused mind makes one Jnana yogyaha.

Verse 7

Karmopaasanatho vishuddha hrudayas tatvaartha samsiddhaye
Svaachaaryam paricharya saastravidhinaa tasmaach cha vidhyaam paraam |
Srutvaa samsayanuttaye cha mananam sthaamne nididhyaasanam
Abhyasya kramasah samaadhi nilayah praapnotu shaantim dhruvaam || 7 II
After gaining a pure mind through Karma (yoga) and Upasana (yoga), one has to follow the scriptural injunctions and serve a perfect guru to attain self-knowledge. Then from him, he should listen about higher knowledge and reflect on it for removing all doubts. Practice meditation on the clear (doubt-free) knowledge and when established  and steady in the Jnanam will attain eternal peace.

With chitha suddhi and chitha ekagratha the sadhaka has now a mature mind fit for engaging in Vedanta vichara.  He should then approach a guru who is strotriya, well-versed in sastras, and Brahma nishta, one who is established in the knowledge “Aham Brahmasmi”.  The sadhaka should serve the guru and seek Brahma Vidya from him. Sastras are the pramana for the knowledge of Brahman which knowledge will transport one to the goal of Nithyananda sukham.  Serving the guru with sraddha  helps to get rid of one's Ahamkara, which step is necessary to get established in the knowledge when he acquires it.   Vedantic study consists of three levels: sravanam, mananam, nidhidhyäsanam, in that order. One has to go through all of them one by one gradually.  Sravanam Implies continuous, systematic listening with sraddha to the exposition of the Upanishads by the guru to arrive at the central teaching of the Upanishads.  During listening many doubts will arise.  Mananam is the doubt removal process and this is done through questions to the Guru, discussion with fellow sadhakas and self-contemplation.  When sravanam and mananam are successfully completed one has doubt free knowledge of Self as given in Upanishads but this knowledge has to be assimilated and internalised to reap fully the benefit of this knowledge.  The process of assimilation and internalisation is achieved through Vedantic meditation and is called Nitidyasanam.  When the doubt free correct knowledge is internalised one will be established in the advaitic  Jnanam described in verse 4 and enjoy the eternal peace and joy, the goal of nithyananda sukham.

Verse 8

Brahmanjjo api sa vaasanaa kshaya mano naasou vidhaaya kramaat
Svaatmaa raamaparo anisham sukhaghano muktah sa jeevann api |
Praarabdhe kshapite cha dehavilaye muktim videhaan gatah
Sachchit soukhyamaye hyupaadhi rahite manjjatv apaare pare ||
Even after gaining knowledge about Brahman, one has to attain vasana kshaya and mano-nasa gradually.  After this, even though he lives in the world he will always be happy with himself, as jivan muktha. When prarabdha karma is exhausted, and his physical body is dead, he attains liberation. He merges with the attribute-less, limitless and highest satchithananda Brahman.

When a sadhaka goes through sravanam and mananam diligently he acquires clearly Athma Jnanam, no doubt.  If as a sadhana chathushtaya sampanna adhikari  he had gone through sravanam and mananam he would be ego-free and it is easy for him to assimilate that he is Brahman only with the upadhi of body-mind complex.  If one has not imbibed sadhana chathushtaya sampathi before acquiring the Athma Jnanam, one has a two-fold task to accomplish as he engages in Nitidyasanam to internalize the Athma Jnanam and attain purnatvam. They are as given here, Vasana kshaya and Mano nasa. Vasana kshaya here means Durvasana kshaya as not all vasanas can be destroyed while still alive. Asuri sampath, described in the 16^th chapter of Gita constitutes durvasana.  All those durvasanas, he should weaken and destroy by leading an alert life. Mano nasa is total understanding of the mithyathvam of the mind.  Thus he will be able to get rid of dehatma buddhi and be immersed in Brahma jnanam and interacting with the outside world with the sense of purnatvam.  He continues to live in the body as a jivan muktha until the exhaustion of prarabhda karma and attains videha mukthi on exhausting prarabhda karma. At the time of Videha mukthi casting all the three bodies, the jivan muktha merges in Brahman totally liberated. 

Verse 9

Ittham vedavachobhir eva niyate maarge vayam yaatrikaah
Dharmaakhye cha sanaatane krutapadaa varnaashrama achaarinah |
Gachchaamah kramashas cha mokshapadaveem aananda roopaam yathaa
Sraddhaa bhaktimatas tatha dhrutiyutaan asmaan vidadhyaad Guruh ||
Thus as laid down by the  Vedas, called eternal Dharma, we have commenced our journey following Varnashrama (Varna Dharma and Ashrama Dharma) lifestyle.  We are moving gradually. Let Guru bless us to have the same dedication and devotion with determination until we reach the Blissful State of Moksha (Nithyananda sukham).

Acharya starts the concluding verse with the remark that all those who have got the Vedic guidemap and have chosen to follow the instructions given in the Veda should count themselves as fortunate people.  Vedas are eternal and valid for all time.  The instruction based on Vedic teaching or Vedic statement called Dharma is also eternal and valid for all time.  Those who have started in Vaidhika marga adopting the lifestyle prescribed therein i.e. Varna dharma and Ashrama Dharma, must pursue in the path patiently and firmly until the goal of Moksha revealing Svarupa Ananda is reached.  Acharya concludes this work seeking the blessings of Guru and through him of Iswara for these travellers, for sraddha, bhakthi and strength of resolve in their journey to reach the goal of Nithyananda sukham i.e. Moksha.

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