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Mundak Upanishad-1
[Taken from "Wisdom of
the Ancient Sages: Mundak Upanishad / by Swami Rama. Honesdale, PA, The
Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the
USA. 1990.]
Chapter 1 - Canto 2
Shlok 1
The ritual ceremonies which were told to people, are described in many
ways in Rig Ved, Yajur Ved and Saam Ved. Who desire to attain their
results may practice them. This is the path that leads to virtuous ends.
Comments
1-2-1
Shlok 2
When the fire is ablaze, the person should offer the oblations (Aahuti)
systematically, one by one in the prescribed manner.
Comments
1-2-2
Shlok
3
If the person's Agnihotra ceremony is not performed in the right manner,
without regarding the Moon phases, rainy season, Summer Solstice, the
presence of guests, the Vishwaadev ceremony, or not in the prescribed
manner, then it destroys the intended goal which my stretch across all his
seven worlds.
Comments
It gives the importance to the correct circumstances to perform the ritual
or worship. It should be performed on full Moon day in four months of
rainy season. And if the person does not learn to communicate with the
external forces, if the ceremony is not performed at the right time, or if
the guests who witness the ceremony are not treated well, then it disturbs
all seven spheres in the human body - means it can disturb even the deeper
energy levels of all the seven Chakra (wheels). The householders practicing the
path of lower knowledge should perform this ceremony in the external world
in a literal manner.
Shlok
4
The names of the seven tongues of fire are - Kaali, Karaalee, Monojavaa,
Sulohitaa, Sudhumra-varna, Sphulinginee and Vishwaruchi. These seven
flickering flames create the seven tongues of the fire.
Comments
It is interesting to note that the Vedic Rishi could clearly visualize the
seven colors of these tongues and had the knowledge of seven keynotes
which are used in music all over the world. In fact these seven colors are
the basic colors which are named here. They arise during the fire ceremony
from the fire that is well-lit.
The Yogee
say that when Kundalinee, the primal fire, is wakened, it is like a
serpent fire and then one can see all seven flames of the fire accurately.
The fire should be shining and smokeless. Worship is conducted only when
Kundalinee fire has been awakened fully. There is a cavity at the base of
the the spine which is called Kund, and in this Kund dwells the primal
fire of Kundalinee.
Kundalinee
stays in sleeping state, by reciting Mantra the ashes that cover it are
blown off and the fire is ignited. Those who perform internal worship,
visualize and experience all seven tongues and then visualize awakening of
the primal fire. Oblation is offered to this fire which means that all
impurities and Sanskaar are burned in this awakened fire.
Shlok
5
The light of the Sun's rays lead the person who offers oblations into this
fire at the right time to realize the sole sovereign of all bright beings.
Comments
The householders who have not practiced renunciation and do not
understand the importance of Yogic internal worship or Yogic practices,
should perform this ceremony according the rules laid down by Ved, at the
time when the fire is fully lit. The oblation is made of Ghee (clarified
butter) which signifies that one should attain the means to keep the fire
ablaze up to the last breath of life. Ghee is made by churning the milk,
so when the person churns the knowledge he has earned, then he uses his
determination with a focused longing to attain Brahm. The butter
symbolizes this focused determination.
Oblations
should not be offered until the fire is fully ablaze and smokeless, it
means that one should live a life that creates only light, no smoke. There
are two paths - the path of good and the path of evil - in other words the
path of light and the path of darkness. We should learn to discrimination
the path of pleasant from the path of good; because that is pleasant is
not necessarily good and that which is good is not necessarily pleasant.
[see also Kath/3]. This Shlok says
that the path of good leads the person through the path of solar fire. The
person should do good by doing selfless actions in the world by learning
to remain unattached and unaffected all the time. This will give him the
freedom from Karm. [Eesh Upanishad's 18th Mantra says, "Agni, lead me
by the good path to the fruits of my actions".]
Shlok
6
The shining oblations say to the person, "Come here, come
higher" and lead him through the rays of the Sun honoring him and
greeting him pleasantly. This is holy Heaven of Brahm which you have
attained by your virtuous deeds.
Comments
All good deeds are shining while bad deeds are darkness. The fire ceremony
is far superior than those which are performed wholly with selfish
purposes. The selfish actions and rituals take the ignorant person to
further darkness. While one makes an oblations, he should be peaceful and
full of joy. Good deeds lead one to heaven of Brahm, the highest Heaven
called Brahm Lok which lasts for longer time than the Heaven ordinarily
referred by scriptures, but has no power to bestow the grace of Moksh.
Heaven is not at all related to the union of individual soul (Jeev) with
the cosmic soul Brahm.
Lack of
real knowledge leads the person to the world of material gains and
happiness, it does not have the capacity to liberate soul from bonds of
life and death. Desire for materials brings the person back to the world.
Therefore, even such good deeds are inferior to the path of pure light
brought by the knowledge of Brahm.
Shlok
7
The life boat, composed of 18 elements (5 elements, 10 senses, mind, ego
and intellect), which is supposed to perform sacrifices, if is not
anchored securely drifts away in the world sea.
Comments
The simile is - the human body is like a boat. The two Praan are two oars
and the mind is anchor. If they are used properly this body is supposed to
take the soul to the other shore of the world sea. The 18 elements, the
performers of Agnihotra are the 18 priests, and this Agnihotra Yagya is
performed in the city of life by the individual soul and its wife - the
higher Buddhi. All 18 members (16 priests and soul and Buddhi) are
important in performing the ceremony. Still this ceremony is inferior
because it is performed without the knowledge of Brahm, meditation and
contemplation. In the absence of Brahm knowledge the performers destroy
the ceremony because they live in darkness.
Although
a human being is a finite vessel, he carries infinity, no matter where he
moves, but because he identifies himself with the finite due to his
ignorance, he suffers. Shankar says that cause and effect are inseparable.
The effect is determined by the cause. The Imperishable cannot be attained
by a perishable cause. As it is true for fire ceremony, the same is true
for worship and deeds in this world also, since they are performed with
perishable materials that is why their results are not everlasting. And
that which is not everlasting cannot produce immortality, Moksh, and the
highest goal of life.
Thus all
deeds performed in ignorance (A-Vidyaa) are condemned, so that the person
should aspire for beyond the delusion created by the senses, senses
pleasures, mind and the desires.
Shlok
8
Only fools are caught in the net of ignorance, still they think that they
are wise. They are caught in unending cycle of pain and misery and they
lead their life as a blind leads another blind.
Comments
Fools, in the absence of higher knowledge, suffer because of their own
ignorance. Their thoughts, feelings and desires are not controlled. Even
the wise behave with pride, and the fancy people aspire for their vanity.
This is also not desirable. Blind are those who have created a strong
barrier of ego. Without surrendering their ego those people remain
worthless. Without knowledge liberation cannot be attained.
Shlok
9
Like children, the fools are caught in the net of ignorance and think that
they have achieved the highest goal. Due to attachment, they do not
understand the essence of Karm and after exhausting the fruits of their
Karm fall back into the cycle of life and death.
Comments
The performers of Karm or rituals are like children who feel pleasure in
ignorance with their immature thinking. They think that they have achieved
the highest goal of life but they do not know the Truth and thus remain
attached to the world. Even if such people go to Heaven, they again fall
back to earth.
Shlok
10
Only ignorant people consider religious activities and public charity
activities as supreme and of highest good. After enjoying their fruits
people again come back to earth.
Comments
All the possible deeds, including the fire ceremony, that a householder
performs in this world, even the learning of Ved; and all charitable deeds
to help others, when done with selfish motive, though lead one to Heavenly
joys, but all the joys of Earth and Heaven are perishable. Immature people
think that these deeds will liberate them, but it is not so. A fool is
attached to his family, deluded by ignorance. The means to final bliss is
the knowledge of the Self - the Self of all.
This is a
law of the physical world that a man cannot live without performing
actions. Actions are of three kinds - good, bad and mixed. The fruits of a
good action are being comfortable in modern life; fruits of a bad action
brings misery and distress created by one's own desires and actions; and
the fruits of mixed actions bring the awareness of the spiritual
dimensions in life.
The
scriptures say - "bad actions may lead one to a life of an animal;
good actions to spirituality and mixed ones to rebirth in human body.
Worshipping with ignorance is inadequate and philanthropic work done with
selfish motive (name and fame) are also inferior to the knowledge of
superiority. These deeds satisfy only the ego, are not healthy and not
worthy to be taken as an example.
But of
course if they are done to purify ego problems, that is fine. Still there
is no Karm that has the power to lead one to final liberation except
knowledge. And Karm and knowledge are two opposite ends of the line of
human life. Knowledge alone liberates.
Who
render truly selfless service it means that they have completed their
share of worldly duties and decided that Karm is not the way of liberation
- the knowledge is the only way of liberation. After a potter has made his
pot, his wheel still continues to rotate for some time because of its
momentum, but the potter is free from the fruits of the wheel. Similarly
the actions performed by great sages o not affect their spiritual
practices, rather they help them on the path of he spirituality.
Shlok
11
The wise with purified mind live in solitude, being satisfied with the
food got in alms, observing the discipline of Tap, having firm faith enter
the place where dwells immortal, unchanging eternal Purush, the Supreme
Self, through the gate of the Sun.
Comments
Those people are most fortunate who enjoy the solitude of forest
dwellings, lead spiritual life by following spiritual discipline with the
mind, speech and action. They spend their time in meditation. After
Grihasth Aashram, the wise utilize their time and energy living in forest.
They are called as taken Vaanprasth Aashram. Selfish deeds are abandoned,
selfless deeds are performed, senses are controlled, and their mind feels
eternal joy and happiness. Ved and Upanishad guide people on such path.
This path is called Devayaan - the path of light. This is the highest of
all Heavens in the relative Universe. He becomes immortal, though his
immortality lasts only for one cycle (Kalp).
Shlok
12
After enjoying worldly pleasures gained through one's Karm, the knower of
Brahm reaches a state of dispassion and non-attachment and realizes that
the highest cannot be attained through mere Karm, so he should approach a
Guru who is learned and established in Brahm knowledge.
Comments
After one has enjoyed worldly pleasures, he should know that only Karm are
not enough to attain spiritual knowledge so he should detachment himself
from the world and approach a Guru who is learned and has deep spiritual
knowledge. One is fortunate to meet such a Guru. Meeting with such a Guru
is like rebirth. According to scriptures, there are three Dev - first is
mother (Maatri Dev) who teaches, nourishes and gives her complete loving
care to grow. The second Dev is father (Pitra Dev) who guides the growth
of the child with all his support and affection. When one becomes an
adult, he finishes his worldly duties and becomes frustrated from the
world. He retires to woods, actually he retires from attachments and seeks
a Guru (Guru Dev) to impart spiritual knowledge to him. The Guru is
totally selfless, full of love and compassion.
There is
an important saying that when the disciple is ready, the Guru appears.
Searching for Guru is in vain but preparation is important. In Kali
Yug there are more Guru than disciples.
Shlok
13
The learned teacher imparts the Brahm Vidyaa to the student who has
approached him with reverence, whose mind is calm and who has achieved
self-discipline. Only such a student can recognize the eternal Purush and
Truth.
Comments
When the seeker's mind is calm and purified by spiritual practices
as directed by Guru then this Brahm Vidyaa is imparted to him. The most
important thing before having this Vidyaa is to develop tranquil mind.
which is possible only after somebody has withdrawn himself from the
temptations of the world. Here the word Purush means that one should learn
to practice the inward method of meditation which makes him aware the
Aatmaa sleeping inside him. Purush means "one who sleeps in the city
of life". Etymologically "Purush" means, "that which
fills all, that which dwells in the body". The word Purush is also
used to refer to a person. Thus we all are Purush provided that we are
aware of the force sleeping within us.
Only
teaching scriptures does not help student to attain Absolute Truth.
Systematic methods of meditation, contemplation, and prayer combined can
only uncover Purush. He is impossible to see because He is hidden behind
the senses, breath, and conscious and unconscious mind.
END
OF CHAPTER 1, CANTO 2
Contd...
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