Mundaka Upanishad : Chapter 1: Section 1 : 11.

31/10/2018
Mundaka Upanishad : Chapter 1: Section 1 :  Discussion-11.

(Mundakopanishad : Chapter-1 : Section-1 :Mantram-7)

1.
Then there is prana, the vibration.

The painter’s mind vibrates in the form of the outline of the picture that he is intending to draw. But we do not bring the question of the painter in the case of Brahman, because Brahman itself is the painter here; Brahman itself visualises, in the form of the vibratory process of its will, the outline of the creation that is to take place.

After the outline is drawn, it is filled with ink. Then the creation is complete. Likewise, there is, first of all, a will or an idea wherein the painter—or Brahman, in the case of this mantram—has the idea of what it has to become, and then it stiffens itself into the will by tapas, concentration, as a painter would concentrate on the painting that has to be done, and then there is a vibratory force of prana.

 Here the word ‘prana’ indicates the cosmic prana, or Hiranyagarbha tattva. Hiranyagarbha is prana, the cosmic vibration of the energy of Brahman through the manifested stuff called anna, or potentiality.

Then there is a further diversification of this concentrated universal prana in the form of thinking. We may compare this manas, or thinking of Brahman, to the Virat Svarupa, which has emanated from the outline of the creative process available in Hiranyagarbha.

In the cosmic mind, which is Virat, everything is clear. It is the ink-filled picture, as it were.

2.
Satyam—the words are all very intricate.

Their meanings cannot be understood superficially. We have to go deep into the subject with the help of commentaries. Satyam is the order and law of the universe that comes together with the manifestation of Hiranyagarbha and Virat.

The law and order of the universe is also created simultaneously. The unified integration of the cosmic prana, Hiranyagarbha or Virat, is the principle behind the law and order that has to operate in the manifested universe, just as in a constitution of a government it is an integrated thought of the central law authority that manifests itself as diversified forms in various departments, until it goes to the lowest level of administration.

Then the world is created—lokam: the fourteen worlds, which are made up of the five elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether.  Then action proceeds. That is to say, individuals emerge from this cosmic manifestation of the five elements—earth, water, fire, air and ether. Then comes am?ta, the fruit of actions.

To be continued ...