Mundakopanishad : Chapter-2. Section-1. Mantram-8- Post - 13. Swami Krishnananda
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Saturday, October 17, 2020. 12:00.PM.
Mundakopanishad
Chapter 2:
Section 1,
Mantram-8.Objects, Organs and their presiding deities are also creation of Brahmam.
Post-13
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From Him, from that great plenum of felicity, these seven senses manifest themselves.
Mantram- 8 :
"Sapta-pranah prabhavanti tasmat
saptarcisah samidhah sapta-homaḥ,
sapta ime loka yesu caranti prana
guhasaya nihitah sapta sapta." (2.1.8).
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Translation :
Sapta-pranah = Seven prana or organs of senes;
prabhavanti = are born;
tasmat = from him;
sapta arcisah = seven flames of fire (viz, Kali karati etc)which are powers of recognition;
samidhah = (seven fold sense objects) fuel;
saptah = seven fold;
homaḥ = oblations (knowledge);
saptah = seven;
ime = these;
lokah = worlds (seats of sense life);
yesu = where;
caranti = move;
pranah = the pranas (life forces);
guhasayah = lying in the cave (heart);
nihitah = seated;
sapta = seven;
sapta = seven.
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Tattvam (Essence) :
"From him are born seven pranas, the seven flames, seven-fold fuel, the seven-fold oblations, as also the seven worlds where the pranas move in the cave of living creatures, seven, and seven."
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Discourse :
Seven orifices above the neck are referred to here as seven senses—the two nostrils, the two eyes, the two ears, and the mouth. These are the seven apertures which act like senses, performing their respective functions. These senses, and their powers of cognition—not only the location of the eyes, nose, ears, etc., but also the capacity involved in them to perform their function, and the particular objects to which they are directed, as also the knowledge that such objects are the requisites for the function of a specific sense organ, and the physical locations of these senses—are what is meant by these cryptic words prana, arcisas, samidhas and homa. The terminology of sacrifice is used here to describe an otherwise-vital function that is taking place in us.
Seven pranas are the seven functions of the sense organs mentioned, and the flaming anguish of these senses to grab their particular food, or object, is known as saptārciṣas, seven flames. Our desires are like flames. They rush forth like burning heat in the direction of their objects. And the objects themselves are called samit, which are offered into the sacrifice. The sacrifice—the word homa is used here—is the consumption of the object. This is a kind of prana-agnihotra, otherwise described in the Chhandogya Upanishad. As we have an external sacrifice which we perform on altars with physical fire, and oblations such as ghee, etc., are poured over them, we have an internal sacrifice taking place; that is called agnihotra inside the body. Only householders perform external sacrifice. Vanaprasthas, who are retired from household life, perform the very same sacrifice inwardly—that is, internal prana-agnihotra.
When we take our meals, we are actually offering an oblation into the fire of Vaishvanara, which operates in the stomach as the samana prana. It is the duty of any educated person in the field of spirituality not to eat food with greed like an animal, but to pay some attention to the process that is taking place in the very act of taking food. We just do not lap up, or grab like an animal, the diet that is offered. A prayer is involved in the very process of eating.
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