The Mundaka Upanishad : 2. Swami Krishnananda

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Tuesday, January 25, 2022. 19:00.

Santhi Mantram &

Chapter-1. 

 Section-1.

Mantram-1..

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Peace Invocation (Santhi Mantram) :

Om bhadram karnebhih srnuyama devah

bhadram pasyem -aksabhir -yajatrah

Sthirair-angais-tustuvagm-sastanubhih

vyasema devahitam yadayuh

Svasti na indro vrddha-sravah

svasti nah pusa visva-vedah

Svasti nastarksyo aristanamih

svasti no Brhaspatir-dafhatu. 

om santhih! santhih!! santhih!!!

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Translation :

Om.  O  gods,  may we,  with  our  ears,  hear  what  is auspicious; O  ye  fit  to  be  worshipped, may  we,  with  our eyes,  see what  is  auspicious.  May  we  enjoy  the life allotted to  us  by  the  gods,  offering our  praise  with  our  bodies  strong of  limb.  May Indra,  the  powerful,  the  ancient  of  fame, vouchsafe us  prosperity.  May  He,  the  nourisher  and  the possessor  of  all  wealth,  give us  what is  well  for  us.  May  the Lord  of  swift  motion  be  propitious  to  us  and  may the Protector  of  the  great ones  protect us  too. 

Om Peace,  Peace,  Peace. 

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Chapter-1, Section-1.

The Glory  of  Knowledge   Knowledge is  attained  not so  much  by  the effort of  the individual  as  through  the  Sages  who  hand down  this Knowledge.  The characteristics  of  the  ancient disciples  were very  marked.  The aspiration,  the sincere perseverance and the devotion  they  had  to  the ideal  of  Knowledge was exceptional.  They  attained  the Knowledge  with  much difficulty,  undergoing  many  hardships  in  the  forms  of austerity,  service of  the preceptor  and  practice of meditation.  

Knowledge is  the ripe fruit of  the fine  flower  of virtue.  Righteousness  practised  without  exceptions,  to  the very  law,  gives  rise to  the state of  introversion  and contemplation of  consciousness.  It  is absolutely  necessary that the aspirant or  the  disciple should  be a  contemplative so  that he may  be receptive to  the Knowledge imparted  to him.  Knowledge is  received  by  the internal  nature and, hence,  it is  not properly  received  by  extroverts.     

In  this  Upanishad  it  is  said  that Knowledge was originally  imparted  by  the Creator  Himself  to  the representatives  of  Knowledge,  the Sages  and  the Divine Beings.     Though    everyone    has    the    right    for    Knowledge,  it is Knowledge that is  connected  with  renunciation  that becomes  the means  to  liberation.  

Renunciation  is  the necessary  implication  of  the attempt at an  expansion  into universality  of  nature.  Knowledge cannot be  expected  to  be co-existent with  worldly  activity.  Love for  the  world  is  not consistent with  love for  the Absolute.  

Therefore,  true spiritual  Knowledge  is  found only  in  those  who  find no value in  anything  that  is  objective. 

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Section-1.

1,2 . Lineage of teachers

Mantra  No. 1:  

oṃ | brahmā devānāṃ prathamaḥ saṃbabhūva viśvasyakartā bhuvanasya goptā |

sa brahmavidyāṃ sarvavidyāpratiṣṭhāmatharvāya jyeṣṭhaputrāya prāha || 1 ||

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Translation :

1. Brahma was the first among the Devas, the creator of the universe, the protector of the world. He taught the knowledge of Brahman, on which all knowledge rests, to his eldest son Atharva.

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Sri Swami Adi Shankaracharya’s Commentary:

The word “Brahma” means “much grown,” “great”, as excelling all others in virtue, knowledge, freedom from desires and power. 

The word Devanam means Indra and others, literally, those possessing “enlightenment.” 

The word ‘Prathama’ means “preeminent by attributes” or “at first.” 

Sambahhava means “became manifest well,” i.e., of free choice not like mortals who are born in Samsara, in consequence of their good and bad deeds; for, the Smriti says “He who is beyond the reach of the senses and cannot be grasped, etc.” 

Visvasya means “of the whole universe.” 

Karta, ‘creator Bhuvanasya, ‘of the world’ so created; gopta, ‘protector the epithets for Brahma are for eulogising the knowledge. He, i.e., Brahma whose greatness is thus celebrated. 

Brahma Vidyam, ‘knowledge of the Brahman or the Paramatmam’ because it is described as knowledge ‘by which one knows the undecaying and the true Purusha that knowledge is of the Paramatman; or 

Brahma vidya may mean “knowledge taught by Brahma the first born.” 

Savva vidya pratishtam means “that on which all knowledge rests for support”; because it is the cause of the manifestation of all other knowledge; or, it may he, because the one entity to he cognized by all knowledge is only known by this; for the Sruti says “by which, what is not heard becomes heard; what is not thought of becomes thought of; and what is not known becomes known.” The expression “on which all knowledge depends” is also eulogy. 

He taught this knowledge to his eldest son; as Atharva was created at the beginning, in one of the numerous creations made by Brahma, he is said to be his eldest son. 

To him, his eldest son, he taught.

Brahma was  the  first  among  the  divine beings. This  Lord of  all,  the  protector  of  all, imparted  to  his eldest son  Atharva  this  Brahma-Vidya  which  is  the  basis  of all sciences.     Brahma-Vidya  is  the fundamental  science because it is the explanation  and  the  very  substance of  all  knowledge, the different aspects  and  branches  of  which  are all  lower forms  of  knowledge.     

To be continued

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