Mundakopanishad : ( 12/12/2012. )

21/09/2018 Mundaka Upanishad : Chapter 1: Section 1 :  Discussion-9 (Mundakopanishad : Chapter-1 : Section-1 :Mantram-7) "Yathorna-nabhih srjate grhnate ca, yatha prthivayam-osadhayah sambhavanti, yatha satah purushat kesalomani tatha-ksharat sambhavatiha visvam." From this Eternal Being this world, this universe, has emanated. How does the world come from God? We have seen a spider spitting threads from its own body. Threads come out, and it weaves a web around itself. We have seen trees spontaneously growing from under the earth, and we have seen hair growing on the head. In some such way is the manner of the creation of this world. "Tatha-ksharat sambhavatiha visvam." These analogies have some significance of their own. The spider does not create the web from external material. The upadana is the same as the nimitha, as they say. The instrumental cause is the same as the material cause in the case of the spider weaving a web. In the case of the ...

02/09/2018 Mundaka Upanishad : Chapter 1: Section 1 :  Discussion-8 Mantram -5. We cannot go to the Veda directly and understand anything out of it unless we are proficient in these six auxiliary shastras, or scriptures, called "siksha kalpo vyakaranam niruktam chando jyotisham." All these, says the great Master, together with the original Vedas—the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda—should be considered as lower knowledge. They purify our minds and enlighten us into the mysteries of the whole of creation. They purify our minds because of the power that is embedded in the mantras and the emotional or religious awareness that is stimulated within us on account of the meaning that we see in the mantras, the blessing that we receive from the sages who composed the mantras, and also the special power that is generated by the metre. All these put together create a religious atmosphere in the person who takes to the study of the Veda. It is great and grand, wor...

07/08/2018 Mundaka Upanishad : Chapter 1: Section 1 :  Discussion-7 Mantram -5. The Kalpa Sutras are of four types: Shrauta Sutras, Grihya Sutras, Dharma Sutras and Shulba Sutras. The Shrauta Sutras describe the manner of the performance of sacrifices according to Vedic injunctions. The Grihya Sutras are connected with sacrifices and performances to be undertaken in one’s own house, and not in some big yajnashala. The Dharma Sutras give us the rules and regulations of social and ethical life, such as Varnashrama dharma, etc. The Shulba Sutras describes the length, measurement, etc., of certain articles that are to be used in Vedic sacrificial methods. These are the four types of Kalpa Sutras. Vyakarana is grammar. There are two types of grammar: classical grammar and Vedic grammar. In Panini’s method, both types of grammar are found. Vedic grammar is studied only in advanced stages. Students of Sanskrit usually study only classical works and the well-known Vyakarana. Unl...

09/07/2018 Mundaka Upanishad : Chapter 1: Section 1 :  Discussion-6 Mantram -5. You may be wondering what the great point is in intonating the mantra. “O God, protect me.” I can say that in any way I like. Why should I sing it in a particular tone? The reason is, the Veda mantras are composed in such a way that different intonations give them different suggestions. Even when we speak, our mode of speaking gives a special significance to the words. We can utter a sentence with different voice formations which may mean different things depending on the different ways of expression. Sometimes we gesticulate, and sometimes we change the tone of voice by raising, lowering or modulating it in such a way that conveys different meanings. For instance, when we say something when we are happy or unhappy, or when we are angry or want to abuse somebody, we know how our voice changes. Likewise, a special kind of technique has been adopted by the science of Siksha, attributed to Panini...

19/06/2018 Mundaka Upanishad : Chapter 1: Section 1 :  Discussion-5 Mantram -5. Tatrapara Rg-vedo yajur-vedah sama-vedo’tharva-vedah siksha kalpo vyakaranam niruktam chando jyotisham-iti atha para, yaya tad-aksharam-adhigamyate (1.1.5). Very interesting! It gives a blow at the very root of our imagination that the Vedas are the highest knowledge. The Rigveda Samhitas, and everything connected to the Rigvedam, such as the Brahmanas, and the Yajurvedam, Samavedam and Atharvavedam, are all lower knowledge only, my dear friend. There are four Vedas. The Rigvedam consists of hymns, prayers, mantras. The Yajurvedam consists of certain invocations necessary for the performance of sacrifice. The Samavedam is Rig-verses set in music. The Atharvavedam contains such material that may be regarded as a sequel or an appendix to the threefold Vedas—the Rigvedam, Yajurvedam and Samavedam. These four Vedas are not easy to understand. Their language is difficult, their grammar is v...

01/06/2018 Mundaka Upanishad : Chapter 1: Section 1 :  Discussion-4 All knowledge is a graduated training of the mind in the process of enlightenment. From the perceptible, visible, gross, tangible and acceptable reality, we gradually move the mind to that which is not easily acceptable and cannot be understood as quickly as we can understand that which is seen with the eyes directly. That the Sun is giving light to us, that it is now daytime, and that the Sun rose at a particular hour in the morning, is something acceptable. But that the Sun gives light to all parts of the world at different times, in a very systematic manner, is something that cannot be seen with the eyes directly. It requires a little imagination and intensive study to know this other fact involved in the illumination given by the Sun on the Earth, as it is not actually physically accessible to vision. There are degrees of knowledge, and there are as many degrees of knowledge as there are degrees of t...

19/04/2018 Mundaka Upanishad : Chapter 1: Section 1 : Mantram-3, Saunako ha vai mahasalo’ngirasam  vidhivad - upasannah papraccha, kasmin nu bhagavo vijñate sarvam - idam vijñatam bhavati iti (1.1.3) Discussion :  “Great Master, holy Sage, what is that, by knowing which, one can know everything else also?” Is it possible to know something which can lead to the knowledge of all things at the same time? Generally, such a thing is not possible. If you know one thing, you know only that thing. The knowledge of A does not involve the knowledge of B, because A cannot be B. One thing cannot be another thing; it is the law of contradiction in logic. So what is this question? A supernatural question is raised by Saunaka Mahashala: “What is that thing, the knowledge of which will, at the same time, mean the knowledge of all things?” It was a simple question, leading to an answer which is the entire Upanishad. To the sage Saunaka, who queried in this manner, Angir...