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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 29

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Part 28

Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha
 6-7 Mundaka Upanishad

6-7-19 Mundaka 3.2.7 and 3.2.8
The Upanishad describes the process of videha-mukti, that is, when a jivanmukta dies. A human being is a combination of material part – called anAtma and sentient part called AtmA. AnAtmA is made of gross, subtle and causal bodies or alternatively five sheaths of food, vital forces, mind, intellect, and bliss. The enclosed consciousness is AtmA component. When a jivanmukta dies, anAtmA part merges into total anAtmA. Gross body merges into cosmic gross body called virAt. Subtle body into total subtle body called, Hiranyagarbha. Since there is no karmic balance, there is no causal body. In Prasna Upanishad, anAtmA part of an individual is divided into 16 parts. The Upanishad says that of them, each of 15 parts merges into corresponding totality. The Upanishad is silent about the 16th part. According to Swami ParmArthananda, the 16th part is the name of a jnAni that remains in the world for the disciples to worship. The consciousness part merges into total consciousness without any travel like pot space merging in total space when the pot breaks. An ignorant person takes rebirth in a body according to his karmAs.

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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 28

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Part 27

Part 29

Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha

6-7 Mundaka Upanishad

6-7-11 Mundaka 3.1.3 to 3.1.6
When a jiva is disillusioned by the world of duality and is restless, he seeks permanent solution. He turns to spirituality. It is a life-turning moment. He discriminates between permanent and temporary and finally recognizes his true nature, namely, consciousness. As consciousness, he is the source of creation. All worldly experiences are like ripples in the vast mirror of consciousness which he is. He has Self-realization. He transcends all actions. Action does not taint him though he is ever-engaged in action. He knows that his true nature is consciousness which enlivens the vital forces running through body. He is not interested in boasting of his luminosity because being established in Self, he delights in it. He sees same Self everywhere. The enlightened one does not ‘see’ anything else because it is mithyA. PrAna gives life to the body. Self gives life to prAna. Hence It is vital force of vital forces.
The Self is realized by practice of spiritual disciplines, namely, truth, concentration, knowledge, continence and the like. Truth is the path of gods and leads to victory.

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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 27

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Part 26

Part 28

Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha

6-7 Mundaka Upanishad

6-7-4 Mundaka 2.2.1 and 2.2.2 The Upanishad explains how Brahman can be known though it is formless. It is subtler than the subtlest. It shines through all experiences. It is cognized in the hearts of all beings as revealing Itself through such functions as seeing, hearing, thinking, knowing. It is therefore very near for wise. It is the support of all living and non-living things, all the worlds and the dwellers of the worlds like all the spokes fixed on the navel of the chariot wheel. It pervades all that is subtle and gross, yet not polluted by and is beyond them. It is the highest goal and the most desirable. By knowing It one is contented as if all desires are fulfilled.

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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 26

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Part 25

Part 27

Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha

6-7 Mundaka Upanishad

6-7-1 Mundaka 1.1.1 and 1.1.2 The Upanishad reminds the seekers about the divine origin of the Upanishads and their transmission through the lineage of teachers thereby ensuring purity. Brahmaji is the creator and protector of the world. He has imparted the knowledge of Brahman to his eldest son Atharv who in turn has passed it on to Angir. Satyavaha (of the line of Bhardvaja) and Angiras are the subsequent receivers of knowledge and so on from higher ones to lower ones.

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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 25

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Part 24

Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha

6-6 Kena Upanishad

6-6-1 Kena 1.1 The student is an informed student. He experiences the phenomenal world by his senses and knows that they are made of matter and are inert. They have five features: material (inert), objects of experience, changing, with attributes, and temporary (available in the waking state). There should be an outside source imparting sentiency to the sense organs. The student is curious to know the source and asks a pointed question to that effect. He wants to know the divine source which impels eyes to see, ears to hear, speech to happen, mind to go to objects and vital forces to function. The teacher replies.

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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 24

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Part 23

Chapter 6 JnAna and MokshA

6-5   Katha Upanishad

6-5-33 Katha 2.3.7 to 2.3.11                                                                                              A refined mind is needed for Self-knowledge. Refining is gradual. The mountaineers gradually go from base to base as they climb higher so that they get used to the rarified atmosphere. From the grossest state, the mind cannot comprehend the subtle AtmA. Therefore, the withdrawal takes place one step at a time. It is Arundati Darsana method. The principle is that the controller is subtler and more powerful than the controlled. The steps in sequence are: – Withdraw from the world and identify with the body. Then withdraw from the body and identify with the sense organs. Withdraw from the sense organs and identify with the mind; the latter is subtler and more powerful and therefore controls the former. The intellect is subtler than the mind. The mind represents the doubting faculty. The intellect rationally analyses and removes the doubt. Therefore, the intellect is stronger than the mind. Now expand the mind by identifying with Hiranyagarbha, the total intellect by understanding that the individual does not exist separate from the total. Beyond Hiranyagarbha is the cosmic causal body which is unmanifest.

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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 23

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Part 22

Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha

6-5 Katha Upanishad

6-5-29 Katha 2.2.12 to 2.2.15 Self is non-dual. A wise man knows that Self in his body is same as in other bodies. He is therefore free from duality which is the cause of suffering. A Self-realized person is established in bliss unlike an ignorant person. The Self which is of the nature of consciousness lends sentiency to sense organs and sentient sense organs lends sentiency to other parts of the body. Sentiency enables them to fulfil varied desires. An intelligent person is however not interested in ephemeral material desires. He is seeker of Self-knowledge which ensures permanent happiness and peace. By Self-knowledge, he claims that his true nature is Self, the consciousness. Consciousness is self-luminous. Nothing can illumine it. It is the light of lights. In its presence, sun, moon, stars, lightening and fire shines. It is all-pervasive and beyond the realm of worldly objects, whether sun, moon, etc.

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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 22

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Part 21

Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha

6-5 Katha Upanishad

6-5-25 Katha 2.1.12 to 2.1.15 JivAtamA, i.e., embodied Self is as though situated in the heart of the body. It is Consciousness that illumines thoughtful and thoughtless states of the mind. The heart is of the size of the fist and the mind is imagined of the size of the thumb. The non-dual Self is the Lord of the past, present and the future. Although it appears to be limited in size, it is the limitless, all-pervading and is non-dual. The space within the pot is viewed as limited space. Upon inquiry, we understand that the expression limited space is a delusion. The space is neither inside nor outside the pot, but all pots are within the space. In the same way, Consciousness is neither within nor without the heart; everything is within consciousness. After knowing that I am the limitless consciousness, I never feel insecure. It is this Consciousness that Nachiketa has sought to know in the third boon.

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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 21

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Part 20

Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha
6-5 Katha Upanishad
6-5-23 Katha 2.1.5 to 2.1.10 Some technical terms used by the Upanishad need explanation. Brahman is all-pervading Original Consciousness (OC). It is AtmA at the individual level. The OC manifests through matter, the Reflecting Medium (RM). It is Reflected Consciousness (RC). OC is only one, but RCs are as many as RMs. The quality of RC depends upon RM. The OC remains unaffected. The material universe is divided into three pairs: three belonging to the microcosm and three belonging to macrocosm. Consciousness reflects in any of the six mediums. There are 6 mediums RM1 to RM6 and six reflected consciousness RC1 to RC6. At the individual level, there are three mediums: RM1 (physical -gross), RM2 (mental-subtle) and RM3 -causal.

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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 20

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Part 19

Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha
6-5 Katha Upanishad
6-5-14 Katha 1.3.11 The unmanifested (Avyakta) is higher than mahat, the Purusha is higher than the unmanifested. Purusha is the highest. He is the highest goal.
At the end of a cycle of creation called pralaya, the world resolves in Brahman and is in potential and causal state. It is the ‘unmanifested’ mentioned in the mantra above. It is the maya power of Brahman. Brahman is also called Purusha. In the next cycle of creation, cosmic subtle body is the first born and creation of names and forms unfolds in stages. The cosmic subtle body is Hiranyagarbha, also called mahat. The unmanifest causal body is superior to Hiranyagarbha. Beyond this unmanifest, there is another unmanifest called Brahman (BG 8.20) or Purusha. The universe has two states, namely, unmanifest (potential form) and manifested names and forms. To know Brahman is the highest human goal, i.e., moksha.

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