Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 2: dvitīya khaṇḍaḥ

2.p1

atha dvitīyaḥ khaṇḍaḥ

2.p2

sāṅgā vedā aparā vidyoktā ṛgvedo yajurveda ityādinā| yattadreśyam ityādinā nāmarūpam annaṃ ca jāyata ityantena granthena uktalakṣaṇamakṣaraṃ yathā vidyayā adhigamyata iti parā vidyā saviśeṣaṇoktā| ataḥ paramanayorvidyayorviṣayau vivektavyau saṃsāramokṣāvityuttaro grantha ārabhyate|

2.p3

tatrāparavidyāviṣayaḥ kartrādisādhanakriyāphalabhedarūpaḥ saṃsāro'nādiḥ ananto duḥkhasvarūpatvāddhātavyaḥ pratyekaṃ śarīribhiḥ sāmastyenanadīsrotovadavyavacchedasvarūpasambandhaḥ|

2.p4

tadupaśamalakṣaṇo mokṣaḥ paravidyāviṣayo'nādyananto'jaro'maro'mṛto'bhayaḥ śuddhaḥ prasannaḥ svātmapratiṣṭhalakṣaṇaḥ paramānando'dvayaḥ iti|

2.p5

pūrvaṃ tāvadaparavidyāyā viṣayapradarśanārthamārambhaḥ| taddarśane hi tannirvedopapatteḥ| tathā ca vakṣyati - ’parīkṣya lokānkarmacitān (mu.u.1/2/12)’ ityādinā| na hyapradarśite parīkṣopapadyata iti tatpradarśayannāha -

2.2.1

1.2.1
tadetatsatyaṃ mantreṣu karmāṇi kavayo yānyapaśyaṃstāni tretāyāṃ bahudhā santatāni| tānyācaratha niyataṃ satyakāmā eṣa vaḥ panthāḥ sukṛtasya loke ||

1. Bright, well-fixed, moving in the heart, great and the support of all; in him is all this universe centred, what moves, breathes and winks. Know this which is all that has form and all that is formless, which is to be sought after by all, which is beyond the reach of man’s knowledge, and the highest of all.

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—It is now explained how the akshara which is formless, could be known. Avihi, bright, shining as the percipient of sound, etc., according to the Sruti, “It shines through its conditions of speech, etc.” It is seen in the heart of all living beings appearing there with the attributes of seeing, hearing, thinking, knowing, etc. This Brahman shining is Sannihita, i.e., well seated in the heart. It is celebrated as guhacha- ran because it moves in the cavity in modes of seeing, hearing, etc. ‘Great’, because it is greater than all. Padam, reached by all, because it is the seat of all objects. How is it said to be great, etc? Because in the Brahman all this universe is centred as the various spokes are in the wheel-ring of the chariot. Ejat, moving, i.e., birds, etc; pranet, breathes, i.e., men, cattle, etc., having prana, a puna, etc; and ‘winks’, all that winks and all that winks not, from the force of the particle cha; this in which all is centred, know, O disciple, that that is your own atman; both sat and asat; for without it, sat and asat, that which has form and that which has not, i.e., the gross and subtle do not exist. Varenyam, covetable; because of all objects it is the only eternal entity. Param, distinct from, or, beyond; this is connected with the expression “knowledge of men” though remote; the meaning is that it is beyond the reach of wordly knowledge. Varishtham, the highest of all; because of all that is high, the Brahman is pre-eminently high, being free from all faults.

2.2.1.p1

tadetatsatyamavitatham| kiṃ tat? mantreṣvṛgvedādyākhyeṣu karmāṇi agnihotrādīni mantraireva prakāśitāni kavayo medhāvino vasiṣṭhādayo yānyapaśyandṛṣṭavantaḥ| yattadetatsatyamekāntapuruṣārthasādhanatvāt| tāni ca vedavihitānyṛṣidṛṣṭāni karmāṇi tretāyāṃ trayīsaṃyogalakṣaṇāyāṃ hautrādhvaryavaudgātraprakārāyāmadhikaraṇabhūtāyāṃ bahudhā

1. Bright, well-fixed, moving in the heart, great and the support of all; in him is all this universe centred, what moves, breathes and winks. Know this which is all that has form and all that is formless, which is to be sought after by all, which is beyond the reach of man’s knowledge, and the highest of all.

2.2.1-2

bahuprakāraṃ santatāni pravṛttāni karmibhiḥ kriyāmāṇāni tretāyāṃ vā yuge prāyaśaḥ pravṛttāni|
ato yūyaṃ tānyācaratha nirvartayata niyataṃ nityaṃ satyakāmā yathābhūtakarmaphalakāmāḥ santaḥ| eṣa vo yuṣmākaṃ panthā mārgaḥ sukṛtasya svayaṃ nirvartitasya karmaṇamamo loke phalanimittaṃ lokyate dṛśyate bhujyata iti karmaphalaṃ loka ucyate; tadarthaṃ tatprāptaya eṣa mārga ityarthaḥ| yānyetāni agnihotrādīni trayyāṃ vihitāni karmāṇi tānyeṣa panthā avaśyaphalaprāptisādhanamityarthaḥ ||

2.2.1-2.p1

tatrāgnihotrameva tāvatprathamaṃ pradarśanārthamucyate sarvakarmaṇāṃ prāthamyāt| tatkatham?

2.2.2

1.2.2
yadā lelāyate hyarciḥ samiddhe havyavāhane| tadājyabhāgāvantareṇāhutīḥ pratipādayet ||

2. What is bright, what is smaller than the small, in what are centred all the world and those that live in them is this immortal Brahman. That is prana, that is speech and mind. That is true and immortal; good looking youth. Strike thy mind upon that which should be struck by the mind.

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—Besides it is archimat, bright, because it is by the light of the Brahman that the sun, etc., shine; again it is subtler than the subtlest (i.e.,) grain, etc. From the particle cha, it is suggested that it is bigger than the biggest, such as earth, etc. In whom all the worlds such as earth, etc., are fixed and men and the rest, inhabitants of those worlds; for all are well-known to depend upon “Intelligence”, i. e., Brahman; this immortal Brahman on which all depend is prana, speech, mind and all the instruments. It is their internal intelligence for the whole combination of prana, senses, etc., is dependent upon that intelligence, according to the Sruti ‘It is the prana of prana, etc. This immortal Brahman which is the internal intelligence of prana, etc., is true and, therefore, endless. Veddhavyam, should he seized by the mind. The meaning is that the mind should be concentrated upon the Brahman. This being so, O good looking youth, strike that, i.e., concentrate your mind upon that Brahman.

2.2.2-2

yadaivendhanairabhyāhitaiḥ samyagiddhe samiddhe havyavāhane lelāyate calatyarcistadā tasminkāle lelāyamāne calatyarciṣyājyabhāgāvājyabhāgayorantareṇa madhya āvāpasthāna āhutīḥ pratipādayetprakṣipeddevatāmuddiśya| anekāhaprayogāpekṣayāhutīriti bahuvacanam ||

2.2.2-2.p1

eṣa samyagāhutiprakṣepādilakṣaṇaḥ karmamārgo lokaprāptaye panthāstasya ca samyakkaraṇaṃ duṣkaram| vipattayastvanekā bhavanti| katham?

2.2.2-2.p2

1.2.3

2.2.2-2.p3

yasyāgnihotramadarśamapaurṇamāsamacāturmāsyamanāgrayaṇamatithivarjitaṃ ca| ahutamavaiśvadevamavidhinā

2.2.3

hutamāsaptamāṃstasya lokānhinasti ||

3. Having taken the how furnished by the Upanishads, the great weapon—and fixed in it the arrow rendered pointed by constant meditation and having drawn it with the mind fixed on the Brahman, hit, good looking youth! at that mark—the immortal Brahman.

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—How that is hit is now explained. Dhanuh. the bow. Grihitva, having taken. Upanishadam horn in, i.e., well-known in the Upanishads. Mahastram, great weapon, i.e., the arrow; fix the arrow; of what quality is stated. Upasauisltam, rendered pointed by constant meditation, i.e., purified; after fixing it and drawing it, i.e., having drawn the mind and the senses from their external objects and bending, i.e., concentrating them on the mark, for the bow here cannot be bent as by the hand; hit the mark—the immortal Brahman—above defined with thy mind, Oh good looking youth, engrossed by meditation upon the Brahman.

2.2.3.p1

yasyāgnihotriṇo'gnihotramadarśaṃ darśākhyena karmaṇā varjitam| agnihotriṇo'vaśyakartavyatvād darśasya| agnihotrasambandhyagnihotraviśeṣaṇamiva bhavati| tadakriyamāṇamityetat| tathā paurṇamāsam ityādiṣvapyagnihotraviśeṇatvaṃ draṣṭavyam, agnihotrāṅgatvasya aviśiṣṭatvāt| apaurṇamāsaṃ paurṇamāsakarmavarjitam, acāturmāsyaṃ cāturmāsyakarmavarjitam, anāgrayaṇamāgrayaṇaṃ śaradādikartavyaṃ tacca

3. Having taken the how furnished by the Upanishads, the great weapon—and fixed in it the arrow rendered pointed by constant meditation and having drawn it with the mind fixed on the Brahman, hit, good looking youth! at that mark—the immortal Brahman.

2.2.3-2

na kriyate yasya, svayaṃ samyagagnihotrakāle'hutam, adarśādivadavaiśvadevaṃ vaiśvadevakarmavarjitam, hūyamānamapyavidhinā hutaṃ na yathāhutamityetad evaṃ duḥsampāditamasampāditam agnihotrādyupalakṣitaṃ karma kiṃ karotītyucyate|
āsaptamānsaptamasahitāṃstasya kartṛlokānhinasti hinastīva āyāsamātraphalatvāt| samyakkriyamāṇeṣu hi karmasu karmapariṇāmānurūpeṇa bhūrādayaḥ satyāntāḥ sapta lokāḥ phalaṃ prāpayante| te lokā evaṃbhūtenāgnihotrādikarmaṇātvaprāpyatvāddhiṃsyanta iva| āyāsamātraṃ tvavyabhicārītyato hinastītyucyate|
piṇḍadānādyanugraheṇa vā sambandhyamānāḥ pitṛpitāmahaprapitāmahāḥ putrapautraprapautrāḥ svātmopakārāḥ sapta lokā uktaprakāreṇāgnihotrādinā na bhavantīti hiṃsyanta ityucyate ||

2.2.4

1.2.4
kālī karālī ca manojavā ca sulohitā yā ca sudhūmravarṇā| sphuliṅginī viśvarucī ca devī lelāyamānā iti sapta jihvāḥ ||

4. The Pranava is the how, the Atman is the arrow and the Brahman is said to be its mark. It should he hit by one who is self-collected and that which hits becomes, like the arrow, one with the mark, i.e.. Brahman.

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—What the bow and the rest above referred to are, is explained. The Pranava, i.e., the syllable “Om” is the bow; as the bow is the cause of the arrow entering into the mark, so the syllable “Om” is the cause of the Atman entering into the Brahman; for it is only when purified, by the repetition of Pranava, that the Atman supported by it becomes fixed in the Brahman without obstruction, as the arrow by the force of the bow is fixed in the mark. Therefore the Pranava is like a bow. The arrow is the Paramatman itself conditioned as the Atman having entered the body here, as the sun enters the water, as the witness of all states of consciousness. That, like an arrow, is discharged towards itself—the immortal Brahman. Therefore the Brahman is said to be its mark, because it is seen to be the Atman itself by those who fix their mind upon it as on a mark. This being so, the Brahman which is the mark should be hit by one who is self-collected, i. e., who is free from the excitement caused by a thirst to get at external objects, who is disgusted with everything, who has conquered his senses and whose mind is concentrated. When that is hit, the Atman becomes like the arrow, one with the mark, i.e., the Brahman. Just as the success of the arrow is its becoming one with the mark, so the fruit here achieved is the Atman becoming one with the immortal Brahman by the dispelling of the notion that the body, etc., is the Atman.

2.2.4-2

kālī karālī ca manojavā ca sulohitā yā ca sudhūmravarṇā sphuliṅginī viśvarucī ca devī lelāyamānā iti sapta jihvāḥ| kālyādyā viśvarucyantā lelāyamānā agnerhavirāhutigrasanārthā etāḥ sapta jihvāḥ ||

2.2.5

1.2.5
eteṣu yaścarate bhrājamāneṣu yathākālaṃ cāhutayo hyādadāyan| taṃ nayantyetāḥ sūryasya raśmayoyatra devānāṃ patireko'dhivāsaḥ ||

5. He in whom the heaven, the earth, the antariksha (sky), the mind with the pranas are centred; know him to be the one Atman of all; abandon all other speech; this is the road to immortality.

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—As the “Immortal” cannot be easily grasped by the mind, the repetition is for the purpose of making it more easily cognisable. He, the immortal Brahman, in whom Dyouh, earth, and antariksha are centred, as also the mind with the other instruments; know him, O disciples as “the one,” the support of all; the Atman, i.e., the internal principle of yourselves and all living beings; having known that, leave off all other speech of the nature of “Apara vidya” as also all Kar ma with their aids elucidated by it; for, this, i.e., the knowledge of the Atman is the road to the attaintment of emancipation, the bridge as it were by which the great ocean of Samsara is crossed, as another Sruti says “having known him thus, one travels beyond death; there is no other road to emancipation.”

2.2.5.p1

eteṣvagnijihvābhedeṣu yo'gnihotrī carate karmācaratyagnihotrādi bhrājamāneṣu dīpyamāneṣu| yathākālaṃ ca yasya karmaṇo yaḥ kālastatkālaṃ yathākālaṃ yajamānamādadāyannādadānā āhutayo yajamānena nirvartitāstaṃ nayanti

5. He in whom the heaven, the earth, the antariksha (sky), the mind with the pranas are centred; know him to be the one Atman of all; abandon all other speech; this is the road to immortality.

2.2.5-2

prāpayantyetāḥ āhutayo yā imā anena nirvartitāḥ sūryasya raśmayo bhūtvā raśmidvārairityarthaḥ| yatra yasminsvarge devānāṃ patirinda3 ekaḥ sarvānupari adhi vasatītyadhivāsaḥ ||

2.2.6

kathaṃ sūryasya raśmibhiryajamānaṃ vahantītyucyate -
1.2.6
ehyehīti tamāhutayaḥ suvarcasaḥ sūryasya raśmibhiryajamānaṃ vahanti| priyāṃ vācamabhivadantyo'rcayantya eṣa vaḥ puṇyaḥ sukṛto brahmalokaḥ ||

6. Where the nerves of the body meet together as the spokes in the nave of a wheel, this Atman is within it variously horn; meditate upon “Om” as the Atman. May there be no obstacle to your going to the other side beyond darkness.

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—Within the heart where all nerves running through the body meet together, as the spokes in the nave of the wheel, this Atman, spoken of, dwells within, as the witness of the states of consciousness, seeing, hearing, thinking, knowing and as it were, being variously born by the modifications of the mind, such as anger, joy, etc; men in the world say ‘He has become angry, he has become “joyful”, according to the conditions of the internal sense (mind); meditate upon Atman having the syllable “Om” as your support and imagining as stated. And it has been said “the preceptor who knows must instruct the disciples.” The disciples are those who being desirous to acquire the knowledge of the Brahman, have renounced Karma and taken the road to emancipation. The preceptor gives his benediction that they may attain the Brahman without hindrance; svasti vah paraya, let Him be without hindrance to your reaching the other shore. Parastat, beyond; beyond what? Beyond the darkness of ignorance, i. e., for the realisation of the true nature of the Atman devoid of ignorance. He who should be reached after crossing the ocean of Samsara and who is the subject of the Para vidya.

2.2.6-2

ehyehītyāhvayantyaḥ suvarcaso dīptamatyaḥ kiṃ ca priyām iṣṭāṃ vācaṃ stutyādilakṣaṇāmabhivadantya uccārayantyo'rcayantyaḥ pūjayantyaścaiṣa vo yuṣmākaṃ puṇyaḥ sukṛtaḥ panthā brahmalokaḥ phalarūpaḥ evaṃ priyāṃ vācamabhivadantyo vahantītyarthaḥ| brahmalokaḥ svargaḥ prakaraṇāt ||

2.2.6-2.p1

etacca jñānarahitaṃ karmaitāvatphalamavidyākāmakarmakāryamato'sāraṃ duḥkhamūlamiti nindyate -

2.2.7

1.2.7
plavā hyete adṛḍhā yajñarūpā aṣṭādaśoktamavaraṃ yeṣu karma| etacchreyo ye'bhinandanti mūḍhājarāmṛtyuṃ te punarevāpi yanti ||

7. This Atman who knows all and all of everything and whose glory is so celebrated on earth is seated in the akas of the blight city of Brahman. He is conditioned by the mind, is the leader of the prana and the body and is seated in food, i.e., the body fixing the intelligence (in the cavity of their heart). The discerning people see by means of their superior knowledge on all sides the atman which shines, all bliss and immortality.

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—Where He is, is now explained; the terms ‘sarvajna’ and ‘sarvavit’ have already been explained. He is again described; by the expression “whose glory is this” is meant “whose glory is celebrated.” What is that glory? By whose commands stand supported the earth and the sky, by whose command, the sun and the moon always rotate as the flaming fire-brand. By whose command the rivers and the seas do not overstep their limits, whose command all that is moveable and immoveable likewise obey, whose commands in the same way, the seasons, the solstices, and the years do not transgress; by whose commands all karma, their performers and their fruits do not likewise go beyond their appointed time; that is his glory. Bhuvi, in the world. This Deva whose is all this glory and who is omniscient. Divye, bright, i. e., illuminated by all the states of consciousness. Brahmapure, in the lotus of the heart, so called because the Brahman is always manifesting himself there, in the form of intelligence. Vyomni, in the akas, within the cavity of the heart. He is perceived as if seated there because, otherwise, motion to or from, or fixity in a place is not possible for him who is all-pervading like the akas. Manomaya, because seated in the heart, he is perceived only by the modifications of the mind. (Thus) conditioned by the mind. Leader of the prana and the body, because lie leads the prana and the body from one gross body into another body. Pratishthitah, fixed. Anne, in the food, i.e., in the body which is a modification of the food eaten and which grows and decays day by day. Hridayam, intellect, Sannidhaya, fixing—in the cavity of the lotus; for, the Atman is really seated in the heart and not in the food. Tat, the entity of the Atman. Vijnanena, by knowledge, thorough, produced by the teachings of the sastras and the preceptor, and arising from control of the mind, control of the senses, meditation, complete renunciation and freedom from desire. Paripasyanti, see on all sides full. Dhirah, the discerning. A’nandarupam, free from all dangers, miseries and troubles. Vibhati, shines much in one-self always.

2.2.7-2

plavā vināśina ityarthaḥ| hi yasmādete'dṛḍhā asthirā yajñarūpā yajñasya rūpāṇi yajñarūpā yajñanirvartakā aṣṭādaśāṣṭādaśa saṃkhyākāḥ ṣoḍaśartvijaḥ patnī yajamānaścetyaṣṭādaśa, etadāśrayaṃ karmoktaṃ kathitaṃ śāstreṇa, yeṣvaṣṭādaśāsvavaraṃ kevalaṃ jñānavarjitaṃ karma; atasteṣāmavarakarmāśrayāṇāmaṣṭādaśānāmadṛḍhatayāplavatvātplavate saha phalena tatsādhyaṃ karma kuṇḍavināśādiva kṣīradadhyādīnāṃ tatsthānāṃ nāśaḥ|
yata evametatkarma śreyaḥkaraṇamiti ye'bhinandantyabhidṛṣyantyavivekino mūḍhā ataste jarāṃ ca mṛtyuṃ ca jarāmṛtyuṃ kiñcitkālaṃ svarge sthitvā punarevāpi yanti bhūyo'pi gacchanti ||

2.2.8

1.2.8
avidyāyāmantare vartamānāsvayaṃ dhīrāḥ paṇḍitaṃmanyamānāḥ| jaṅghanyamānāḥ pariyanti mūḍhāandhenaiva nīyamānā yathāndhāḥ ||

8. When he that is both high and low is seen, the knot of the heart is untied; all doubts are solved; and all his karma is consumed.

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—The fruit of the knowledge of the Paramatman is stated to be the following. Loosened is “the knot of the heart,” i.e., the group of tendencies in the mind due to ignorance, the desire which clings to the intellect according to the Sruti “The desires which lie imbedded in the heart, etc.” This is attached to the heart (intellect) not to the Atman. Biddyate. undergoes destruction; doubts regarding all knowable things have their solution—doubts which perplex worldly men up to their death, being (continuous) like the stream of the Granges; of the man whose doubts have been solved and whose ignorance has been dispelled, such karma as was anterior to the birth of knowledge in this life, such as was performed by him in previous births and had not begun to bear fruit and such as was existing at the birth of knowledge come to an end; but not that karma which brought about this birth, for it had begun to bear fruit. He, “the omniscient”, not subject to samsara; ‘both high and low,’ high as being the cause and low as being the effect; when he is seen directly as “I am he”, one attains emancipation, the cause of samsara being up-rooted.

2.2.8-2

avidyāyāmantare madhye vartamānā avivekaprāyāḥ svayaṃ vayameva dhīrā dhīmantaḥ paṇḍitā viditaveditavyāśceti manyamānā ātmānaṃ sambhāvayantaste ca jaṅghanyamānā jarārogādyanekārthavrātaiḥ hanyamānā bhṛśaṃ pīḍyamānāḥ pariyanti vibhramanti mūḍhāḥ| darśanavarjitatvādandhenaivācakṣuṣkeṇaiva nīyamānāḥ pradarśyamānamārgā yathā loke'ndhā akṣirahitā gartakaṇṭakādau patanti tadvat ||

2.2.9

kiñca -
1.2.9
avidyāyāṃ bahudhā vartasānāvayaṃ kṛtārthā ityabhimanyanti bālāḥ| yatkarmiṇo na pravedayanti rāgāttenāturāḥ kṣīṇalokāccyavante ||

9. The stainless indivisible Brahman, the pure, the light of all lights is in the innermost sheath of golden hue. That is what the knowers of the Atman know.

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—The three following texts briefly elucidate the meaning already expressed. Hiranmaye, golden, i.e., full of light, or bright with intelligence and knowledge. ‘The highest sheath’, sheath, as it were, of a sword; highest, because it is the place where “the Atman is realised as located” and because it is the innermost of all. Virajam, free from the taint of ignorance and all other faults. Brahma, because it is the greatest of all and Atman of all. Nishkalam, that from which the kalas had proceeded, i.e., devoid of parts; because it is untainted and devoid of parts, therefore it is subhram or pure. The light of all lights, whose light enlightens even those that illumine all other things such as fire, etc. The meaning is that the brightness of even the fire, etc., is due to the splendour of the intelligence of the Brahman within; the light of the Atman is the highest light which is not illumined by other lights. ‘The knowers of the atman’, those discerning men who know the Self as the witness of the objective states of consciousness regarding sound and the rest; as it is the highest light, it is only those who follow (are in) the subjective state of consciousness, not others, who follow (are in) the perceptions of external objects, that know it.

2.2.9-2

avidyāyāṃ bahudhā bahuprakāraṃ vartamānā vayameva kṛtārthāḥ kṛtaprayojanā ityevamabhimanyantyabhimānaṃ kurvanti bālā ajñāninaḥ| yadyasmādevaṃ karmiṇo na pravedayanti tattvaṃ na jānanti rāgātkarmaphalarāgābhibhavanimittaṃ tena kāraṇena āturā duḥkhārtāḥ santaḥ kṣīṇalokāḥ kṣīṇakarmaphalāḥ svargalokāccyavante ||

2.2.9-2.p1

1.2.10

2.2.9-2.p2

iṣṭāpūrtā manyamānā variṣṭhaṃ nānyacchreyo vedayante pramūḍhāḥ| nākasya pṛṣṭhe te sukṛte'nubhūtvemaṃ

2.2.10

lokaṃ hīnataraṃ vā viśanti ||

10. The sun shines not there, nor the moon and the stars. Nor do these lightnings shine. How could this fire? All shine after him who shines. All this is illumined by his radiance.

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—How that is the light of all lights is explained. The sun, though enlightening all. does not shine in, i.e., does not illumine the Brahman which is his Atman; for, the sun illumines the whole universe other than the Atman with the light of the Brahman, but has not in himself the capacity to illuminate. Similarly neither the moon and the stars nor the lightning shines. How could this file which is in the range of our vision? Why dilate? This universe which shines, shines with the light of Him, the Lord of all, who shines being himself luminosity. Just as water and the rest by their contact with fire, heat with the heat of the fire, but not by their own inherent power, so all this universe, the sun and the rest shine with the light of the Brahman. As it is the Brahman alone that thus shines and shines with varying light in its diverse manifestations, itself luminosity, is inferred; for, that which is not itself light cannot illumine others as we see that pots, etc., do not illumine others and that the sun and the rest having light, illumine others.

2.2.10.p1

iṣṭaṃ yāgādi śrautaṃ karma, pūrtaṃ vāpīkūpataḍāgādi smārtaṃ manyamānā etadevātiśayena puruṣārthasādhanaṃ variṣṭhaṃ pradhānamiti cintayanto'nyadātmajñānākhyaṃ śreyaḥ sādhanaṃ na vedayante na jānanti, pramūḍhāḥ putrapaśubandhvādiṣu pramattatayā mūḍhāḥ| te ca nākasya svargasya pṛṣṭha uparisthāne sukṛte bhogāyatane'nubhūtvānubhūya karmaphalaṃ punarimaṃ lokaṃ mānuṣamasmāddhīnataraṃ vā tiryaṅnarakādilakṣaṇaṃ

10. The sun shines not there, nor the moon and the stars. Nor do these lightnings shine. How could this fire? All shine after him who shines. All this is illumined by his radiance.

2.2.10-2

yathākarmaśeṣaṃ viśanti ||

2.2.11

1.2.11
tapaśraddhe ye hyupavasantyaraṇyeśāntā vidvāṃso bhaikṣyacaryāṃ carantaḥ| sūryadvāreṇa te virajāḥ prayāntiyatrāmṛtaḥ sa puruṣo hyavyayātmā ||

11. All this before is immortal Brahman; certainly all behind is Brahman; all to the south and to the north; all bellow and all alone stretched out, i.e., extended, all this is certainly Brahman, the highest.

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—The statement, Brahman alone the light of lights is true and that all else is only its modification, a matter of speech is a mere name and falsehood first made and logically demonstrated at length (afterwards) is affirmed again as a conclusion by this mantra. That which is before us and which, in the eyes of the ignorant, appears to be not Brahman is certainly Brahman. Similarly what is behind us; so, that to the south; so, that to the north; so, that below, and that above and all that is extended everywhere in the form of effect, appearing otherwise than Brahman and possessed of name and form. Why say much? All this vast universe is Brahman certainly. All perception otherwise than as Brahman is mere ignorance, just as the perception of a serpent in a rope. The declaration of the Vedas is that the one Brahman alone is really true.

——:o:——

Here ends the second part of the second
Mundaka.

——:o:——

2.2.11-2

ye punastadviparītā jñānayuktā vānaprasthāḥ saṃnyāsinaśca tapaḥ śraddhe hi tapaḥ svāśramavihitaṃ karma śraddhā hiraṇyagarbhādiviṣayā vidyāḥ te tapaḥśraddhe upavasanti sevante'raṇye vartamānāḥ santaḥ śāntā uparatakaraṇagrāmāḥ, vidvāṃso gṛhasthāśca jñānapradhānā ityarthaḥ| bhaikṣyacaryāṃ carantaḥ parigrahābhāvādupavasantyaraṇya iti sambandhaḥ sūryadvāreṇa sūryopalakṣitenottarāyaṇena pathā te virajā virajasaḥ kṣīṇapuṇyapāpakarmāṇaḥ santaḥ ityarthaḥ, prayānti prakarṣeṇa yānti yatra yasminsatyalokādāvabhṛtaḥ sa puruṣaḥ prathamajo hiraṇyagarbho hyavyayātmāvyayasvabhāvo yāvatsaṃsārasthāyī| etadantāstu saṃsāragatayo'paravidyāgamyāḥ|
nanu - etaṃ mokṣamicchanti kecit|
na, "ihaiva sarve pravilīyanti kāmāḥ" (mu.u.3/2/2) "te sarvagaṃ sarvataḥ prāpya dhīrā yuktatmānaḥ sarvamevāviśanti" (mu.u.3/2/5) ityādiśrutibhyaḥ aprakaramācca| aparavidyāprakaraṇe hi pravṛtte na hyakasmānmokṣaprasaṅgo'sti| virajastvaṃ tvāpekṣikam| samastamaparavidyākāryaṃ sādhyasādhanalakṣaṇaṃ kriyākārakaphalabhedabhinnaṃ dvaitam etāvadeva yaddhiraṇyagarbhaprāptyavasānam| tathā ca manunoktaṃ sthāvarādyāṃ saṃsāragatimanukrāmatā "brahmā viśvasṛjo dharmo mahānavyaktameva ca| uttamāṃ sāttvikīmetāṃ gatimāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ"(manu. 12/50) iti ||

2.2.11-2.p1

athedānīmasmātsādhyasādhanarūpātsarvasmātsaṃsārādviraktasya parasyāṃ vidyāyāmadhikārapradarśanārthamidamucyate -

2.2.12

1.2.12
parīkṣya lokānkarmacitānbrāhmaṇo nirvedamāyānnāstyakṛtaḥ kṛtena| tadvijñānārthaṃ sa gurumevābhigacchet samitpāṇiḥ śrotriyaṃ brahmaniṣṭham ||

2.2.12.p1

parīkṣya yadetaddṛgvedādyaparavidyāviṣayaṃ svābhāvikyavidyākāmakarmadoṣavatpuruṣānuṣṭheyamavidyāviṣayaṃ svābhāvikyavidyākāmakarmadoṣavatpuruṣānuṣṭheyamavidyādidoṣavantameva puruṣaṃ prati vihitatvāttadanuṣṭhānakāryabhūtāśca lokā ye dakṣiṇottaramārgalakṣaṇāḥ phalabhūtāḥ ye ca vihitākaraṇapratiṣedhātikramadoṣasādhyā narakatiryakpretalakṣaṇāstānetānparīkṣya pratyakṣānumānopamānāgamaiḥ sarvato yāthātmyenāvadhārya lokān saṃsāragatibhūtān avyaktādisthāvarāntānvyākṛtāvyākṛtalakṣaṇān bījāṅkuravaditaretarotpattinimittānanekānarthaśatasahasra saṅkulānkadalīgarbhavadasārān māyāmarīcyudakagandharvanagarākārāsvapnajalabudbudaphenasamānpratikṣaṇapradhvaṃsānpṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvāvidyākāmadoṣapravartitakarmacitāndharmādharmanirvartitānityetat| brāhmaṇasyaiva viśeṣato'dhikāraḥ sarvatyāgena brahmavidyāyāmiti brāhmaṇagrahaṇam| parīkṣya lokānkiṃ kuryāt ityucyate nirvedam| niḥpūrvo vidiratra vairāgyārthe vairāgyamāyātkuryādityetat|

2.2.12.p2

sa vairāgyaprakāraḥ pradarśyate| iha saṃsāre nāsti kaścidapyakṛtaḥ padārthaḥ| sarva eva hi lokāḥ karmacitāḥ karmakṛtatvāccānityāḥ, na nityaṃ kiñcidastītyabhiprāyaḥ| sarvaṃ tu karmānityasyaiva sādhanam yasmāccaturvidhameva hi sarvaṃ karma kāryamutpādyamāpyaṃ saṃskāryaṃ vikāryaṃ vā, nātaḥ paraṃ karmaṇo viśeṣo'sti| ahaṃ ca nityena amṛtenābhayena kūṭasthenācalena dhruveṇārthenārthī na tadviparītena| ataḥ kiṃ kṛtena karmaṇāyāsabahulenānarthasādhanenetyevaṃ nirviṇṇo

2.2.12-2

brāhmaṇo gurumevācāryaṃ śamadamadayādisampannamabhigacchet| śāstrajño'pi svātantryeṇa brahmajñānānveṣaṇaṃ na kuryādityetad gurumevetyavadhāraṇaphalam|
samitpāṇiḥ samidbhāragṛhītahastaḥ śrotriyamadhyayanaśrutārthasampannaṃ brahmaniṣṭhaṃ hitvā sarvakarmāṇi kevale'dvaye brahmaṇi niṣṭhā yasya so'yaṃ brahmaniṣṭho japaniṣṭhastaponiṣṭha iti yadvat| na hi karmiṇo brahmaniṣṭhatā sambhavati karmātmajñānayorvirodhāt| sa taṃ guruṃ vidhivadupasannaḥ prasādya pṛcchedakṣaraṃ puruṣaṃ satyam ||

2.2.13

1.2.13
tasmai sa vidvānupasannāya samyakpraśāntacittāya śamānvitāya| yenākṣaraṃ puruṣaṃ veda satyaṃprovāca tāṃ tattvato brahmavidyām ||

2.2.13-2

tasmai sa vidvān gururbrahmavid upasannāyopagatāya samyagyathāśāstramityetat, praśāntacittāya uparatadarpādidoṣāya śamānvitāya bāhyendriyoparameṇa ca muktāya sarvato viraktāyetyetat| yena vijñānena yayā vidyayā parayājakṣaramadreśyādiviśeṣaṇaṃ tadevākṣaraṃ puruṣaśabdavācyaṃ pūrṇatvāt puri śayanācca satyaṃ tadeva paramārthasvābhāvyādakṣaraṃ cākṣaraṇādakṣatatvādakṣayatvācca veda vijānāti tāṃ brahmavidyāṃ tattvato yathāvat provāca prabrūyādityarthaḥ| ācāryasyāpyayaṃ niyamo yannyāyapraptasacchiṣyanistāraṇamavidyāmahodadheḥ ||

2.2.13-2.p1

samāptamidaṃ prathamaṃ muṇḍakam