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Mundaka Upanishad

Chapter 4

द्वितीयमुण्डके द्वितीयः खण्डः

Mundaka 2 · Khanda 2

Verses

  1. Verse 1

    āviḥ saṃnihitaṃ guhācaraṃ nāma mahatpadamatraitatsamarpitam | ejatprāṇannimiṣacca yadetajjānatha sadasadvareṇyaṃ paraṃ vijñānādyadvariṣṭhaṃ prajānām || 1||

    Meaning

    Manifest, set close (in the heart), moving in the cave — such is the great support; in It all this is fixed — what moves, breathes, and winks. Know That as being and non-being, the most adorable, the highest beyond the understanding of creatures.

  2. Verse 2

    yadarcimadyadaṇubhyo'ṇu ca yasmiṃllokā nihitā lokinaśca | tadetadakṣaraṃ brahma sa prāṇastadu vāṅmanaḥ tadetatsatyaṃ tadamṛtaṃ tadveddhavyaṃ somya viddhi || 2||

    Meaning

    That which is luminous, subtler than the subtle, in which are set the worlds and their dwellers — That is the imperishable Brahman; It is the life-breath, It is speech and mind. That is the true, the immortal; That is to be pierced (realized). Pierce It, O dear one.

  3. Verse 3

    dhanurgṛhītvaupaniṣadaṃ mahāstraṃ śaraṃ hyupāsāniśitaṃ saṃdhayīta | āyamya tadbhāvagatena cetasā lakṣyaṃ tadevākṣaraṃ somya viddhi || 3||

    Meaning

    Taking the great weapon, the bow of the Upanishads, fix on it the arrow sharpened by meditation. Drawing it with the mind absorbed in the nature of That, hit the mark, O dear one — that very Imperishable.

  4. Verse 4

    praṇavo dhanuḥ śaro hyātmā brahma tallakṣyamucyate | apramattena veddhavyaṃ śaravattanmayo bhavet || 4||

    Meaning

    Om is the bow, the Self is the arrow, and Brahman is said to be its target. It is to be hit by the undistracted one; then, like the arrow, one becomes one with It.

  5. Verse 5

    yasmin dyauḥ pṛthivī cāntarikṣamotaṃ manaḥ saha prāṇaiśca sarvaiḥ | tamevaikaṃ jānatha ātmānamanyā vāco vimuñcathāmṛtasyaiṣa setuḥ || 5||

    Meaning

    In whom the heaven, the earth, and the mid-region are woven, together with the mind and all the pranas — know Him alone as the one Self, and give up other words; He is the bridge to immortality.

  6. Verse 6

    arā iva rathanābhau saṃhatā yatra nāḍyaḥ | sa eṣo'ntaścarate bahudhā jāyamānaḥ | omityevaṃ dhyāyatha ātmānaṃ svasti vaḥ pārāya tamasaḥ parastāt || 6||

    Meaning

    Where the nerves of the heart come together like spokes in the hub of a wheel — there He moves within, becoming manifold. Meditate on the Self as Om; may there be well-being for you in crossing to the far shore beyond darkness.

  7. Verse 7

    yaḥ sarvajñaḥ sarvavidyasyaiṣa mahimā bhuvi | divye brahmapure hyeṣa vyomnyātmā pratiṣṭhitaḥ || manomayaḥ prāṇaśarīranetā pratiṣṭhito'nne hṛdayaṃ saṃnidhāya | tadvijñānena paripaśyanti dhīrā ānandarūpamamṛtaṃ yadvibhāti || 7||

    Meaning

    He who is all-knowing and all-wise, whose is this glory on earth — this Self is established in the divine city of Brahman, in the ether (of the heart). He is of the nature of mind, the leader of the pranas and the body, set in food (the body), holding the heart. By the knowledge of That, the wise behold on every side that blissful, immortal one which shines forth.

  8. Verse 8

    bhidyate hṛdayagranthiśchidyante sarvasaṃśayāḥ | kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi tasmindṛṣṭe parāvare || 8||

    Meaning

    The knot of the heart is broken, all doubts are cut asunder, and one's works perish, when He is seen — the higher and the lower.

  9. Verse 9

    hiraṇmaye pare kośe virajaṃ brahma niṣkalam | tacchubhraṃ jyotiṣāṃ jyotistadyadātmavido viduḥ || 9||

    Meaning

    In the supreme golden sheath is Brahman, stainless and without parts; It is pure, the Light of lights — that which the knowers of the Self know.

  10. Verse 10

    na tatra sūryo bhāti na candratārakaṃ nemā vidyuto bhānti kuto'yamagniḥ | tameva bhāntamanubhāti sarvaṃ tasya bhāsā sarvamidaṃ vibhāti || 10||

    Meaning

    There the sun does not shine, nor the moon and stars; these lightnings do not shine — how then this fire? When He shines, everything shines after Him; by His light all this is lit.

  11. Verse 11

    brahmaivedamamṛtaṃ purastādbrahma paścādbrahma dakṣiṇataścottareṇa | adhaścordhvaṃ ca prasṛtaṃ brahmaivedaṃ viśvamidaṃ variṣṭham || 11||

    Meaning

    Brahman alone is this immortal (reality) in front; Brahman behind, Brahman to the right and the left; below and above It is spread out. Brahman alone is all this — the greatest.

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