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Mundaka Upanishad

Chapter 5

तृतीयमुण्डके प्रथमः खण्डः

Mundaka 3 · Khanda 1

Verses

  1. Verse 1

    dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṃ vṛkṣaṃ pariṣasvajāte | tayoranyaḥ pippalaṃ svādvattyanaśnannanyo abhicākaśīti || 1||

    Meaning

    Two birds, companions ever united, cling to the same tree. Of the two, one eats the sweet fruit; the other looks on without eating.

  2. Verse 2

    samāne vṛkṣe puruṣo nimagno'nīśayā śocati muhyamānaḥ | juṣṭaṃ yadā paśyatyanyamīśamasya mahimānamiti vītaśokaḥ || 2||

    Meaning

    On the same tree, the individual soul (purusha), sunk (in attachment), grieves, deluded by his powerlessness. But when he sees the other, the worshipped Lord, and His glory, he becomes free from grief.

  3. Verse 3

    yadā paśyaḥ paśyate rukmavarṇaṃ kartāramīśaṃ puruṣaṃ brahmayonim | tadā vidvān puṇyapāpe vidhūya nirañjanaḥ paramaṃ sāmyamupaiti || 3||

    Meaning

    When the seer beholds the golden-hued Maker, the Lord, the Purusha, the source of Brahma — then, becoming wise, shaking off good and evil, stainless, he attains the supreme equality (with Him).

  4. Verse 4

    prāṇo hyeṣa yaḥ sarvabhūtairvibhāti vijānan vidvān bhavate nātivādī | ātmakrīḍa ātmaratiḥ kriyāvāneṣa brahmavidāṃ variṣṭhaḥ || 4||

    Meaning

    This (Self) is verily the life-breath that shines through all beings. Knowing Him, the wise man becomes one who speaks of nothing else; sporting in the Self, delighting in the Self, active (in the right way) — he is the best of the knowers of Brahman.

  5. Verse 5

    satyena labhyastapasā hyeṣa ātmā samyagjñānena brahmacaryeṇa nityam | antaḥśarīre jyotirmayo hi śubhro yaṃ paśyanti yatayaḥ kṣīṇadoṣāḥ || 5||

    Meaning

    This Self is attainable by truth, by tapas, by right knowledge, by ever (-practised) brahmacarya. Within the body, luminous and pure, He is seen by the ascetics whose faults are destroyed.

  6. Verse 6

    satyameva jayate nānṛtaṃ satyena panthā vitato devayānaḥ | yenākramantyṛṣayo hyāptakāmā yatra tatsatyasya paramaṃ nidhānam || 6||

    Meaning

    Truth alone triumphs, not falsehood. By truth is laid the divine path (devayana) by which the desireless sages ascend to where is that supreme treasure of truth.

  7. Verse 7

    bṛhacca taddivyamacintyarūpaṃ sūkṣmācca tatsūkṣmataraṃ vibhāti | dūrātsudūre tadihāntike ca paśyatsvihaiva nihitaṃ guhāyām || 7||

    Meaning

    Vast, divine, of inconceivable form, subtler than the subtle, It shines forth; far beyond the far, yet here close at hand — set here in the cave (of the heart) of the seeing ones.

  8. Verse 8

    na cakṣuṣā gṛhyate nāpi vācā nānyairdevaistapasā karmaṇā vā | jñānaprasādena viśuddhasattvastatastu taṃ paśyate niṣkalaṃ dhyāyamānaḥ || 8||

    Meaning

    He is not grasped by the eye, nor by speech, nor by the other senses, nor by tapas or works. When one's nature is purified by the serenity of knowledge, then, meditating, one sees Him, the indivisible.

  9. Verse 9

    eṣo'ṇurātmā cetasā veditavyo yasminprāṇaḥ pañcadhā saṃviveśa | prāṇaiścittaṃ sarvamotaṃ prajānāṃ yasminviśuddhe vibhavatyeṣa ātmā || 9||

    Meaning

    This subtle Self is to be known by the mind (consciousness), in which the prana has entered fivefold. The whole mind of creatures is interwoven with the pranas; when it is purified, this Self shines forth.

  10. Verse 10

    yaṃ yaṃ lokaṃ manasā saṃvibhāti viśuddhasattvaḥ kāmayate yāṃśca kāmān | taṃ taṃ lokaṃ jayate tāṃśca kāmāṃstasmādātmajñaṃ hyarcayedbhūtikāmaḥ || 10||

    Meaning

    Whatever world the man of purified nature pictures in his mind and whatever desires he desires — that very world he wins, and those desires. Therefore let one who seeks prosperity worship the knower of the Self.

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