Mundaka Upanishad

अथर्वणे यां प्रवदेत ब्रह्माऽथर्वा तं पुरोवाचाङ्गिरे ब्रह्मविद्याम् । स भारद्वाजाय सत्यवाहाय प्राह भारद्वाजोऽङ्गिरसे परावराम्

Atharvan, as Brahmā had declared, passed on that Brahma-knowledge to Aṅgira. Aṅgira taught it to Bhāradvāja, Satyavāha; Bhāradvāja taught it to Aṅgiras, concerning both the higher and lower.

शौनको ह वै महाशालोऽङ्गिरसं विधिवदुपसन्नः पप्रच्छ । कस्मिन्नु भगवो विज्ञाते सर्वमिदं विज्ञातं भवतीति

Śaunaka, a great householder, approached Aṅgiras in the proper manner and asked: 'Revered sir, by knowing what does all this become known?'

तस्मै स होवाच । द्वे विद्ये वेदितव्ये इति ह स्म यद्ब्रह्मविदो वदन्ति परा चैवापरा च

To him, he replied: 'Two kinds of knowledge are to be known, as those who know Brahman declare—namely, the higher and the lower.'

तत्रापरा ऋग्वेदो यजुर्वेदः सामवेदोऽथर्ववेदः शिक्षा कल्पो व्याकरणं निरुक्तं छन्दो ज्योतिषमिति । अथ परा यया तदक्षरमधिगम्यते

Of these, the lower is: Ṛgveda, Yajurveda, Sāmaveda, Atharvaveda, phonetics, ritual, grammar, etymology, meter, and astronomy. The higher is that by which the imperishable is attained.

यत्तदद्रेश्यमग्राह्यमगोत्रमवर्ण- मचक्षुःश्रोत्रं तदपाणिपादम् । नित्यं विभुं सर्वगतं सुसूक्ष्मं तदव्ययं यद्भूतयोनिं परिपश्यन्ति धीराः

That which is invisible, ungraspable, without lineage or color, without eyes or ears, without hands or feet; eternal, all-pervading, exceedingly subtle, undecaying, the source of all beings—that is what the wise perceive.

यथोर्णनाभिः सृजते गृह्णते च यथा पृथिव्यामोषधयः संभवन्ति । यथा सतः पुरुषात् केशलोमानि तथाऽक्षरात् संभवतीह विश्वम्

Just as the spider creates and withdraws its web, just as plants arise from the earth, just as hair and nails grow from a living person, so does the universe arise here from the imperishable.

तपसा चीयते ब्रह्म ततोऽन्नमभिजायते । अन्नात् प्राणो मनः सत्यं लोकाः कर्मसु चामृतम्

Through austerity, Brahman increases; from that, food is produced. From food come breath, mind, truth, worlds, and immortality in actions.

यः सर्वज्ञः सर्वविद्यस्य ज्ञानमयं तापः । तस्मादेतद्ब्रह्म नाम रूपमन्नं च जायाते

He who is all-knowing, whose austerity is knowledge of all, from him arise Brahman, name, form, and food.

तदेतत् सत्यं मन्त्रेषु कर्माणि कवयो यान्यपश्यंस्तानि त्रेतायां बहुधा संततानि । तान्याचरथ नियतं सत्यकामा एष वः पन्थाः सुकृतस्य लोके

This is the truth: in the hymns, the sages saw the rituals, which in the Treta age were spread out in many forms. Practice them with discipline, you who desire truth; this is your path to the world of good deeds.

यदा लेलायते ह्यर्चिः समिद्धे हव्यवाहने । तदाऽऽज्यभागावन्तरेणाऽऽहुतीः प्रतिपादयेत्

When the flame flickers in the well-kindled fire, then, without delay, one should offer oblations between the portions of clarified butter.

यस्याग्निहोत्रमदर्शमपौर्णमास- मचातुर्मास्यमनाग्रयणमतिथिवर्जितं च । अहुतमवैश्वदेवमविधिना हुत- मासप्तमांस्तस्य लोकान् हिनस्ति

Whose Agnihotra is without the new moon and full moon rites, without the four-monthly rites, without the first-fruits offering, and neglects hospitality; whose offering is not to Vaiśvadeva, or is made improperly—seven worlds are destroyed for him.

काली कराली च मनोजवा च सुलोहिता या च सुधूम्रवर्णा । स्फुलिङ्गिनी विश्वरुची च देवी लेलायमाना इति सप्त जिह्वाः

Kālī, Karālī, Manojavā, Sulohitā, Sudhūmravarṇā, Sphuliṅginī, Viśvarucī—the goddess, flickering, these are the seven tongues of flame.

एतेषु यश्चरते भ्राजमानेषु यथाकालं चाहुतयो ह्याददायन् । तं नयन्त्येताः सूर्यस्य रश्मयो यत्र देवानां पतिरेकोऽधिवासः

Whoever acts among these shining flames, offering oblations at the proper time, those rays of the sun lead him to the place where the lord of the gods dwells alone.

एह्येहीति तमाहुतयः सुवर्चसः सूर्यस्य रश्मिभिर्यजमानं वहन्ति । प्रियां वाचमभिवदन्त्योऽर्चयन्त्य एष वः पुण्यः सुकृतो ब्रह्मलोकः

Come, come!—the bright oblations call, and the rays of the sun carry the sacrificer. Speaking sweet words and praising, this is your virtuous, well-earned world of Brahman.

प्लवा ह्येते अदृढा यज्ञरूपा अष्टादशोक्तमवरं येषु कर्म । एतच्छ्रेयो येऽभिनन्दन्ति मूढा जरामृत्युं ते पुनरेवापि यन्ति

These, indeed, are fragile rafts in the form of sacrifice, described as eighteen kinds of inferior actions. Those who delight in this as the highest good, the deluded, return again to old age and death.

अविद्यायामन्तरे वर्तमानाः स्वयं धीराः पण्डितं मन्यमानाः । जङ्घन्यमानाः परियन्ति मूढा अन्धेनैव नीयमाना यथान्धाः

Dwelling in ignorance, thinking themselves wise and learned, the deluded wander, battered about, like the blind led by the blind.

अविद्यायां बहुधा वर्तमाना वयं कृतार्था इत्यभिमन्यन्ति बालाः । यत् कर्मिणो न प्रवेदयन्ति रागात् तेनातुराः क्षीणलोकाश्च्यवन्ते

Dwelling in ignorance in many ways, children think themselves accomplished. What the ritualists do not understand because of passion, by that they are afflicted; their worlds perish and they fall.

इष्टापूर्तं मन्यमाना वरिष्ठं नान्यच्छ्रेयो वेदयन्ते प्रमूढाः । नाकस्य पृष्ठे ते सुकृतेऽनुभूत्वेमं लोकं हीनतरं वा विशन्ति

Those who consider sacrificial and charitable acts to be supreme, deluded, do not know any higher good. Having enjoyed the fruits of their good deeds on the heights of heaven, they enter this world or a lesser one.

तपःश्रद्धे ये ह्युपवसन्त्यरण्ये शान्ता विद्वांसो भैक्ष्यचर्यां चरन्तः । सूर्यद्वारेण ते विरजाः प्रयान्ति यत्रामृतः स पुरुषो ह्यव्ययात्मा

Those who practice austerity and faith, dwelling in the forests, peaceful, learned, living by alms—through the sun's path, purified, they go to where the immortal, imperishable Self resides.

परीक्ष्य लोकान् कर्मचितान् ब्राह्मणो निर्वेदमायान्नास्त्यकृतः कृतेन । तद्विज्ञानार्थं स गुरुमेवाभिगच्छेत् समित्पाणिः श्रोत्रियं ब्रह्मनिष्ठम्

Having examined the worlds gained by action, the Brahmin becomes disillusioned, for nothing uncreated is attained by action. To know that, he must approach a teacher, carrying fuel, who is learned and established in Brahman.

तस्मै स विद्वानुपसन्नाय सम्यक् प्रशान्तचित्ताय शमान्विताय । येनाक्षरं पुरुषं वेद सत्यं प्रोवाच तां तत्वतो ब्रह्मविद्याम्

To him, who has approached properly, whose mind is tranquil and disciplined, the wise teacher declares the true knowledge of Brahman, by which the imperishable, true Person is known.

तदेतत् सत्यं यथा सुदीप्तात् पावकाद्विस्फुलिङ्गाः सहस्रशः प्रभवन्ते सरूपाः । तथाऽक्षराद्विविधाः सोम्य भावाः प्रजायन्ते तत्र चैवापि यन्ति

This is the truth: Just as from a blazing fire thousands of sparks arise, all similar in form, so, O gentle one, from the imperishable arise various beings, and into it they return.

दिव्यो ह्यमूर्तः पुरुषः स बाह्याभ्यन्तरो ह्यजः । अप्राणो ह्यमनाः शुभ्रो ह्यक्षरात् परतः परः

The divine, formless Person is both within and without, unborn; without breath, without mind, pure, beyond the imperishable, higher than the highest.

एतस्माज्जायते प्रणो मनः सर्वेन्द्रियाणि च । खं वायुर्ज्योतिरापः पृथिवी विश्वस्य धारिणी

From Him arise the vital force, mind, all the senses, space, air, light, water, earth—the support of the universe.

अग्नीर्मूर्धा चक्षुषी चन्द्रसूर्यौ दिशः श्रोत्रे वाग् विवृताश्च वेदाः । वायुः प्रणो हृदयं विश्वमस्य पद्भ्यां पृथिवी ह्येष सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा

Fire is His head, the sun and moon His eyes, the directions His ears, speech and the revealed Vedas His mouth; air is His vital force, the universe His heart, earth His feet—He is the inner Self of all beings.

तस्मादग्निः समिधो यस्य सूर्यः सोमात् पर्जन्य ओषधयः पृथिव्याम् । पुमान् रेतः सिञ्चति योषितायां बह्वीः प्रजाः पुरुषात् संप्रसूताः

From Him comes fire, whose fuel is the sun; from the moon, rain; from rain, plants on earth. The man pours seed into the woman, and many creatures are born from the Person.

तस्मादृचः साम यजूंषि दीक्षा यज्ञाश्च सर्वे क्रतवो दक्षिणाश्च । संवत्सरश्च यजमानश्च लोकाः सोमो यत्र पवते यत्र सूर्यः

From Him come the Rig, Sama, and Yajur Vedas, initiation, all sacrifices, rituals, offerings, the year, the sacrificer, worlds—where the moon is purified and the sun shines.

तस्माच्च देवा बहुधा संप्रसूताः साध्या मनुष्याः पशवो वयांसि । प्राणापानौ व्रीहियवौ तपश्च श्रद्ध सत्यं ब्रह्मचर्यं विधिश्च

From Him, the gods are born in many forms, as are the Sādhyas, humans, animals, birds; the vital and outgoing breaths, rice and barley, austerity, faith, truth, celibacy, and law.

सप्त प्राणाः प्रभवन्ति तस्मात् सप्तार्चिषः समिधः सप्त होमाः । सप्त इमे लोका येषु चरन्ति प्राणा गुहाशया निहिताः सप्त सप्त

Seven vital forces arise from Him, seven flames, seven offerings; seven worlds in which the vital forces dwell, hidden in the cave, seven by seven.