en

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tr~r~a~ir:
THE

11

n, I t n n & Jllu n on k n

UPANISHADS
ANU

SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY

S. SITARAMA SASTRI, B. A.,
--~oo#--

PUHT,ISIIIW BY

V. 0. SESHACHARRI, B. A., B. L.,

J'"ctkil, 1-Pi,gh Cowrt, .Vadras.

.
~-<?--....,;-+

FIRST VOLUME.

{;fl.Cii.drC!!s:
G. A NATESAN & 00., PRINTERS & PUBLISHERS, ESPLANADE.

1898

DEDICATED

BY KIND P./!.,'RJ1'!IBSJON
'1'0

m t i.

1\. n n i e JJ3 e9 nn t..

OON'rENTS

PREFACE

...

THE IsAVASYOPANISHAD

Vll

THE KI~N()JlANISIIA D

29

THE MUNDAKOPAXISHAD

89

Pft~JF .A.OE.

rrhe: increasing interest evinced by the thinking

\Vorld in the Philosophy and Religion of the Hindus
has led me to undertake the publication of the translation of the principal Upanishads.
rrhe special feat.nre of this puhlieation is tlu~ t,ranslation of the commentary of Sri 8t:mkmadu1rya, thP
greatest exponent of the Advaita system of philosophy.
'l'he v..ark has hePn undertaken chiefly with a view
to bring wit,hin <~n.sy ren.ch of the T~nglish-reading
public the pticelPs::> t,0achings of the U pauisbn.ds, in
t.he light of the interpretat,ion of Rri Sankaracharya.
The spirit of the text and of the interpretation
has throughout been faithfully adhered to and, perhaps;
in some instances, even to the detriment of elegance in

diction.
If the earnest stndent finfls any the least help from
this work, the publication will be amply justified.

My

heart,~r

thanks are due to Mr. V. S\vaminatha

Iyer, Distriot Mnnsiff, for thn' cnrt: with which he went
through tht>: translation anrl fm his many va.luah]e
suggestions:
MADRAS.

Ji'A li r ?ldf,'f y 1fl-98.

V. C.

~gNHAOHARRI.

' ~~.

Sri Sankara's Introduction.

OM TAT SAT.

Adorntion to the Bmhn1nn. 'The mnntrns b0ginuing

with Isnvnsynm, etc., lmve not been utilized in rituals,
lwcnuse they serv1.:1 the purpose of enlightening us on
the true nntnre of the Atmnn who is not an wn[Ja.~ of,
,;. ei' not connected '\Yith, Karma. The trne nature cif
the Atnum consists, a~:) vdll be c1escribec1, in its 1)urity~
being untouched by sin, oneness, being eternal, having
no bocly, omnipresence, etc., nnd as that conflicts with
Knrma, it is only rensonable that these mttntras should
not be utilized in rituals ; nor is the true nnture of
the .A.tman thus defined, a product, a moc1ifieation~ a
thing to be atta.inecl or a thing to be refined; nor is
it of t,he nttture of a cloer or enjoyer so that it may be
connected with Karmtt. All the Upanishacls exhaust
themselves in c1escribing the true nature of the .At.man;
anc1 the Gitn. ancl the 11okshac1lw.rma nre bent on the
same enc1. ':J.lherefore all Karm.a has been enjoined

in necorcl::mce with wor1tlly understanding, whic:h at~

t,rilmh~ to the Atman diver:.;ity, ng(,mey, enjoyuwnt,
impurity, sinfulness, etc. 1.'hose that knmv who at'Lr
~~ompetent to ]X'rform Karma a.nd who a.ro not.,
(A< lhilmrnvicbh) t~llns that lw who Rt:PkH tlw ftuitH of
Karm[t-Vi~ib1e such ns tlw inlwrenb Kph'lHlrntt' of a.
Bt::dnnin mHl invil:lihlo suelt as Heavm1, t't(:.,-:md thillln..;
J am n;. twiet~-l>cnu frvl\ from any cld't~di ~-~rm~h aH htdng

nJw-Pye<l m lnmeh"l>aelwcl, .&t. wllid1 <lhHpmlilil~K ow~

fut t.!w perfmmnnce of Katma ~' is (~utith1cl to IH ~~
form Karma. So, t}wso mantras by euliglttmliug (us)
on the true nature of the Atmnn l't.nnov~l om natuml
ignornncc awl prodnco in us tho kuowh:~<1ge of tho
oneness, etc. of tho Atman,.-tlw nwans of uprooting grief, c1Plnsion, etc. tho concomitants of 8a?JMHWn.
'\Vo shall now beielly comment upon the mant"ml::l, tlw
pnrsons competent to study which, tlw.l::Fn1>j(~eli mnttm
of which, the relevancy of which (Smnbaudhn.) awt tlw
fl'nits of which, have benn thus declared.
-~

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~til{_~: 1\H..,~ ~l(c~I~~T..~Q

~olt<:r '{oTijfa:T<:r ~rcrm&Rr II

'Phe whole (Brahman) is all that is invisi.hl<~. rrlm
whole (Brahman) is all thn.t is visil> lu. ~Plw Ydwl o
(Hirnnyagarbha) was Lorn out of tlw whole (BraJnnan).
\VlHm the vrholn (t.ho Univms~}) is absor1J,~<1 into t.lto

'W:I'J'H S1U S.i.\NKARA~S COJ\1:\!ENTAHY.

whole (Brahman) the whole alone (Brahman) remains.

Om. Peace! Peace!! Peace!!!
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All this-\vhatsoever moveth on the earth-shoul<l

That renounced, enjoy.
<.Jovet not a:nyboc1y's wealth.

1Hj eovered by the Lorcl.

Oommentrwy.-The word 'Isa' is from the verb 'Ishf.e'

{rnlos) anclmeans 'by the Lord.' ':rhe Lorcl is Parameswara, the Parmnatman of all. He rules everything
being the A.tman of all. Should be coverecl by the
Lord, by his own self, the A.tman. vVhat? A.ll this,
whatsoever moveth on the earth. All this universe,
movable and immovable, um~eal in absolute truth,
:Should be covered by his self, the Lord, I.)aramatman,
wjth the idea, "I alone an~ all this as being the
inner self of all." Jnst as the bad odour-the result
Qf moisture, etc.-proclueed by contact with water, iu
sanclal and agarn, etc., is hic1c1en (lost) in their nnturally
agreeable smell proclucecl by the process of rubbing,
similarly all this on this enrth (the worcl acr,?th being il ...
lustratively used. for the whole Cosmos) differentiated
.as nnme, for:n.1, and action, this bunclle of modifications,
superimposed upon the Atman by ignorance, and eou.sisti1~g in this seeming dlualit,y with its distinctions of

ISAVASYOPANISHAD.

doer, enjoyer, etc., '\Yill be abandoned by the contem~

plation of the true .A.tnum. One who thus contemplates
on the self as the Parmnatman is 1Jounc1 to renounce the
three-folcl desire of son, etc., ancl not to perform Karma.
' 'Penn :l'ya)denr:r,' means ' by such renunciation.' It is
well known that one's son or ser\ant, abancloued
or den.<l, haYing therefore no bonc1 of connection,
does not, protect that one. 'Hennuciation' therefore,
is the menniug of this wor<l 'l 1Jfl6ldencL. JJhu:r~jUh((,h
memu; ptotect. IIaving thus reuouucccl all deJ::Jires, do
not cherish any de:::;ire fo1 wealth. 'Anyhocly's ?l:enlth ';
do not long for wealth either yours or another's. 8vit
is a meaningless particle.
Or it may be thus interpreted. Do not covet. vVhy ?
'Whose is wealth?' is usecl in the sense of an objection; for nobody has any wealth which could be covetecl.
The meaning is "all thi~ has been renounced by the
contemplation of Iswara, that the .A.tman is all. All
this therefore belongs to the .A.tman and the .Atman
is all. Do not therefore covet what is unreal."
d"'"'"" I;J1\i1W1
,. . . ""'"'1{r.~q ~tn=IT: I
~r1'?f~ Cfi+ITTUT

~ci' ccrP1 ~s~a ;:r ~ Ri3tZitt ~ II~ II

Should one wish to live a hundred years on this
earth, he should live doing Karma. vVhile thus, (as)
man, you live, there is no way other than this by

WITII SRI SANKARA'S COi~Il\IENTAHY.

which Karma will not cling to yon.

Omnmenia?'!f.-rrlms the drift of the Vec1ic text is
that he vdw kno\vs the Atman should renounce the
three-fold desire of son, etc., and save his Atman by
bt~iug ceni;recl in the knowledge of the Atman (({nannn'ishthn). ~f.1he :Mantras now proccucl to incnlt'ato the
following for the benefit of him who doe:::: not know t;he
Atman ancl is not competent to cogni.;~,e the Atman as
above in(1ieate<1.
10n?vrtin?Wvn means ' certainly doing,' 'i.e., on 1y by
doing.' .Krt!J'?Jucn:l: means 'Agnilwtra, etc.' Ji;j-h.,!shet
means 'should like to live.' 8rctrmnscmnah 1neans ' a
hundred years.' It has lJeen c1eclarec1 that that is a
man's longest life. 'I'hus declaring agreeably to natural inclination the desire to lire a hundred years,
the text lays clcnvn the injunction in respect of how
one shoulcl live-continually performing Karma ancl
not otherwise. If yon would thus Fve, eontent t~ be
a man, there is no other mode of life than the one of
performing Agnihotra, etc., l)y which bncl Karma may
not cling to yon. 'I,herefore, one should like to live
cloiug Kal'lna enjoined by the Sastras such as .A.gnihotra, etc. But how is this drift arrived at ? By the
previous mcmdnt, Gnananishtha has been inculcated to
the sanyasin. By thjs, Karmanisht,ha is enjoined on
those who are not able to become sanyasins. Do you

I::;JAVASY()PANISIIAD.

noii remember it was pointed out that the ant.itJH:~sis

between Knowledge anc1 Karma is a fact unshalmhle
Eke a mountain ? Here also it has been said that he
who 1/JO'Iililli.~:e to Ut:e must perform Karma ancl that thiH
universe must be ttbandoned as unreal in the ccmtem;plation of the T-.1ord. as all, l.Jy <GH.t~. who wonl<l p1oted;
his Atnum having renounee<l all and not, eovt\f,ing any
ibody's vvealt,h. According to the Srntls it is sett.lC\cl th'*..ii
one shoulcl not long for eit,het life or death ancl shoulcl
Jcave for the forest. ~J.1here is also the injnnetion hy
which one is interdictec1 fl'om returning thence-thus
.arllaini1iJ.g sanyasa. 'rhe distinction in the results of tlw
:two courses will also be pointed out. (The N arn:yau.a
Upanishad) says, ''In the 1.)eginning these t'.VO
n.oacls were ln.icl 1'he road through Karma ancl Sanyasa;
the latter consists in the renu..neiat.ion of the t.Jneefold <lesire. Of these, iihe roacl through Sanyasa is th~
preferable one." ~rhe Taitiriya Upanishn.c1 als(l) says,
"Renunciation (Nyasa) certail'lly is tc) be preferred."
13haga.van Vyasa, the r>receptor 0f the Ve<bs, aft.ew
much discussion told his son his firm conviction in iilu'l
following text. "':.1hese then are tJa..e two roac1s on which
the Vedas are basecl. Doth the colruses-ono whic.h
1eat1s to Karma ancl the other which (haw~ nwa.y from
Karma havo been explained, etc." 'l'hill! <livisiuu wil[
ibe explained.

WITH

,..,

SIU SANl\JtHA':-l COi\IJ\IENTARY.

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11

Ill

~Phose birbhs partake of the liatunl' of the Asuras

awl are t.mvelnpml in blin<l (hrknes::;. .After leaving
iJw bo(ly they who kill their Ahnau nt.tnin them.
(Jom'rn,e-ntmtt-~rhis Mantra is llegun for the pnrposo
of eouc1enming those who have no knO\vloclge of tlw
Atman. Af:mrynh; even Dlwas, etc., n.rt:~ Asums relative-

ly tu becoming one with t1 te Paranmtman. .Aswrynh

bucauso they belong to them (Asuras). Nwmn is a
m.t\auingless woril. ~l'hose lol~~aS' (hil'ths) so ca1le<l be-
cmu:;e the fl'uit,s of Kal'ma are there 11erceived or enjoyed (lokya,nte). Anclhena :.Camur.sn,. 'ignorance which
consists in inability to see one's self.' A'uritah means.
t!OVB'J'ef.l.
'l'hese births clown to the immoveable. Prdyc"
nwn.us 'leaving the body.' 'Abhigachchwn.thi' means
' att.aiu in accordance with their Karma antl KnowJmlgP.' '.tH?naha,nnh' means 'those who kill the Atman.' vVho are t,hey? ':Phose who do not know the
Atnum. How do they h~ill the efenu~l Atn1an? By
c1rn.wing the veil of ignorance over the Atman that.
exists. ~ hose who clo not, uncler the influence of their
natural tendencies (Jjrakriti), know the Atman 11re
eallecl 'Atm11hanah' (Sln,yers of the .A.tman); because
in their case the -result of the existence of the Atmm1,.
1

ISA YASY()PANISIIAD.

ri. e., the knmdedge of its unc1ecaying mul immortal

nature is Yeilec1 as if the 1~tman \\'Lre killed. J3y thiH
fault of sl:.tying the Atmau they get into 8wrnsalrn.
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1

BRH{~ a:'cTrRr l\ ~ I\

It i~ motionless, mw, fi\st(:~l' t,lum miu<1; an<l iilw

Dcwas (t1w f:H~nHes) eoul(l noi; ovoPtnlw it wl1ieh l'nn lH\fure. Sitting, it got'R 1:i.tster t.lum thoso who rnu n,l:'t.l\1'
it. By it, the all-pt\1'\'a<ling air (Ruijratnum) ~:mpports
tlw activity of all living hPingB.
Oomnumtrwy.-As the iguoraut by killing their Atman whirl in Samsara, eontl'::Wi\vise, thosn who know
the .A.tman, attn,in emancipation; nnd thc,y nre noli slayers of the Atnum. vVhat then is the nature of the
A tuum will now be explained .

.Anejnt is a compouncl of nn ::mel ~jrrr'l. ~rht~ root t~J?'i

mettns to shnke.
Rhakiug is mot~ion, /. e., <leYiatiun from a fixccl posit,ion. lT1ee fl'om t,]u\li, l. e.,
ever constant. It is, besides, one in all Blmt,as. It is
fleeter t,han mind. whose characteristics are volii,ion,
etc. How is this inconsistent statement ma<1o L e.,
that it is constant mu1 motion1ess anrl at tho same~ tinw
fleeter t.han mind ? r:rltis is no fnnlt. r:rhis iR pnBHihlc~
with reference to its being thonght of as nue01ulit,ionec1 and conc1itionec1. It is constm1t ::mel motionless in

WITH SIU SANKAHA's COJ\giENTARY.

its unconditioned state. That the mind travels fastest

is well-known to all, seeing t;hat the 1nincl encased
within the body and characterised by volition and
uoubt is able at one volition to travel to such distant
places as the Brahmaloka, etc. ; and travelling so fast as
it does, it pe1ceives on landing (at its destination) thai:i
the intelligent Atman has, as it were, gone there before
it; therefore, the .A.tman is saicl to be fleeter than n1ind.
Do7JCbS, from the root which 111eans 'enlighten,' signifies
the senses such as the eye, etc. Etcd means the entity
of the Atman which is now being treated of. rrhese
~:~enses coulclnot overtake it. The mincl is faster than
these because these are distanced by the activity of the
mind. Not even the semblance of the Atman is
within the perception of the senses ; for it hacl gone
even before the mind which is fleeter than they, being
all-pervading, like the All-cbs. The entity of the Atman,
all-pervading, devoid of any attributes of Samsara, ani!.
in its unconditioned state subject to no modification,
appears to undergo all the changes of Sa.msara superposed upon it, and though one, appears, in the eyes of
ignorant men, diverse and enclosed in every bocly. It
semns to travel beyond the reach of others' mind, speech,
the senses, &c., which are dissimilar to the .A.tman,
though they rlln fast. r.J.1he sense of' S6e?11Al' lS suggested by the mantra using 'lrishllu~l (sitting). 'Silti?~'J,
2

10

!S.A.V .A.8YOP.ANISH.A.D.

means being itself inactive.' 'Tasmin' means 'while

the entity of the .A.tman endures.' ':Matarisva' means
' air ', so called, because it moves (Svayati) in
space (Matari-Antarikshe). Air (Matarisva) is that
whose activity sustains all life, on which all causes
and effects depend, anc1 in \Vhich all t.hcse inhere,
which is called 81.dra (thread, as it~ were) supporting
all the vmrlds through \Vhich it runs. ~I.'he WOl'd
'.Apah ' means all Karma-the nu1nifestcd rtctivit;y of
all living things. (rl'his air) allots to fire, sun, clouds,
&c., their several fnnctions of flaming, burning, shining, raining, &c. Or it may be said that it supports
these, from the Srutis, such as " From fear of this, the
wind blows, &c. " The meaning is that all these modifications of effects ancl causes take place only while the
eternally intelligent entity of the .Atman, the source
of all, endures.
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It moves, it is motionless. It is distant, it is near.
It is within all, it is without all this.
Oommentary.-Showing that there is no superfluity
of mantras, the following mantra declares again what
was .expressed by the previous mantra. 'It' means 'the
entity of. the A.t.man which is being treated of.' 'Ejati'
~<mrr ~tl:f ~ B~Bntzr

\VITI! BHJ SANKARA'S COI\IMENTARY.

1]

means' moves.' 'Naijati' 1neans 'does not moYe of itself.'

The meaning is that though motionless in itself, it seems
to move. Besides, it is distant, i.e., it seems to be far
removed, becn.usc it is not nttuinable l1y the ignorant,
even in the course of hundreds of millions of ages.
'J7c6dvc6ntik6 is split into tacl, u, and antilt:G. It is very
near to the knowing ; for it is their At man. It is not
merely distanti and near; it is within everything according to .the Sruti " 'l'he Atman which is wit11in everything." All means 'all the worlcl of names ancl form.s
and aetivity.' Ibis without all this, being all-pervading
like the Alms; and within everything, being extremely
t~ubtle. Ib is indivisible according to the Sruti " It is
clense with knowledge."

~Q; \rcfTftTr ~2:fm:t;:~crT~ q~21rft' I

a:

\1~~~. =crrmFi nffi ;:r M'U.'U,'tl ll ~ tl

vVho sees everything in his .Atman and his Atmau
in everything, by that he feels uo revulsion.
Oommumta?y.- vVho, i.e., the Sa.nyasin, who wishes for emancipation. All Bhutas, i.e., from the Avyakta
down to the immoveable creation. 'Seeing them all
in his m:vn Atman ' means ' seeing that they arE) not
distinct from his owu self.' 'Seeing his Atman in
them all' means. 'seeh1g his Atman as the Atmn,n of

12

ISAVAflYOPANISIIt1D.

all.' .Just n.s he fin(ls his Atmn.n the \vituess of all his
perceptions, the thinking principle, pure and uncondit~ioned, the soul of his body, which is a bundle of et:..
fect~s and causes, he finds his Atman in the same unponditioned state, the life prineiple of all the nniver::m,
from the Avyo.kta down to the immoveable. 1-fe who
t.hus views does not turn with revulsion by rea~-:~on of
such view. This statement is only n. Jedara.tiun of a
t.rnth already known. All revulsion arises only when mw
sees anything bad distinct ftom one's Atnu:m. rpo mw
who sees his ptue Atman alone cont~innous, there is
no other object which conl<l excite the feeling of revulsion. ~rherefore he does not turn \Yith revulsion.
r...

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;q I~--tt ct ITOT *"I d IR:! Ic+i Cfflfr:zTi'7::::r\l1T::ll'ir=rd: I

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ffi?r cnr
~: en: ~11cn l{Cficct+tt!4~'4ti: ll \9 II
vVhen to the knower all Bhutas become one with his
own Atmo.n, what perplexity 1 what grief, is thel'e when
he sees this oneness.
OO?nnten,twr:J.-'niis other text also cxptesses the
same purport. The word 'Yasmin ' means either 'when'
or 'in which Atman.' \Vhen all the Bhutas have become one with the Atman, owing to the knowledge of
the .A.t.man, then or in the case of the .A.tman, how mm
there be perplexity or grief? Perplexity nn<l grief, tlH~
seed of all desire and Karma, affect the ignorant, hut

WITH RRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

18

not him who sees the one~1ess, pure and like the sky.
1'he negation of perplexity and grief-the effect of
ignorance-being shown by the form of a question,
the total uprooting of all Samsara with its seed has
been indicated.

~ q~n-e~~911<:t+J401+J~~ ~~ t
W;frrsft
fiR+T:!;\, ~+T~S~~lf:
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He pervaded all, resplendent,, bodiless, scatheless,.

having no muscles, pure, untouched l1y sin; far-seeingr
omniscient, transcendent, self-sprung, (he) cluly allotted to the various eternal creators their respective
functions.

Oom1nentcwy.-'l'his text describes the real nature of

the .A.tman, spoken of in the previous texts. Sah
means ' the Atman previously spoken of.' ' Paryagat'
means 'went round.' The meaning is 'he is all-pervading like the Alms.' f:hdcrrcwn means pure, hence
l1right, resplendent. Aka,y(mn means 'bodiless/ i. e.r
having no linga, scwi?'ctJ or subt,le body. A'vranam
means 'scatheless.' 'Asnaviram' means 'having no
muscles.' '1.1he adjuncts Av1ana. m and Asn(J,Vinwn show
that the .A.tman has no sthula. scri?'Cb or gross body.
By the worcl 8uddha,, pure or free from the taint of jg-

ISAVASYOI'.t.\SI~liAD.

no ranee, it is shown that it has no kctra ncL sarirri or

cn.usal body. 'Apn.paviddham' means ' untouched by
Karma, good or bad.' ' S 11kram ' and the following
epithets are to be read as masculine, because of the
beginning and. the encl being in t1w m:1sculine, as
ScdL, J(cLvih, etc. J(a,vih means far-seeing, i.e., all-seeing; for, says the Sruti "'l'hcro is no ~:~e.~.:u oiiher than
the .Atmn.n, etc., ' l\!Ianishi ' means ' prompt.ing the
mind,' hence 'omniscient, omnipotent.' Paribhuh means
'being_above all.' 8oC6!fCtn~bhuh moans 'himsdfbeing
all above ancl all tJolow becomes all.' He, the evc1
free, and omnipotent, being omniscient, allotted their
respective functions, i.e., objects to be created to. the
various and eternal Prajn.patis, known popularly as
'years' as aids to the enjoyment of the fruits of Karma.
~r<r~c=r~:

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They who wor.:;hip Avidya alone fall into blind darkness ; and they who worship Vidya alone fall into evou
greater darkness.
Oommentary.-The first purport of the Vedas, the
acquisition of knowledge of the Brahman by ronunuiatiou of all desires has been explained in tho iirst. mautru
Isavasyam, etc. 'I'he second alternative, i.o., the spending of life iu continually performing Karma has been

W1TH SRI SANKA.RA'S COMMENTARY.

15

explained, for the benefit of the ignorant who are not

capable of Gnananishtha, in the second 1nantra beginI?-ing with 'Kurvanneveha Karmani.' This bifurcation,
'i.e., Knowledge and Karma here pointed out by
these texts has also been clearly indicatec1 in tl1e :Brihadaranya U pa.nishacl, by the text " he wished, let me
have a wife, etc." .And :f:i01n the texts ' Karma for the
ignorant and men having desires' and'The mind is his
A.tman and speech, his \vife, etc.,' it is clear that ignorance and desires are the characteristics of one engaged in the }Jerform::mce of Karma. Thus, the result
of Karma is the creation of the seven kinds of food and
of an identification of self with them considered as the
.Atman. It has also been shown that concentration
in the self, i.e., the Atman (as opposed to the performance of Karma) by the renunciation of the three-fold
desire of wife, etc., is the only necessary condition for
those who know the Atman. Indirectly by condemning the ignorant, the true nature of the .P.~...tman has
been disclosed to those Sanyasins bent on the acquisi...
'tion of knowledge by the text beginning with 'Asurya...
nama' and ending with ' Saparyagat )' etc., so as to
show that they alone and not those who have desire:s
are qualified to acquire knowledge. To the same effect
says the Svetasvatara Upanishad " In the midst of a.
crowd of seers he taught the greatest and the holiest

16

ISAVAS'YOPANISHAD.

truth to those who belong~cl to the kighesl ordei' of life."

':rhis t,ext "Andhamtamah," etc., is acldressecl to those
who desire to live here continually performing Karma..
How is it inferred that this text is addressed to such
only and not to all alike? Because, he who has no desires has got over the false distinction between means
and ends, according to the mantra "Yasmin Sarvani
Bhutani, etc. "; for it is easy to perceive that nonn who
is not a fool will like to associate i!hc knowledge of
unity of tilw .A.tman with Kmma or with any other
piece of knowledge. But here, in view to combining
two elements, the ignorant are ridiculed. ':Chat which
can possibly combine with another, either from logic or
from the Sastras, is here pointed out. It is ti1e know
ledge of the deities that is here represented as fit to
combine with Karma, not the knowledge of the Paralnatman ; for a distinct result is predicated of the
kno\Yleclge of the deities by the text 'By such knowledge, the Devaloka is attained.' Either of such knowledge and Karma separately pursued is here denounced,
not reall1f to condemn but 'in view to the desirability of
thei'i cmnbination; for distinct fruits are said to result
from either iuclividually, by the texts "By such know..
ledge, they clilnb up to it," "By such knowledge is
Devaloka attained," " 1'here they do not go who go
south " and "By Karma is the abode of the manes

17

WITH SHI SANKARA'S Co:.\Il\IENT.A.HY.

attained." It is also well-known that nothing ordained

by t,he Sastras can ever 1Jeeome unwort.hy of performance.
H.erP. rrht".Y entc:r into Llind darkness. vVlw ?
They who fo1low A.vidya. .A.vicly~t is Homething other
than V.idya or knowleclgl', hmwe Karma; for Karma is
oppmwcl to knowledgt~. ~Pho drift js that those who
are continually performing .Agunwtl'a ete. alone, fi.tll
into dat'kuess. Anrl t]wy Gdl even into greater darkness. vVho? T1lwse who having given up Karma ftre
ahvays bent npon acquiring the kumvledge of tilw deities. Heason is given few combining KnmvleClge and
Karma eadt of which separnt,ely heal's different fruits.
If oue of the t1vo alone bore fiuit and the other not,
then !Jy a "\\'ell-recognised law thnt which bore no fruit
by itself would become a mere appencl~tge t.o the other.

~lf~rn-ms~~~
'.::l

~m ~~~ ~RroTI

'-0

tr creTftcRrr~):

II ~

ll

One result is predicated of Viclya ancl another of

A.viclya. We have so heard from wise 1nen who taught
us both Viclya and A vidya.
Oommenia.iry.-' Anyat' means 'something distinct.'
~rhey say that by Vidya, some distinct result is
produced according to the Srutis, ",By knowledge is
Devaloka attained" and " By kno...,vledge they climb up
3

18

ISAVASYOP ANISIIAD.

to it." 'J.111ey say that other results are produced by

Avidya (Karma) according to the text ''By Karma is
the abode of the n1anes attained." vVe lu~ve heard this
statecl to u8 by wise men, i.e., Hwso preceptors who
taught us both Knowlcclge mHl ](arma. r.I.'he purport, is
that this is tiheir view as hn.ndod down from prt~et.~ptor
to disciple.

He who simulkmeously knows both Vidya ancl Avidya gets over decdh by A. vicly11 ancl attains inwnoria,Uty
by Vicly11.
Cmwmentwry.-This being so, the follmving results.
Vidya is the knowledge of tho deities; Avidya is
Karm11. vVho knows that both these shoulcl simultaneously be followed by the same person, he alone, so
combining the two, grrulJually secures the one desirable
end. 'By .A.viclya' means 'by Karma such as Agnihotra,
eiic.' 'Death' means 'action and knowledge.~ inclucecl
by Prakriti (n.at~re).' 'Tirtva' means 'l;aving got
over.' 'By Viclya' means 'by the knowlec1go of the
deities.' 'Asnute' means 'attains.' To becon1e one with
the deities is what is called immort~lity (A.mritam.)

\VI'rii SIU SANKAHA'S COMMENTA.I{Y.

. ~: rrrcNfTrq
" " "trsx:n:rmBqmq
"'"
""

\WCT

~ ~~
f1
~

'.::1

1H

Zt d1TI ~ ~ ~~ w.__mr: II Z ~II

~;\,

They fall into blincl darkness who worship the unborn Prakrit,i. ~J.llwy full into gr<''ater <1arkuess who are
bent upon tlw Karya Brahnum liirauyaga.rbha.
Oo'n?.il'l?.i13nl(6rJJ.-N ow, in view iio N1e emnhining of the
\vorship of the Avynkrit;a (Prakriti) ancl nu:mife~tied
Brnlnnau, each in itself is denounced. "ABamblmtih" is
what is noij Bmnbhutih or that \vhiuh is born of another;
hence unborn Prakr.i.ti. 'J.'his again is ig;noranee, cause
of all, lnlO'\Vn as 1:\.vyalnita. rl'hose who worship t.hi.s
l)rakriti, kno\Vll as A1.rya1nita, ignorance vYhi.ch is the
emi.se of all, the seec1 of all desire ::tnd Karnm, and mere
blindness in its nature fall into corresponding or answering darkness which is blindness in its nature; and
t1hey who worship the Karya Braln:nan namec1 1-Iiranyagarbha fall into even greater c1arkness.

""

'31r~~: \=nrcrr~~~ 1

~fu ~Jni cfRrort ~ c:rffi1ffi~ II ~ ~ ll

'I'hey sny one thing resuhs from the worship of
l{ira.nyngu.rbha anc1 nnother from U1e worship of Prakriti. vVe have thus heard it stated hy '\Vise preceptors
who taught us that.
Oom.m~eniary.-Now the distinction in the fruits of

2()

LSA \'ASYOI'XXISll.\.lJ.

the two individual worships is pointed out in vww

to their combination. They ha~re said that fl'om the
worship of Sambhuti or Karya l3rahnum or Hiranyagarbha results the attainment of Anima aml ot~her
Rid<lhif:>. Sh11ilal'ly, they lutvt\ sai<l that~ n.ecording tn
.Pournnikn.:; iihe absorption into Prakri!",i rn~u1ts from t,lw
worship of iJw tmlwrn .PrtLkl'iti. \\""(~ htWtl ht::tJ'(l it
thus stated by wiRL~ preceptor~ who taught nH the frnit:~
of the '\Ymship nf Pmkriti mul Hitauyagarhhn. indiYiclually.
. ,...,~
"'
' ......
~P~ffi

. :cr lfFtOCG\1~ ~~

:q ~

~mrr ~~ fficq[ \i"+tB=IT*d~~1ct II

\

Z ??

II

Those vd10 \Vorship the unmauifested .Prakriti ttnd

Hirn.nyagarbha (DeslTtrction) tng-Pther, get over death
through the wmHhip of Hirrmyagarhlm :mel attain
immortnlii;y through the '\vmship of Pmkrit,i.
Oo?n.?JUJn:tccry.-As t.his i:.; so, 1;hi:-; mant.rn deelnreR t,lw
desiralJility of combining thn wmship of Prakriti and

H.iranyagarbha as they combine to s1~cnre tho one aim

of the jnclivjdual. ' Vinnsa' means i;ludi active ol.~jcet
whose charac:teristic attribute is DestrL1ction, N1e n}>st,raet
being here used for the concrete. ' By 1:in.nsa, '
means 'by the worship of Hiranyagarbha.' ' Gets
over death' means 'gets over the defect,s of vjce~
desires and a,-,w3sL'aJycl./fl'b (limited powers) and at-

WITH ::ilU SAKKAIU'::; CU.:\1:.\lE:\'l'AitY.

:21

tains ani.ma and other shldh'is whieh are the result of

the worship of Hirauyagurbha. l:Iaving thus ovetcome
a.naisl'Cl?'J!rt?n, death, etc., he, hy the worship of Prakriti,
ati;u.ins immortality, i. e., a1Jsolption into :Prakriti. It
shnnlcl ho tlOtf'cl that tilw ,,orcl J')'nmlilnc.ti is an aphcresis
for .Atm:m!dt?t.li ngJt~nahly t,o tlw I'< ~Hnltt-1 ]nor1ient.Gcl, i. e.,
absorption into :Prn.kriti.

mtni~ trr5ror ~~~rfrt~ ~@~ I

The c\ni-.ra11ee of the Trne is con1'ed us if by a

golden veRsel. HemoV<\ 0 Snn, t1w cove1'ing thut I who
have been \Vorshipping "The ~erne~, muy 7Jeholcl it.
CommuYrl.tcwy.-rrru:;, highest resuJt t-hat could be
achieved, aecorcling to t1w Su~traR, hy 'iveulth of men
nncl iilw tleH.iPs is absorption into Prakrit.i. Up to this
is rot[l,tion in Smnsarn. J3eyond this is the result of
f;he pm;;mit o:f knmv]eflge precrrlecl by n. renuneintion.
of [1,11 deRi re, L C!., tho seeing of .t;Jw Atman in everything as inllicah~d in vnrse 7. ~rhus the two-f'uld purport of tho voclu.s, one stimu1nting to activity und
the ot.her dmwing to renunciation has been explained.
~ehe Brmnlumas np to FrnrWJ';J!Jif, Brnhmana ..vero utilizccl for t1H3 elucidation of t.he former purport of the
V eclas whieh is inr1icatecl by mandatory and prohi1Jitory
injunct.ions. ~I'hc Brihadaranyaka hereafter is to deal

l::JAVASYOPANI.SHAIJ.

with the elucidation of the latter purport of the Vedasrenunciation. N mY, by '\Yhat roac1 he, 1vho has heen
performing ]\:anna as e11joined fl'om conception to the
grave ancl along with it the worship of tho lmnr
]iralmum in accordance with verHe 1], attains irnmcn'iin.lit.y, will he e:~xp1ainec1. Ho who has 1)eou worshippi11g
t.he mm1ifestml 13rahnum 1efi. \rrocl to in t.lw r>n.sRngo
"'l'lmt is the ~rrne, tho Aclitya, the Pmuslm in this or'IJ;
anc1 tho 1\Hnsha in the left. cyt-; bot.h t.ll<.'St\ an\ iii'lle"
anr1 also has be on pc~rf( >rming Knrmn. as t~nj oinec1, entreats,
when t,he hour of deLtth is arri n~c1, t,lw 1vny loading to
the Atman-t1w T\ne, by the tiext l>eginniug with
' I-Iirmunayena, etc.' 'Hirnnm[Lya' means somnjng golclen,
hence resplendent. ' Pat1ena' means as if by a li<l
forming a cover. 'Su.tyasya' means 'of the Bralm1n..i1
sittiing iu tlw orlJ of the Sun.' '.A.pihitam' means
'covered.' 'JUnkhnm' meam;; 'opeuing.' '.A pa.vrinu'
means' open.' 'Sn.tyaclharmaya,' 'to me \Vho have tJeen
\Yorshipping Scd!fa or t,he Teno or who have lwm1.
practising scttya, i. e., \rirtue u.s enjoined.' ' Drishtn.ye '
means 'for realizing the Satya or -blw ~l.'l'ue whieh
thou art.'
'"'

"I"

'i;f;:;rc!lGf :rr+r

('

"

B'~;q QI\lil q~-1 o~ \~+TPtr~

~~ ~ ~ cn~tfTURll=f (f~ ~m ~strrclm ~:

ms~+rR+r II ~ ~

11

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COl\IMENTARY.

23

0 Sun, sole traveller of the Heayens, controller of

a1l, Surya, son of Prajapati, remove thy rays and
gather up thy burning light. ~ behold thy glorious
form ; I am he, the Pnrnsha within thee.
Cmnnumta,ry.-' Pushan,' vocative case meaning '0
Snu.' Tlw Sun is called Pnshrtlro bec[tnRe he feeds Uw
world. 'll~km~::d1.i' menn::; 'ono 1vlw t,J'avds alone.'
~rhe Snn is eallecl Ymna, because he controls all. He
is cmllecl Snrya because he imbibes Prana, rays and
liquitls. 'Prajapatya' men.ns 'son of Prajapati.' 'Vyuha'
means 'remove t,o a distance tl1y rays.' 'Samuhn.,
means 'gather up, i.e., contract.' 'Tejah' means,
'burning light.' I 1vish to beholcl by thy grace thy
most glorious form. :ll:foreover I do not entreat thee
like a servant. I am he the Purusha within the solar
orb, composed of Vyahritis as limbs or parts. 'Purusha'
because he has the figure of a man or because he
pervade:1 the whole in the form of Prana and intelligence or because he occupies the city (of the Soul) i.e.,
body.

(Let my) Prana melt into the all-pervading Air,

the eternal Sutratman ; and let this body be burnt by
fire to ashes ; Om. 0 mind, ren1ember, remember my
deeds ; 0 mind, remember, remember my deeds.

2t

I :SA VASY 0 P A.N li::.\HAD.

OOJmnrmtn'i'!J.-Nmv, as I am dying, let my Frana

len.ve its confinement within this body and join the

all-pervn<ling godly form of Air, i.e., tho Sutratmn.u. ~rho worcl tcneh ' shou lcl be snpplicc1 to complete tho scmtcmeo. ~Clw iclca 'lJc:'t; my 1~1:Jt!f!J. F:ia.ritn or
subtle bocly pmifim1 hy knowlc~dgo :wd 1\utnm ar;t'!'ttcl'
mutiti be Ru.ppliml in vil'tlle of !lw i~tet of tlw HfHHtker
eutreat.i.ng n par;Hag-P. Ld. this hucly gi Vt\tl as an oblation to tho :filo lJe 1'!\duc~c>d to nshPs. Om, ac:eording
t,o the ii:wm;:; of WOl'Hhip 1Jniug u rrraUkn (snllst,itntc~) of
Hw naiiurtl of the ~rl'ue and called Agui is mentinnoclas
the same as Drmnhau. ' Krato,' voeative case, meaning ' 0 mind whose elw,racteri::;t.ie it::J volition, ' ' Hemember ' L c., the time has como for me to remcm ber
wh::tb I should. Remember all that I have till now
though-t of '0 Agni, remember what I have dono' i.e.,
remem her all Karma whieh I have done from childhoocl.
The repetition of the same words 'I(rito Smara' &c.
.
'
expresses solicitu 1e.

0 Agni, lead us by the good path ijo the enjoyment of

the fruits of our deed~;;, knowing 0 God, all onr deeds.
Remove the sin of deceit, from within us. vV e offer thee
many prostrations hy 'vorc1 of mont.l1.

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

25

Oormnenla~y.-He requests passage again by another

mantra. Ncuyct; means ' lead. ' ' Supatha' means 'by
gooc1 path.' 'l'he attribute in Supatha is used for the
purpose of avoiding the southern route. The suppliant
soems to say " I have been affiictec1 by going to and
fro by the southern route by which one goes only to
return. I therefore entreat you to take nw by the good
road through which there is no going and returning."
'Raye' means "to wealth; i. e.., to the enjoyment of
tl1o fruits of our Karma." ' Asman ' means ' us,' possessed
of the fruits of the virtue nforesaid. 'Visvani' n1e11ns
'all.' 0 God, 'Vayunani' 1neans' deeds or knowledge,
'Vidvan ' menus ' Knowing. ' Besides do this : 'Yuyodhi ' men,ns ' destroy.' ' Asmat ' means ' from us. '
' J uhuranam' means ' consisting in deceit. ' 'Enah '
1neans 'sin.' The meaning is :-Thus purified they'
could attain what they wish for. "But we are now
unable to do you active service. We have to content
ourselves by offering you many prostrations."
Now a doubt is raised by some about the construction of the latter halves of mantras 11 and 14. We
shall therefore enter into a brief discussion to solve the
doubt. What the question is clue to shn.ll first be
stated. It is, why not understand the term Vidya in
those passages in its primary sense of 'the knowledge
of the Paramatman,' ancl so Amritatvam? They argue

2G

If\.\ VARYOPANTBHAD.

thus: gra.nted that the kno\Yledge of the Parmnatm:::m

and the performance of Karma are mutually antagonistic anc1 cannot therefore co-exist, this antagonism
is not perceivnble ; for agreement awl antagonism rest
alike on the ::mthority of the Sastras. ~Just, as the perfol'mrmce of Kmma and t.he acquisition of Knmvlodge
::ne matters exclusively based on the Sastras, so also
must lle t.he question of their agreement or 011position.
~elms \Ve find that the prohibitory injunction 'Do noii
kill any living thing' is overric1den 1)y another Sast,rnic
injunction 'Kill a sheep in a sacrifice.' rl'he same may
apply to Karma ancl Knowle<lge. If from the text
''They are opposed anc1 travel different roads, Knowlec1ge nncl Karma," it is urgecl that they cannot coexist, we say that from the text " He who follmvs both
Knowledge and Karma etc," there is no antagonism
between them. VV e ans,ver that cannot be ; for they
are opposed to each ot.her in regard to their causes,
nature and results. Bnt if it be urged that from the
impossibility of Knowleclge ancl Karma being opposed
anc1 not opposed to each othe-r and from the injunction
to combine them there is no antagonism between them,
that is unsound; for their co-existence is impossible. If
it lJe argued that they may graclun.lly grow to co-exist;,
it is untenable ; for when Knowledge arises, Karma
cannot exist in the inclivic1ual to whom Knowledge

WITH SRI tL\NJC\.H.A's COl\ll\IKNTAHY.

:37

adheres. It is well known that when one knows that

iire is hot ancl bright he cannot at the same tin1e think
that fire is neither hot nor bright Ol' even entertain a
clm:tbt as to whether fire is bright or hot; for according
to the text " vVhen to the knower all living things
l>eeome one with hiH own Atman, whel'e is gl'id' or
pe1plcxity to one who sees this unity," gtiof or perplexit,y is ou1i of the question. vV e luwe alreacly saicl that
where ignorance ceases its result, Karma, also ceases.
l'he 'iJm'mot'laUty in 'attains immortality' (in the passage
mHler contmnp.lation) means relative imnwrtality ancl
not absolute immortality. If the word Viclyn, in those
texts meant the kuowlec1ge of the Paramn,tmau, then
the entreaty to the Sun for n,llo\ving a passage woulcl.
become inappropriate. vVe therefore conclude with
observing that our interpretation, 'i.e., ijhat Uw combination c1e:::irec1 is of Karma with the worship of the
deities and not with the l(nmvlec1ge of the Pnrmnatnum
is the purport of the mantras as commented upon hy
us.
:.Here em1s the Commentary of Sanlmrn. Blmga.vntpu<la.
on the Vajasn.ntya Samhitoptmi~luMl or lsttYai:!yopuu~

ishacl.
Om ! 1\:at.:o ! Peace !! Peat.:e !!!

lcnopnnie l)nb
Sri $ankara's Introduction~
ADOltA'l'ION '1'0

~EHE

BH.AHlvfAN.

OM TAT SAT.
'l~his

ninth chapter is begun for the purpose of pub_,

lishi:ng the U panishacl beginning with Keneshitmn, etc/
anc1, treating of the Brahman. Before the beginning of
the ninth chapter, all Karma has been explained ancl
the different forms of worshipping Prana, the source of
all activity, have been laid dmYn ancl all about the
St1?nans (songs) preliminnry to the rituals have been
given. Next the GaycLl?cL StZmct,n has been explainecl
and the genealogical list of preceptors and discirJles has
been given. .All this Karma ancl Knowledge (of the
deities) properly observed, as enjoined, tencl to purify
the mind of one who being free fiom desires, longs for
emancipation. ln the case of one who cherishes desires ancl has no knowleClge, Karma by itself as laid
down by the Srutis ancl the Smritis secures for him the
southern route and return to Samsara. .Activity following natural impulses ancl repugnant to the Sastras

30

KE~OP AXISIJAD.

entails c1egrat1n.tion into low births from lJt:asts clown to

immovables. ':Che Srut,i says : "~Cr:.welling by neither
of these two paths, these small creaturef:l are constantly
returning, of whom it may be said: ' Be horn a.nd die. '
~rhis is the thircl course." ..:.'\.nother Srnti says " ~ehe
tJnee kinc1;:; of living beings (going by neith<~l' oftJwse
two paths) roaoh this miserable l::lt,ato." IJ.'ho der::;iro to
know the Brahman spring::-; only in t1w person \vhol:ie
miw1 is pure, who is Jho fhnn <lts1res and who, iieo
from deed::; done in this birth or in previous ones,
becomes clisgustecl wi?l~ the external, ephemernl medley
of ends ancl means. 'l'his Brahman is depicted in the
Upanishad beginning with .Kenesh,itrmn, etc., appeming
iu the form of questions and aus\vers. KtltnJm l::mys
" rrhe self-existent has mu.de the senses external in
their act1ivity and man therefore lool\:s outward, not at
the self within." Some wise man having turnecl his
eyes inward and being desirous of immortality sttW
the inner self. "Having exnmim~rl the worlds 1enched
by Karma let the Br:lhmin grow clisgustecl (and learn
to think that) nothing which is not maue can be reached
by Karmu.. In order to kuow that, let him, 8alnuidh
(sacrificial sticks) in hu.nd, approu.ch u preceptor who
is \Yell read in the V eclas and who is centred in Brahman". ~rims in the Atharva.n6pu.nishac1. In thit:i way,

a.nd not otherwit:ie,

[L

man free fiorn cler:;ire::; become::;

\'iTl'II 8RI SANKAHA'S COl\1:\IENTARY.

;]}

qualified to hear, contemplate and acquire knmvledge

of the inner self. By the knmvledge of the inner self:
ignorance, which is the seed ofbondage, and the cause
of Karma performed for the realisation of desires, is
entirt.~ly removed. ~rhe Srutis say: " 1'here is no grief
or delusion to one who sees this unity." "He '\Vho
knows Uw Atman overcomes grief." "vVhen He, that is
Loth high anc1low, is seen, the knot of the heart is
cut, nll doubts are resolved and all :Karma is con...
sumec1."
If it be nrgec1 that even by knowledge coupled with
Karmn. tbis result is attn.inecl., we say no; for the Vf~ja
saneyalm shows tlutt that combination produces different results. Beginning with "Let me have a wife,"
the texts go on to say, "By a son should this world
be gained, not by any other means ; by Karma, the
abode of the manes [PitrisJ; and by knowledge, the
world of the deities"; thus sho,ving how the three
worlds clifierent from the .A.tman are reached. In
the same place we find the follmvjng renson urged
for one becoming a Sanyasin: "vVhat shall we, to
'vhom this world is not the .A.tman, do with offspring?'
~Che meaning is this: vVhat shall '\Ve do with offspring, Karma, aml Knmvledge combined with Karma,
whieh are the means to secure the world of the mortals
the world of the manes, nncl the world of the Gods; ancl

JCENOPANIAITAD.

which do not help us in securing the world of the

Atman? For, to us noneofthe three worlds, transitory and
attainable by these means, is desirable. To us that world
alone which is natural, unborn, unc1ecaying, immortal,
fearless and neither augmented nor diminished by
Karma, anc1 eternal, is covetable; and that being etmmtl
cannot be socnred by any oiiher men.ns tlum the removal
of ignorance. 'l'herefore t;he renunciation of all desires
preceded by the knowledge of the Brahman who is tho
inner Self should alone be practised 1Jy us. .A,n. .
other reason is that the know ledge of the inner Self is.
antagonistic to l{arma and cannot therefore co-exist
with it. It is well known that the knowledge of thE>
Self, the one Atman of all, which abhors all perception
of difference cannot possibly co-exist with Karma whosE>
basis is the pe~ception of the difference of agent, results,
etc. .As kno\vledge relating to the reality, the knowledge of the Brahman is independent of human efforts.
Therefore. the desire of a person, who is disgusted with
visible ancl invisible fruits achievable by external means,
to know the Brahman which is. connected with thE>
inner Self, is indicated by the Sruti beginning with
Keneshitarn, etc. The elucidation of the Brahman in
the form of_ a dialogue between the preceptor and the
clisciple is, considering the subtle nature of the theme,
for the easy understanding thereof.. It will also be

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

33

clearly pointed ou:t that this knovdec1ge is not to be

attained solely by logical discussion. !J.'he Srutis say
"'I'his stateofmincl cannot lJe obtained by logical discussion." "lie knows who has stnc1iecl unc1er a preceptor." "Such knowledge only as is acquired by studying under a 1neee11tor does good." rl'he 8n1riti lays
down also "Learn ~L'hat by prostration." It should be
inferred that some one duly approached a preceptor
centred in Brahman anc1 :finding no refnge except in
his inner Self ancl longing for that which is fearless,
eternal, calm and unshakable, questioned the preceptm
as expressed in 'l{eneshitcwn, etc.'
ALL-RAIL '1'0 THE BRAJIMAN.

Om Tat Sat.

May (Brahman) protect us both.

:May (Bra1umm)

enjoy us both. May we work together. })!fay the

self-luminous B~,ahman be studied by us. :Thfay we not
hate each other.

Om Peace l Peace !! Peace !!!

j ..f,

1\:ENOPAKI;.;H.AD.

,...,

;a:rr:;l.:n;q~ +mr~TR crrCFmuT~PfJ:

C'('..

=cf \1CflTOT

~,...,

('

~;:r ~~ ;:r~

"' "'

mH

"'

"'

('

T~T

. ""

"'

"'

,..., ,...,

+IT BT

,.....,

~~UcfiH.O l+!tc6l Ii'U Cfi~Uf ~S~~ ~RBTc:f

,.....,

T~

C'"'

'Cf+TRd

,.....,

"'

,.....,

~F1 ~~ q-.~rq

:an ~II PG:

"

cr~r~rr=~;qrfOT

!5fJW=f:qf

"'

~R-

,....., ""
fc=f\q
q i3'tf-

B--g ll

I ?ITTRr: I ?ITTRr: I

:May niy limbs, speech, Jm1.na,, eye, Pal', strrmgth and

all my senses grow vigorous. All ( en~rything) is tlw
Brn.lmmn of the U panislwc1s. lVIay I nevpr deny tho
Brahman. May the Brahman nevf'r spurn me:~. lVJny
there be no denial of t,he Bralnnan. 11:ay there be no
spurning by the Brahman. Let n,ll tl1e virtues recited
1Jy the Upanishads repose in me delighting in the Atman ; may they in me repose.
Om Peace! Peace!! Peace!!!

"""""'
"
cw=rrqq. 'RITd

"'........

. ~c:r: 1 ""CfM' !TroT:

!IT'T\f

"'"""
"' . ~Per
,...,
cwrfGI"ffi'. crRrlWir

~<'d:

~,......
mer
~:
"". en i3" """"
"'
m?f
~err ~ ll

w~:

\,::'1

By whom willed and directed does the miudlight on

its snl~jects? By whom commanded does ]11't2na,, tho first,
move? By whose will do men speak this speech r '\Vhat
Intelligence directs the eye and the ear?
Oommwntcwy.-'J(enr.fl,' 'by what agent,'' Ishitr:mn,' 'desired or di1:ected.' 'Patn.ti, ''goes' 'i.e., 'goes tO\vards its ob-

WI'l'H SIU HANK..UtA '::; Go:LIE\IEN'l'.AHY.

j ccts.' As the rooi; Lc;h cannot bP here taken in the sense

of 'repent' or ' go, ' it must be unclerstood to be used in
1

the sense of' wish.' '~1 he It suffix in Islt.:ilam is a case

of Vedic license. Tlw word Preshit(mn is dt~rivecl iimn
the BHnlO root, ivithp?"rr, before it~ when iii means '<lii'Pet. '
] f tho iYm<l Prashit11mz we1e alone usl'd wit.lwn!i t,Jw
wmcl .l:J/i.itr(i)Jb~ qneHiiions as to Uw naturl\ of t.lte <lil'f'C'tOI'
mul clit'edii.on might aritH\ Htwh ns; by whnt, BOl't-. of a.
diJpdor awl hy what; sort, uf dircet,iun. Hnt; the n::H~
of i,lw WOl'd .f.<.dt.ilfliJ'n sds tlWI:!L~ ii\\'CJ t{11l'Stions at l'8Sli,
fur tJwn tlw meaning elemly is: "By ~~hose mere wish
i:..; it d.il'edccl, e.te." n may l>e ohjectied, that ifthis meaning wt~re what; was intended to be couwyed, the U::ic of
the wcncl PriJsldtrwn is rendered Rupedlnou~, as tJw
meaning intenclerl is conveyed by Lqhittwn almw. It may
be also objected thati as the m:;e of more words shm..tlcl
eouvcy mme meaning, it is only reasmu1hle to interpret
t,he text as meaning' By what jr; it dirrctec1, 1Jy mere
\vill, by net; or l>y wor(l ?' J3oth tlw::;e objections at't,
nnsomu1. From tlm mere fh.ct of the que:::;t;ion having
hmm as keel, it; is npparcmti that the question is ns1Hx1 by
one who is clisguHt,ed with tlw Pphenural conglomera-

ti<m of ennscs anc1

em:.ct~,

sneh u:-:1 t,Jw body ete., and

who seeks to know l'\omdhing other thn,u that-somethillg nndw.ngonl>le awl dernnJ. "\Vere it otherwise,

tlH' qnest.ion ih:r-lf, 8l'L'iug how not:odoul::l in the world

36

KENOPANISHAD.

is the fact that the body directs by means of will~

act or wo~rc1, would be meaningless. If it be ol)ject..
ed that even on this view there is nothing gained in
the sense; by the use of the word Preshitmn, we say
no. The wor(1 Prreslbi'lcmr, adds to the sense when we
think that a questioner really entei'taius a donbt. ':J.1o
t:ihow that the question is lH'omptec1 by a doubt in t;ho
questioner's mind, as to ;,vhethel' as is notorionH, tho
body-the collection of causes and eftbcts-clirl~ets
the miucl etc., or v::hether the minc1 etc. is directed by
i;he mere will of anything other than these comlJina...
tions of causes and effects anc1 acting independently,
the use of both the words Isldtam and Freshitam is
justifiable. If, however, it be urged that the mind itself, ns every bocly knmvs, inclepenclently lights on its
own object, and that the question is itself irrelevant,
the argument is untenable. If the mincl vvere independent in the purst1it of its objects or in c1esisting fiom
pursuit, then it is not possible for any one to contetnplate evil; but man, conscious of evil results, wills evil,
ancl the mincl though clissuacled, attempts deeds of
serious evil consequences. 'l,herefore the question
]{eneshitcwn etc. is certainly appropriate.
By ;,vhom directed c1oes Pn1.ncfJ go, i.e., about its
own business? Pratlumu& is an appropriate acljective of
Pnlnc~, as the activity of all the oensory organs pre"'

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COI\Il\IENT.AH.Y.

37

snppm3es it. By whom prompted is the speech wl1ich

men in the worlclmake use of? Ancl what Intelligence
directs the eye anc1 the ear towards their respective
objects?

~ ~ +r.TI ~it ~ crrcr ~ i3" !:flUW.:r mu-r.-

2. It is t.he f\al' of thr. t'ar, 1nind of the mind, tongue

of the ton gno, mulalso lifo of the life nnclPye of the eye.
Being <1isa1Jul:led of the false notion, Um wiso, lmving left
i;his lJotly, bceomo immortal.
Oomrnmrtwry.-To the worthy (disciple) who hacl thus
questioned him} tho preceptor in reply says: "Hear what
you ask for-wlmt inte1ligcnt Being directs the minc1 and
the other senses towards their respective ob.jects, ancl
how it c.1irects them." Ear is that by which one hears
i. e., the sense whose function is to hear ~onncls ancl
distinguish them, He yon as keel for is the ear of that.
]\fay it not, be oll.it>etecl thnt while the l'eply ought to
rnn. in the form, ' So-anc1-so, with stwh-ancl-such attributes, c1ircets the ear ete.' the reply in the form
' He is the ear of tlw ear etc.' is inarpropriate ? This is
no objection; for he (tJw director) cannot otherwise be
particulnrizetl. If the di1ector of tl1e ear etc., can be

38

KENOPANISIIAD.

kno\vn by any activity of his mvn, inclepE'nc1ent of the

activity of the en,r etc., as a person who directs another
to give, then indeed wonlc1 this form of answer lJecome
inappropriate. But we clo not here unc1erstam1 a director of the ea1 etc. having :wy activity of hil::l ow11,
like a mower. 'I'he clirPctur is iu:1(:~nec1 l>y logi( aliwcessit,y from UlO[l,etiviilynmnifl'Hl"cd lJythn L'al' niH1 u1h~rH
eom1Jinut1, srwh as deliherntiou, Yolitioll, dd,tnnilJation, E'mtriup; for t,Jw lJt'lH:fit uf Honwthing <liHtiud;
from t,hcm all (the enr etc). As t.ltingl::l cmn him< l 11<'..
eessn.rily exist for the usc of some other thiug not Ho
coml1inec1, \Ye argue that there is a, director of iihe cm
etc., distinct fiom the ear etc., nnc1 for whose use tho
whole lot-the ear etc.:-exists in tho snme mnmwr ns
a lwuse exists for someboc1y's use. Hence the reply
'It is the ea,t of the ear etc.', is certainly appropriate.
Again jt js asked \vhat is the mcnuing of the c~xpres
sion: "It is the car of the ea,r etc." And it ii:.l saW
that one en.r does not want anot,her, jnst as mw light
neecls not nnother. ':Chis objection has no force. Tho
meaning here is this. rl'lle ear has bePn fonnc1 capabJo
of perceiving objects and this capability of the ear
depends npon the intelligence of the Ahna.n, l>right,
eternal, intact,, all-pervading. rrheref()l'e i;}w P:Xpl'PSsion 'It is the ear of the ear ete.' itl eorreet. ~L,o the sauw
efteet also, the Srutis sa~~,' He shine(-;; lJy hi~;; own lJright..

'WITII Sin SANKAH,\.'f~ l:Ol\Il\IEN'i'ARY.

!Ji)

ness." "By his light is all this Universe illumined."

' By that light illumined does the sun shine, etc." anc1
so on. ~rhe Bhagavad Gita says "As the light in th<i)
sun illumines the \Vhole world, so does the .Atman
(Kshetri) 0 Bhttrata! illumine all the body (Kshetrnm)."
rnw Kathn. alHO says, "He is the eternal among the 11011eh.nw~l mul the intelligt'lWe among the intelligent,." 1'he
' l:\al' ete.' have lwon by all confuunde.<l with the .A tman
mul this false notion is here diHpelled. 1'he reply of
tho pn~eopt.m. : there is somotltiug indescribable, cognisablo only by t.h~' inte lligenco of tho wise, occupying
t,lw clePpcsii interior of all, unchangeable, undecn,ying,
immortal, fearless, unborn and 'the em of the ea.r etc.'-the source of all their functional capacity, is appropriate
and the men,ning also. Similarly it is the mind of the
mind. It is eviclent that t.he mind, if not illumined by
the bright inte1ligence wit;hin, will be incapable of
performing its functions of volition, determination, et.c.
It is iihercfore saicl that it is the min(l of the minc1.
Bod1 the conclitiouecl intelligence and miml arc together contcml)btcc1 by tho \Yorcl 'mind' in the text.
'nu) '\Yorcl ya.t in ' Ycu.lvt1chuluti/_,,{.chcwn' means ' beca.uso ' ancl shonlcl be reacl along witJ1 tho worcls SrUtrc~
(Par), mwnc"h (mind) etc., thus : ' boco.uso it is the oar
of the car', 'l)ecause it is the 1uincl of the mind' etc ..
'rlw objective case (~:t.Zchartn) in ' VdchOhaviiehwn'h

Lj,Q

KEN Or.ANISIIA.D.

should be converted into t.he nominative case; for we

next read 'Prr.&nctsyap?c~nnh.' It may be said that conformably to the expression 'VcZchuha~clduf./m' the following 'Trdnasyap?ctncth' may as well be read as 'Prcl.nctsyaprr.~nam.' It cannot be, for conformitiy to th~ majority
is desirable. So 'vctclfcwn' should he reacl as 'VdJ/ in
conformity to '8a.h' ancl 'l,rr.1.nah' in '8r6 'lt 1n1.l.?ut..'I!Jn
Jm'nah,' because it then con:f01'111S wii;h two words and
conformity to the majority is prefenecl. Besides, tlw
substance askecl about ca.n be best denoted by a 1101.111
in the nomi11ative case. The substance askecl about
by you is the prl'inc6 of JlrcZnct, i.e., it is that substance
which enclo'ivs z:m:tnc6 with the capacity to discharge
its functions, i.e. to infuse activity; for there can possibly
be no activity where the Atman cloes not preside.
"Who could live and breathe if there 'vere not the self:.
luminous Bralun::m ; n ancl " lie leads Prwna up ancl
Apcmcb clown " say the Sruties. It "\Vill also be said in
this Upanishad, "You know That to be the Brahman
which infuses activity into Prana." It may be said
that in a context speaking of the ear and other senses
the mention of Breath would be more appropriate than
that of Prana. Truly so; but in the use of the word
J?'rnna, breath is meant to be included.
The Sruti thinks thus :-the gist of this por!iion is that
that is Brahman for whose use the aggregation of the

"WITH SRI SANKARA.'S COMMENTARY.

~tl

senses exerts its combined activity. Similarly it is the

eye of the eye, &c. The capacity of the eye to perceive
form is founcl only where the intelligence of the Atman
directs it. Therefore it is the eye of the eye. After
this expression in the text, the expression 'having understood the Brahman as above defined, i.e., as the ear
of the ear &c.,' m. ust be supplied by the reader, as the
questioner should be supposed to be anxious to know
what he askec1 about. Another reason "\vhy the expression should be supplied is the enunciation of the result
'they become immortal ;' for it is only by wisdom that
imnwrtality is attained and it is only by knowledge one
can attain en1ancipation. liaving gimn~J 'Uj) all the sensory orgcbns; (It is by confounding the ear and other
sensory organs with the Atman that man is born subject
to these conditions, dies and thus rotates) means' having
learnt that the Atman is the Brahman defined as the ear
of the ear &c.' Atimuchya means 'having given up the
false notion that the ear, &c. is the .A.tn1an' ; for, without the aid of the highest intelligence, it is impossible
for one to give up the notion that the ear, &c., is
the .A.tman. ' Prctya ' means ' luwing turned away. '
'AsmalltJkut ' means ' frmn this worlcl, where the talk
is always of 'my son, ' ' my 'vife, ' ' my kith and
kin.' ':J.1he drift is 'having renounced all desires.'
'Become immortal' means 'enjoy immunity from.

KENOP ANISHA.D.

death.' The Srutis {tlso say "Not by deeds, not hr

offspring, not by \Yealth, but by renunciation dlu some
attain immortality"; " The senses were made to perceive only external objects;" " IIaving turned his senses
inwards for desire of immortality;" " When all desires
me driven forth, here they attain the Brahman" &e.
Oi., seeing that the worc1 Ah~m?.t,chwr, necessarily implit:~s
'renunciation of all desires,' i;he expression 'A.'lnuUltl'h:rU
pretya' may be interpretocl as ' having left this mortal
body.'
......
'"'
,...., '"'
"
;:r ffi3f :q<t]} <'1-r..~l,....,<:1 ;:r q IH 1-r-'"JI" a c:rT
~ ., F.f~ ;:r T~T
t'l

"'

"'

~
,....,
""
'"' \31TCTTG::~P=T
"" " 1
(f'-'la~1'~'
~19.1r~~ dl[l~atG>:arT

"
SJC1

~.w:r
"-:)"-:)

~
"'~ "i td [ill =t:l =cJ I""'
tfCfEIT
?iR
0:."\

II

II

3. The eye does not go there, nor speech, nor mind.

We do not knmv l'hat. We do not know how to instruct one about It. It is distinct from the known aml
above the unknmvn. vVe have heard it so stated by
preceptors who taught us that.
Omn.-For the reason that the Brahman is the ear
of the ear, i.e., the .Atman of all, the eye cannot go to
the Brahman ; for it is not possible to go to one's O'\Vn
self. Similarly speech does not go there. When a word
spoken by themouth enlightens the object c1enotecl by
it, then the word is said to go to that object. But the

'WI'l'II SRI oANKAHA's COl\11\IENT..clRY.

.t8

Atman of that w01d and of the organ that utters it is' tlw
Brahman. So the word does not go there. Just as fire that
burns and enlightens things does not either enlighteu
or burn itself, so the mind, which wills and determines
in respect of external objects, cannot will or determine
in respect of its self~ because its .Atman is 11lso the Brahman: A thing is cognised by the senses mHl the mind.
We do not therefore know the Bmhm11u, be<.:au~o it
cannot be an object of perception to these; and we do
not therefore know what the Brahman is like, so a~:~ to
allow us to enlighten the disciple u.bout the Brahman.
Whatever ca.n be perceived by the senses, it is po::;sible
to explain to others by epithet.s denoting its class, its
attributes and modes of activity; but the Brahn1an ha~
no attributes of class, etc. It therefore follows that it
is not possible to make the disciple believe in the Brahman by instruction. The portion of the text beginning with ' l{avubnah' (we do not know) shows the
11ecessity of putting forth great exertion .in the matter
of giving instruction and understanding it, in respect
of the Brahman. Considering that the previous portion of the text leads to the conclusion that it is inlpossible by any means to instruct one about the Atman, the following exceptional mode is pointed out.
Indeed it is true that one cannot be persuaded to believe in the Brahman by the evidence of the senses and

KENOPANISHAD.

oth~r modes of proof; hut it is possible to make him

believe by the aid of Aocwnns (Scriptures). Therefore
the preceptor recites Agamcts for the purpose of teaching about the Brahman and says : 'It is something distinct fi.om the known anc1 something beyond the unknown, etc.' 'Anyc~t,' 'something c1istinct'; '11at,' 'the
present theme>; i.e., that which has been defined to be
the ear of the ea.r, etc., and beyond their (ear, eye, ete.,)
reach. rrhat is certainly distinct fl.om the known. 'rl'he
known,' mea.ns 'wha.tever is the object of special knowledge'; and as all such objects can be known somewhere,
to some extent and by some one and so forth, the whole
(manifested universe) is meant by the term 'the
known'; the drift is, that the Brahman is distinct from
this. But lest the Brahman shoulc1 be confounded with
the unknown, the text says: 'It is beyond the Unknown.'
'Aviditat' 1neans 'something opposed to the known ; '
hence, unmanifested illusion (avidya) the seed of all
manifestation.' Aclhi' literally means 'above' but is here
used in the de1~ivative sense of' something different from';
for, it is well known that one thing placed above
another is something distinct fion1 that other.
Whatever is known is little, mortal and full of misery
ancl therefore :fit to be abandoned. ':J.lherefore when it
is said that Brahman is c1istinct fiom the Known
it is clear that it is not to . be abandoned. Simi-

Wl'fll SRI S..A.NKARA'S COMMENTARY.

.L5

larly, when the Brahman is said to he distinct fron1

the Unknown it is ineffect saic1 that the Brahman is not

fit to be taken. It is to produce an effect that one seeks

for a cause. ~eherefore there can be nothing distinct
from the knO'wer, which t.he kn01ver conlcl seek for, '\Yith
any benefit. ':J.lhns, by saying tl1at the Braln11an is distinct from both the Known auc1 the Unknown ancl thus
disproving its iituess to be abandoned or to
taken, the
desire of i;he c1iscipletoknow anything distinctfron1 Self
(.Atman) is checked. Jror, it is clear that none other than
one's .Atman can be distinct fiom both the I{nown anc1
the U nknmvn ; the purport of the text is that tl1e .Atman
is Brahmau. ':J.lhe Srutis also say : "'l1his ..A.tman is
Brahman"; "this Atman who is untouched by sin".
''This is the known and the nnkmvn Brahman;" "11his
.A.tman is within all ;" etc. '11he prece1~tor next says how
this meaning of the text, that the Atman of all, markeel by no distinguishing attributes, bright anr1 intelli..
gent, is the Brahman, has been traditionally handed
down from preceptor to disciple. And Bralunan can be
knatvn only by instruction fron1 preceptors and not by
logical disquisitions, nor by expositions, intelligence,
great learning, penance or sacrifices etc. We have l1earc1
this saying rof. the preceptors who clearly taught us
the Brahman.

ue

J.L6

KENOP..lNit;li.A.D.

""

. ,.....,..... "" .

,.....

""

~ ~ cq- TCfT:fX ~ ;qld:C{~ qRia

ll ?S II

4. What speech does not enlighten, but what en..

lightens speech, know that alone to be the Brahman,
not this which (people) here worship.
Oom.-When by the text " n is something distinct
from both the known ancl the unknown," the preceptor
conveyed that the A.tman is Brahman, the disciple
doubted l1ow the A.tman could be Brahman. 'l'he Atman>
as is well known, being entitled to perform kwrma,
and worship (of the gods) and being subject to births
and re-births seeks to attain Brahma or other Devas, or
heaven, by means of Karma or worship. 'l1herefore,
somebody other than the Atman, such as Vishnu,
Iswara, Indra or Prana, entitled to be worshipped,
may well be Brahman; but the Atman can ne\rer be; for,
it is contrary to popular belief. J-ust as logicians contend that the Atman is distinct i.om Iswara, so the votaries of Karma worship Devas, other than the Atman,
saying : 'Propitiate this Deva by sacrifice' and ':Propitiate that Deva by sacrifice.' Therefore it iB only
reasonable that what is known ancl entitled to worship
is Brahman and that the worshiper is other than that.
The preceptor inferred this doubt running in the dis..
ciple's mind either fiom his looks or ii:om his worc1s

'WITH SRI SANKARA~S COMMENTARY.

tt7

::mel saicl : 'Do not doubt thus.' Yat means 'that

'vhicl1 is intelligence itself." l"(ik is the organ presided
over by Agni (J?ire) occupying eight localities in the
body, such as the root of the tongue, &c. Tho letters
are intended to express the n1eaning to he conveyed and
are suqjec.t to laws as to their number ancl order. The
worcl which is pror1ucecl by them is callecl Vak (speech).
The Srut,i says "1'he letter CIJ is all speech, which being
proclucecl by the use of letters, diviclec1 into spatsn, am,tnsiha, ancl1~shnuo becomes diverse ancl assumes many
forms." rrhe Rik, Y fl:jur, Sama ::mel truth and falsehood
are its modifications. By such speech enclosed in words
and conditioned by the organ of speech, Brahman is
not illumined or explained. 'Yena', 'by the Brahman.'
Brahman by its brightness illmnines speech and its organ. It has been said here that, That (Bral1man) is
the speech of speech. 1'he Vitjasaneyaka says 'Brahnlan is \vithin the speech and directs it.' Having said
'Speech in man is the same as that in the letters and
that some Brtthmin knows it,' the Upanishad, in answer to a. question anticipated, says "Tha.t is speech, by
which one spea.ks in dreams." r:l'he speaker's power of
speech is eternal, and is by nature of the same essence
as Intelligence. The power of speech of the speaker
knows no deca.y. So sa.ys the Sruti. Know this Atnla.n to be the Brahman, unsurpnssable, known as Bhu-

48

KENOPANISHAD .

nu1. B1cr.JwncLn, because it is big, all-pervading ; know

this through its conditions of speech, etc. The follo\ving expressions 'speech of speech,' 'eye of the eye,' 'ear
of the ear,' 'mind of the mind,' 'doer,' 'enjoyer,' 'kno'\ver,' 'controller,' 'governor,' 'Brahman is knowledge and
bliss,' etc., are used in popular language of the unspeakable Brahman, devoid of attributes, highest of all,
unchangeable. Disregarding these., know the Atman
itself to be the unconditioned Brahman. ~J.1his is the
meaning. Brahman is not what people here worship,
such as Iswa.ra., which is not the Atman, ancl which is
conditioned and referred to as 'this'. ':J.llwugh it had
been said: 'know 11hat to be Brahman' ; still it is again
said : "and not this, etc." thus repeating the idea that,
what is not .A.tman is not Brahman. rrhis is either to
lay down a Niycwna (a. rule restricting the choice to a
stated alternative when several others are possible) or
for Parisankhyana (exclusion.)
~~T

;:r

... ...

c- .....

~ ;q~l~+l~l ~I

~ ~ ccr fcrf%: ~ ~tm=rff II ~ II

5 What one can think with :the mind, but by
which they say the mind is thought out, know ':Chat
alone to be the Brahman, not this which (people) here
worship.

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

-'Hl

Oom.-']fanc~h,' 'mind.' By the 'vorcl 'Manah' here,

both mind and intelligence are meant. '][c6nah' means
'that by which one thinks.' ':f.lhe mind is equally connected with all the sensory organs, because its sphere
includes all external objects. l,he Sruti says: 'Desire,
volition, deliberation, faith, negligence, boldness, timidity, shame, intelligence, fear, all iihese are 1nin<l.' 'llhe
modes of activity of the mind are desire, etc. By that
mind, none wills or determines that intelligence
which enlightens the minc1, because as enlightener of
the mind, that is the mind's controller, the Atman
being in the interior of everything, the mi:nd cannot
go there. 'l,he capacity of the mind to think exists,
because it is enlightened by the intelligence shining
within, and it is by that, that the mind is capable of
activity. Those who know the Brahman say that the
n1incl is pervaded by the Brahman. 'l'herefore know
that to be the Brahman which is the Atman, the
interior intelligence of the mind. 'l{edam, etc.,' has
already been explained in the commentary on the last
verse.

<1:ij~ c; ~ ~ =cr~~fiSr r i I

'"'

~~

...... ffl:i!\f!Yitld'"' II \ II

~ ~&i ccr T9t'tt- ~ '4

50

J\ENOPANISHAD.

What,. none sees hy the eye, but by which seeing is seen, That alone know thou to be the Brahman;
not this which (people) here ''~orship.
Omn.-' See' means 'perceive as an object.' By the
light of the Atman, connected with the activities of the
mind, man perceives the activii1y of the eye, varying
with the activity of the mind.
6.

7. What none hears with the ear, but by which

hearing is heard, That alone know thou to be the
Brahman; not this vvhich (people) here worship.
Omn.-'What none hears with the ear' means 'what
the world cloes not perceive as an object with the
organ of hearing, presided over by Digdevata, produced
in Alms and connected with the activity of the mind.'
'By which this hearing is heard,' it is well known that
it is perceived as an object by the intelligence of the
Atman. The rest has beep. already explained.

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COMl\IENTARY.

51

8. vVhat none breathes with the breath, but by

which breath is in-breathed, That alone know thou to
be the Brahman; not this which (people) here worship.
Oom.-' What none breathes with the l)reath' means
'whatnoneperceives,likeoc1our, '\Yith the earthly breath
filling the nostrils and connectecl with the activity of
the mind and life.' ' But by which, etc.' means ' by
the enlightening intelligence of t;he Atman, breath is
made to move towarcls its objects.' All tho rest' tadevt.L,
etc,' has already been explained.
Here ends the :first part.

--o--

1\cnop anisi) a~.

--0-SECOND PART.

--o-"
:rrre:

w~~ Wf~T(f <t~CIII'-1 1._~

....

"'"'"

....

Q,.

ccf ~q Sif&rulr ~q :rra:~:rr ccf ;q~ ~;r,q rr mm ~Bl-..::;

'?rcr ~ +trlr F!~ II ~ 11

1. If thou thinkest 'I know 'veil' it is certainly but
little-the form of the Brahman thou hast known, as
also the form in the Devas. 'I'herefore I think that
what thou thinkest known is still to be ascertained.
Oorm,.-1'he preceptor, fearing that the disciple, persuaded to believe that he is the Atman i.e., the Brahman
not fit to be n,banc1oned or acquired, might think 'I certainly am t.he Brahman, I know myself well,' says for the
purpose of clispe11ing that notion of the disciple 'Yadi
etc'. 'l'hen, is not an accurate conviction 'I know (Brahman) well' desirable?. Certainly it is desirable. But an
accurate conviction is not of the form 'I know (Brahman) 'veil'. If what shoulcl be known becomes an ob ..

1\:ENOPANI SHAD.

ject of sense-perception then it is possible to know it

well, just as an inflammable substance can be consumed
by the consuming fire. But the essence of fire cannot
itself be so consumed. The well-ascertained drift of all
Vedanta is that the self (Atman) of every knower is the
Brahman. The same has 1;>een here explained in the
form of question ancl answer by the text 'It is the ear
of the ear etc'. The same has been stillmore clearly c1e. . .
terminec1 by the text: "vVhat is not enlightened by
speech, etc". rrhe traditional theory of those who know
the Brahman has also been declared by the text : "It
is something different from both the known and the
unknown". This Upanishad will also conclude by saying "It is unknown to those who know, ancl known to
those who c1o not know". It is therefore certainly proper that the notion of the disciple, 'I know, Brahman
well' should be dispelled. It is evident that the knower cannot be known by the knovver, just as fire cannot be
consumed by fire. There is no knower other than the
Brahman, to whom the Brahman can be a knowable,
distinct from himself. By the Sruti : "There is no
knower other than that," the existence of another knower is c1eniecl. The belief therefore 'I know Blahman
well' is an illusion. Therefore well c1ic1 the preceptor
say ' Yculi, etc'. ' YctcU ' means ' if perchance'. 'Ehweda/
111eans 'I know Brahman well'. Because some one whose

\\Tl'H SRI SANKARA'S COM:MEN'l'ARY.

55

sins have been purged and "\vho is really intelligent

may properly understand what is taught and others
not, the preceptor begins with a doubt' Yculi' etc'. Such
cases have also been found to occur. vVhen he was informed 'This p'nr~tshcb who is seen in the eye, this is
the Atman; this is the immortal, fearless self,' Virochana, the son of Prajapati and the lord of the Asuras,
though intelligent, misinterpreted this instruction on
account of his natural defects ancl understood that the
body was the Atman. Similarly, Indra, lorcl ofthe Devas, not being able to comprehend the Bralunan, at the
first, second and third instructions, did, at the fourth~
his natural faults having been re1noved, comprehend
the very Brahman that he was first taught. It has been
found in the world also, that, of disciples receiving instruction fro1n the same preceptor, some understand him
properly, smne misinterpret his teaching, some interpret it into the exact contrary of the teacher's view and
some do not understand it at all. What more neea we
say of the knowledge of the Atman which is beyond
the reach of the senses. On t~1is point, all logicians,
with their theories of Bat and A sed, are in conflict. The
doubt therefore expressed in 'Yadi ?ncbnya:Je' etc., with
which the preceptor begins his discourse is certainly
appropriate, considering that the disciples, in spite of
the instruction that the Brahman is unknGwalJle, might

56

KENOPANISIIAD.

have misunderstood him. 'Da]ut?a/ means 'little';' Vettha'

n1eans ' know est' ; i.e., thou know est surely little of
Brahman's form. Has Brahman then many forms, great
ancl little, that it is said 'clcdtmct?n etc.' ? Quite so ;
many indeed are the forms of BrD.hman produced
by conditions of name and form, but none in reality.
By nature, as the Sruti says, it is without sonncl, touch,
form, destruction ; likewise tasteless, oc1ourless, a.nd
eternal. Thus with souncl, etc., form is denied. But it
may be said that, as that by which a thing is defined,
is its rt~pct or form, the peculiar atttibute of Brahman
by which it is defined, may be said to be its form. "\V e
thus answer. Intelligence cannot be the quality of the
earth, etc., either of one or all of them together, or under any modifications. Similarly, it cannot be the qua.lity of the sensory organs, like the ear, etc., or of th.e mind.
'Brahmmw rtlpam~ ', Brahman is definec1 by its intelligence. Hence it is said : "Brahman is knowledge a.ncl
bliss'; 'Braluna.n is dense~ with knmvledge '; 'Brahman is existence, knowledge and infinity '; thus the
form of Brahman has been defined. 1'ruly so ; but even
there, the Brahman is defined by the words 'knowledge,
etc'., only with reference to the limitations of mind,
body and senses, because of its apparent adaptations to
the expansion, contraction, extinction etc., of the body
etc., ttndnot,on account of its own essence. .A.ccording

57

WI'rii SIU SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

to its essence it will be concluded in the subsequent

portion of this U panishn.cl that it is unknown to those
'vho lmow) and knO'ivn to those who c1o not know. IJ.'he

ex1wession 'YaclcbS7flb brcLhnutno qz1pmn' should be read

along with what precec1es it. Not only dost thou
know little of tho form of Bra.hman, when thou know est
it n.s conc1itionec1 in man, but tt1so 'vlwn thou knowest
it as conditionecl in tho Dovas ; so I think. Bven tll{l
form of'Brnhn1an as it exists in the Devas is little, because it is limited by condition. The gist is that the
Brahmanlimitecl by no conc1itions or attributes, passive,
infinite, one without a second, known as Bhun1a, eternal,
cannot be known well. rl'his being so, I think tJutb
you have yet to know Bralunan by enquiry. ' Atlw ml,'
'therefore.' 'JJJ.imltmsycmL,' '\Yorthy of enquiry.' Thus
rtL1c1ressed by the preceptor, the c1isciple sat in solitude
all c01i1posed, discussed within himself the n1eaning of
the Agama as pointed out by his. Guru (preceptor),
arrived at a conclusion by his reasoning) realised it in
himself, approached the preceptor :mel excbimecl " I
think I now know Brahman."

~ +r=~ tt'Ci=e.m- ~ ~ ~~ ~ :q 1
"' ~
"' ~
"' c:rr...... c:r "'"""
<:rr
crcu~ ""
cr~ :cr 11

~ o

11

I do not think I know well; I know too; not that I

clo not know. He of us who knows that, knows that

58

KENOP.ANISH.A.D.

as also '\vhat is n1eant by 'I know too; not that I do not

know.'
Oorn.-On being asked how, the disciple says:" Listen.
I do not think I know Brahman well." " Then is the
Brahman not known by thee?" Thus questioned, the
disciple says "Not that I c1o not know, I know. too;" the
word too in '1 know too' means 'I clo noti know too'. Is
it not contradictory: 'I think I know not Brahman well
etc'? If than dost not think thou knowest well, how thou
clast thou think thou knowest also? If again Uwu think...
est thou certainly knowcst, then how clast thou think
thou knmvest not well? To say that a thing is not known
well by the man who knows it is a contradiction, the
cases of doubt and false knowledge being left out of
consideration. Nor is it possible to lay down a restrictive rule that the knowledge of Brahman should be
doubtful or false. It is well known that under any circumstances, doubtful or false knowledge works great
evil. Though thus attempted to be shaken in his conviction by the preceptor the disciple was not shaken.
From the tradition 1:vhich his master had explained to him,
i.e., that the self is something other than both the
known anc1 the unknown, front the reasonableness of the
doctrine and from the strength of his own experience
the disciple loudly exclaimed, showing the firmness
of his knowledge of the Brahman. How he exclaimed is

WITH SRI S.ANKA.RA'S COMMENTARY.

5D

thus stated. ' He of us,' i.e., my co-disciple, who cor.:.

rectly understands what I have saicl knows Th11t (Brahman). The words he referred to 11re 'not that I do not
know. I know too'. Wl1at was defined by the expression 'that is something other than both the known and
the unknown', the disciple discussed ancl decided frmn
inference and from experience; ancl in order to see
whether the preceptor's views agreed with his own and
to counteract any false conclusion, which dull persons
n1ay have arrived at, he expressed the same in different
words: 'not that I do not know; I know too'. 1'he confident exclmnation of the disciple ' He of us, etc.,' is
accordingly appropriate .
.,.....,'4E4
.............
1+t-rd

m=f m:f

~~ c:r ~ ~:

~ ~r;:mt mKll11'Cl~ lvotcti

II Z Z II

3. It is Known to him to whom it is Unknown; he

knows it not to whom it is Known. (It is) Unknown
to those who know, and l{nown to those \Vho do not
know.
Oo?n.-Turning iom the concurring vimvs of the preceptor and the disciple, the Sruti speaking for itself conveys .in this text the view about which there is no disagreement. The purport is that to the knower of the
Brahman whose firm conviction is tl1at the Brahman is
unknow&ble, the Brah:man is well .known. But he,

GO

KENOPANISIIAD.

whose conviction is that the Brahm::m is knmvn by him,

certainly knows not the Brahman. The latter half of
the text, only states those two distinct conclusions of
the wise and ignorn.nt man mo~:e emphatically. To those
who know well, the Brahman is certainly (a thing) unknown; but to those who do not see well, i.e., who confound the Atman with the sensory organs, the n1incl ancl
the conditioned intelligence [Buc1dhi], Brahman is certainly not known, but not to those who are extremely ignorant; for, in the case of these, the thought 'Brahman
is known by us' never arises. In the case of those who
find the Atrnan in the conditioned organs of sense,
mincl and intelligence, the false notion ' I know Brahman ' is quite possible, because they cannot discriminate
between Brahman and these conditions and because
the conditions of intelligence etc. are known to them.
It is to show that such knowledge of the Brahman is
fallacious that the latter half of the text is introduced.
Or, the latter half' Avignatmn, etc.', may be construed
as furnishing a reason for the view propounded in the
former.

4. (The Brahman) is 1nwwn well, \vhen it is known

tts the witness of every state of consciousness ; for (by

WITII SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

61

such knowledge) one attains hnmortality. By his self

he attains strength and by knowledge, immortality.
Oom.-lt has been settled that it is unknown to those
who know. If Brahman be not known at all, it will then
come to this, that there is no difference between the
worldly-minded and those who 1\:now the Bralunan. r:ro
say that It is unknmvn to those who know is also a contradiction. IIow then could that Brahman be well-known.?
11his is explained in this text. 'Frcti'ibOc.lhcwirlita,m'
means 'known in respect of every state of consciousness.'
By the worcl 'bocllw,' is meant ' 1nental perception'. 'J.lhat
by which all states of consciousness are perceived like
objects is the Atman. He kno\vs ancl sees all states of
consciousness, being by nature nothing but intelligence
and is indicated by these states of consciousness, as
blended with every one of them. There is no other
way by 'vhich the inner Atman could be known.
Therefore when the Brahman is known as the witness
of all states of consciousness, then it is known well.
Being the witness of all: states of consciousness, it will
be clear that it is intelligence in its essence, subject
to neither birth nor death, eternal, pure, unconditionec1 1
and one in all things, because there is no difference in its
essence, just as in the essence of the Alt:(ts, in a vessel or
mountain cave, etc. rrhe drift of the passage from the
A[Jamas [traditions] is that the Brahman is other than

62

KENOPA.NISIIAD.

both the known and the unknown. It is this pure .A.tman

that will be described at the close of the U panishacl.
Another Sruti says " He is the seer of the eye, the
hearer of the ear, the thinker of thought, and the
knower of knowledge." But some explain the expression ' PrJJtibOcllwv'iclitcwn' in the text as meaning 'known
by its defining attribute of knowledge,' on the view
that Brahman is the author of the act of knowing anc1
that Brahman as such author is known by its activity
in knowing,' just as the wind is known as that which
sha.kes the branches of the trees. In this view the
.A.tu1an is an unintelligent substa.nce having the power
to know and not intelligence itself. Consciousness is
produced and is c1estroyec1. When consciousness is
produced, then the .A.tman is associated with it ; but
when it is destroyed, the .A.tman, dissociated from
consciousness, becomes a mere unintelligent substance.
Such being the case, it is not possible to get over the
objection that the .Atman is rendered changeable in its
nature, composed of parts, transient, impure, etc .
.Again according to the followers of Kanuda consciousness is said to be produced by the combination of t.he
.Atman and the mind and to adhere to the .Atman.
Therefore the .Atman possesses the attribute of knowledge but is not subject to modifications. It simply
becomes a substance just like a pot ma.de red. Even on

'riTH SRI SANKAR.A.~S COMMENTARY.

63

this theory the Brahm~n is reduced to an unintelligent

substance and therefore the Srutis ' Brahman is knowledge and bliss, etc.' would be set at naught. Moreover the A.tman having no parts ancl being on1nipresent
and therefore ever connected (with the n1incl), the
impossibility of laying down a law regulating the origin
of recollection is an insurmountable objection.
Again that the 1\.tman can be connected with any
thing is itself repugnant to the Srutis, Smritis ancl
logic. '1.1he .A.tman is not connected \vith anything
else'; '1.1he Atman unconnected \vith anybhing supports everything'; so say both tbe Srutiand the Smriti.
According to logic too, a thing having attributes may
be connected with another having attributes and not with
one dissimilar in class. To say therefore, that a thing
having no attribute, unclifferentiatecl and having nothing in common 'iVith anything else combines with
another unequal in class is illogical. ':f.1herefore the
meaning that the .A.tman is, by nature, kno'i:vleclge and
light, eternal n.nd undecaying, can be arrived at only if
the ..A.tman be the witness of all states of consciousness,
and not otherwise. Hence the n1eaning of the expression ' PratibOdhavidita?n rnatanu' is just what '\Ye
explained it to be. Some, however, explain that the
drif~ of this portion of the text is that the ..Atn1an is
knowable by itself. 11here the .A.tman is thought of as

64

KENOP.ANISHAD.

conditioned and people talk of knowing the Atman by

the .A.tman, distinguishing as it were, the unconditioned
Atman from the .Atman conditioned by intelligence,
etc. Thus it has been said " He sees iihe Atman by
the .A.tnum," and "0 Best of men! know the .A.tman
by the At.man, thyself." It is clear that the unconditioned .Atman, being one, is not capable of being
known either by itself or by others. Being itself the
knowing principle, it ca.nnot stand in neecl of another
knmving principle; just as one light cannot possibly re..
quire another light. So here. On tho theory of the followers of Buddha that the .A.tman is known by itself, knowledge becomes momentary ancl no .A.tma.n a.s its knower
is possible. It is well known tha.t the knowlec1ge of th~
knower knows no destruction, being indestructible.
Aga.in the Srutis: "Him who is eterna.l omnipresent a.nd
all-pervading", 'This is He, great, unborn, A.tma.n, undecaying, deathless, immortal a.ncl fea.rless,' etc., would
be set at naught. Some, however, construe the word
' J>rc~tivodha ' to mean ' ca.useless perception ' as that of
one "\:Yho sleeps. Others yet say that the '\Yorcl 'Frc6tild3dhn' means 'knowledge of the moment'. (Vif e ans~;rer)
whether it has or has not a cause, whether it occurs
once or is often repeated, it is still P1ct,Ub0dha itself or
knowledge itself. The drift is that the Brahma.n known
as the witness of all states of consciousness is well-

WITH SIU S.ANKARA'S COMl\TENTARY.

Gi3

known, because by such knowledge, one attainS. in1:mortality, i.e., being centred in one's self, 'i.e., emancipation. 'B1e knowledge that the Atman is the witness
of all states of consciousness is the reason for immortality. Immortality cannot possibly be the fact of the
.Atman becoming something other than itself. 'l,he
immortality of the Atman, consisting in being A.tman, is
causeless; thus the mortality of the Atman consists in
the mistaken belief of 'no .Atman' induced by ignorance.
liow again, it may be asked, cloes one attain immortality
by the knowledge of the Atman as already explained?
It is therefore said as follows: 'AtmcLna/ means 'by one's
own nature'; 'Vindr.tte' means 'attains'; 'Tfitryam' means
'strength or capacity.' 'l1he strength gained by wealth,
retinue, mantras, medicinal herbs, devotion and ']IO[JCL
cannot overcome mortality, because that is produced
by things themselves mortal. The strength gained by
the kno\Ylec1ge of the .Atman can be acquired by the
Atman alone and not by any other means. Because
the strength produced b:y the knowledge of the Atman
does not require any other aiel, that strength alone can
overcome death. And because one acquires by his
Atman alone the strength proclucec1 by the knowledge of
the.Atman, therefore he attains immortality hytheknowleclge of the Atman. 11he .Atharvana Upanishad says "'J.lhis
.Atman cannot be attained by one devoid of strengiih.le

GG

RENOPANJSHAD.

"' "'1 <{l!f ~q,. . , ;:r :q~~F~

"'"' "'" " Tefclrn:
" "

~ t:p~,CIG_

"' ~~
"'~"
""
"'
~~
191'1(.Y-1 'Cfro: QB11~fllt119'il~

" 11 ~ ~n
+rcrRr

5. If one knows (.J.1hat) here, then there is truth.

If one knows not C~rhat;) here, t,here ,vill be great loss.
The 'vise, seeing the one Atmau in all createcl things,
having turned mvay from this vmrld, become immortal.
Com :-It is indeed harc1 to suffer birtl1, old age,
death, sickness, etc. owing to ignorance, being one of
the crowcl of living beings such as Devas, men, beasts,
(1Yretas), etc., full of the miseries of Samsara. Therefore
if a man, even in this world being authorised and competent, knows the .A.tman as deHned, in the manner
already explained, then there is truth ; i.e., there is
in this birth as a mortal, immortality, usefulness,
real existence. But if one living here anc1 authorised
does not know the Brahman, theu there is long
ancl great misery for him, i.e., rot,ation in Samsaraone continuous stream of births and deaths. 'l'herefore
the Brahmins who know the advantages and the disadvantages as above pointed out, perceive in all things
in the universe, immovable and movable, the one essence of the Atman i.e., the Brahman, turn away with
disgust fiom this world, the creature of ignorance consisting in the false notion of 'I' and 'mine' and having
realised the principle of unity. the oneness of the At-

WITII SRI SANKARA'S COMl\IENTARY.

67

man in all, become immortal, i.e., become Brahman

itself; for the Sruti says "He who kno'\vs that highest
Brahman becomes Brahman itself."

Here ends the fSecond l'art.

--o--,

--o~-

THIRD PART.

~ ~ ~ ~~

(W1 ~~orr

~ ~ a,+~~r;q ..a t

~ Q:~o:qiB1f~cH~ ~s~F#rcrrti

+rAAfu

ll ~ g ll

~1he Brahman "von .a victory for the Devas and in

that victory of the Brahman the Devas attainec1 glory.
They thought 'the victory is ours and this glory is
ours alone '.
Oom.-l;.,roln tihe passage that 'It is not kno\\'TI to those
''rho know,' some fools may argue that whatever is, can
be known hy proofs, aud whatever is not cannot be so
known and is therefore non-existent, as the horns of a
hare, and Brahman, being unknown, cloes not exist.
In order that they may not fall into that error this parable is introclucecl; for, the subsequent passages clearly
show the folly of thinking that that Brahman who is
controller of all in every way, Deva, even superior to
all Devas, Lord over lords, not easily known, the cause
of the victory of the Devas and of the defeat of the
Asuras, does not exist." Or (it is related) for eulogising

70

KENOP.ANif:lH~\.D.

the knowledge of Brahman. How ? By showing that

it was indeed by the knowledge of the Brahman that
Fire, etc., attained pre-eminence among the Devas ; and
Indra specially more than the rest. Or, it shows how
difficult it is to know Brahman, because even Fire. etc,
with all their great powers, nnc1 even Inllrn, lorcl of U1e
Devas knew the Brahman only with consiclernl>le clifHculty. It may bs that the whole U pauishad to follow
is intended to lay down an injunction (to know the
Brahman) or the story may have been intended to show
the fallacious nature of the notion of doer, etc., found
in all living beings, by contrasting it with the knowledge of the Brahman-fallacious like the notion of the
Devas that the victory was theirs. The Brahman already
defined won a victory for the benefit of the Devas ; i.e.,
the Brahman in a battle bet\~~een the Devas and the
.A..snras defeated the Asuras, the enemies of the world
and the violaters of the limitations imposed by the
Lord and gave the benefit of the victory to the Devas
for the preservation of the world. In this victory of
Brahman the Devas, Fire, etc., attained glory, and not
knowing that the victory and glory belonged iio thB
ParamU.tman, seated in their own .A..tman, the witness
of all perceptimis, Lord of the universe, omniscient, the
dispenser of the fruits of all Karma, omnipotent,
and desirous of securing the safety of the world, looked

\VITH SJi,I SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

71

upon the victory and the glory, as achieved by themselves-the .A.tman enclosed within the limitations of
their own forms, Fire, etc. ; that the glory-their being
:B.,ire, Air, Indra and the like, resulting fr01n the victory
-was theirs and that neither the victory nor the glory
belonged to the Lord, over all the Atman within them.
So they cherished this false notion.

q~f firif~f ~~ ~ ~tT~~~q q~ 0~\Sfl'id ~ ~~

~~~~~~
2. He knew this notion of theirs ancl appeared before them. What that Great Spirit was they dicl not
know.
Oom.-The Brahman evidently knew this false notion
of theirs. Brahman being omniscient and-director of the
senses of all living beings knew of the false idea of the
Devas and in order that the Devas n1ight not be disgraced like the Asuras by this false notion, out of pity
for them ancl intending to bless them by dispelling,
their false notion, appearecl before them for their benefit in a form assumed at \Yill, in virtue of its powera form unprecedenteclly glorious and astonishing and
capable of being perceived by the senses. The Deyas
did not at all know the Brahman that appearecl before
them. "\Vho is this Ynlalhain?J, i.e., this venerable Great
Spirit.

72

KENOPANISHAD.

3. They addressed the Fire thus "0 Jittavecla! ] 1inc1

out what this Great Spirit is." He said" yes."
4. He ran to That. That said to him " who art
thou"? He replied" I am A.gni or I am Jatavecla."
5. That said " what power, in thee so named, is
lodged." He replied " I can burn even all this, on the
earth."
6. That placed a straw before him and said : ' Burn
this.' He approached it with all haste but was not able
.to burn it. He immediately returned from thence to
the Devas and said " I was not able to learn what this
Great Spirit is."
Oom.-J1he Devas not knowing what that Spirit was,
being afraid of it, and desirous to know what it was, thus
addressed A.gni who went before them anc1 who was
little less than omniscient. '" 0 J'ataveda, learn well
what this Great Spirit now in our view is. You are

WI'rH SRI SANKARA.'S COMMENTARY.

73

the brightest of us all." " Be it so" said Agni and ran

towards the Spirit. Seeing him approach near, with a
desire to ask questions of it, but overawed into silence
in its presence, the Spirit asked him: " who art thou?"
Thus questioned by Brahman, Agni replied: "I atn
Agni well known also as Jataveda"; as if in selfcomplafsance at being so well known by two names,
Brahman said to Agni who had thus replied: " what
power is in thee who ownest such we~l-known and
significant names?." He replied: "I could reduce to
ashes all this universe and all ilmnoveables, etc., on
this earth." The word 'earth' is illust1~tively used;
for, even what is in the air is burnt by Agni [Fire].
The Brahman placed a straw before Agni wl1o was so
vain-glorious, and said : " Burn but this straw in my
presence. If thou art not able to burn this, give up thy
vanity as the consumer of all." Thus addressed, Agni
approached the straw with all the speed of over-weening confidence but was not able to burn it. So he,
Jt1tavec1a, being unable to burn it, covered with shame
and baffled in his resolution, returned in silence from
the presence of the Spirit and told the Devas : " I was
not able to learn more, concerning this Spirit."
""

('.

",.....

,..... "'

. ~ -.'"':+A

~ etl~~a011_ Cll'4et11[\ll'RIT~ rcn+r~~~~+tl\1 <:1"-liCl II~.Sil

~~+r:~stflfu err~ ~~~R-Tij0('!'11ffif\~

74

KENOP ANISHAD.

err i31~+~t+fH~ ll ( ll (ffB;r '~crrq fcfi ~f~R-:fl:frG: \V"' ~~

~r~ ~~ ~o!1ff!Rl ll ~ ll ({~ q:of ~CfT~T-

7. rrhe Devns then snid to Air : ' l.;e:.trn 0 Vayu!

whnt Uris Grent, 8pirit is" He said : "yes."
8. He mn to 'J.lhat. ~J.lhnt said : " who art thou" ?
He re.plied : " I am Air or :M.atarisva."
9. That said "what po\ver is in thee; so '\Vell
known?" He replied: " I can blow away all the universe
and all that is on the earth."
10. That placecltt straw before him and said "Blow
it away." He approached it '\Yith all speed but '\vas not
able to blow it. Jie returned immediately from there
and told the Devas " I \vas not able to learn who this
Great Spirit is."
Oom.-They next addressed Air thus: 'know this, etic.'
~rhe rest bears the same meaning as in the last passage.
Vayu [Air] is so named from the root which means '1;o
go' or 'to smell'. Air is also called '11fcUalrisva,' because
it travels [8v((,ya.ti] in space [MtUcwi]. 'Adculiyctm' means
'can take'. ':rl1e rest is explained as in the previous
passage.
1

WITIT SRI SANKARA'::-s COMJ\IENTARY.

75

~;~Bactr41Cl"Cf~~~ ~cr~<m~ <P'::rffi

u-

~~~~r%~ 11 ~ ~ 11

tr q-fB:r~cnm fur:r+T~

rrr+r ~~m:nc=r~ ~~+rcr at en ~ ~~ fenm:re.r~m

n~ ~ n
11. Then they said to Inclra : "0 Ma.ghavan ! lea.rn
what this Great Spirit is." He said "yes " and ran to
'l'hat. ~:hat vanished from his view.
12. He beheld in that very spot a woman, Uma,
very beautiful anc1 of golden hue, daughter of Himavat.
lie said to her " What is this Great Spirit".
Oom.-Atha,, etc., has already 1Jeen explained. Incha,
lord of the Devas, JY[aghavan, (being the most powerful
of them) said yes, and ran to rhat. But 'l'hat vanished
from his sight, when he was near the Brahman and did
not even talk to him, because it wishec1 t~o crush altogether his pride at being Indra. In the very spot where
the Spirit showed itself and fron1 \Yhich it vanished and
near the pl~ce where Indra was at the moment the
Brahman "~mnishec1, Incha stood discussing within himself what that Spirit was, and clid not return like A.gni
and V ayu. Seeing his attachment to that Spirit,
knowledge in the form of a wmnan and of Un1a appeared before hin1. Indra behelcl knowledge, fairest ofthe
fah,-this epithet is very appropriate in the pa.rticular

'7G

KENOPANISHAD.

context-as if adorned in gold. ' Ifirru~Jvc(;tim ' may

mean 'the daughter of Himalaya', and being ever
associated with the Lord (Siva) the omniscient, and
having approached her, asked: "Who is this Spirit that
showed itself and vanished ? "

Here encls the

~rhird

--o--

Part.

Jl\tnop ani11) ai).

--o-FOURTH PART.

~T ~

mcrRr Sij&JOJI41 Qf\'~~ ~~f?IR1 ~ ~

fctc:J~Cfil< ~tHffi II ~ ll

She said "It is Brahman indeed. Attain glory in

the victory of Brahman." From her words only, he
learned that it was Brahman.
Oom.-The particle 'Ha' means 'verily'. Glory in
the victory of the omnipotent Lord (for the Asnras
were defeated only by Brahman). Efat modifies the
predicate. Your notion that the victory and the glory
are yours is false. From her words alone Indra learned
that it was Brahman. The force of' only' is that Indra
did not know of himself.
'"''"'
~f[T ~ ({CIT

,....(',...
~
~laa\ll+ti:il ...tJI ...C!\CII;;;qC!Js:\C!I9)1<...i{~a

'"''
'"'("-.
~
f! q~'l'{l~d
&r-1~ ICIC!\I~Cfil{ ~&iiQ

..._~.

CO{'if

-....f'-~'"'

II

II

These Devas, Agni, Vayu and Indra therefore

much excel others, because they touched the Brahman
nearest. They. it was who first knew the Spirit to be
Brahman.
2.

78

KENOP.ANISHAD.

Oo'n?J.-Because these Devas, Agni, Vayu and Inch'a

approached the Brahman nearest by conversing with
and seeing IJ.'hat, they surpass the others considerably
in. the matter of power, quality and affluence. 'l'he
particle 'Iva' either has no meaning or has d1e force
of' certainly'. Because these Devas, Agni, Vayu and
Inclra approached nearest the most desirable Brahman,
by such means as the conversation afor0saicl, and
because they were the first who knew the Brahman,
they are foremost.
,~,.....

"

(fBlf[T ~:t\TSm\l\n+r:U ..'41 ..~9Ri

"""". 'Wro B'

~?fl~

('

~~~~~~~~11
3. Therefore also does Inc1ra considerably excel
other Devas because he approached Brahmn,n nearest
and because he first knew the Spirit to be Brahman.
Oom.-Because even Agni and Vilyu knew Brahman
from the worrls of Incha and because Indra first heard
of the Brahman from the words of Uma, tJ1erefore does
Indra so excel the other Devas. He approached Brahlnan nearest because he was the first who knew the
Brahman.

WITH SRI S.ANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

79

4. Thus is That inculcated by illustration-that it

flashed like lightning-that it appeared and vanished
as the eye winketh. This is the illustration of the
Brahman used in respect to the Devas.
Oom.-Of the Brahman the snl1ject discussed, this is
the Aclt!sctJ. Adesa is instruction by means of mustrations. 'l1he illustration by which the Brahman, the
like of which cloes not exist, is explained is said to be
its AtUsn. What is It? 1'hat which is well-known in
the vwrlcl as the flash of lightning. 'l'o add 'k?ita'Vctl'
is ineonsistent. rrherefore 've understand it to lnean.
'the flash of lightning'. The l)article 'A ' means 'like'.
'l'he meaning is' like the flash of lightning'. We find
another Srnti saying 'As if a lightning}iashed '. It just
showed itself to the Devas like lightning and vanished
from their view-or the worcl ' 'Teja.s' [brightJ should
be supplied after ' V.idyuta}L' [of lightning]. 'l'he
meaning then is that It shone for a moment like a
daz%ling flash of lightning. The word 'iti' shows that
it is an illustration. 'l1he word 'rith' is used in the
sense of 'and' or 'else'. This is another illustration
of it. What is it? It winked as the eye winks. The
wich suffix has no distinct meaning from the meaning
of the root. The particle ' ctJ ' means ' like '. The meaning is that it was like the eye opening ancl closing to
see and to turn fiom its objects. '11his illustration of

80

KENOPANISII.AD.

the Brahman is taken from the activity of the deities.

i3i:?.:l"T'aficij

.....

"

'4~a~~~alct

=cr

..........

C'

+R~s.,.,-a~ q~{(?.fm&:1Jf

~q: ll ~ II
5. Next illustration, from the Atman within the
body-as speedily as the mind goes iio Brahman-as
speedily as one thinks of Brahman by the mind, and as
speedily as the mind wills.
Oom.-' Atha' means' next'. We offer illustrations
from the .A.tman within the body. 'Goes to' means
'perceives as an object'. As speedily as one (worshipper) thinks of the Brahman as near. 'Abhilcshltbam'
means 'very much'. 'Wills', i.e., about the Brahman.
By the volition, recollection of the mind, the Brahman
as bounded by the mind is perceived as an object.
Therefore this is an illustration of the Brahman taken
from within the body, as lightning and winking from
the activity of the powers. And as those illustrations
show that Brahman flashes instantaneously, so these
illustrations show that Brahman's appearance and disappearance are as quick as the perceptions of the mind.
~rhese illustratiol:ls of the Brahman are given because it
can be understood by dull persons only if so illustrated.
It is well known that the unconditioned Brahman can
be known by persons of inferior intellect.

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

$1

~ ~ c:rr+r ~~qn~ao4 ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ql~l~ II \ II

6. The Brahman should be worshipped by all and

is hence called Ta,dvana. As Tadvana, It must be worshipped. Who thus knows Brahman, is loved by all
living beings.
Oom.-' Tat' means ' Brahman'. ' Ha' means 'as is
well-known'. 'Tadvanarn' is a con1pound of tat and
vanam. It means ' which deserves to be worshipped
as the one Atman of all living things'. The Brahman
is well known as Tadvanam and should therefore be
worshipped as Tadvana, a word denoting its virtue.
'Worshipped' means' contemplated'. The Sruti next
declares the fruit attained by one who contemplates
the Brahman by this name. He who contemplates the
Brahman already defined as possessed of this virtue,
him (this worshipper) all living things love, i.e., pray
to him as they would to Brahman.
Thus instructed, the disciple addressed the preceptor
in the following manner.

~qfij~ .U \~c$fil o ~qf;(bf#\1~ errer o e qMbfd\~~

~ II \9 II
7. (The disciple). "( 0 Preceptor!) Teach me the
Upanishad". (The preceptor). "We have told thee the

82

KENOP.ANISHAD.

Upanishad." " We have certainly told thee the U panishad about Brahman."
Corn.- When the disciple said " 0 holy one! Teach
me the secret that should be thought of", the preceptor
replied "the Upanishad has been taught thee." "What
is that Upanishad?'~. ':flhe preceptor replied '' The U pani..
shad treating of Brahman, the supreme Self, has been
taught thee who excel in knowledge". The latter half
is introduced for decisively asserting that the knowledge of the supreme Paramatman, the Brahman already
explained, is the Upanishad. Now what is the real
significance of the disciple, who has already heard
explained to him the knowledge of the Brahman,
asking the preceptor to tell him the Upanishad ?. If the
_question was about what was already explained, then
the question itself becomes redundant and meaningless
like Pishtct,peshana. If however the Upanishad had
been only partially explained then the concluding it by
reciting its fruits : " Having turned away from this
world they become immortal," is not reasonable.
Therefore the question, if asked about the unexplained
portion of the Upanishad is also unsound, because there
was no portion yet to be explained. What then is the
meaning of the questioner?. We answer thus: The
disciple meant to say : " Does the Upanishad already
explained stand in need of anything else which should

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

83

combine with it to secure the desired end, or does it not

stand in need of any such thing ?. If it does, teach n1e
the Upanishad about what is so required. If it does
not; assert emphatically like Pippaluda in the words
-There is nothing beyond this-." The preceptor's mn~
phatical assertion, "The Upanishad has been to~d thee''
is but proper. It may be said that this cannot be construed as an emphatic asserti01~, as already explained, for
something yet had to be said by the preceptor. It is true
that the preceptor adds' Ta,syi', etc., but that is not added
as a portion combining with the Upanishad already
explained, in accomplishing the desired end, nor as a
distinct aid for achieving the end with the Upanishad,
but as something intended as a means to the acquisition
of the knowledge of the Brahman; for tctpc~;s, etc., are
apparently of the same in1portance with the Vedas and
their supplements, being mentioned along with them.
It is well known that neither the Vedas nor the supplements are the direct complements of the knowledge
of the Brahman or concomitant helps to it. It is urged
that it is only reasonable to assign different offices according to merit, even to n1any mentioned in the same
breath. Just as the mantras for invoking the gods,
where more than one is named, are used to perform the
function of different deities according as the god to be
invoked is this or that; it is urged it is to be inferred

84

KENOPANJSHAD.

that tapc~s, peace, karmc~; truth, etc., are either complements or concomitant helps to the knowledge of Brahman, and that the Vedas and their supplements, elucidating meanings, are only helps to the knowledge of
kar?na and Atma. They urge that this distribution is
only reasonable from the reasonableness of the applicability of their purport to this distribution. This cannot be, for it is illogical. This distinction is impossible
to bring about. It is unreasonable to think that the
knowledge of the Brahman, before which all notions of
distinctions of deed, doer, fruit, etc., vanish, can pos.sibly require any extraneous thing as its complement
.or concomitant aid in accomplishing it. Nor can its
fruit, emancipation, require any such. It is said : "One
desirous of emancipation should always renounce learmr" and all its aids. It is only by one that so renounces
.that the highest place (can be reached).
Therefore knowledge cannot consistently with itself
require karma as its concomitant help or its complement. Therefore the distribution on the analogy of
the invocation in Suktavd]ca is certainly unsound.
Therefore it is sound to say that the question and
answer were intended only to make sure. The meaning
is "what was explained is all the Upanishad, which
does not require any thing else for ensuring emancipation."

85

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

~ ~ ({+r:

enlfffi' !.Tffim ~:

(iCJ f~u?t

~~~

(U

B.-Devotion, self-control and Karma are its pedestal, as also the Vedas and their supplements. 1,ruth is
its abode.
Oom.-Of the Upanishad about Brahman which has
been already taught, devotion, etc., are helps to the
acquisition. ' Tcbpas' means ' control of the body, the
sensory organs and the mind'. ' Damcb' means ' freedom
from passions.' 'Karma' is Agnihotra, etc. It has.
been seen that knowledge of the Brahman arises indirectly through the purification of the mind in the
person who has been refined by these. Even when
Brahman is explained, those who have not been purged
of their faults, either disbelieve or misbelieve in it as in
the cases of Indra, Virochana, etc. Therefore knowledge
as inculcated arises only in him who has, by tapas, etc.,.
performed either in this birth or in many previous ones,.
purified his mind. The Sruti says: "To that high-souled
man whose devotion to the Lord is great and whose devotion to his preceptor is as great as that to the Lord, these
secrets explained become illuminated." The Smriti says:
"knowledge arises in men by annihilation of sinful
deeds." The word 'iii' is used to show that the men.:..

86

KENOPANISHAD.

tion of tc~;pas, etc., is only by way of illustration; for

it will show that there are other aids than those mentioned to the acquisition of knowledge, as freedom from
pride, hatred of pomp, etc. ' Pratish ta ' means ' legs. '
For, when they exist, knowledge is firmly seated
just as a person goes about with his legs, the four
Vedas, all the six supplements, i.e., Sil.:sha, etc. The
Vedas being the enlighteners of the knowledge of
karma and the supplementary scriptures being intended
for their protection are called 'legs' of the knowledge
of Brahman. Or the word ' Pratishta' having been
construed as legs, the Vedas must be understood as all
other parts of the body than the legs, such as the head,
etc. ln this case it should be understood that in the
mention of Vedas the Angds, siksha, etc., are in effect
mentioned. When the trunk [ angi] is mentioned, the
limbs [cLn~tdsJ are included; because the limbs live
in the trunk. The place where the Upanishad rests
is Truth. ''Satyam' (Truth) means ' freedom from
deceit and fraud in speech, mind or deed'; for, knowledge
seeks those who are good-natured and free from deceit
and not men of the nature of the Asuras and the deceitful; for, the Sruti says : ' Not in whom there is fraud,
falsehood or deciet '. Therefore it is said that Truth is
the resting place of knowledge. The mention again of
Truth as the resting place of.knowledge, notwithstand-

WITH SRI SANK.ARA'S COMMENTARY.

87

ing its implied n1ention as 'the leg on which knowledge

stands' along with devotion, etc., is to indicate that
Truth excEJls others as a help to knowledge; for, the
Sntriti says : '' If a thousand Aswamedha sacrifies and
'l'ruth were weighed in the balance, one truth spoken
will outweigh the thousand sa01ifies."

~ ~~ ct({14~ qrqn;;~~

m ~~ ~ IT-

rem BRI ~fu II Q.. II

9. He who knows this thus, having shaken off all
sin, lives firmly seated in the endless, blissful and
highest Brahman. He lives firmly seated.
Com.~' p.rhis ' means ' the knowledge of Brahman as
explained in 'keneshitam ', etc., and highly eulogised
in the text ' Brahmahc6 Devebhyo ', etc., and the source
of all knowledge. Although it has been already said
that by such knowledge one attains immortality, the
fruit of the knowledge of Brahman is again stated at
the end. ' Sin ' means ' the seed of samsctra ' whose
nature is ignorance, desire and kar?na '. 'Anante'
means ' boundless '. ' Svcwge lolc.e ' means ' in the
Brahman who is all bliss ' and not 'in heaven ' because
of the adjunct 'boundless'. It may be said that the
word ' boundless ' is used in its secondary sense. Therefore the Sruti adds : 'Jyeye.', 'highest of all'. 'l1he pur-

88

KENOPANISHAD.

port is that he is firmly seated in the unconditioned

Brahman, i.e., does not again revert to samsara [worldly existence].
Thus ends the Commentary of Sri Sankara Oharya.

---o--Thus ends the Upanishad.

---o---

munbakop anis~ ai).

--o-Sri Sankara's Introduction.

--o-OM TAT SAT.

--a-Adoration to the Brahman. The mantra beginning

with "Brahma Devan:am" is one of the Atharvana Upanishads. The Upanishad at its very commencement
says how the knowledge therein contained was transmitted from preceptor to disciple and does this for the
purpose of praising it. By showing how and with
what great labor this knowledge w~s acquired by great
sages as a means to secure the highest consummation,
it extols knowledge to create a taste for it in the minds
of the hearers; for, it is only when a taste for knowledge
:is created by praising it, they would eagerly seek to
acquire it. How this knowledge is related to emancipation, as a means to its end, will be subsequently
explained in the passages commencing with 'Bhidycbte
etc.' Having first stated here that the knowledge, denoted by the word "Apara Vidya", such as Rig Veda
etc., and consisting merely of mandatory and prohi-

90

MU:N'DAKOP.ANlSHA.D.

bitory injunctions, cannot remove faults like ignorance

etc., which are the cause of ScGmsara i.e., embodied
existence and having, by the passages beginning with
"Avidyaydm antar vartamdna" etc., shown a (marked)
division of Vidycr- into:Para, and Apa.rcL, it explains in the
passages beginning with 'Pa'tilt~shya.~ liJlt~an etc./the knowledge of Brahman (B?ahmat,iclya) which is a means to
the attainment of the highest (Parr6) and which can be
attained only by the grace of the preceptor, after a
renunciation of the desire for all objects whether as
means or ends. It also declares often the fru.its of this
knowledge in the passages " He who knows Brahman
t-ecomes Brahman itself" and " Having become Brahman while yet alive, all are freed." Although knowledge
is permitted to all in any order of life, it is the know"
ledge of Brahman
in a Sanytisln that becomes the means
,of emancipation; not the knowledge combined with
karma. This is shmvn by such passages as " Living
the life of a mendicant" and " Being in the order of
the Sc"wyasin" etc. This also follows from the anta
gonism between knowledge and ka"fma; it is well known
to be impossible that the knowledge of the identity of
self with Brahman can be made to co-exist, even in
a dream with karmc~ (i. e., action). Knowledge being
independent of time and not being the effect of defi..
nite causes cannot be limited by tin1e.

WITH SRI SANKAR.A.'S COMMENTARY.

91

If it be suggested that knowledge and karma can

possibly co-exist as indicated by the fact that sages in
the house-holder's order have handed down knowledge,
we say that this mere indication (linga.~) cannot override an obvious fc~Jot; for the co-existence of light and
darkness cannot be brought l;l.bout even by a hundred
rules, much less by mere indications (linga) like these .
.A. short commentary is now con1menced of the Upanishad, whose relation to the end desired and whose result
have been thus pointed out. This is named Upali1i~hctd;
it may be either because it lessens the numerous evils
of conception, birth, old age, disease etc., in persons who
take kindly to this knowledge of Brahman ancl approach.
it with faith and devotion; or, because it makes thetn
reach Brahman; or, because it totally destroys the cause
of samsdra, such as ignorance etc.; thus from th~ se~eral
meanings of the root shad preceded by upani.

*,

~ ~ w.Fr: ~~er Fct~cnar ~ rrrm 1

\1 sst~fclfiti ~~~Fi -J~g~j'3il<1 m~ ll ~ II

Brahma was the first among the de/uds, the creator of

the universe, the protector of the world. He taught
the knowledge of Brahman, on which all knowledge
rests, to his eldest son Atharva.
Oom.-The word " Brahm a" means " much grown,"
''great", as excellin:g all others in virtue, knowledge,

9.2

MUNDAKOPANISHAD.

freedom from desires and power. The word Devtintim

means Indra and others, literally, those possessing
" enlightenment." The word' Prathama' means " preeminent by a.ttributes" or " at first." Sambabh~~va means
"became manifest well," i.e., of free choice, not like
mortals who are born in sarnsara, in consequence of
their good and bad deeds; for, the Smriti says "He
who is beyond the reach of the senses and cannot be
grasped etc." Visvasya means "of the whole universe."
J{arta, ' creator'; Bhuvanasya, 'of the world' so created;
gopta, ~protector'; the epithets for Brahma are for eu.logising the knowledge. He i.e., Brahma whose greatness is thus celebrated. Brahrna. Vid1;am, 'knowledge
of the Brahman or the Paramatman' because it is described as knowledge 'by which one knows the unde...
cayi~g and the true Purusha'; that knowledge is of the
Paramatman; or B1ahma Vidya may mean '' knowledge
t4ught by Brahm8t the first bo~n." Sarva vidy,a ;pre~
tishtam means "that on which all knowledge rests for
support"; because it is the cause of the manifestation
of all other knowledge; or, it may be, because the one
entity to be cognized by all knowledge is only known
by this; for the Sruti says f'by which, what is not heard
becomes heard ; what is not thought of becomes thought
o.f; and what is not known becomes known." The
e:Kpression "on which all knowledge depends" is also

93

Wl'fH SRI S.A.NKARA'S COMMENTARY.

eulogy. He taught this knowledge to his eldest son;

as :A.tharva was created at the beginning, in one of the
numerous creations made by Brahn1a, he is said to be
his eldest son. To him, his eldest son, he taught.

i3l~ ~ ~ ~err
\1

m~~

~lf!P-l~i

~[1'~ ~~ m~ mmms~ troer~r+r.ll~ll

That knowledge of Brahman which Brahma taught

to Atharva, Atharva taught to .Angira in ancient days;
and he t.aught it to one of the Bharadvaja fan1ily by
name Satyavaha; and Satyavaha taught to Angiras the
knowledge so descended fi'om the greater to the less.
Oom.-That knowledgeoftheBrahman whichBrahma
taught to .Atharva, the same knowledge thus acquired
from B~ahma, Atharva in ancient days taught to one
named Angih; and this Angih taught it to one named
Satyavaha of the line of the Bharadvaja; and Bharadvaja taught it to Angiras, his disciple or his son. Pardvardm, because it was acquired from superior by inferior
sages; or, because it permeates the subject of all
knowledge, great and small; the term Prliha~ i.e., ta~tght
should be read into the last clause.

~ ~ ~ +i~lf{ll&is~ ~~: ~I

~~

wm ~ ~ mRf w.rcfrfu"

11.

~ II

94

MUNDAKOP.-\NISHAD.

Saunaka, a great g'tihasta, having duly approached

.Angiras, questioned him" What is that, 0 Bhagavan,
which being known, all this becomes known".
Oom.-Saunaka, the male issue of Sunaka. Mah,1.stildh means "the great house-holder"; Angiras i. e.,
the disciple of Bhllraclvil.ja and his own preceptor;
Vidhivat means 'duly'; i.e., according to the sc~stras;
Upasannah means 'having approached'; PctJp?cwhcha.~
means 'questioned'; from "the aJ.?proaching d'ltly" mentioned just after the connection between Saunalm and
.A.ngiras, it should be inferred that in respect of the
manner of approaching, there was no established rule
among the ancients, before him. The attribute " duly"
might have been intended either to fix a limit, or to
apply to all alike, on the analogy of a lamp placed
amidst a house; for the rule about "the manner of approaching" is intended in the case of persons like us
also. What did he say? " What is that? Oh Bhagavan etc." The particle nu expresses doubt. Blwgavo
means '0 Bhagavan'. "All this" means "everything
knowable". Vijna.tam means 'specially known or understood.' [Oh Bhagavn, what is that which being known
everything knowable becomes well-known]. Saunaka,
having heard the saying of good men that "when one
is known, he becomes the knower of all," and being
desirous of knowing that one in particular, asked in

WITH SRI SANKARKS COMMENTARY.

95

doubt "what is that etc."; or, having seen merely from

a popular view~ questioned. There are in the world
varieties of pieces of gold etc., which, though different
are known by people in the world by the knowledge of
the unity of the substance (gold etc.); sitnilarly " Is
there one cause of all the varieties in the world, which
cause being known, all will be well-known."? It may be
said that when the existence of the thing is not known,
the question "what is that etc.," is not appropriate and
the question in the form "is there etc.," would then be
appropriate; if the existence is established, the question
may well be ".what is that etc.," as in the expression,
"With whom shall it be deposited." The objection is
unsound; the question in this form is appropriate from
fear of troubling by verbosity.

~~~I [ ~Sr~~ $ ~ ~ lf~&lr4~

~ tro ~F.fftRR.f ll g II
To him he said "Ther.e are two sorts of knowledge to
be acquired. So those who know the Brahman say;
namely, Para and Aparcb, i.e., the higher and the lower.
Oom.-.A.ngiras said to Saunaka. What did he say?.
(He said) that there were two sorts of k:nowledge to be
known. So indeed, do those who know the import of
the Vedas and who see the absolute truth, say what
these two sorts are; he says: Para is the knowledge of

96

MUNDAKOPANISHAD.

the Pa.ramatman and Apara is that which deals with

the means and the results of good and bad actions. It
may be asked how, having to say what it was that
Saunaka asked about in the question-" What being
known one becomes omniscient", Angiras stated what
he was not asked about, by the passage'' there are two
sorts of knowledge etc." This is no fault; for the reply
requires this order of statement. Apara vi(Zyc!l is ignorance and that ought to be dispelled. When what is.
known is Aparc!l vidrya, i.e., the subject of ignorance,
:nothing can be known as it is. 'l'he rule is that after
thus refuting the faulty theory, the true conclusion,
should be stated.

~~ sw~ lf\Sf;f~: ij"r+t~;;J&.:r~~:

'.:::1

'

men m

o<:ff-

Cfi~ ~ ~==~ ~rfu~fu '

~qu~~~~HC\ ll
Of these, the Apara is the Rig Veda, th~ Y ajur Ved'a,
the Sama Veda, and the Atharva Veda,. the s{kshrJJ, the
code of ritools, gran1mar, niruhta, chchcndrJ.,s and astrology. Then the 11ara is that by which the imn1ortal is
known.
Oom.-Of these, what Aparavidya is, is explained.
Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sarna Vecla and the AtharvaVeda, these four Vedas, fhe siksha, the code of rituals,

WITH SRI S.A.NKARA'S COMMENTARY.

{)7

grammar, nir~tkta, chchandas and astrology, these six

angas (of Vedas), all this is knowledge called Apwra ;
now, knowledge called Para is explained. It is that
by which the "immortal" as hereafter described is
reached; for, the root yam, with adhibefore it, generally
means recwh. Nor is the attainment ofthehighest, different from the sense of knowledge. The attainment of
the highest is merely the ren1oval of ignorance. They
mean the same thing. It may be asked hmvthatVidya
could be called p(tra, and a help to emancipation, if such
Vidya be excluded by the Rig Veda etc; for, the Smriti
says "Those Smritis which are excluded by the Vedas
etc." It will become unacceptable, because it sees
wrongly and leads to no good results; and again the
Upanishads will become excluded by the Rig Veda
etc., but if they are included in the Rig Veda, etc.,
a separate classification is useless. How then can it
be called para?. The objection has no force; for by the
term" Viclya" is here meant the knowledge of a subject ;
by the term " Para Vidya" is meant primarily in this
context, that knowledge of the immortal which could
be known through the Upanishads and not the mere
assemblage of wo'rds in them ; but by the term Vid;yc~ is
always understood the assemblage of wat1cls forming
it. .As the immortal cannot be realised by a mere
mastery of the assemblage of words without other

98

MUNDAKOPANISHAD.

efforts, such as the approaching a preceptor and spurning

all desires etc, the separate classification of the know...
ledge of Brahman and its designation as pc~rc~ vidyctJ
are proper.

~~!f~i'tl&:lttift?t~crul+Rr~:m?~ a<:{qlrtltqt<:{~ ,

~ fcr~- ~~ ~~ ~~~~~P:rf(q~.ql% eft~r:

11

That which cannot be perceived, which cannot be

seized, which has no origin, .which has no properties,
which has neither ear nor eye, which has neither hands
nor feet, which is eternal, diversely manifested, allpervading, extremely subtle, and undecaying, which the
intelligent cognized as the source of the BhutctJs.
Oom.-As in the matter of an injunction (vidhi)
there is something to be done, as of the nature of
Agnihotra etc, subsequent to the realization of its
import, with the aid of many requisites (lcaraka), such
as the doer etc, there is nothing here to be done in the
matter of the knowledge of the Brahman. It is accom..
plished simultaneously with the realization of the import
of the text ; for, there is nothing here except being
centred in the knowledge revealed by mere words.
Therefore, the Para vidya is here explained with
reference to Brahman, as described in the text " that
which cannot be perceived etc."; what is to be explained

WITH SB.I SANKAR.A.'S COMMEN'fARY.

99

is realized in the mind and referred to,as what is already

known by the expression '' that which " ; Ad1isymn
means 'that cannot be perceived', invisible, i.e., beyond
the reach of all the intellectual senses; for, vision externally directed is the mediutn for the working of the
five senses. Agrdhyam men.ns 'that cannot be seized, '
i.e., not an object for the organs of action. Got1a~n
means ' line or source ' ; therefore Agutram means ' unconnected with anything.', for it has no source with
which it can be connected. Varnah means "those
which are described," i e., properties of objects such
as bigness etc., whiteness etc.; cwcLrnarn, 'that which
has no properties'; the eye and the ear are organs found
in all animals perceiving name and form. It is said
to be Aohalc.shu srotrcLm, because it has not these organs.
From the attribute of intelligence, as inferred from the
text " who knows all and everything of each", it may
be thought that it accomplishes its purpose, like people
in sa,msZnt, with the aid of organs such as the eye, the
ear etc. This supposition is here avoided by the expr~s ..
sian "having neither eye nor ear"; for, the texts "he
sees without eyes" and "hears withnut ears" etc., are
found; moreover, it has neither hands nor feet, i.e.,
has no organs of action; thus, as it is neither grasped
nor grasps, it is nitya, i.e., in1mortal. Vibhum, because
it is diversely manifested in the form of living things,

100

MUND.AKOP.A.NISH.AD.

from Bro.hma down to the immovable. Sar'IJagc6tcwn,

i.e., all-pervadiug like the tiluts. Sus'tl.kshmam, i.e.,
extremely subtle, because there is no cause like sound
to make it gross ; for, it is sound and the rest that are
the causes seriatim of the greater and greater grossness
of the dkds., wind and the rest; as they clo not exist
here, it is very subtle; again, it is r.t1Jyayam, i.e., undecaying, because of its being what it was just sto.ted iio
be; it does. not decay, therefore it is undecaying; for
deccby consisting in the diminution of limbs, as in the
case of a body, is not possible in what has no limbs ; no.r
is 'decay' consisting in the diminution of treasure
possible as in the case of a king; nor is 'decay' in
respect of attributes possible, because it has no attributes and is itself alL Yat, answering to this description.
Bh12tayonim, the source of all created things or elements,
as earth is of all that is immovable and movable.
Paripa1syan.ti, see ~verywhere the .Atman of all, i.e., the
immortal Dhirah, the intelligent, i.e., those possessed
of discernment; that knowledge by which this immortal Brahman is known is what is called Paravidya;
this is the drift of the whole.

WI'TH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

101

As the spider creates and absorbs, as medicinal plants

grow from the earth, as hairs grow from the living person, so this universe proceeds from the immortal.
Oom.-It was said the immortal is the source of all
created things. l{ow it is the source is explained
by well-known analogies ; as is well-known in the
world, the spider without requiring any other cause
itself creates, i.e., sends o1;1.t threads not distinct
from its own body and again absorbs the1n itself, i.e.,
draws them into itself or.makes them part of itself; as
medicinal plants, i. e., from the corn plant to the immovable, not distinct from the eartl1, proceed from the
earth, and as from the living person the hairs proceed
different in nature from him ; as in these illustrations,
so here, i.e.; in the circle of samst.lrcG, all-the universe
of the same and different nature proceeds from 'the
akslwra.~ above described, without requiring any other
cause; the statement of. many analogies is to facilitate
easy understanding of the meaning; universe which
proceeds from the Brahman proceeds in this order and
not all at once, like the thro,ving of a handful of apples.
qq'\1f ~ ~ mns~~

ai~ldtiOfr ~: ~ ~: ~ ~~ II (. II
By

tc~pas

Brahman increases in size and fron1 it food

102

MUNDAKOP.ANISHAD.

is produced; from food the pranc~, the mind, the Bhutas

the worlds, lcarmcG and with it, its fruits.
Oom.-This mantra, is begun for the purpose of stating the fixed order of creation. 'By tcr,pas,' by
knowledge of how to create the Brahman which is
the source of all created things; 'increases,' i. e., becomes distended, being desirous to create the world as
a seed when sending out the sprout, or as a father
desirous of begetting a son dilates with joy; from the
Brahman thus extended by its omniscience, i.e., by
its knowledge and its power of creation, preservation
and destruction of the universe ; Annc~rn means 'that
which is eaten or enjoyed', i. e., the unmanifested
(avy1kritam) common to all in samsarctJ is produced in
the state fit for emancipation; and from "the unmanifested", i.e., the ".A.nnam" in the state fit for manifestation. Frana, i.e., Hiranyagarbha, the common cosmic entity, endowed with the power ofknowledge and
activity of the Brahman, the sprouting seed, as it were,
of the totality of cosmic ignorance, desire, lcr,r,rmcr,, and
creatures and the .Atman of the universe. "Is produced",
should be supplied. From that prana, that which is
called "mind" whose characteristic is volition, deliberation, doubt, determination etc., is produced; and from
that mind whose essence is volition etc., what is called
satyc~;m, i.e., the five elements such as the t~kl1,s etc., is

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

103

produced and fron1 the five elements called satyc~, the

seven worlds, the earth etc., are produced in the order
of the globes; and in them karma, for the living beings,
man etc., according to caste and the order of life, is
produced; and with kc~rma as the cause, its fruits. .As
long as lcarmc~J is not destroyed, even by hundreds of
millions of kc~JlpctJ, so long is its fruit not destroyed.
lienee it is called Amritam.

From the Brahman who knows all and everything

of all and whose tapas is in the nature of knowledge,
this Brahma, name, form and food are produced.
Oom.-By way of concluding what was already stated
the mantra says as follows : 'Yah,' above described ap.d na;med alcshara.; Sarvajna means he
who knows all, who knows all things as a class.
Sar'lxtvid, i.e., who knows everything in particular;
whose tapas is only a modification of knowledge, consists
in omniscience and is not in the nature of modification.
From him so described, omniscient, this, i.e., manifested Brahman, by name Hiranyagarbha, is produced.
.Again name, such as' This isDevadatta, and Yajnadatta
etc.' ; and form such as 'this is white, blue etc.,' and food

104

MUNDAKOPANISHAD.

such as corn, yavctJ etc., are produced in the order

stated in the last text; thus there is no inconsistency.

---o--Here ends the commentary

on the first part of the
first JY1undaka.

---o---

Jllunbnliopaniel)nb.
-oPART

II~

-o-

" t
W(falfci

WrlfRT~ F~~ ~+rr ~ cr: t?-TI: ~~a~ 6r~ ll ~ ll

The various karma which seers found in the mantras
are true and were much practised in the T~reta age~
practise thent always with true 1-vishes. This. is your
way to the attainment of the fruits of lt:aTmct.
Oom.-By the text the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda
etc., all Vedas with their ang.as (appendages) have
been stated to be aJ.Xwa vid:,yct ; and para 'IJidya
has been . specifically stated to be that knowledge by which the al~:sha/ra described in the text beginning with ". ~J.1hat which cannot be perceived etc,," and
ending with "Name1 form and food are produced", i~
known. Hereafter the next text is begun to distinguish
between the bondage of sa?nstlrrt and emancipation, the

106

MUNDAKOPANISHAD.

subjects of these two sorts of knowledge respectively.

Of these, the subject of Apcwa 'l:~:yclc~ is samsti.w~; which
consists in the variety of action, its means such as doer
etc., and its results, is without beginning or end, and
being misery in its nature should be cliscarclecl by every
embodied being; and il1 its. entirety it is of an unbroken connection like the stream of a river. 'l,he subject
of pcwa viclyc6 is emancipation which consists in the cessationofsa/YJM~L?'a, which is beginning-l~ss, en~less, uncle;
caying, immortal, deathless, fearless, pure and clear and
is :nothing but being centred in self and transcendant
bliss. without a se9ond; first it is attempted to elucidate
the subjectof apCtffa vidyc~; for, it is only wheh it is seei{
that it is possible to get disgusted with it; accorclingly
it 'Yill be said later on " Having examined the world
attained by lt~CL'r?1u6" ; and as there can be no examination
of what is not presented to the view, the text shows
what it is. 'SatycL?n,' 'true.' What is that? ltlant?esh'lt,
in the Vedas known as Hig, Yajur, etc. ' !{a?'?1t(Lni,'
Agnih6tra and the rest disclosed by texts of the Vedas ;
'!(avc6yah,' 'seers like Vasishtha and others'. 'A1Jctsyan'
have seen. This is true because they are the. unfailing
means of accomplishing the objects ofman. These en..
joined by the Vedas and seen by the Rishis were done
in diverse ways by the followers of l~arma. ':J.l?etdydm~
i. e.~
there is the combination of the three

'''herein

WI'rH SRI SANK.A.ItA'S COMMEN'r.A.RY.

107

Vedas of the three modes of rites performed with the

nid of a hotc~, ctdhvctryu and uclguta, or it may mean
that. they were generally performed in the :11eta age.
~rherefore you should do them , always ; 'Sctlyctkc't?nah'
'wishing for. those fruits which they can bear'. This is
~roui. route for the attainment of the fruits of l(m"lna..
S~ula~1itctsya, pe1formed by you ; Lokcb is what is found,
or enjoyed; hence the fruits ofl~nrrna are clenotecl by
the worcl "I.Joka". 'l'he meaning is that, to attain them
this is the route. 'rhese kn?'?1Ut, Agnihotnb and the rest
enjoinecl in the Vedas form the roacl, i.e., the ~1ea~s for
the attainment of the necessary fruits.

~ ~~1<1a ~: ~~~ ~err~~ 1

~mmorra~n~ru:

~~

11

When the flame of thefire burning high is n1oving,

then one should perform th~ oblations in the space be~
ween the portions, where the ghee $hould be poured
on. either side.
Oom.-0~ the various kinds
of kw1"1nrt, CL[/ni"~'
lwtta is first explained to show what it is, becaus~
jt is the first of all .la(/ivtna. How is that to be
performed?. "\Vhen the flame 1noves, the fire b~ing well
feel by fuel, then in the flame so moving between the
11or~ions where quantities of ghee.ate. pO'I.n-ecl.on eitheJ.

108

MUND.AKOPANISH.AD.

side, i.e., 'in the place called m:ctpctsthanctJ one should

throw the oblations intending ~hmn for the devcda
.As the same has to be done during many days the
plural oblations is used. This kar;"?nct margct which con..
eists in properly offering the oblations etc., is the road
to the attainment of good worlds but it is not easy to
do that properly and the impediments are many.
,....,

('~

t'

A.r.:.r~

~lli'l~J?{;:j G}IT+1'11 vI +-t T~~JB:r+J;:rT~~UJ+f I q I~ Oft~ \1 :CC

~~~ ~fJIBH+Ii~~~ ~~ 11~..11

He whose Ct[JnilwtrctJ is without Darsa, withoutpa~tr..,
without Ohd.th'LtrmdsyctJ, without dgrctyana,
without cLtithi (guests) and without oblation is without
vaisvcLdeva, or irregularly performed, destroys his worlds
till the seventh.
Com.-How is that so?. 'vVithout Darsa', without ritual named Da/rscL, for, one who performs
tt[Jnihotra should necessarly perform Darsa; though
connected with agnih6tr;a (as a part of it) it be""
-comes as it were an attribute of ctgnihotnt. The drift
is Agnihot'i'a without Darsct performed. The expressions
"'without Paurnamctsct etc.," as attributes of agnihotra
should be similarly noted; for all are equally the angas
(parts) of ngnihotntJ. 'Without Pa'wrnamasct', devoid of
the PcHwna11wscc, ritual. 'Without Ohatlmrmasya', denalnu.~scL,

WITH SR1 SANKA.RA'S COMMENTARY.

100

voi~ of the chathurmasya, ritual. 'vVithout agrayctnc~',

qevoid of the agraycLnC6 ritual which is to be perform eel
in autumn etc.; similarly 'withot1t cdithi,' devoid of the
daily propitiation of guests ; 'cdmtam', oblation not offered well by himself at the time for agnihotrct.
"Without vaisvadeva/', like "without Da,rrsn", means
clevoid of' the va,isvcteleva ritual. Is 'irregularly performed,' oblation though offered, not offered ill the pro...
per manner. What such ka'i'?na, as ctgnihotnt ill-performecl or not performed at all, leads to, is stated immediately after. 'Till the seventh', inclusive of the se-.
~enth. 'His/ of the doer. ' Destroys the seven worlds
of the Cloer', seems to destroy ; because only the trouble
taken is the fruit; for it is only when latrm.a is properly
performed, the seven worlds beginning with Bhzt and
ending with scttycL me obtained as result, according to
the fruition of the l~a'i"Jnu. These worlds are not obtainable by agwihot1a and other kcLrrtnc(,, perforn1ed as just
above stated and they are therefore said to be as it 'vere
destroyed ; but the mme trouble is ever present ; or it
may be construed to mean that the three ancestors (the
father, the grand-father ancl the great-grand-father)
and the th~ee clecenclants'(the son, the grandson nnd the'
great-grandson) connected by the offer of oblations do
not confer any benefit on his soul by virtue of the.
agnihot?cG ancl the rest, performed as above stated~

110

MUNDAKOP.A.NISHAD.

cnr~ cro<tr :q +r.1~crr :q ~r~ffi ~r :cr w~r t

t~ ~~ :cr ~r ~r~.;r ~ ~ ~~r: 11
l(a li, lt,cbr:).li, also ?1utnojafz:ct, snlohita, sudh,tlmratarnc~,
and visvctJruchZ are the seven n1oving
tongues of fire.
Oo?n.-The seven tongues of the (flaming) fire, from
kaJi down to 'l7iSVlW"'Ltchi, are intended to swallow the
oblations thrown on it.
sph~tlingint,

""

""

""

""

~ ~~ ~m~ ~R? ~.,.,.;tll-:n~~~~~a:Y'TIIll......

i_

\i;;ftt ..Jlal: ~ ~ ~ ~r;rt ~~:

II(\ I\

Him wl1o performed kcw?na (ctgnihotrctJ) in.the lJright

flames at the proper time, these oblations, performed
by him, conduct through the rays of the_sun where the
Lord of the Devas is sole sovereign.
. Oom.-.'J.1he agnihoi?i who. performs the kcwrna,,
agnihotra and the rest, in . these different bright
tongues of the fire, at the time fixed for the perforpla;nce of the lt,Cb'l'?nct these oblations(performecl by
him). becoming so many rays of the sun conduct him
to Heaven, where Indra, Lorcl of the Devas, singly rules
over all. '.Adcd&yan,' taking (the sacrificer).

~~m {f+rf~q~ ~q-4ftr: ~~ ~~+r~~;{ CT~Rr I

~ . r.::-...

""

<'

""

""

ll1tff ~+1~BlTS~tT1" ~ cr: ~lf: ~(ff ~~: I\ I

111

WITH SRI S.ANK.ARA'S COMMENTARY.

1'hese oblations shining bright carry. the sacrificer

through the rays of the sun bidding him welcome, propitiating him and greeting him with pleasing words.
'l'his is the well-laid path of virtue leading to JJ?ahmalol(,a.
Omn...-How these carry the sacrificer through
the sun's rays is now explained; calling " come,
come," these bright oblations greeting him with
pleasant words, i. e., with words of praise etc., and propitiating him, i. e., addressing him with such pleasing
"ords, as " this is your. virtuous and .well-laid road to
B1ahmalo"h~ct, the fruits of your cleecls". 'l'he word Brnhmctloka by the force of the context means " SvctJr[JCb or
Heaven".

gerr ~ ;a:rm ~

..

~"""'~
n-:''::r:::T..,.-:r.~~nT.I
'tt.,~, Q

lfs,

6ittl({ti0'ffiijCi(

.,

~ \iRTll~

~ ~

'""~....,.P....,.

a"~<qtN

91""Cl

11 \9.

The eighteen persons necessary for the performance

of sacrifice are t!-ansitory and not permanent and kcc?'?'IUJJ
in its nature inferior, has been stated as resting upon
these. Those ignorant persons who delight in this, as.
leading to bliss, again fall into decay and death.
Oo1n.-This 7ea?'?1tcb, devoid of knowledge, :bears
but . this much fruit and being accomplished
by ignorance, desire and action, is sapless and is the
source of misery. Therefore it is condemned. ~' Plava 't

112

MUND.AKOP.ANISH.AD ..

means ' ephemeral' because these are acbidha, i, e., not

permanent. Yajnari2pa, the forms of sacrifice, i.e.,
necessary for the perfor:i:nance of the sacrifice. Eighteen in number, consisting of the sixteen Ritvi~s,
the sacrificer and his wife. Karma stated in the sastra~
depends on these. Avlt?'et'l'l'b lat?'?na i.e., mere karma
devoid of knowledge; and as the performance of ka1"lna
which is inferior depends on these eighteen who are not
permanent. 1,he lca?'?na done by the1n and its fruit are
ephemeral, as, when the pot is destroyed, the dest1uction
of milk, curd etc. in it, follows. 1,his being so, those
ignorant persous who delight in this lcarma as the
means of bliss, fall again into decay and death after
staying sometime in Heaven.
,.....

"'

a:trct~1'4t'l . .a\

cra+mrr:

t..-A-TT

"

~crlf Cf,~,: q~ ~r:

Gttl""4+tl.,-r: trf~p(f ~ ~~9 ~ ~~: 11<'11

Being in the midst of ignorance and thinking in
their own minds that they are intellig~t and learned1
the ignoraut wander, afflicted with troubles, like the
blind led by the blind.
Oom.-Moreover, being in the midst of ignorance,
i. e., being utterly ignorant and thinking in their
own minds "we alone are intelligent and have
known all that should be known." Thus flattering themselves, the ignorant wander, much afflicted

WITH sRI SANKA.Rt\'~ COMMEN'rARY.

113

by old age, sickness- and a lot of other troubles;

being devoid of vision as the blind in this world, going
the vray pointed out by persons, themselves blincl, fall
into ditch and brambles.

Gl~Trct ~ effi;rr;;r
'.::1

ar:i ~

~;:~~ CIT{.?f:

'i ~~~ tJJII=d"'II(J: !?ifl1fc.~lc:fii~'<61--B ll~ll

The ignorant following the diverse ways ofignorance,
flatter themselves that their objects have been accomplished. As these followers of karnutJ do not learn the
truth owing to their desire, they grow miserable and
after the fiuits of their karrnctJ are consumed, fall from
Heaven.
Omn.~1 he ignora!1t acting diver~ely according to
ignorance, flatter themselves that they have achieved
what t4ey shou:ld. . This being so, the followers of
lulrma do' not lear~ the tiuth as they are assailed with
the desire for .the fr1:1its of karme~; they gt'OW -n~iserable
for that :reason and fall from heaven after the fruits of
their kcbrnuL are consun1ed.

a:,cCiflfiiolt

~ +r~+rt'=tr crt'~ c:tiH:~-e~~ ~ ~r: t

~~a~s~~~~;;~.err .fer~Rl'

n~on

These ignor~nt men regarding sacrificial and charitn;~

ble acts as n1ost important, do not know any other help
to bliss; having enjoyed in the heights of Heaven tb~

114

MUNDAKOPANISHAD.

abode of pleasures, they enter again into this or even

inferior world .
.Oom.-" IshtcGm," l:,arma enjoined by the Srutis as
sacrifies, etc. "PCt.rtha~n," Tt~a'mna enjoined by Smritis
such as the digging of pools, wells, tanks etc. Regarding these alone as the most important aids to the
attainment of human objects, these ignorant men, being
infatuated with attachment to their sons, cattle and
l.'elatives, do not know the other called 'knowledge of
self' which is the help to bliss. Having enjoyed in the
top of heaven-the place of pleasures-the fruits.of
their 7GcLr'l1ua, they enter again into this world of men
or even inferior world, such as the world of horizontal
beings, hell, etc., according to the residue of their
karma.

<;q:~:[ ~ &rqcr~~~tr ~Fffi'

~

feriDffi' ~zyq~

:cr~: I

~[i{ol ~ N~: ~q1Fa- ~r~<1: ~ ~ ~~~

II ~ ~ 11
But they who perform tapc~s and s?addhcG in the
forest, having a :control .over their, senses, learned and
living the life of a mendicant, go through the orb of
the sun, their good and bad deeds consumed, to where
the immortal and unclecaying P~trusha is.
Oom.-Bnt those who possess the 'knowledge contrary to that of persons previously mentioned, i.e., the

WITH SRI SANKARA's COMMENTARY.

llG

hermits of the'forest ancl the Sctn,yasins. ''Tapah,' the

karma enjoined on one's order of life. 'Hraddha,' the
worship of the }Jira,nyaga/tbha and other deities. Upa?Xtsanti,' follow. 'Aranye', living in the forest. ' Sclnlah,'
having control over the group of senses. 'Learned'
includes also house-holc1ers who possess chiefly knowledge, living by begging; because, they have nothing
to call their own. 'Living on ahns' is connected with
'living in the forest.' 'rl'hrough the orb of the sun,'
tl~rough the northern route. indicated by the , sun.
'Virajah,' their good and bacl deet1s l)eing cm1smned.
'Prayanti,' go with excel!ence. '\Vhere,' to 8a.tyc'bloka
where the immortal Pwr~tsha, the first born, undecaying
1Iiranyagarbhct is. 'Undecaying,' because he lives .to
the end of smnsara. With this, end the movements
within the pale of sa?nSa?'C6 attainable, through apara-.
vidya. If it be said that son1e regard this as .emancipation, we say it is not so because of the Srutis, ' .A.ll his
desires are even here absorbed' and 'those intelligent
persons whose 1ni;nd is concentrated reach the all-pervading, on all sides and enter into everything, etc.,' and
because of the mention of emancipation being irrele"'\
vant in this context ; for, in the course of treating of.
the aparavidyct, ther~ is no pertinency of emancipation
being brought in. The consumption of lcct'r?nct, spoken.
of is only. relative ; all the result of the apct'tctvidya, .be-.:

llG

MUND.AKOP.ANISHAD.

ing in the nn.ture of ends and means and diversified by

the difference of acts, requisites and fruits and partaking of duality is only this much, which ends with reaching lii?an']lagc~Jrbhcb. Accordingly also it has been
said by Manu speaking of the various stages within
samscbra, from the immovable upwards: '11he wise eonsider this a high and pure stage to attain .the world of
Brahma, the Fra}apcbi'is (creators), virtue, ??'bahcbt and
cwycddcb.'

qUa?1 ~F~RRfr.jf"ffiloTI ~~~~:

mI

~~rrrif tr ~ij~~ 1~\(illrctffiUT: mr~ MlH A8+(1 l ~.~'I

Let a Brahmin having exanJ.ined the worlds produced by kcb'i"lnCfJ be free fro~m desires thh,tking, 'there is
nothing eternal produced. by kar?JUt'; and in order to
acquire the knowledge of the eternal, let him Sctmid
(sacrificial fuel) .in hand, approach a preceptor alone,
who is versed in the Vedas and centred in the Brahman.
Oom.--Now this is said for the purpose of sho,ving
that only the person thoroughly disgusted with all
sc6msar;cb which is in the nature o ends and means, is
entitled to acquire the para vidycb. 'Pcw'ikshya', well
knowing that the subject of ctparcb vidya consisting of
the Rig, and other Vedas, performable by a person
tninted with the defects .of natural jgnorance, desires

WI'rH SRI SANKARA.'S COMMENTARY.

117

and lt:ctJ?'riUJ.~ has been intended for a person possessed of

such defects and after examining those worlds which
are the fruits of such kurrna, perforn1ed, attainable by
the northern and southern routes and these others such
as Hell, the world of beasts and the worlc1 of de1)arted
spirits, which are the result of the vices of not perfornling the prescribed karma and perforn1ing the forbic1clell
l.~a?'rJUtJ; afte.r having examined these worlcls with the
aid of experience, inference, analogies and ;Jga?na,s, i. e.,
determinecl the true nature of all these worlds attainable by one within the pale of samscL?'Cb, beginning from
the cwyaktcb clown to the immovable, n1anifested and
unmanifested. in their nature, productive of each othe1
like the seed and its sprout, agitated by a hundred
thousand troubles, fragile like the womb of the plan..
tain, similar in kind to illusion, the waters of the 111i...
rage, the shape of cities formed by the clouds in the
sky, dreams, water-bubbles and foam and destroyed
every n1oment and discarding all these as being produced by good ancl bad deeds and acquired by lcarmcb
induced by the faults of ignorance and d-esire. The
word' Brtihmanu' is here used because the Brahn1in is
specially competent to acquire the knowledge of Brahman through wholesale renunciation. What he should
do after examining these worlds is explained. ' NirveclctJm,' the root vicl with the prefix nih is here used in

118

MUNDAKOP.A.NISIIAD,

the sense of freedom froni desires. The meanhig is

that he will get disgusted. 1'he mode of disgust is
thus shown: 'Here,' in samsc"rcL there is nothing which
is not made; for, all worlds produced by lcarma are
transito1~y. 1'he meaning is: there is nothing eternal;
for alllcarmc6 is help to what is merely transitory. All
that is prodnced by karma is one of four kinds, that
vvhich is produced, that which is reached, ~hat which
is refined and that which is modified; beyond this
nothing can be done by la.wmct. But I am a seeker
after that consummation which is eternal, immortal,.
fearless, changeless, immovable and constant ; but not.
after one of a contrary nature ; of what use therefore is.
karma which is full of trouble and which leads to misery?. 1'hus disgusted, the Brahmin should, for knowing that abode which is fearless, fnll of bliss, not made,
and eternal, only approach a preceptor, possessing
attributes such as control of mind, control of the external !;lenses and n1ercy etc., (the force of the word 'alone'
is to show that even one versed in the recital of the
sastrcts. should not independently by himself seek the.
knowledge of the Brahman) with a load of samid in his
hand. ' Srot1iyctm,' versed in the recital of the Vedas
and the knowledge of its import. 'J?rahn'Vanishthctm ;'
like japanishthctJ and taponishtha, this word. means ' one.
who: is centred in the Brahman devoid of attributes and

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

119

without a second, after renouncing all lt.arma; for, one

performing "h~a?ma cannot be centred in the Brahman
on account of the antagonism between kcwmcb and the
knowledge of the .Atman. Having duly approached
the gttru, let the Brahmin propitiate him ancl question
him about the true and immortal Ptwltsha.

m1f \1 MOCI1 q~?fp;r tf+lfef~Wrc=JRJ'tfl~ ~~tr I

~~~~~~rcrr;q (If~~~ ll~'ll
r.ro him who ho.s thus approached, whose heart is well
subdued ancl who has control over his senses, let him
truly teach that Brrcuhmavidycb by which the true imn1ortaljJU1'ttshc6 is known.
Oont-' He,' the learned preceptor who knows tl1e
Brahman; ' VpcbsannctJyc6,' who has approached him.
'Samyak,' i. e., well, according to the sastras; 'Prasanta
chiththayct,' i.e., whose heart is subdued, who is free
fron1 such faults as pride etc. 'Santanvita.ya,' who has
control also over the external senses, i. e., who l1as
turned away from everything in the world. ' By
which knowledge,' by the pclira vidycb. ' Akshararm,'
that which has been described as imperceivable etc.,
and denoted by the word Fu'iusha, because it is all-pervading; or, because it is seated in the city of the body.
c Satywn'll,' the same because it is truth in its nature.
' Alcsharcli,' because it knows no decay, because it is

120

MUNDAKOPANISHAD~

scathless, and because it knows no destruction. 'Veda1

n1eans 'know.' The meaning is 'let l1im teach that
knowledge of the Brahman as it should be taught.
This is the duty of also the preceptor, that he should
n1ake the good pupil duly approaching him, cross the
sea of ignorance.

---o--Here ends the commentary on

the second part of the
First 111undaka.

---o--Here ends the First Mundaka.

SECOND

Jllunbakopanis~ab
-0-

PART I.

-o-

This is true ; as from the flaming fire issue forth, by

thousands, sparks of the same form, so fron1 the immortal proceed, good youth, diverse j~vas and they find their'
way back into it.
Oom.-Everything made, as the result of apara vidya
has already been stated. That entity known as Purusha from which samsara derives its strength, from
which, as its immortal source, it proceeds and into
which it is again absorbed is true; the subsequent
portion of the book is begun for the purpose of explaining. him, who being known, all will become known and
who is the subject of' Brahmavidya.' The satyam or
truth which is the subject of the apara vidya_ and which

122

:MUNDAKOPANISHAD.

is in the nature of the fruits of karma is only relatively true ; but this which is the subject of para vidya
is absolutely true, being defined as absolute existence.
~his .satyam is real, bei:n,g the subject of knowledge;
the other satyam is false, being the subject of ignor.anee. How could men directly cognize the immortal
;t;md real Purusha seeing that it is altogether beyond
the reach of direct perception. 'To this end, the Sruti
'gives an example: '.As from the fire well-fed sparks,
i.e., particles o fire issue forth by thousands, Hke fire
in their form ; so, from the immortal above described
:diverse jivas, diverse because of the difference of cond1tions, i:e., in their various bodies, com:e i:nto existence.
.Just as fr@m akas, the spaces enclosed as it were with..
in the limits of a pot, etc.' .As these spaces undergo
varieties corresponding to the varieties of their conditions such as pot etc., so also the jivas. according to the
varieties of their bodies created by names and forms.
'The j~vas are absorbed into the hnmortal J!Urusha when
the bodies conditioning them cease to exist, as the
various cavities cease to exist, when the pot, etc.,
cease to .exist. As the origin and destruction of the
variou.s cavities in the akas are due 'to its being en...
closed in a pot, etc., so also the cause and the absorption of the }iva are due to the akshara being :conditioned by bodies bearing nan1es a,n:d forms.

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

123

~~ ~: ~: ijfimT~=~u ~: r
"' ~: ~"' ~~~o: ~= U ~ II
i31IWJTT
He is bright, formless, all-pervading, existing without and within, unborn, without prana, without n1ind,
pure and beyond the avyakrita, which is beyond all.
Oom.- With a view to deserib~ the nature of that
akshara, i.e., which is beyond wh~:tt is known as avya](Jritc~J (the unmanifested) the seed of all name and forll}
and transcending its own modifications.which is devoid
of all varieties of conditions and bereft of all forms like
the dkc1s and which is capable of being only negatively defined~ the text says thus. 'IJivyah', bright, being
self-resplendent, or born of itself or distinct from all
that is worldly. 'Hi', because; 'am1Jrrtah,' having no
form of any kind. 'Purusha,' aU-pervading or seate.c}
in the city of the body. 'Sab,1kyabhyalntarah} means.
'existing both without aud within.' 'Unborn' is 'not
born of anything,' i.e., neither from itself nor from any
other, there being no other, from which it. could beborn. .As wind, etc., in the case of water bu:bbtes etc., an1
as the pot, etc., in the case of the different cavities.of l/Gd.~,.
so modifications of things, have birth for their S()lll'Ce,.
and all these modifications are denied: w}l;en birth is
~denied. The drift is that he is l;>oth witkop.t and within, unborn l\nd tlu~:refo:r.e :trqdeqaying, il)llmortal, cl;umge-

124

M.UNDAKOPANISHAD.

less, constant and fearless. Though he appears to be

in the various bodies with p'ta?utJ, with mind, with
senses and with their objects owing to the ignorance
of those who perceive difference of conditions, such as
bodies, etc., as they see in the aleas the colour etc., of
the surface; but still to those who see the reality, he is
without prana: etc.; he is without prana, i.e., in whom
the mind, which has various active powers and whose
characteristic is motion, does not exist. He is without
mind because in him the mind with its various powers
of knowledge and with its characteristics of volition etc.,
does not exist. It should be understood that of him
are denied the varieties of winds such as prana, the
active sensory organs, their objects and accordingly
intelligence, mind, the organs of knowledge and their
objects. Accordingly, another Sruti says ~ It seems
to think and move.' He is subhra or pure, because both
these conditions are thus denied of him. The Akshara
which is beyond all, the AvyltleritctJ whose nature is indicated as the seed condition of all name and form, as
it is known to be the seed of all effects and causes;
'param,' because the akshara known as avycikrita is in
its condition above all its modifications. The Purusha
is b~yond even this unmanifested akshara, i.e., not sub..
ject .to any conditions. In whom is the alcshara known
as dklls with all the objects of duality strung together as

WITH SRI SA.NKARA'S COMMENTARY.

125

warp and woof. How then could it be said to be without p'rana, etc ?. If prancb etc., existed as such in their
own forms before their 'creation like the pu1'Usha, then
the purusha can be said to be with pranc11 because of
their then existence; but they, the 11'rana etc., do not,
.Jike the purusha, exist in their own forms, before their
creation. So the highest purntsha is without 1''rana etc.

~rrrW

molr ;r;;:

~Fi{~I'IOI

:cr I

~ ~ar'Tftroq: w~cft fer~~ 11 ' 11

From him are born the prana,, the mind, all the sensory organs, the ahas, the wind, the fire, water andthe
earth which supports all.
Oom.-As Devadatta is said to be' aput?a' when a
'putra' is not born to him, so it is explained how it is
.said in this connection that in the case of the purusha,
the prana etc., do not exist; because fron1 this purusha
alone viewed as conditioned by the seed of name and
form is born the JYrana, the modification of the object
of ~gnorance, a mere name and in its nature a nonentity ; for another Sruti says ' The name is mere
speech, a modification and a falsehood' ; by prana,
which is an object of ignorance and a falsehood, the
highest cannot be saicl to be possessed of it (prana), as
a sonless man cannot be said to have a son, by a son
seen in dreams ; similar1y the mind, all the sensory

126

MUNDA.KOPANISHAD.

organs and their objects are born of this. Therefore

that he is really without prdll~tCb etc., is established. It
should be known that just as these prana etc., did not
really exist before the creation, so, even after absorption as the organs, the mind and the senses, so the
bhutas which are the causes of the bodies and objects.
'Kham,' the d.Jcas, the air internal and external, of Vl~ri
ous kinds such as avahctJ, etc.; ' Jotihi', fire. 'Apcbh\
water. 'Prithi,lJi', earth. ' V~vasyr.b,' of all. All these
whose attributes are sound, touch, form, taste and
smell and which are respectively formed by the combination of the latter with the previous attributes ar~
born of him. Having briefly stated the immortal, un..
conditioned, eternal Pwrusha, the object of pc6ra vidyu,
by the text ' Bright, formless etc,' the Sruti next pro;..
ceeded to explain his nature in detail and at length.
It is only when a thing is explained briefly and at
length, it becomes capable of being easily understood
as if explained by Stttrc6s and by their commentaries.

~T
~~
~:'
c.,.
~11 =r:t--a\("1~
~

mSr m~m~ ~: I

err~: muTT ~ fer~ ~ ~~ ~tSf ~-.:r.~CRR+rr

~

"

11 R
This is he the internal atman of all created things
whose head is- c6gni, whose eyes are the sun, and the
moon, whose ears are the . four directions, whose

Wl'fH SRI SANK.ARA'S COMMENTARY.

12 7

speeches are the emanated Vedas, whose breath is 'oayu,

whose heart is all the universe and from whose feet the
earth proceeded.
Oom.-'I'his text is intended to show that the 1Jirdt
:J?Urusha within the globe, who is born of Hi'ianyagcwbha
the first born, is b<;>rn only and a modification, of this
purushc11 though apparently distanced by an intermediate principle. The text also describes him. ' Agnihi',
the deva lolca or swarga, fiom the Sruti -' This loka
ve1ily is Agni, 0 Gautama.' ' Murdhcll, 'head; whose
eyes are the sun and the n1oon. '11he word ' yas11a' (of
whom) should be read in every clause. The word 'asya'
subsequently occurring being converted into ' ycbsya'
whose speech are the opened, i. e., celebrated Vedas.
' Hridayam,' heart. ' Visvam,' the whole universe.
The whole universe is only a modification of the mind
for it is absorbed into the mind during sleep and because it issues from the mind when waking, like sparks
of fire and from whose feet the eM'th was born; t~is
.deity, all-pervading, endless, the first embodied existence having for its body the three Zokas is the interior
atman of all created things ; for it is he who, in all
created things, is the seer, the hearer, the thinker, the
knower and who is the cause of all. It is next stated
that all living beings who come into -samsara through
the five fires are B~lso bor:n of the same purueha.

128

1\IUND.AKOP.ANISH.AD.
,.....

.,....t::;...,.~

('

~~: ttl~ctl ~~ ~:

......

.......L-"

tft+I'TC!.i\l'l ...~ ~:

l"l"rn~l

't'"'1"''1t

~: fu~ffi ~fiffi~ ~: ~: S:~'41cij~~: H~ II

From him the Agni (Dyu lolca) whose fuel is the sun;
from the moon in the ely~'- lol~a,, 1-1arjanya (clouds) ; from
the clouds, the medicinal plant that grows on earth ;
from. these the male (fire) which sheds the se1nen on
woman, thus gradually many living beings such as
Brahmins etc. are born of the Purusha.
Oom.-' From him', from the Pur~tsha. 'Agni ',the
Dyulolccb, a kind of abode for man. That Agni is des..
cribed. ' Samidhah ', fuel ; for which the sun is, as it
were, a fuel; for, it is by the sun that the Dyu lol(a is
lighted. From the moon emerging out of the Dyu lolea,
parjan.ya, the second fire, is produced ; and from the
parjan,ya, the medicinal plants proceed, grow on earth ;
and from the medicinal plants offered to the purusha
fire serving as the material cause the man (fire) sheds
semen on the woman (fire). 'l'hus gradually from the
purushcG are produced many living beings such as Brahmins etc; moreover the helps to krJJrma and their fruits
also proceed from the Purusha.

~: ~ ~ii(tGr

GJ'eyr

w~ ~ ~ afeycrrr~ 1

~~ ~~ ~: ~m ~ r.rcr~ ~~ ~: u~n
From him the Rig, the Sarna, the Yajur, Dikshc{l,

WITH SRI S.A.NKARA'S COMMENTARY.

129

sacrifices, n.ll I0rat'us, J:!ak.shinctJ, the year, the sacrificer

and the worlds which the moon sanctifies and the sun
illuminates.
Oom.-IIow ?. 'Tasmat ',from thePimtsha; 'Bh:JutJh>,
the manl?c'l.s whose letters, feet and endings are determined n.ncl which are mn.rkecll1y Ohhctn(lctJs (metre) like
the gctyctlri. Sfima 'vith its fivefold and sevenfold cln.ssi:O.cation characterized by sthoba and other gUa, (music).
'Yajus ', man:ltas in the form of sentences, whose letters,
feet and endings are determined by no rules. Thus the
threefolcl numtnts. 'DZ'ksha, ', restrictions such as the
wearing of n. mounjee (a kind of cord) etc, imposed upon
the pet-former (of n. sacrifice). ' YaJnas ', all sacrifices
such as c~gwihotrc~ etc. 'l(rai'lt ', sacrifices which require
n. yupctJ (i.e., sacrificial post). 'D(t.Jkshincth ', rewards
clistributed in sacrifice from n. single cow up to unbounded whole wealth. 'Year', stated tin1e as a necessary adjunct of karmCb. ' Yajamana ', the performer,
i. e., the sacrificer. ':J.1he worlds which are the fruits of
his lcarma are next described " which the moon renders
sacrecl ancl where the sun shines"; these are attainable
by the northern ancl southern routes ancl are the fruits
of the kcGr~ncfJ performecl by t.he knowing and the
ignorant.

130

MUND.A.KOPANISHAD-

From him also the devas are variously 'born, the

sc.Zdhyas, the men, the cattle, the bird, the prancG and
the ap&na, the corn and yava, tapas, devotion~ truth,
Brahmn.charya and injunction.
Oom.-'11asmt1t, 'from him also, from the purusha.
'Variously', in various groups such as vasus etc. Sampra..
s1~tah, well born. BadhycGs, a species of Devas, Me??J
those that are entitled to perform lr,arma ; Oattle, both
of the village and the forest. Vayamsi, birds. The
fooc1 of men etc. The Frana and the Apana ; corn and
yava, to be used for making hav(s (oblations). Tapas,
both as an indispen~able adjunct to lcarma whose
efficacy lies in the purification of the performer and as
an independent means of attaining the fruits of karma.
Devotion, that state of mind which precedes the mental
caln1 and a belief in a future state necessary to the ac, con,1plishment of all human ends. Similarly, truth i.e.,
avoiding falsehood and speaking out what has really
happened, without harm to others. Brahrn:acharltam,
absence of se:x;ual ~ntercourse. Injunction, the statement
of what ought to be done.

icttr

morr: !{+fCI'Fo <"1t+llcij8~: ~~r: t

W ~ irCfiT ~ ~muTT ~~~~lttl Fr~: tra ~ H(

II

WITH SRI. SANKAiti'S COMM:E;NT.ARY.

131

From him are born the seven pranas, the seven flames,
their sevenfold fuel, t~e sevenfold oblation and these
seven lolcas where the prtlnas move, seven and seven
in each living being lying in the cave, there fixed.
Oom.-Again the sevenpranas, i. e., (organs of sense)
in the head are born of this purusha alone. ' Their
seven flames', their light which enlightens their objects.
Similarly, the sevenfold fuel, their sevenfold objects;
for, it is by these objects that the pranas, i. e., organs
of sense are fed. 'The sevenfold oblations', the perceptions of the sevenfold objects; for, another Sruti says :
"l-Ie offers the oblation which consists in the perception of the objects by the senses.'' The seven Zolcas,
i.e., the seats of the senses where the pranas move.
The clause " where the pranas move" is intended to
exclude the vital airs, i. e., prrlina, apana and the rest.
'Lying in the cave', lying during sleep in the body or
the heart. 'Fixed', fixed by the creator. 'Seven and
seven', in every living thing. The meaning of the
context is that all lcarrna performed by knowing men'
who. propitiate their atma'i'll ana the fruits o such'
k~rma as well as the karma performed by the ignorant and their means and fruits ; all these proceed only
from the highest and the omniscient :pwruehcrr.

132

MUNDA.KOP.ANISHAD.

~n=r~ ~r a1'rlfCT~ \B"~ ~!Sf +@~aa~ &r;qmm u~ 11

From him proceed the oceans and all the mountains
and the diverse rivers ; from hjm also, all the medicinal
plants and taste, by which encircled by the Bhutas, i.e.,
gross elements, the intermediate (lima,rn, i.e., subtle
body is seated.
Com.-' From him', from the purushn. ' The oceans~,
all, the salt ocean etc. 'Mountains', the !Iimalayas
and the rest are all from this p~trushc~. 'Syandante ',
flow. 'Rivers', suchastheGanges. 'Sarvarftpah',ofmany
forms. Fron1 this 1JurushctJ also proceed the medicinal
plants such as corn, yava, paddy etc. ' Taste', sixfold
such as sweetness etc. 'By 'which', by which taste~
'Bhutaih ', by the ve gross bhutas. 'Pariveshtitah', encircled. 'Tishthate ', is seated. 'The internal c1.tmc6n',
the subtle body so called because it is the iltman, as it
were, intermediate between the gross body and the
soul proper.
"' ""

!J:~!Sf ~ rcr~

"'
cn+r<:' aqr

~ troiQ~ 1

~r~R~~ffis~~ ~~ m~ II~ oil

The pu'iusha alone is all this universe-Karma and
Tapas. All this is Brahman, the highest and the immortal who knows this as seated in the cavity of the
heart, ~nties the knot of ignorance even here, Oh good
look.irig youth !

WITH SRI SANK.AR.A'S CO:MMENT.ARY.

133

Oom.-Thus, out of p~tr~tsha, all this is born ; therefore as the Sruti says " The name is mere speech, a
modification an<l a falsehood and the 1Jurusha alone is
true." Therefore all this is only purusha. The universe has no separate existence apart fiom JrLtrttsha.
lienee to the question propounded" 0 Bhagavl1n, by
knowing whon1, all this becomes known," the answer
has been :given, i. e., when this purushc6, the. supreme
1Umc6n, the first cause is known, it becomes clear that
all this universe is purusha anc1 nothing else exists except him. What then is this" all," it is thus explained.
J{arma is of the nature of .Agnihotra and the rest.
Ta1xLs, knowledge and the fruit due to it. By ' all'
this much is meant. And all this is evolved out of
Brah1nan. Therefm~e everything is Brahman. He
who knows that he himself is this Brahman the highest and the in1mortal placed in the hearts of all living
beings destroys the dense tendencies of ignorance.
Iha, even while living and not merely after death~
Soumya, good looking,

---o--IIere ends the commentary

on the first part of the
Second Mundaka.

---o---

SECOND

Jltunba liop aniafJ nb.

-oPART

II.

-o-

Bright, well-fixed, moving in the heart, great a.nd

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
~an's knowledge, and the highest of all.
, Ovm.-It is now explained how the al~shd!Nlt which
is formless, could be known. A1,ihi,. 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 shinfng is Sannihita, i.e.,
well seated in the heart. It is celeb1~ated as guhtlcharan because it moves in the cavity in modes of seeing,

135

WITH SRI SANKARA.'S COMMENTARY.

hearing etc. 'Great', because it is greater than all.

Padam, reached by all, because it is the seat of all
objects. H-ow 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 chaTiot. Ejat,
moving, i.e., birds etc; pranet, breathes, i.e., n1en,
cattle etc., having prana, apana etc; and 'winks', all
that winks and all that winks not, f]:o:ri.l the force of
the particle cha; this in which all is centred, know, 0
disciple, that that is your own !tlman ; both scbt and
asct;t ; for without it, sat and asat, that which has form
nnd that which has not,i. e., the gross and the subtle
do not exist. Tla1enywrn, 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
tJ:iat it is beyond the reach of worldly knowledge.
Y ar~<Jlttha?n, the highest of all ; because of all that is
high, the Brahman is pre-e1ninently high, being free
from all faults.

'4<:tt~+t~a:~ :q ~~~ ..J'p:firsRftrr ~~~

~

ij&f'

~ QIOI~eta ~: l ~c~~ ~([-..:.~

~ ~

fFffii

II \U

What is bright, what is smaller than the small, in

what are centred all the world and those that live in

136

MUNb.AKOP.ANISH.AD.

them is this immortal Brahman. That is pn'Lnrt, 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.
Oo?1~.-Besic1es it is ct'tchi?nnt, bright, because it is by
the light of the Brahman that the sun etc. shine ; again
it is snbtler than the subtlest (i. r::.,) grain etc. lProm
the particle chcfl, it is suggestecl that it is bigger than
the biggest such as earth etc. In whom all the worlcls
such as earth etc., are :fi.xecl ancl men nncl the rest,
inhabitants of those worlds; for all are well-knO\Yn to
depend upon "Intelligence 1', i.e., Brahman; this imn1ortal Brahman on which all depend is j'Yranr6, speech,
mind and all the instruments. It is their internal
intelligence for the whole combination of pn'tnct, senses
etc., is dependant upon that intelligence, according to
the Sruti 'It is the 1J?ctnc6 of p1ctrw etc. ' ':(1his immortal
Brahman which is the internal intelligence of 1nc~na etc.,
is true ancl therefore endless. Yecldhavyam, should be
seized by the minc1. ~rhe meaning is that the minc1
should be concentrated upon the Brahman. rrhis being
so, 0 good looking youth, strike that, i. e., concentrate
your mind upon that Brahman.

Cl1JL~'f,~l q~~~ ;r~~ ~~ ~cn~rA-fucf &ci<:fm 1

~ a~fF.f~ :ijam ~~ a~tiTf!d~ ~p:~ fctr~ II~ II

WI'rH SRI SANK.ARA'S COMMEN'fARY.

137

Having taken the'bow fnrnished 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 in1mortal Brahman.
Oom.-I:Iow that is hit is now explained. lJhctn~th,
the bow. GriMtva, having taken. Uj:x6nishctclctm,
born in, i.e., well...known in the Upanishads. Mcthast'twm, great weapon, i.e., the arrow; fix the arrow; of
what quality is stated. Upc"Zsc"Znisitc~rm, rendered pointed by constant meditation, i.e., purified; after fixing
it ancl drawing it, i.e., having drawn the mind and the
senses from their external objects and bending, i.e.,
concentrating them on the li).ark, for the bow here cannot be bent as by the hand ; hit the mark-the imlnortal Brahman-above defined with thy 1nind, Oh
good looking youth, engrossed by meditation upon the
Brahman.

:qurcn ~= ~u ~ ~

~~tl~a- r

~~~q~+r~~ll ~II
':J.1he Prcmavct is the bow, the Atnutn is the arrow~and
the Brahman is. sal.d to be its mark. It should be hit
by one who is self..collected and that which hits becon1es,
like the arrow, 011e with the 111ark, i.e., Brahman.

138

MUNDAKOPANISHAD.

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 H On1" is the cause of the
Atman entering into the Brahman ; for it is only when
purified, by the repetition of P'ranavct, that the Atrnct?t
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 Prcmcwa is like a
bow. The arrow is the Pctrctmat?1'1ian itself conditioned
as the Atrnc~?'li 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 Brahll].an. Therefore the Brahman
is said to be its mark, because it is seen to be the
Atrncm itself by those who fix their mind upon it as
on a mark. ':ehis 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 Virl10se mind
is concentratecl. When that is. hit, the Atm~n 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
becon.1.ing one vvith the immortal Brah1nan by the

139

WITH SRI SANKARA.'S COMMENTARY.

dispelling of the notion that the body etc., is the AMnan.

,.... ....:$\.
1;:-.......p,
"
.....
lflt;Jr~.u: ~~~ctf :q"frQT{~o
..... ~.

ijt=f:

~,....

:$:).

~ I{Tul~ ~or:

~"'

(llfefCfl i:iflClq ~c;JI'i;J~I etl~l T~~~!Sf~r!: ll~tl

He in whon1 the heaven, the earth, the CtlJ~Jta?"iksha.

(sky), the mind with the lrrconctS are centred; know
him to be the one Atmc~n. of all; abanclon Dill other
speech; this is the road to in1mortality.
Omn.-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 D7;o~th, earth, and antcwil~sha are centred as
a~so the mind with the other instruments ; know him,
0 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" Aparavidya" as also all Karma with
their aicls elucidated by it; for, this, i; e., the knowledge
of the .A.tman is the road to the attainment 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 ; tl1ere is
no other road to emancipation."

am ~

mrm ~ ~ ~: ~ ~s~~ ~~ \ifTlf-

m;;r: 1

1\IUNDAKOPA.NISIIAD.

*m~ci ~~~ alT~rc:f ~Cfi~(f cr: qzy:r a+R1: tf~~Rt II\ II

Where the nerves of the body meet together as the
spokes in the nave of a wheel, this Atman is within it
variously born ; meditate upon " Om " as the Atman.
May there be no obstacle to your going to the other
aide beyond darkness.
Oom.-Within the heart where all nerves running
through the body meet together, as the spokes in the nave
of the whe0l, this A.tman, spoken of, dwells within, as the
\Yitness 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 ; me~ in the world say ' He has become angry, he
has become joyful" , according to the conditions of the
internal sense (mind); meditate upon A.tman 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 ar~
those who being desirous to acquire the knowledge of
the Brahman, have renounced Karma and taken the
road to emancipation. The preceptor gives his benedic...
tion that they may attain the Brahman Without hindrance ; svasti va]L partlya, let Him be without hindrance
to your reaching the other shore. Pcwastat ; beyond,
beyond what ? ; beyond the darkness of ignorance, i.e.,

WI'fH SRI SANK.AR.t\.~S COl\IMENT.ARY.

Ul

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
Paravidya.
('

.t."

14~~

"'

<:{: ~! ~Cifef~~(;f!Sf iflQ.'t'll ~19 IG., 0~llt~~\

""
+r;:rTif<:f:

""
&liS

"'
O(;[J+r~f

~fufuij: '

" "'
"" ...... "" ~~<:f ffi~ew:f
,.....
" "'
I{fOl:{T~H:;=JoT
~ffilBIDS~
ffi[~'i

q~trfro

bfro idi~qij~ij ~~+rrfij ll\9 II

This .Atman \vho knows all and all of every thing

ancl whose glory is so celebrated on earth is seatecl in the
t.llds of the bright city of Brahman. He is conditioned
by the mind, j s the leader of the prttna anc1 the body
and is seated in food, i.e., the body fixing the intel..
ligence (in the cavity of their heart). The discerning
people see 1Jy means of their superior knowledge on all
sides the atman which shines, all bliss and in1mortality.
Oorn.-Where He is, is now explained; the terms
' sarvajna ' and ' sarvavit' have already been explained.
He is again described; by the expression "\vhose glory
is this" is meant "whose glory is celebrated". What
is that glory?. By whose comn1ands stand supported
the earth and the sky, by whose command, the sun and
the moon always rotate as the flaming fire ..brand. By

MUNDAKOPANISHAD.

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, aucl the years do
not transgress ; by whose commands all ka'I''YiUfJ, their
performers and their fruits do not likewise go beyond
their appointed time; that is his glory. Bh~~Jv'i, 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. Bnthmctp1i?e, in the lotue of
the heart, so called because the Brahman is always
n1anifesting himself there in the form of intelligence.
Yyom?~i, in the iUcas, within the cavity of the heart.
lie is perceived cts if seated there; because other\vise
motion to or from, or fixity in a place is not possible for
him who is all-pervading like the (lkus. ][anm1Ufi]!Cfl,
because seated in the heart, he is perceived only by tho
n1odifications of the mincl. (Thus) conditioned by the
mind. Leader of the p~anrt and the body, because he
leads the 1'1'ana and the body from one gross body into another body. Prratishthitah, fixecl. Anne, in the
foocl, i.e., in the body which is a modification of the
food eaten and which grows and decays clay by clay.
lbitlaymn, intellect. Sanniclhaya, fixing-in the ca..
vity of the lotus ; for, the A.tman is really seated in the
heart and not in the food. 'J7a,t, the entity of the

WI'rH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

ltt3

.A.tman. Vi}niinenc, by kno,vledge, thorough, pro.duced

by the teachings of the slLstrras and the preceptor and
arising from control of the mind, control of the senses,
n1editation, complete renunciation and freedom from
desire. Pa'i"i1JasycbnU, see on all sides full. Dh~'i'lth,
the discerning. A?11anclan1ptl/YlL, free fion1 all dangers,
miseries and troubles. VibluUi, shines n1uch in one~
self always.

~~~/il ..a~~:l

~~

:crwr Cfi+ltfUr ~+rrm

~er"'t ll

< tl

When he tlu\t is both high and low is seen, the knot

of the heart is untied; all doubts -are solved; and all
his ]~,a1rnc" is consumed.
Oom.-The fruit of the knowledge of the Paramatlnan 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
hnbedded in the heart etc." This is attached to the
heart (intellect) not to the Atluan. Bhiclyate, under-.
goes destruction; doubts regarding all knowable things
have their solution-doubts which perplex worldly
men up to their death, being (continuous) like the
strean1 of the Ganges; of the man whose doubts l1ave
lJeen solved and whose ignorance has been dispelled,

144

1\:IUND.AKOP..A.NISIIAD.

such kc6rrna 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 lca?'?17Ja which brought about this
birth, for it had begun to bear fr.uit. He, " the omni..
scient", not subject to sa?nSlbrttJ ; ' both high and low',
high as being the cause ancllow as being the effect ;
when he is seen directly as " I an1 he'', one attains
emancipation, the cause of samsata being upr:,ooted.

m tWt ij~ firs~

~-q t:R
~
~.......
~tfrfq~t

'"'"
TEl'"' A~offi.1~ic+l~~r
let~!

l1

II

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.
Oom.-The three following texts briefly elucidate the
meaning already expressed. Iii1anrnaye, golden, i.e.,
full oflight, or, bright with intelligence and knowledge.
'Tl1e 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. VirajctJm, free from the taint of ignorance ancl
all other faults. Brahma, because it is the greatest
of all and Atman of all. Nishkalnm, that from which
the latlas hacl proceeded, 'i.e., devoid of p11rts; because

WITH SRI. sANKARA.'S COM!viEN'fARY.

145

is

it
untaint'ed and . devoid of parts, therefore it is
S'Ltbhram or pure. Thelight of all lights, whose light
englightens even those that illunline all other things
such as fire etc. The meaniRg is that the . brightness
of even the fire, etc. is due t6 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 ln1owers ofr the c~;tmctn', those ' discerning' men who 'know the S'elf as the witness of
the objective states of consciousness regarding sound
and the rest ; as it is the highest light, it is only those
\vho follow (are in) the subjective state of conscious..
ness, not others, who follow (aPe in) the perceptions
of external objects, that know it.
l QQf B~ mffi ;r :q ..i(ct Rri ~ ~ '+I'Tffl
0..

~ctiS<.fmR: I

G~ ~~~+miT.~ 11.~ oil

The sun . shines not there; nor the moon and the
st~rs. Nor do these lightnings shine. How could
~his fire? . .All shine after him who. shines. All this is
i]h;tmined by h~s radiance.
Oom.-How that is the light of all lights is explained. The sun though enlightening all, does not shine
i;n, i.e., does not illumine the Brahman which is his
Atman; for, the sun illumines the whole universe other
than the .At;man with the light ..of the Brahman, but

146

:MUNDAKOPANISHAD.

has not in hims~lf the capacity tO illun1inate. SiU1ilarly neither ~he n1oon and the stars nor the lightning
shines. How could this fire )Vhich is in the range of
our vision?. Why dilate?. ~J.1hia universe which shines,
shines with the light of bim, the lord of all, who shines.
being himself lutninosity. 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 re~t shine with the light of
the Brahman. As it is the Brahman alone that thus.
~hinea and. ~hines with varying light in its. diverse
m:anifestations, itself luminosity, is inferred;. fpr, that
which is not itself light cannot illull,line others as we
see that pots, etc., do .not illumine others and that the.
sun: and the rest 4aving light, illumine others.

~~~ !j<tdl~~ tf~ ~~fiaT f

\WOf~. ;cr m:r~ ~- rer~m~ qf<B 11 ~ ~

All this before is immortal Brahman; certainly all

behind is Brahman ; all to the south and to the north ;
all below and all alone stretched out, i.~. extended, all
this is certainly l3rahmnn, the highest.
Com.- The statement> Bl-ahmau .alone the light of
lights is true and that all else is only its, modifioation,
a. ruatte:r of speech is a. mere name and falsehood first
ma~de and logically demonstrated at length (after

WI'rH SRI SANK AHA'S COMMENTARY.

14 7

wards) is affirmed again as a conclusion by this

That 'vhich is "Q~fQre us and which, in the
eyes of the ignorant, appears to be not Brahnian is
certainly Brahman. Similarl~r what is hehind us; so,
that to the sonth ; so, that to the north : so, that belmv,
and thati n.hove ancl all that, is ext.enclecl everywhere
in the form of effeet, appefl.ring otherwise t.lum Brahman and p~ss~ss~cl nf lH~me ft!lHl fo1~n1. Wl1y ~4Y
much ?. A..i1 this vnst univer::~P is Brn.h Jl)!\U certr.hlly
All perception ot,henvjse tltan as Brahman is mere
ignorance, jnst. ns the pmcepiiiou of a serpent in a robe.
rPhe declaration of the Veclas is t.hat. the one J-hahnu~n
alone is really t,rne.
mant,ra.

---0-.----
H~re e~~ds

t,he

s~conrl p.&tt

M:tm~tdn}.
--0--

qf th!3 s~coud

THIRD

Jlltntbnliopnnis l)nb.
--a-PART I.

--o---. . ,..,

("'

~f1111ff
~lf\lff
~@f~T ~J:TFT
'::I
'.:I

[T
'

r-....

..

""

...

m qf~!Sf~Ci\iff(f
r"-

,...,......

(flff\r;q: Tqtq~ ~CiT[~.,-Prl'?F;qr ~T~f~Tffi

II

II

~l'wo inseparable cmnpn.niops of fine plumage perch

un thf': sP.lf-::m.me trt"P. OlH~ of the tvw feecla on the
delicious f1nit. 'l1he other not tasting of it looks ou.
Omn.-'Jlhe Paraviclya has been explained h~
\Vhicb the immortal ' Purusha' or the Truth could be
known, by vi'hose knoivledge the cause of sa?nswn,
such as the knot of the heart etc. can he totally destroyed. Yogn. which is the means to the realization
of the Brahman has also been explained by an illus-
t1ation "takihg the how ::mel the rest". Now the
suhseguent portion is intended to incnlcn.te the auxiliary helps to that yoya, as .truth etc. Chiefly the
truth is here cletermined b~' another lll(J(le ttl:! it il:l extremely difficnlt to realize it. He1e~ thong:h already
(lone. a mnntrn (hrief) as an aphorism is iut.l'odnced

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

1<19

for the purpose of as'certaining the absolute entity.

Suparnau, t'\VO of good motion or two birds ; (the
word" Suparna" being used to denote birds generally);
Sayujau, inseparable, constant, companions; Salchayuu,
b,earing the same ,'name or having the same cause of
manifestation. Being thus, they are perched on the
same tree ( same', because the place where they could
be perceived is identical). 'Tree' here means 'body';
because of the similitude in their liability to be cut
or destroyed. Parishasvajate, embraced; just as
birds go to the same tree for tasting the fruits. This
tree as is well known has its root high up (i.e., in Brahman) and its branches ( prana etc.) downwards; it is
transitory and has its source in Avyaldcb (mayctJ). It
is named 'Kshetra' and in it hang the fruits of the
7carma of all living things. It is here that the Atman
conditioned in the subtle body to which ignorance,
tlesire, lcarma and their unmanifested tendencies cling
and Isvara are perched like birds. Of these two so
perched, one, i. e., lcshetra,jna occupying the subtle body
eats, i.e., tastes from ignorance the fruits of karma.~ marked as happiness and misery, palatable in many and
diversified modes; the other, i. e., the lord, eternal,
pure, intelligent and free in his nature, omniscient
and conditioned by mayc& does not eat; for, he is the
director of both the eater and the thing eaten, by the

150

I\IUND.A.l(OI'.A.NISI:f.A.D.

fact of l1is mere existence as the eternal witness (of

all) ; not tasting, he merely looks on; for his mere
witnessin(! is di1ection as in the case of a king.

.I

ijlff~ ~ey ~ W.s~ ~ ~~r.;: 1

~i ~ q~~~.p:p:fro~~

'"I (i)ffi cft~mtfi': II ':( II

On the self same tree the Jiva drowned as it were

and perplexed, grieves owi~1g to helplessness. l~ut
when he sees the other, the lord who is worshipped by
all and his glory, he becomes absolved fr~nn grief.
Oom.-In this state of things the Jiva, i.e., the enjoyer
occupying the body as above described under the heavy
load of ignorance, desire and thirst for the fruits of
Karma etc, sinks down like a bottle-gourd in the waters
of the sea, is convinced beyond doubt that the body is
the at11U?b and thinking that. he is the son of this man
or the great-grandson of that, lean or stont, with m;
without good qualities, is enjoying or suffering, and
that there is none but him, is born, dies, is united
with an<l part~cl from relations and kinsmen ; therefore
he grieves from helplessness thus: . "I a1n goqc1 fo~
nothing I have lost my son, n1y wife is dead, what
avails my life " and so. forth and is Sttbj ecb t.o anxiety
from ignorance .owing to numerot1s .kinds of troubles;
but when thus constantly degenerBtting in births, o;
pretas, beasts, nten and the like, he h~ppens~ owing

151

WITll SRI SANKARA'S CO:MMEN'fARY.

to the result of pu1e deeds stored up in many (previous)

births to be instructed in the path of Yoga by some
preceptor surpassingly compassionate and being qualified by abstinence from giving pain, tr~th speaking,
continence, complete renunciation and control over the
internal and external senses and with his mind concentrated, finds by dint of 1neditation, the other who
is approached by different paths of Yoga and by the
followers of Karma distinct fi01n him, conditioned in
the body, not subject to the bondage of Samsara,
unaffected by hunger, thirst, grief, ignorance, clecay
and death and lord over all the universe and thinks
thus: '' I am the aMnam, alike in all, seated in every
living thing and not the other the illusory atmct?~,
enclosed under conditions created by igno~ance and'
t~is glory7 this unive~s~ i~:~n1ine, .the l9rd Qf.all, ,., tl1en
he bec9:p.1es absolved from grief, i. e., is. released
entirely from the ocean of grief, i. e~, "his object is
accomplished.
~

""

'Wi: 'W-lo

fl

(',..

'""

~ eoro~m ~!Sf ~rr~

~ feHiJ ..3:a;qqrq ~ ~: q-~~ ~~~ tl ' II

When the seer sees him of golden hue, the creator,
lord, Purusba and the source of .(.A.para) Brahma, tl1eu
the k11ower, having shaken off all deeds of merit and

152

MUND.A.KOP.A.NISHAD.

sin, attains supreme equality, being untouched with

stain.
Oom.-Another mantra also conveys the same meaning at length. Y arla, when; Pc~;sycbha, one who sees,
i.e., a learned man, i.e., a man of practice. Rul,;mc,_
var?taln1, of self-resplendent nature, or, of imperishable
brightness as that of gold. 'Creator,' of all the universe;
B1ahmc~;yoJ1lim, t,he l~rahmau who is the source ot the
lnanifested Brahman. When he sees the Brahman
thus, then the learned man shaking off, or burning
away good and bad deeds, forming a bondage to their
root and being unaffected, i. e., freed from grief, attains
that supreme equality which is identity with the
Brahman. The equality in matters involving duality
is certainly inferior to this.
~

~M

"'~

IITO'ft ~!Sf ~= ~Cf+i_qrer+fff(f 19\lll'"ll,~+tCf(l ~I

""

,.....

iai~~. ~: J?fi~~isr Sil&r~. cr~g:

fu Cfl~l,._ I

u g 11

This is indeed Pruna, i. e., Isvara, shining variously

with all living beings. Knowing him, the wise man
becmhes not a. taUter regarding anything. else. Spotting
i~ self, ~elighted in self and, doing acts (enjoined),
this 'nmn is the best of thbse whd know the Brahman.
Oom.-.A.gain this Isvara is the prana,~ of znana.
This, now treated of. 'All living things,' from the
Brahman. down to the worm. The instrumental case

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

153

in " Scwvcbbhz1tctih" has the force of " thus becon1e."

~l'he meaning is 'existing in all living things, i.e., the"
atmcbn of all.' VibhtUi, shines variously. The man of
knowledge \Yho directly realizes Him who is in all
things as his own Atnu)jn" and thinks " I am he" cloes
not becon1e an ati-ulidin, merely by the knowledge of
the import of the mahltvlikya. .At,itadi, means one
whose nature is to talk of all other things more, when
he sees that all is the Atman and nothing else exists ;
how then could he talk of anything else. It is only
where one sees anything else, he coulcl well talk of
that; but this n1an of knowledge sees, hears and lniows
none other than the Atman ; so he is not a talker of
an~hing else. Again, l1e is an atm,akr-tdc(;h, i. e., one
whose sport is within his own .A.tman and not elsewhere
such as son, wife, etc. Similarly he is atmaratih~ i.e.;
one who delights or revels in his own .A.tman. The term
lcrld<l or play 1equires some external help. But delight
or revelling does not require any external help but
indicates merely the attachment to an external object.
This is the distinction. Similarly, kriyavlin, i.
one whose activity consists in knowledge, J+le~ita,tion,
freedom fron1 desire, etc. But if the reQ.ding be
"U,tmc!Jratiktiyctvam~" (a compound) the meaning is he
whose activity is mere delight in 111;an; as between the
Bah~tv~'ihi and the " mat'l~p " ending, 011e is suffiCient

e.,.

MUND.AKOrANISHAD.

without the other; but some contend that the single

compound, denotes a combination of both katma i. e.,
Agnihotra ancl the rest, and the knowledge of
Brahman. " It is not possible for one to be playing with external objects and at the same time to
be clelightecl in self. It is only the man who has
.turned away from external activity that becom.es
clelightcd in self; for, external activity ancl delight in
itself are opposed to each other; for, it is not possible
that darkness and light could exist in the same place.
'11herefore the statement that a combination of Karma
and knowledge is inculcated by this text is certainly
the prattle of the ignorant. This also follows from
the Srutis "Leave off from all other speech" and "by
renunciation of Karma etc." Therefore he alone is
" J[,riycwan" whose activity consists in knowledge,
meditation etc., and who is a sanyas~n not transgressing
the limits of prohibitory injunctions. Such a man as
is not an ativiidin, as sports in his own self, as delights
in himself and as is a Kriyavan (whose activity is
aforesaid) is the first among all the knowers of Brahman.

~~ ~~~ m~Sf ~ ijRf~~~~i ~~ ~

"'

~:~~ \Rf~~~~~fr'a-~:~OJ(JG(I: 11~11

'l'his .Atman within. the body, resplendent and pure,
can be reached by truth anc1 tc6pc~s, by soundl\:now-

WITH SRI S.ANK.AR.A.'S COMMENT.A.RY.

155

ledge and by abstinence fron1 sexual pleasures constantly

practised ; he is w~thin the body, resplendent and pnre;
him, assiduous Sanyasins see, their faults removed.
Oorn.-Now truth and the rest chiefly characteri~ed
by restraint are enjoined upon a bhikshu, i.e., mendicant,
as auxiliary aids with souncl knmvleclge ; l1e shoulcl be
attained by truth, i.e., by abstaining fron1 falsehood; as
also by tctpas, i.e., by concentration of the senses and
the mincl, which is declared to be the highest tapas-;
for, it is this which is of greatest help as it is turned
towards beholding the A.tman, not the other forms of
ta1Jr.ts, such as the performance of the ohc~ncl'rayana, (a
penance), etc. " 'l'his .Atman should be attn.ined"
should be read into every clause. 'By gooclknowledge ',
by beholding the .Atman as it really is. 'By brahmachctryct ', by abstinence fron1 sexual pleasure. Nityarrn,
always. The word "always" should be read with every
one of the words ' truth,' ' tapas,' etc. Just as a lamp
within a building illumines every part of it, it will be
said later on that they see the Atman in whmn there
is neither deceit, nor falsehooa, nor cunning. Who this
.A.tman is that should be attainecl by these aids is explained. 'Within the body', in the midst of the body,
i.e., in the akas of the lotus of the heart. 'Resplendent',
of golden hue. SuJbhrct, pure. The ?JCttcty.ah, i.e .. ,
those who are habitually seeking, i.e., the Sanyasins.,

156

MUNDAKOP.ANISR.AD.

'their faults removed', i.e., devoid of all taint of mind

.such as anger etc., find this atma/n. ~'he drift is that the
atynan i.s attained by Sanyasins with these aids as truth,
etc., constantly practised and cannot be attained by
theni occasionally practised. This text is a eulogy of
such.aicls as truth etc.

~ \if~ 'lf.l(f ~ ~T ~~ ~: I
~~c~~ &118Cfli~T

lf.{

~~

trol

~-lFI+f..ll\ll

Trutl~ alone wins, not falsehood ; by truth, the Devayanah (the path of the Devas) is widened, that by
which the s~ers tra\rel on, having nothing to wish for,
to where tliere is that-the highest treasure attained
by'truth.
Oorn.-Truth alone, i. e., he who speaks the truth
alone, wins ; not he who utters falsehood, for there can
be neither victory nor defeat between abstract truth and
falsehood where they do not cling to men. It is well
known in the world that he who utters falsehood is defeated by him who speaks the truth; not the converse.
Th.erefore it is establishecl that truth is a strong auxiliary; again the superiority of truth as an aid is also
known from the sastras ; how?. It is only by truth, i.e.,
by a determination to speak 'what had occtlrred, the
road named " Devaytlnah" (the way of the gods) is widened; i. e., is kept up continually; by which road,

WITH SRI SANKARA'S 001\11\IENTA.RY.

157

seers free from deceit, delusion, fraud, pride, vanity

and falsehood and having no desires, go about to where
the absolute truth, the highest treasure covetable by
man and attainable by the important aid, truth, exists.
'a1e expression "where the greatest etc" is connected
with the preceding clause "the road by which they
go is widened by truth." What that is and what its
characteristics are will be explained.

~:er aRolf~M--<A~ci ~~ ij(~~ ~I

~~ aR~JPato :cr ~~ter ~ ~~II \9 II

'l'hat shines as vast, heavenly, of unthinkable form
and subtler than the subtle, much farther than the distant, near, also. here, and seen fixed in the cavity, by
the intelligent.
Oom.-'I'he BrcGhmcbn now treated of and attainable
by truth, etc., is vast, because it is all-pervading;
'heavenly,' self:..luminous and imperceivable by the
senses. 'l'herefore alone is it that its forn1 is unthinkable ; it is subtler than even the subtle, snch as the
cbldls and the rest; for, being the cause of all, 1t is of
unsurpassing subtlety. VibhaU, shines diversely, i.e.,
in various form,~ such as that of the sun, the moon etc.
Again it is fiutl~er, even fion1 the most, distant places;
for, the Braluua1i calinot be in the least approached by
the ignorant. :a il::l. also ne;.\t', i. e., in the body itself;

158

1\IUND.AKOP.ANISH.AD.

because it is the atmctn of those who know and because it is within all, from the Sruti which declares
it to be even within the lZhas. 'In those who see',
among the intelligent men. 'Fixed', seated, i.e., seen
l1y yogis, as possessed of the activity of seeing etc.
vVhere?; in the cavity, i. e., in the intellect ; for it is
seen as lodged there by those who know; still, though
lodged there, it is not seen by the ignorant, as it is
veiled by ignorance.

;:r :q~ ~a-. ~rr'ft erRIT ~~ffltreT

't:::>.

.......

Cfilton qr

"""'~I,_,~......
Qtl.,.,.,l,..,...~'l tEi~'[fi~H"H1~ tf ~ 1~u~~ ~;;:

ll<'ll

He is not grasped by the eye ; nor by speech ; nor

by other senses; nor by tapas; nor by kctrrmcfl; when
one's mind is purified by the clearness of knowledge,
then alone he sees the indivisible (Brahman) by contemplation.
Omn.-Again, a special aid to the attainment of
Brahman is explained. It is not seen by the eye of
anybody, because it has no form ; nor is it grasped by
speech, because it cannot be the subject of words; nor
by the other senses. 'l'hough taJJas is an aiel to the
attainment of all, the Brahman cannot be reached by
ka1mc6 enjoined by the Vedas, such as agnihotrcJJ and
the rest though their greatness is well known. What
then is the means by which it could be grasped is

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

1.59

explainec1. Gnilna 1nasa,clenct, though the intellect in

all men is by nature competent to know the .A.t1nan,
still being polluted by such faults, as love for external
objects etc., ancl hence unclear and impure, it does not,
like a stained mirror and mt1ddy water, grasp the
entity of the .Atman though always near; but when, by
removal of the polluting taint, such as desire etc., produced by contact with the objects of the senses, it is
macle clear anc1 calm lilte mirror and water, then the
intellect becom.es clear; by this clearness ofthe intellect
the mincl is purified and the man becomes competent
to realize the Brahman. Therefore he sees the Atman
which has no parts-, by meditation, having recourse to
such helps such as truth etc., having controlled his
senses and with a concentrated n1ind.

~s~wm ~r ~Rtto41 ~~--Qtol: ~ ffi~ I

ma)f'~:ij ~ ~Pff.it ~fB:tpqfd;a fcrll~enmt ll~ll
This subtle .A.tman should be l{nown by the mind
as being in the body, whose 1Jrilnct entered in five
different forms ; the mind in all creatures is pervaded
by thesepri.incts. When itis .purified, then the Atman
shines out of itself.
Oom.-This .A.tman, who is thus seen, is subtle and
should be l>:nown by the mind, i.e., by the mere intellect
purified. Where is this A imam?; in the body which, J11'ancfl

160

MUND.AKOP.ANISH.AD.

in five different forms, has well entered. The n1eaning

is : he should be known by the 111ind as existing in the
body, i.e., in the heart; by mind, how circumstanced
should he be known, is explained ; mind in all creatures is 1)ervacled lJy the 1nil.nas and the senses, as
milk by oil, and fuel by fire. The mind in all living
beings is well known in the world, to be possessed of
intelligence; when the mind is purified, i. e., fieed
from the taint of grief etc., then this Atnum above..
defined shines out, shows itself out, by itself.

~ <.r ~ +rc=ffi1' fficr+nm ~~\1~ct: ~ <rt~ entmtl:. 1

aa<:.!r:fi ~ ffi~ Cfll+ti~o~+tla:l~ ~:JI'<icnl+t: II~ o ll

~

Whatever worlds he covets by his mind, and \vhatever objects he wishes for the man of pure mind, he gains
those \Yorlds and those objects; therefore, let him who
longs for Bh1.ti (manifested power) worship him who
knows the at?nan.
Oom.-,..rrhis text explains that the man who identifies the tUma?~ of all with his own, obtains as the fruits
thereof, all that he longs for ; because of the fact that
he is the Atman of all. Whatever worlds, i.e., such as
those of the manes and the rest, he covets either himself~
or for others, or whatever enjoyments he wishes for the
man of pure mind who is free from all grief and who
knows the atman, he obtains those worlds aud those en...

WITH SRI SANK.AHA,S COMl\IENT.ARY.

161

joyments. Therefore, i.e., because the wishes of the

knower of the At1ncm are always realised; let one who
longs for vibhutis propitiate the knower. of the .
.Atman whose mind is purified by such knowledge, by
cleaning his feet with water, personal service, prostration and the rest; therefore, he is worthy of worship.

---o--Here ends the first part of

the Third Mundaka.

-o--

THIRD

Jllttnbakopnnin~ab.
--o-PART II.

--o-\1

~~+f ~

....
\3"'1R1Cf

ew:r ~ fer~ FIT~ mffi ~ l

. ....
....
. . . . Rl {"~
~!Sf ~ ~ffi, %!3fif!ctC{ Cl cP"d

~e..fM....

91'-1:

\l

ll

He knows the highest Brahman, the place where all

this universe rests, and which shines with clear brightness. r:rhe intelligent, who, free from all desire, worship
this mo.n, travel beyond this seed.
Oom.-:-.As he knows the Brahmo.n abov~ defined, the
highest of all, the place where all desi~es rest, where
all the universe rests and which shines purely by its
own light, the intelligent, who free from yearning for
vibh~1ti and. with a desire for emancipation worship
even this man as the highest, travel beyond this seed,
i.e., the nmterial cause of embodied existence, i.e., are
never born again of the womb, according to ~he

MUNDAKOPANISIIAD.

Srnti, ' He does not like any abode.' The meaning

is that one should worship such a knower.

Cfir+rRr: ~ ~r;;:

ij'

Cfir+rfl:ri51T~ (f?f

(f?f

q<fm~ ~~ler ~ :trMJ'I'4Fct CfiT+rr: ll ~ ll

He, \vho 1Jrooc1s on and longs for objects of desire, is
born there and ther-e with such desires; but of him
whose desires have been fulfilled and who has realist:.'lcl,
the .Atman, the desires end even here (in this world).
Oom.-~ehis text shows tlu1t the primary help to
him who is .desirous of emancipation is ~h:e renuncia.tion of all desire. He who covets visible. or invisible
objects of desire, 1Jrooc1ing on their virtnes is born
again and again with those desires of external objects
which are incentive to the performance of good u.ncl bad
deeds. Wherever his desires direct him to pBrform
karr;na for the realisation of their objects, he is b01~11
with those self-same desires in those objects. But of
him who from a sound knowledge of the absolute truth
has all his desires fulfilled, because the .Atman is the
object ofhis clesire.and whose .Atman through knowledge
has been made to assume its highest, i.e., true form by
the removal of the lower form imposed on it by ignorance, all desires impelling him to do meritorious and
sinful deeds are destroyed even while his body lnsts.

WITH RRI RANKAIU.'S COMMENTARY.

165

The drift is that desires do not spring up, because the

causes of their rising are destroyed.

"'

"' ~""lfr ~ "'+rer~r

~p::rmc;rr ~r:.r-cril~

;;

"' 1

~
~
';::)
~

~~rsr. ~ ~ ~~~~ ~r ~ij ~ ~ctr+t. 11~11

~'his Atrnan cannot be attained hy dint of stucly or
intelligence or much hearing-whom he wishes to
n.ttain-by that it can he attained. 'l'o him this Atman reveals its true natnrt-~.
Oom.-If thus the realisation of the t"it?nan is the
greatest gain of all, ib may be thought that means such
as study etc. should be largely employed for its
attainment. ~I:his text, is intenc1ec1 to dispel that
notion.. rrhis at'!na.n which has been explained and
whose realisation is the highest object of human desire
cannot be attained by means of much study of the
Vedas aml the Sastras. Similarly not by intelligence,
'L e., by a retentive memory of the purport of writings;
nor by much heard, i. e., by much hearing. By what
then. coulcl the Almnn be attain eel is explained. The
Pct..?'Ct'Yltat?na?"/J whom this kno\ver wishes to attain, by
that seeking alone can that Brahn1an be attained ; not
by any other means, because his natnre is always
attained. vVhat is the nature of this knower's attainment of the Airmm is explained. As pot etc. reveals

lGG

MUNDAKOP.ANISBAD.

his form where there is light, so does the Atm~n

concealed by ignorance reveal his true nature when
there is knowledge. The drift is the wish for the
realisation of the Atmcm after renouncing all others is
alone the means to the attainment of the Atman.

c:rr~~T ~~1 ~ ;:r :q :qmzyqqffi q IC\!1k'3j\f~

~qr~~ ~ ~~ ~

rema- ~ ll g

ll

This Atmcm cannot be attained by one devoid of

strength or by excitement or by tapcGs devoiel of ZingcG.
But of the knower who strives with these aids, the
.A.t~nan enters into the Brahman.
Oo?n.-Oombinecl with the wish to realise the Atmun,
strength, absence of excitement, and knowledge coupled
with SanytiscG are helps; because this Atnum cannot
be attained by one ~levoid of strength produced by
concentration on the AtmcGn or by excitement cau~ed
by associating with objects of the world, as son, cattle
and the rest, or by tapcGs devoid of lingctJ. ' :tapas' here
means 'knowledge'. "LinrJcG" means "Sanyusa". 'rhe
meaning is that the Jtlmcbn cannot be attained by
knowledge without Sl.fl?t1Jasc6. But of the knower who,
with these aids, strength, absence of excitement, S@L1JUtsa,
and knowledge-strives intent after the :Atmtwb, the
Atman enters its abode, the Brahman.

WITH SRI SANK.ARA'S COMMENTARY.

167

~:h~1c'll'1atGI~ ~ar: ~Rr cftCRrm: trw:ar: 1

~ ~ ~: ~ ~U\Tmr;:r: :e-~:nRr ll ~ 11
IIaving attained Him, the seers content with their
knowleclge, their purpose accomplished, free from all
desire, and with full composure, having attained the
all-pervading Atman on all sides, ever concentrated in
their minda, enter into everything.
Oom.-IIow they enter into Brahman is explained.
Having known him well, the seers content with that
Knowledge and not by any external n1eans of delight
tenclingto the growth oftheir body, their Atmwn l1aving
become one with the Pctramatman, free fron1.the fault of
desire etc., their senses subdued, having attained him
all-pervading like the blias on all sides, i.e., not in any
particular place limited by conditions (wh~t then do
they attain ? The Brahman itself, one and without a
second ns their own Atman), being discerning and with
concentrated minds enter into everything when their
body falls~ i. e., cast off all limitations imposed by
ignorance 'as the ilkas in the pot when the pot is broken,
Thus do the Knowers of Brahman enter into Brahman
abode.

it&J ..(IM~I~~Rl"~a-~: ~-4'1~ 11~a;q: Wlij~Off: I

ij- ij&f~ ~~ Wlffi": qf'{~-c~f;c;r ~ n ~ 11 ,

168

MUNDAKOPANISHAD.

Having without doubt 'vell ascertained the significance .of the knowledge of V editnta, the seekers their
minCis purified by c1int of renunciation, attain the'
worlds of the Brahman and when their body falls, their
Atma?'L being one with the highest immortal Brahman,
are absolved all round.
Oom.-Having without cloubt determined the object of
the knowledge of Vedanta, Le., that Brahman should be:
known, the seekers, their minds purified by dint of
renunciation of all karmp~ and. by being centred in the
pure Brahman, attain the worlds of the Brahman at the
end of samsarcG 'vhich for the seekers after emancipation
cmresponds to the time of death of those rotating in
samsara. As men who seek emancipation are many,
the world ofBiahman, though one, appears to be many.
or is reached as many; so the plural number ' worlds of
the Brahman' is used. Brahman being the world
reached, the expression 'in the worlds of the Brahman'
:means ' in Brahman.' Pctr&mritah, they whose atman
has become the highest immortal, i.e., Brahman. ':11hey
become the highest and immortal Brahman even during
life and are absolved in all sides like a lamp that has
gone out and like the a7t:as in the pot, i.e., they have
no need of any other place to go to; for the 8ruti and.
the 8mriti say " as the footmark of birds in the air and
that of aquatic animals in water are not seen, so the

WITH SRI SANK.ARA'S COMMENTARY.

169

track of the knowing men" and tl1ey go by no road, who

would reach the ends of the roads of samsarcb. Motion
limited by place is only in samsara, because it is accomplished by means limited ; but as the Brahman is all, it
cannot be reached in a limited space ; if the Brahman
were limited in respect of place, it would like a substance having form, have a beginning and an end, be
dependent on another, composed of parts, non..eternal
and be a product. But the Brahman cannot be like
that; so its attainment too cannot be limited by con
ditions of place.

mrr:

~: ~ ~ffim ~err~ B"~ ~~Efffi~ l

en+rrtor futlii+tll~ e:rrmr tfts;~ ~ ~+rei'Rf II

\9

ll

The fifteen kalas go back to. their source ; all the

powers seated on the senses go back to their corresponding deities and all his karma and the atman, all
these become one, in the highest and imperishable
Brahman.
Oom.-Moreover, the knowers of Brahman regard
emancipation as consisting only in the release from bondage; samsdrra, ignorance and the rest not as something
produced. Besides at the time of emancipation the
kaliZs which produce the body,
etc., go back to
their own seat, i.e., cause. The word' Pratishtha' is

pranas

170

MUNDAKOPANISHAD.

accusative plural. Fifteen: fifteen in number already

enumerated in the last p'tasna and well-known. Devas,
the powers adhering to the body, and lodged in the
senses such as the eye etc. ; all these go to the corresponding deities such as the sun etc.; also those actions
of the seeker after emancipation which have not begun
to bear fruit (for those which have begun to bear fruit
can be consumf\d only by enjoyment) and the Atman
limited by the intellect, L e., who, mistaking the condi...
tion of the intellect so caused by ignorance for the
AMnan, has here entered into various bodies like the
image of the sun etc. into water etc. (Karma being
intended for the benefit of the Atman). Therefore
( Vv'n1.nc6mctya' means 'chiefly possessed of intellect.'
These and the V1}nlinamayc6 Atman, after removal of
the conditions imposed, become mingled as one in the
Brahman, the highest, the imperishable, endless, indestructible, all-pervading like the aklis, unborn, undecaying, immortal, beneficent, fearless, having neither before
or after, nor in, nor out, without a second, unconditioned, lose their distinctive features, i. e., become one
as the images of the sun etc. become one with the sun
when the surface, such as water (in which he is reflected) is withdrawn and as the alcas within the pot etc.
becomes one with the akas when the pot etc. is with...
drawn.

171

\VITH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

~ ;r~; t!1r({4i('i(! ~~~ ~ Cil~

m:Fi I

~r ~r+~:qlli~'ffi: t:r\rn !i~&q~iTI~ re.~

11 (

Just as rivers flowing become lost in an ocean, giving

both their name and form, just so, the knower, freed
from. name and form, attains the bright purusha which
is beyond the cwycblclc6.
Oom.-Moreover, just as flowing streams such as the
Ganges and the rest having reached the sea give up
their distinct individuality in it, losing both their names
n.nd form, so, the knower being freed from name and
form, created by ignorance, reaches the resplendent
p~tr~tsha above defined, '\vho is beyond the cwyalcta already explained

~:p:n ~ ~mt:roi ~ ~~er ~ '11Ell~~fC!c~@ ~ 1

(R~~<RRrqrqrr;:t~siffl~ 11~11
He who knows that highest Brahman becon1es even
Brahman; and in his line, none \vho knows not the Brahman will be born. He crosses grief and virtue and
vice and being freed from the knot of the heart, becomes immortal.
Oom.-It may be said that numerous obstacles are
well known to exist in the attainment of good and
that even the knower of Brahman may therefore be

172

MUND.A.KOP.A.NISII.A.D.

impeded either by some grief or other, or be made to

take some other course by some other being such as
the Devas, reach some other after death and not reach
Brahman. This cannot be; for all obstacles have
already been removed by knowledge. Emancipation
knows only the obstacle of ignorance and no other
obstacle; because it is eternal and is being the .Atman
itself. Therefore, he in the world who knows that
highest Brahman, as " I am directly that" does not
take any other course. It is impossible even for the
deviis to throw any obstacle in his attempt to reach the
Brahman? because he becomes the .A.tman of all these ;
therefore he who knows the Brahman becomes even
Brahman. Moreover in the line of this knower, there
will not be born any who knows not the Brahman ;
again he overcomes even during life the heart-burning
caused by frustration of his many desires, crosses over
lcarma known as vice and virtue and being freed from
"the knots of the heart" caused by ignorance: becomes
immortal. It has already been said "the knot of the
heart is untied, etc."
'~
"~R.
tt~ct~=ctls~
l'4161 ..a: ~~~?1~,
~&I 31: m ~ ~-

co~~~:

~~~~q~~fit~~ ll~oll

WITH SRI SANKARA'S COMMENTARY.

173

This is explained by the mantra " who perform the

lcc~rma enjoined, who are S'rotriyas, who are centred in
the Brahman (lower) and who with faith, offer obla..
tions themselves to the fire named Ekarshi, perfmm the
vow named Sirovrata (who duly carry. a fire on the
head); to those alone, let one teach this knowledge of
the Brahman."
Oom..-Now, the Upanishad concludes by indicating
the rule regarding the teaching of the knowledge of
Brahman. This, the rule about the teaching of the
knowledge of Brahman is expounded by this text. Who
perform the kwrma enjoined, who are Srotriyas, who
being engaged in the worship of the manifested Brahman seek to know the unmanifested Brahman. Who
with faith, themselves offer the oblations to the fire
known as Elwrshi ; to them abne whose mind is thus
purified and who are therefore fit (to receive instruction) should one teach the knowledge 'of Brahman as
also to those by whom is duly practised the vow of
Sirovratctm such being the well known Vedic vow
among those who are of the Atharvana Veda.

<1~ac~~~~~ ~oo:q ~a~411Ji~s(m 1

~: trDiSRN~ if+f: 'WISH~: H ~ ~ 11
':Phis external1Jurusha did the seer Angiras teach in

174

MUNDAKOPANISH.AD.

ancient times; none by whom the vow is not observed

studies this; prostration to the great sages, prostration
to the great sages.
Omn.-This undecaying and true 1'Ur'u,sha did t~he seer,
known as .A.ngiras, teach in ancient clays to Saunaka.
who had duly approached him and questioned him
(about this). The meaning is that, similarly, any other
also should teach the same to one who longs for bliss
and seeks emancipation and who with that end in view
has duly approached the preceptor. This knowledge in
the form of a book, no one who has not observed the
vow, studies ; for it is knmvledge, only in those who
observe the vow, that bears fruit. Thus ends the
knowledge of Brahman which has been handed down
from Brahma and the rest from preceptor to disciple.
Prostration to those sages Brahma and the rest, who
have directly seen the Brahman and realised him.
Prostration again to them; the repetition is both to
indicate great solicitude and the fact that the lVIunc1akopanishad here ends.

Here ends the Seconcl Part of

the Third lVIundaka.
r----<~~--~

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