Commentary on the Mundaka Upanishad

by Swami Krishnananda

1. tad etat satyam:
   yathā sudīptāt pāvakād visphuliṅgāḥ sahasraśaḥ prabhavante sarūpāḥ,
   tathākṣarād vividhāḥ, saumya, bhāvāḥ prajāyante tatra caivāpi yanti.

2. divyo hy amūrtaḥ puruṣah sa bāhyābhyantaro hy ajaḥ,
   aprāṇo hy amanāḥ śubhro akṣarāt paratah paraḥ.

3. etasmāj jāyate prāṇo manaḥ sarvendriyāṇi ca,
   khaṁ vāyur jyotir āpaḥ pṛthivī viśvasya dhāriṇī.

4. aginr mūrdhā, cakṣuṣī candra-sūryau, diśaḥ śrotre, vāg vivṛtāś ca vedāḥ,
   vāyuḥ prāṇo hṛdayaṁ viśvam, asaya padbhyām pṛthivī hy eṣa sarva-bhūtāntarātmā.

5. tasmād agnis samidho yasa sūryaḥ somāt parjanya oṣadhayaḥ pṛthivyām,
   putmān retas siñcati yoṣitāyām bahvīḥ prajāḥ puruṣāt samprasūtāḥ.

6. tasmād ṛcaḥ sāma yajūṁṣi dīkṣā yajñaś ca sarve kratavo dakṣiṇāś ca,
   saṁvatsaraś ca yajamānaś ca lokāḥ somo yatra pavate yara sūryaḥ.

7. tasmāc ca devā bhaudhā samprasūtāḥ sādhyā manuṣyāḥ paśavo vayāṁsi,
   prāṇāpānau vrīhi-yavau tapaś ca śraddhā satyam brahma-caryaṁ vidhiś ca.

8. sapta-prāṇāḥ prabhavanti tasmāt saptārciṣas samidhas sapta-homāḥ,
   sapta ime lokā yeṣu caranti prāṇā guhāśayā nihitās sapta sapta.

9. ataḥ samudrā girayaś ca sarve asmāt syandante sindhavas sarva-rūpāḥ,
   atas ca sarvā oṣadhayo rasaś ca yenaiṣa bhūtais tiṣṭhate hy antar-ātmā.

10. puruṣa evedaṁ viśvaṁ karma tapo brahma parāmṛtam,
    etad yo veda nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ so’vidyā-granthiṁ vikiratīha, saumya.

1. āviḥ saṁnihitaṁ guhācaraṁ nāma mahat padam atraitat samarpitam,
   ejat praṇan nimiṣac ca yad eat jānatha sad asad vareṇyam param vijñānād
   yad variṣṭham prajānām.

2. yad arcimad yad aṇubhyo’ṇu ca, yasmin lokā nihitā lokinas ca,
   tad etad akṣaram brahma sa prāṇas tad u vāṇ manaḥ,
   tad etat satyam, tad amṛtam, tad veddhavyam, saumya, viddhi.

3. dhanur gṛhīvtā aupaniṣadam mahāstraṁ śaraṁ hy upāsā-niśitaṁ saṁdadhīta,
   āyamya tad-bhāvagatena cetasā lakṣyaṁ tad evākṣaraṁ, saumya viddhi.

4. praṇavo dhanuḥ, śaro hy ātmā, brahma tal lakṣyam ucyate,
   apramattena veddhavyam, śaravat tanmayo bhavet.

5. yasmin dyauḥ pṛthivī cāntrikṣam otam manaḥ saha prāṇaiś ca sarvaiḥ,
   tam evaikaṁ jānatha ātmānam, anya vāco vimuñcatha, amṛtasyaiṣa setuḥ.

6. arā iva ratha-nābhau saṁhatā yatra nāḍyaḥ sa eṣo’ntaś carate bahudhā jāyamānaḥ,
   aum iti eveṁ dhyāyathātmānam, svasti vaḥ pārāya tamasaḥ parastāt.

7. yah sarvajñaḥ sarva-vid yasyaiṣa mahimā bhuvi,
   divye brahma-pure hy eṣa vyomny ātmā pratiṣṭhitaḥ.

8. mano-mayaḥ prāṇa-śarīra-netā pratiṣṭhito’nne hṛdayaṁ sannidhāya
   tad vijñānena paripaśyanti dhīrāḥ ānanda-rūpam amṛtaṁ yad vibhāti.

9. bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ,
   kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi tasmin dṛṣṭe parāvare.

10. hiraṇmaye pare kośe virajaṁ brahma niṣkaram
    tac chubhraṁ jyotiṣāṁ jyotiḥ tad yad ātma-vido viduḥ.

11. na tatra sūryo bhāti, na candra-tārakam, nemā vidyuto bhānti, kuto’yam agniḥ,
    tam eva bhāntam anubhāti sarvam, tasya bhāsā sarvam, idaṁ vibhāti.

12. brahmaivedam amṛtam purastād brahma, paścad brahma, dakṣinataś cottareṇa,
    adhaścordhvaṁ ca prasṛtam brahmaivedaṁ viśvam idaṁ variṣṭham.