Mundaka Upanishad - Mundaka 2, Section 2 - English

The second section of the second Mundaka is one of the most concentrated contemplative manuals in the Upanishadic corpus. The first section of this Mundaka established cosmic dependence on Brahman; this section now shifts from cosmological vision to direct contemplative penetration - how the seeker actually knows and abides in that imperishable reality.

Its architecture is remarkably disciplined: inward location of Brahman (guhācharaṃ), assertion of imperishable reality, the bow-arrow contemplative method, silence of non-essential speech, heart-center meditation, recognition of all-knowing Self, dissolution of bondage, and finally the self-luminous non-dual declaration. In a single section, ontology, method, and fruit are tightly integrated.

॥ dvitīya muṇḍakē dvitīyaḥ khaṇḍaḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
This is the second section of the second Mundaka, the contemplative culmination segment of this portion of the Upanishad.

āviḥ sannihitaṃ guhācharaṃ nāma
mahatpadamatraitat samarpitam ।
ējatprāṇannimiṣachcha yadētajjānatha
sadasadvarēṇyaṃ paraṃ vijñānādyadvariṣṭhaṃ prajānām ॥ 1॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
That supreme reality is openly present and very near, dwelling in the heart-cave as the great goal in which all is established. Whatever moves, breathes, or blinks depends on it. Know that supreme, most worthy reality beyond gross and subtle categories, highest among all knowables.

yadarchimadyadaṇubhyō'ṇu cha
yasmi~llōkā nihitā lōkinaścha ।
tadētadakṣaraṃ brahma sa prāṇastadu vāṅmanaḥ
tadētatsatyaṃ tadamṛtaṃ tadvēddhavyaṃ sōmya viddhi ॥ 2॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
That luminous reality, subtler than the subtle, in which all worlds and beings are established - that is the imperishable Brahman, the basis of vital force, speech, and mind; that is truth and immortality. O gentle seeker, know that as the target to be realized.

dhanur gṛhītvaupaniṣadaṃ mahāstraṃ
śaraṃ hyupāsā niśitaṃ sandhayīta ।
āyamya tadbhāvagatēna chētasā
lakṣyaṃ tadēvākṣaraṃ sōmya viddhi ॥ 3॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Take up the mighty bow of Upanishadic teaching, set on it the sharpened arrow of contemplative practice, draw it with a mind absorbed in That, and know the imperishable as the sole target.

praṇavō dhanuḥ śārō hyātmā brahma tallakṣyamuchyatē ।
apramattēna vēddhavyaṃ śaravat tanmayō bhavēt ॥ 4॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The sacred syllable Om is the bow, the self is the arrow, and Brahman is the target. It must be realized with complete alertness; like an arrow becoming one with the target, the seeker should become one with That.

yasmin dyauḥ pṛthivī chāntarikṣamōtaṃ
manaḥ saha prāṇaiścha sarvaiḥ ।
tamēvaikaṃ jānatha ātmānamanyā vāchō
vimuñchathāmṛtasyaiṣa sētuḥ ॥ 5॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Know that one Self alone in which heaven, earth, mid-space, mind, and all vital forces are woven; release other distracting speech - this is the bridge to immortality.

arā iva rathanābhau saṃhatā yatra nāḍyaḥ ।
sa ēṣō'ntaścharatē bahudhā jāyamānaḥ ।
ōmityēvaṃ dhyāyatha ātmānaṃ svasti vaḥ
pārāya tamasaḥ parastāt ॥ 6॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
As spokes converge in a wheel-hub, the subtle channels converge in that inner center where the one Self moves, appearing as many. Meditate on the Self through the sacred syllable Om; may this lead you safely beyond darkness.

yaḥ sarvajñaḥ sarvavid yasyaiṣa mahimā bhuvi ।
divyē brahmapurē hyēṣa vyōmnyātmā pratiṣṭhitaḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
That all-knowing reality whose glory shines in the world is established as the Self in the divine inner city, in the space of consciousness.

manōmayaḥ prāṇaśarīranētā
pratiṣṭhitō'nnē hṛdayaṃ sannidhāya ।
tad vijñānēna paripaśyanti dhīrā
ānandarūpamamṛtaṃ yad vibhāti ॥ 7॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Though reflected in mind and governing life-force and body, that reality is near in the heart within embodied existence; the wise behold through direct knowledge that blissful immortal radiance.

bhidyatē hṛdayagranthiśChidyantē sarvasaṃśayāḥ ।
kṣīyantē chāsya karmāṇi tasmin dṛṣṭē parāvarē ॥ 8॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
When That supreme reality underlying both higher and lower is directly realized, the knot of the heart is broken, all doubts are cut, and karmic bondage is exhausted.

hiraṇmayē parē kōśē virajaṃ brahma niṣkalam ।
tachChubhraṃ jyōtiṣaṃ jyōtistad yadātmavidō viduḥ ॥ 9॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
In the supreme luminous context is the stainless, partless Brahman - pure, the light of all lights - that which knowers of the Self realize.

na tatra sūryō bhāti na chandratārakaṃ
nēmā vidyutō bhānti kutō'yamagniḥ ।
tamēva bhāntamanubhāti sarvaṃ
tasya bhāsā sarvamidaṃ vibhāti ॥ 10॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
There the sun does not shine, nor moon and stars, nor lightning - what then to say of fire? By That alone shining, everything else shines; by Its light all this appears.

brahmaivēdamamṛtaṃ purastād brahma paśchād brahma dakṣiṇataśchōttarēṇa ।
adhaśchōrdhvaṃ cha prasṛtaṃ brahmaivēdaṃ viśvamidaṃ variṣṭham ॥ 11॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Brahman alone is this immortal reality in front and behind, to the right and left, below and above - this entire universe, pervading all directions, is Brahman alone, the supreme.

॥ iti muṇḍakōpaniṣadi dvitīyamuṇḍakē dvitīyaḥ khaṇḍaḥ ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Thus ends the second section of the second Mundaka in the Mundaka Upanishad.

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