Mundaka Upanishad - Mundaka 2, Section 2 - Grantha

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 (𑌗𑍁𑌹𑌾𑌚𑌰𑌂), 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.

॥ 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌤𑍀𑌯 𑌮𑍁𑌂𑌡𑌕𑍇 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌤𑍀𑌯𑌃 𑌖𑌂𑌡𑌃 ॥

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

𑌆𑌵𑌿𑌃 𑌸𑌂𑌨𑌿𑌹𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌗𑍁𑌹𑌾𑌚𑌰𑌂 𑌨𑌾𑌮
𑌮𑌹𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌦𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍈𑌤𑌤𑍍 𑌸𑌮𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 ।
𑌏𑌜𑌤𑍍𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌮𑌿𑌷𑌚𑍍𑌚 𑌯𑌦𑍇𑌤𑌜𑍍𑌜𑌾𑌨𑌥
𑌸𑌦𑌸𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌰𑍇𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌪𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌜𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌮𑍍 ॥ 1॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
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.

𑌯𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌮𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌦𑌣𑍁𑌭𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌽𑌣𑍁 𑌚
𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿~𑌲𑍍𑌲𑍋𑌕𑌾 𑌨𑌿𑌹𑌿𑌤𑌾 𑌲𑍋𑌕𑌿𑌨𑌶𑍍𑌚 ।
𑌤𑌦𑍇𑌤𑌦𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌰𑌂 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮 𑌸 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌦𑍁 𑌵𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌃
𑌤𑌦𑍇𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌤𑌦𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌂 𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌸𑍋𑌮𑍍𑌯 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌿 ॥ 2॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
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.

𑌧𑌨𑍁𑌰𑍍 𑌗𑍃𑌹𑍀𑌤𑍍𑌵𑍌𑌪𑌨𑌿𑌷𑌦𑌂 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂
𑌶𑌰𑌂 𑌹𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌪𑌾𑌸𑌾 𑌨𑌿𑌶𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌸𑌂𑌧𑌯𑍀𑌤 ।
𑌆𑌯𑌮𑍍𑌯 𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌗𑌤𑍇𑌨 𑌚𑍇𑌤𑌸𑌾
𑌲𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌤𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌰𑌂 𑌸𑍋𑌮𑍍𑌯 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌿 ॥ 3॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
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.

𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌵𑍋 𑌧𑌨𑍁𑌃 𑌶𑌾𑌰𑍋 𑌹𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮 𑌤𑌲𑍍𑌲𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍁𑌚𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇 ।
𑌅𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍇𑌨 𑌵𑍇𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌶𑌰𑌵𑌤𑍍 𑌤𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌯𑍋 𑌭𑌵𑍇𑌤𑍍 ॥ 4॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
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.

𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌨𑍍 𑌦𑍍𑌯𑍌𑌃 𑌪𑍃𑌥𑌿𑌵𑍀 𑌚𑌾𑌂𑌤𑌰𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌮𑍋𑌤𑌂
𑌮𑌨𑌃 𑌸𑌹 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑍈𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍈𑌃 ।
𑌤𑌮𑍇𑌵𑍈𑌕𑌂 𑌜𑌾𑌨𑌥 𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌾 𑌵𑌾𑌚𑍋
𑌵𑌿𑌮𑍁𑌂𑌚𑌥𑌾𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌯𑍈𑌷 𑌸𑍇𑌤𑍁𑌃 ॥ 5॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
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.

𑌅𑌰𑌾 𑌇𑌵 𑌰𑌥𑌨𑌾𑌭𑍌 𑌸𑌂𑌹𑌤𑌾 𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌰 𑌨𑌾𑌡𑍍𑌯𑌃 ।
𑌸 𑌏𑌷𑍋𑌽𑌂𑌤𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌰𑌤𑍇 𑌬𑌹𑍁𑌧𑌾 𑌜𑌾𑌯𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌃 ।
𑌓𑌮𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌵𑌂 𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌯𑌥 𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌵𑌃
𑌪𑌾𑌰𑌾𑌯 𑌤𑌮𑌸𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌤𑍍 ॥ 6॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
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.

𑌯𑌃 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌃 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍 𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯𑍈𑌷 𑌮𑌹𑌿𑌮𑌾 𑌭𑍁𑌵𑌿 ।
𑌦𑌿𑌵𑍍𑌯𑍇 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌪𑍁𑌰𑍇 𑌹𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌷 𑌵𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌮𑍍𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌿𑌤𑌃 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
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.

𑌮𑌨𑍋𑌮𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌶𑌰𑍀𑌰𑌨𑍇𑌤𑌾
𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌿𑌤𑍋𑌽𑌨𑍍𑌨𑍇 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌯𑌂 𑌸𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌧𑌾𑌯 ।
𑌤𑌦𑍍 𑌵𑌿𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾𑌨𑍇𑌨 𑌪𑌰𑌿𑌪𑌶𑍍𑌯𑌂𑌤𑌿 𑌧𑍀𑌰𑌾
𑌆𑌨𑌂𑌦𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌮𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌂 𑌯𑌦𑍍 𑌵𑌿𑌭𑌾𑌤𑌿 ॥ 𑍭॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
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.

𑌭𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌯𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌂𑌥𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌛𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌂𑌤𑍇 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌸𑌂𑌶𑌯𑌾𑌃 ।
𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍀𑌯𑌂𑌤𑍇 𑌚𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌣𑌿 𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌨𑍍 𑌦𑍃𑌷𑍍𑌟𑍇 𑌪𑌰𑌾𑌵𑌰𑍇 ॥ 𑍮॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
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.

𑌹𑌿𑌰𑌣𑍍𑌮𑌯𑍇 𑌪𑌰𑍇 𑌕𑍋𑌶𑍇 𑌵𑌿𑌰𑌜𑌂 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮 𑌨𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌕𑌲𑌮𑍍 ।
𑌤𑌚𑍍𑌛𑍁𑌭𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌜𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌤𑌿𑌷𑌂 𑌜𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌤𑌿𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌦𑍍 𑌯𑌦𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍋 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍁𑌃 ॥ 𑍯॥

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

𑌨 𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌰 𑌸𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌯𑍋 𑌭𑌾𑌤𑌿 𑌨 𑌚𑌂𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌕𑌂
𑌨𑍇𑌮𑌾 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌤𑍋 𑌭𑌾𑌂𑌤𑌿 𑌕𑍁𑌤𑍋𑌽𑌯𑌮𑌗𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌃 ।
𑌤𑌮𑍇𑌵 𑌭𑌾𑌂𑌤𑌮𑌨𑍁𑌭𑌾𑌤𑌿 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌂
𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌭𑌾𑌸𑌾 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌮𑌿𑌦𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌭𑌾𑌤𑌿 ॥ 10॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
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.

𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑍈𑌵𑍇𑌦𑌮𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌂 𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌦𑍍 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮 𑌪𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌾𑌦𑍍 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮 𑌦𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌣𑌤𑌶𑍍𑌚𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌰𑍇𑌣 ।
𑌅𑌧𑌶𑍍𑌚𑍋𑌰𑍍𑌧𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌚 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌸𑍃𑌤𑌂 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑍈𑌵𑍇𑌦𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌮𑌿𑌦𑌂 𑌵𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌮𑍍 ॥ 11॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
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.

॥ 𑌇𑌤𑌿 𑌮𑍁𑌂𑌡𑌕𑍋𑌪𑌨𑌿𑌷𑌦𑌿 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌤𑍀𑌯𑌮𑍁𑌂𑌡𑌕𑍇 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌤𑍀𑌯𑌃 𑌖𑌂𑌡𑌃 ॥

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

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