Mundaka Upanishad - Mundaka 2, Section 1 - Odia

The first section of the second Mundaka is a profound pivot in the Upanishad's teaching method. The previous section established the limitations of action-centered spirituality and directed the seeker toward ବ୍ରହ୍ମ-ଵିଦ୍ୟା through qualified guidance. This section now unfolds a vast cosmological vision in which everything - elements, life-forces, scriptures, rituals, worlds, ethics, and inner consciousness - is shown as issuing from one imperishable reality.

This chapter is not merely speculative cosmology. It is contemplative pedagogy: by tracing multiplicity back to one source, the mind is trained to move from fragmentation to vision of totality. The text repeatedly uses creation-language not to imprison us in sequence-thinking, but to reveal ontological dependence - all forms arise in, are sustained by, and return to the same ଅକ୍ଷର.

॥ ଦ୍ଵିତୀୟ ମୁଂଡକେ ପ୍ରଥମଃ ଖଂଡଃ ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
This is the first section of the second Mundaka.

ତଦେତତ୍ ସତ୍ୟଂ
ୟଥା ସୁଦୀପ୍ତାତ୍ ପାଵକାଦ୍ଵିସ୍ଫୁଲିଂଗାଃ
ସହସ୍ରଶଃ ପ୍ରଭଵଂତେ ସରୂପାଃ ।
ତଥାଽକ୍ଷରାଦ୍ଵିଵିଧାଃ ସୋମ୍ୟ ଭାଵାଃ
ପ୍ରଜାୟଂତେ ତତ୍ର ଚୈଵାପି ୟଂତି ॥ 1॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
This is the truth: just as countless sparks of similar nature emerge from a blazing fire, so, dear one, manifold beings arise from the imperishable and return to it.

ଦିଵ୍ୟୋ ହ୍ୟମୂର୍ତଃ ପୁରୁଷଃ ସ ବାହ୍ୟାଭ୍ୟଂତରୋ ହ୍ୟଜଃ ।
ଅପ୍ରାଣୋ ହ୍ୟମନାଃ ଶୁଭ୍ରୋ ହ୍ୟକ୍ଷରାତ୍ ପରତଃ ପରଃ ॥ 2॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
That supreme conscious reality is luminous and formless, present within and without, unborn, beyond dependence on vital force and mind, pure, and supremely beyond even the causal imperishable.

ଏତସ୍ମାଜ୍ଜାୟତେ ପ୍ରାଣୋ ମନଃ ସର୍ଵେଂଦ୍ରିୟାଣି ଚ ।
ଖଂ ଵାୟୁର୍ଜ୍ୟୋତିରାପଃ ପୃଥିଵୀ ଵିଶ୍ଵସ୍ୟ ଧାରିଣୀ ॥ 3॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
From That arise vital force, mind, all senses, and the elemental order - space, air, fire, water, and earth, the support of the universe.

ଅଗ୍ନୀର୍ମୂର୍ଧା ଚକ୍ଷୁଷୀ ଚଂଦ୍ରସୂର୍ୟୌ
ଦିଶଃ ଶ୍ରୋତ୍ରେ ଵାଗ୍ ଵିଵୃତାଶ୍ଚ ଵେଦାଃ ।
ଵାୟୁଃ ପ୍ରାଣୋ ହୃଦୟଂ ଵିଶ୍ଵମସ୍ୟ ପଦ୍ଭ୍ୟାଂ
ପୃଥିଵୀ ହ୍ୟେଷ ସର୍ଵଭୂତାଂତରାତ୍ମା ॥ 4॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
In this cosmic Person, fire is the head, moon and sun are the eyes, directions are the ears, the Vedas are speech, air is life-breath, the universe is the heart, earth is the feet; this indeed is the inner Self of all beings.

ତସ୍ମାଦଗ୍ନିଃ ସମିଧୋ ୟସ୍ୟ ସୂର୍ୟଃ
ସୋମାତ୍ ପର୍ଜନ୍ୟ ଓଷଧୟଃ ପୃଥିଵ୍ୟାମ୍ ।
ପୁମାନ୍ ରେତଃ ସିଂଚତି ୟୋଷିତାୟାଂ
ବହ୍ଵୀଃ ପ୍ରଜାଃ ପୁରୁଷାତ୍ ସଂପ୍ରସୂତାଃ ॥ 5॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
From That arises the cosmic cycle: sun-fed fire, rain, vegetation on earth, and the reproductive process by which countless beings are born.

ତସ୍ମାଦୃଚଃ ସାମ ୟଜୂଂଷି ଦୀକ୍ଷା
ୟଜ୍ଞାଶ୍ଚ ସର୍ଵେ କ୍ରତଵୋ ଦକ୍ଷିଣାଶ୍ଚ ।
ସଂଵତ୍ସରଶ୍ଚ ୟଜମାନଶ୍ଚ ଲୋକାଃ
ସୋମୋ ୟତ୍ର ପଵତେ ୟତ୍ର ସୂର୍ୟଃ ॥ 6॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
From That arise the Vedic mantras, initiations, sacrifices, rites, offerings, sacred time-cycles, performers, and their worlds - along with the lunar and solar order.

ତସ୍ମାଚ୍ଚ ଦେଵା ବହୁଧା ସଂପ୍ରସୂତାଃ
ସାଧ୍ୟା ମନୁଷ୍ୟାଃ ପଶଵୋ ଵୟାଂସି ।
ପ୍ରାଣାପାନୌ ଵ୍ରୀହିୟଵୌ ତପଶ୍ଚ
ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧା ସତ୍ୟଂ ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚର୍ୟଂ ଵିଧିଶ୍ଚ ॥ 7॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
From That arise gods, subtle orders, humans, animals, birds, vital functions, food-grains, and ethical-spiritual disciplines such as austerity, faith, truthfulness, disciplined sacred living, and right observance.

ସପ୍ତ ପ୍ରାଣାଃ ପ୍ରଭଵଂତି ତସ୍ମାତ୍
ସପ୍ତାର୍ଚିଷଃ ସମିଧଃ ସପ୍ତ ହୋମାଃ ।
ସପ୍ତ ଇମେ ଲୋକା ୟେଷୁ ଚରଂତି ପ୍ରାଣା
ଗୁହାଶୟା ନିହିତାଃ ସପ୍ତ ସପ୍ତ ॥ 8॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
From That arise the seven vital faculties, seven flames, seven fuels, seven offerings, and seven experiential worlds in which these life-forces function, all established in the heart-cave in sevenfold groupings.

ଅତଃ ସମୁଦ୍ରା ଗିରୟଶ୍ଚ ସର୍ଵେଽସ୍ମାତ୍
ସ୍ୟଂଦଂତେ ସିଂଧଵଃ ସର୍ଵରୂପାଃ ।
ଅତଶ୍ଚ ସର୍ଵା ଓଷଧୟୋ ରସଶ୍ଚ
ୟେନୈଷ ଭୂତୈସ୍ତିଷ୍ଠତେ ହ୍ୟଂତରାତ୍ମା ॥ 9॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
From That arise oceans, mountains, and rivers of every form; from That come all herbs and nourishing essences by which the indwelling self is sustained amidst the elements.

ପୁରୁଷ ଏଵେଦଂ ଵିଶ୍ଵଂ କର୍ମ ତପୋ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ପରାମୃତମ୍ ।
ଏତଦ୍ୟୋ ଵେଦ ନିହିତଂ ଗୁହାୟାଂ
ସୋଽଵିଦ୍ୟାଗ୍ରଂଥିଂ ଵିକିରତୀହ ସୋମ୍ୟ ॥ 10॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
This whole universe is truly the supreme conscious reality; all action, austerity, sacred knowledge, and supreme immortality are rooted in That. Whoever realizes this established in the heart-cave here itself cuts the knot of ignorance.

॥ ଇତି ମୁଂଡକୋପନିଷଦି ଦ୍ଵିତୀୟମୁଂଡକେ ପ୍ରଥମଃ ଖଂଡଃ ॥

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

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