Mundaka Upanishad - Mundaka 2, Section 2 - Odia

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 (ଗୁହାଚରଂ), 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.

॥ ଦ୍ଵିତୀୟ ମୁଂଡକେ ଦ୍ଵିତୀୟଃ ଖଂଡଃ ॥

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

ଆଵିଃ ସଂନିହିତଂ ଗୁହାଚରଂ ନାମ
ମହତ୍ପଦମତ୍ରୈତତ୍ ସମର୍ପିତମ୍ ।
ଏଜତ୍ପ୍ରାଣନ୍ନିମିଷଚ୍ଚ ୟଦେତଜ୍ଜାନଥ
ସଦସଦ୍ଵରେଣ୍ୟଂ ପରଂ ଵିଜ୍ଞାନାଦ୍ୟଦ୍ଵରିଷ୍ଠଂ ପ୍ରଜାନାମ୍ ॥ 1॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
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.

ୟଦର୍ଚିମଦ୍ୟଦଣୁଭ୍ୟୋଽଣୁ ଚ
ୟସ୍ମି~ଲ୍ଲୋକା ନିହିତା ଲୋକିନଶ୍ଚ ।
ତଦେତଦକ୍ଷରଂ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ସ ପ୍ରାଣସ୍ତଦୁ ଵାଙ୍ମନଃ
ତଦେତତ୍ସତ୍ୟଂ ତଦମୃତଂ ତଦ୍ଵେଦ୍ଧଵ୍ୟଂ ସୋମ୍ୟ ଵିଦ୍ଧି ॥ 2॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
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.

ଧନୁର୍ ଗୃହୀତ୍ଵୌପନିଷଦଂ ମହାସ୍ତ୍ରଂ
ଶରଂ ହ୍ୟୁପାସା ନିଶିତଂ ସଂଧୟୀତ ।
ଆୟମ୍ୟ ତଦ୍ଭାଵଗତେନ ଚେତସା
ଲକ୍ଷ୍ୟଂ ତଦେଵାକ୍ଷରଂ ସୋମ୍ୟ ଵିଦ୍ଧି ॥ 3॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
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.

ପ୍ରଣଵୋ ଧନୁଃ ଶାରୋ ହ୍ୟାତ୍ମା ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ତଲ୍ଲକ୍ଷ୍ୟମୁଚ୍ୟତେ ।
ଅପ୍ରମତ୍ତେନ ଵେଦ୍ଧଵ୍ୟଂ ଶରଵତ୍ ତନ୍ମୟୋ ଭଵେତ୍ ॥ 4॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
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.

ୟସ୍ମିନ୍ ଦ୍ୟୌଃ ପୃଥିଵୀ ଚାଂତରିକ୍ଷମୋତଂ
ମନଃ ସହ ପ୍ରାଣୈଶ୍ଚ ସର୍ଵୈଃ ।
ତମେଵୈକଂ ଜାନଥ ଆତ୍ମାନମନ୍ୟା ଵାଚୋ
ଵିମୁଂଚଥାମୃତସ୍ୟୈଷ ସେତୁଃ ॥ 5॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
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.

ଅରା ଇଵ ରଥନାଭୌ ସଂହତା ୟତ୍ର ନାଡ୍ୟଃ ।
ସ ଏଷୋଽଂତଶ୍ଚରତେ ବହୁଧା ଜାୟମାନଃ ।
ଓମିତ୍ୟେଵଂ ଧ୍ୟାୟଥ ଆତ୍ମାନଂ ସ୍ଵସ୍ତି ଵଃ
ପାରାୟ ତମସଃ ପରସ୍ତାତ୍ ॥ 6॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
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.

ୟଃ ସର୍ଵଜ୍ଞଃ ସର୍ଵଵିଦ୍ ୟସ୍ୟୈଷ ମହିମା ଭୁଵି ।
ଦିଵ୍ୟେ ବ୍ରହ୍ମପୁରେ ହ୍ୟେଷ ଵ୍ୟୋମ୍ନ୍ୟାତ୍ମା ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠିତଃ ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
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.

ମନୋମୟଃ ପ୍ରାଣଶରୀରନେତା
ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠିତୋଽନ୍ନେ ହୃଦୟଂ ସନ୍ନିଧାୟ ।
ତଦ୍ ଵିଜ୍ଞାନେନ ପରିପଶ୍ୟଂତି ଧୀରା
ଆନଂଦରୂପମମୃତଂ ୟଦ୍ ଵିଭାତି ॥ 7॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
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.

ଭିଦ୍ୟତେ ହୃଦୟଗ୍ରଂଥିଶ୍ଛିଦ୍ୟଂତେ ସର୍ଵସଂଶୟାଃ ।
କ୍ଷୀୟଂତେ ଚାସ୍ୟ କର୍ମାଣି ତସ୍ମିନ୍ ଦୃଷ୍ଟେ ପରାଵରେ ॥ 8॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
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.

ହିରଣ୍ମୟେ ପରେ କୋଶେ ଵିରଜଂ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ନିଷ୍କଲମ୍ ।
ତଚ୍ଛୁଭ୍ରଂ ଜ୍ୟୋତିଷଂ ଜ୍ୟୋତିସ୍ତଦ୍ ୟଦାତ୍ମଵିଦୋ ଵିଦୁଃ ॥ 9॥

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

ନ ତତ୍ର ସୂର୍ୟୋ ଭାତି ନ ଚଂଦ୍ରତାରକଂ
ନେମା ଵିଦ୍ୟୁତୋ ଭାଂତି କୁତୋଽୟମଗ୍ନିଃ ।
ତମେଵ ଭାଂତମନୁଭାତି ସର୍ଵଂ
ତସ୍ୟ ଭାସା ସର୍ଵମିଦଂ ଵିଭାତି ॥ 10॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
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.

ବ୍ରହ୍ମୈଵେଦମମୃତଂ ପୁରସ୍ତାଦ୍ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ପଶ୍ଚାଦ୍ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ଦକ୍ଷିଣତଶ୍ଚୋତ୍ତରେଣ ।
ଅଧଶ୍ଚୋର୍ଧ୍ଵଂ ଚ ପ୍ରସୃତଂ ବ୍ରହ୍ମୈଵେଦଂ ଵିଶ୍ଵମିଦଂ ଵରିଷ୍ଠମ୍ ॥ 11॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
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.

॥ ଇତି ମୁଂଡକୋପନିଷଦି ଦ୍ଵିତୀୟମୁଂଡକେ ଦ୍ଵିତୀୟଃ ଖଂଡଃ ॥

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

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