Mundaka Upanishad - Mundaka 3, Section 1 - Shuddha Kannada

The first section of the third Mundaka is one of the most direct realization-oriented passages in the Upanishads. The earlier chapters established knowledge hierarchy, ಕರ್ಮ's limits, cosmic dependence, and contemplative method; this section now speaks from the threshold of realization itself. Its language is therefore simultaneously symbolic, diagnostic, and liberating.

This section is famous for the two-birds imagery, the declaration ಸತ್ಯಮೇವ ಜಯತೇ, and explicit statements about the conditions of Self-realization. It moves from bondage-description to seeing, from seeing to purification, from purification to sameness with Brahman, and from contemplative maturity to existential freedom.

॥ ತೃತೀಯ ಮುಣ್ಡಕೇ ಪ್ರಥಮಃ ಖಣ್ಡಃ ॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
This is the first section of the third Mundaka, where the Upanishad turns explicitly toward direct realization and its marks.

ದ್ವಾ ಸುಪರ್ಣಾ ಸಯುಜಾ ಸಖಾಯಾ ಸಮಾನಂ ವೃಕ್ಷಂ ಪರಿಷಸ್ವಜಾತೇ ।
ತಯೋರನ್ಯಃ ಪಿಪ್ಪಲಂ ಸ್ವಾದ್ವತ್ತ್ಯನಶ್ನನ್ನನ್ಯೋ ಅಭಿಚಾಕಶೀತಿ ॥ 1॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
Two companion birds sit on the same tree: one eats the sweet fruit, while the other does not eat and simply watches.

ಸಮಾನೇ ವೃಕ್ಷೇ ಪುರುಷೋ ನಿಮಗ್ನೋಽನಿಶಯಾ ಶೋಚತಿ ಮುಹ್ಯಮಾನಃ ।
ಜುಷ್ಟಂ ಯದಾ ಪಶ್ಯತ್ಯನ್ಯಮೀಶಮಸ್ಯ
ಮಹಿಮಾನಮಿತಿ ವೀತಶೋಕಃ ॥ 2॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
On that same tree, the embodied person, sunk in confusion, grieves in helplessness. But when he sees the other - the Lord and His glory - he becomes free from sorrow.

ಯದಾ ಪಶ್ಯಃ ಪಶ್ಯತೇ ರುಕ್ಮವರ್ಣಂ
ಕರ್ತಾರಮೀಶಂ ಪುರುಷಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಯೋನಿಮ್ ।
ತದಾ ವಿದ್ವಾನ್ ಪುಣ್ಯಪಾಪೇ ವಿಧೂಯ
ನಿರಞ್ಜನಃ ಪರಮಂ ಸಾಮ್ಯಮುಪೈತಿ ॥ 3॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
When the seeker truly beholds the radiant Lord, the source-ground, then becoming wise, he casts off bondage to virtue and vice, becomes stainless, and attains supreme sameness.

ಪ್ರಣೋ ಹ್ಯೇಷ ಯಃ ಸರ್ವಭೂತೈರ್ವಿಭಾತಿ
ವಿಜಾನನ್ ವಿದ್ವಾನ್ ಭವತೇ ನಾತಿವಾದೀ ।
ಆತ್ಮಕ್ರೀಡ ಆತ್ಮರತಿಃ ಕ್ರಿಯಾವಾ-
ನೇಷ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮವಿದಾಂ ವರಿಷ್ಠಃ ॥ 4॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
That one life-principle shines through all beings. Knowing this, the wise does not indulge in empty over-speech; delighting in the Self and established in right action, he becomes foremost among knowers of Brahman.

ಸತ್ಯೇನ ಲಭ್ಯಸ್ತಪಸಾ ಹ್ಯೇಷ ಆತ್ಮಾ
ಸಮ್ಯಗ್ಜ್ಞಾನೇನ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚರ್ಯೇಣ ನಿತ್ಯಮ್ ।
ಅನ್ತಃಶರೀರೇ ಜ್ಯೋತಿರ್ಮಯೋ ಹಿ ಶುಭ್ರೋ
ಯಂ ಪಶ್ಯನ್ತಿ ಯತಯಃ ಕ್ಷೀಣದೋಷಾಃ ॥ 5॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
This Self is realized through truth, austerity, right knowledge, and sustained sacred discipline; the pure luminous reality within is seen by disciplined seekers whose defects are worn down.

ಸತ್ಯಮೇವ ಜಯತೇ ನಾನೃತಂ
ಸತ್ಯೇನ ಪನ್ಥಾ ವಿತತೋ ದೇವಯಾನಃ ।
ಯೇನಾಽಽಕ್ರಮನ್ತ್ಯೃಷಯೋ ಹ್ಯಾಪ್ತಕಾಮಾ
ಯತ್ರ ತತ್ ಸತ್ಯಸ್ಯ ಪರಮಂ ನಿಧಾನಮ್ ॥ 6॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
Truth alone prevails, not falsehood. By truth the path of the gods is spread out; fulfilled sages traverse it to the supreme treasure of Truth.

ಬೃಹಚ್ಚ ತದ್ ದಿವ್ಯಮಚಿನ್ತ್ಯರೂಪಂ
ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮಾಚ್ಚ ತತ್ ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮತರಂ ವಿಭಾತಿ ।
ದೂರಾತ್ ಸುದೂರೇ ತದಿಹಾನ್ತಿಕೇ ಚ
ಪಶ್ಯನ್ತ್ವಿಹೈವ ನಿಹಿತಂ ಗುಹಾಯಾಮ್ ॥ 7॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
That reality is vast, luminous, and beyond conceptual form; subtler than the subtle, farther than the farthest yet here very near - established in the heart-cave itself.

ನ ಚಕ್ಷುಷಾ ಗೃಹ್ಯತೇ ನಾಪಿ ವಾಚಾ
ನಾನ್ಯೈರ್ದೇವೈಸ್ತಪಸಾ ಕರ್ಮಣ ವಾ ।
ಜ್ಞಾನಪ್ರಸಾದೇನ ವಿಶುದ್ಧಸತ್ತ್ವ-
ಸ್ತತಸ್ತು ತಂ ಪಶ್ಯತೇ ನಿಷ್ಕಲಂ
ಧ್ಯಾಯಮಾನಃ ॥ 8॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
It is not grasped by eye, speech, senses, austerity, or ritual alone; but through knowledge-born clarity and purified mind, the meditating seeker beholds that partless reality.

ಏಷೋಽಣುರಾತ್ಮಾ ಚೇತಸಾ ವೇದಿತವ್ಯೋ
ಯಸ್ಮಿನ್ ಪ್ರಾಣಃ ಪಞ್ಚಧಾ ಸಂವಿವೇಶ ।
ಪ್ರಾಣೈಶ್ಚಿತ್ತಂ ಸರ್ವಮೋತಂ ಪ್ರಜಾನಾಂ
ಯಸ್ಮಿನ್ ವಿಶುದ್ಧೇ ವಿಭವತ್ಯೇಷ ಆತ್ಮಾ ॥ 9॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
This subtle Self is to be known by refined awareness; in that field the fivefold vital force operates, and the minds of beings are woven with vital energies. When this inner instrument is purified, the Self shines forth.

ಯಂ ಯಂ ಲೋಕಂ ಮನಸಾ ಸಂವಿಭಾತಿ
ವಿಶುದ್ಧಸತ್ತ್ವಃ ಕಾಮಯತೇ ಯಾಂಶ್ಚ ಕಾಮಾನ್ ।
ತಂ ತಂ ಲೋಕಂ ಜಯತೇ ತಾಂಶ್ಚ ಕಾಮಾಂ-
ಸ್ತಸ್ಮಾದಾತ್ಮಜ್ಞಂ ಹ್ಯರ್ಚಯೇತ್ ಭೂತಿಕಾಮಃ ॥ 10॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
Whatever realm and aims a purified-minded seeker truly envisions, those are attained; therefore one who seeks genuine well-being should honor the knower of the Self.

॥ ಇತಿ ಮುಣ್ಡಕೋಪನಿಷದಿ ತೃತೀಯಮುಣ್ಡಕೇ ಪ್ರಥಮಃ ಖಣ್ಡಃ ॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
Thus ends the first section of the third Mundaka in the Mundaka Upanishad.

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