Muktika
Upanishad
Om ! That
(Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite.
The infinite proceeds from the infinite.
(Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe),
It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone.
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
I-i-1-6. In the beautiful city of Ayodhya, in the centre of a pavilion
set with gems, together with Sita, Bharata, Lakshmana and Satrughna, was
Rama seated, glorified day and night by sages like Sanaka, Vasistha and
Suka as well as other devotees, unchanging witness of thousands of
modifications of the intellect, delighted in contemplating his own form.
At the end of this Samadhi, Hanuman asked with devotion, ‘O Rama, you
are the supreme being, of the nature of Sat, Chid and Ananda. I desire
to know your nature truly for liberation. Please tell me how I can be
released from bondage without strain.
I-i-7-14. Rama: Well asked. I shall tell you. I am well established in
Vedanta.
Hanuman: What is Vedanta and where is it ?
Rama: The Vedas in all their great extent are my breath, Vedanta is well
grounded in them, like oil in sesamum.
Hanuman: How many are the Vedas and how many branches do they have ? Of
these what are the Upanishads ?
Rama: Vedas are four, Rig-Veda etc., many branches and Upanishads exist
in them. Rig-Veda has 21 branches and Yajus has 109. Sama has 1000 and
Atharva has 50. Each branch has one Upanishad. Even by reading one verse
of them with devotion, one gets the status of union with me, hard to get
even by sages.
I-i-15-17. Hanuman: Rama, sages speak differently: some say there is
only one kind of liberation. Others say it can be got by worshipping
your name and by the Taraka mantra at Kashi. Others speak of Sankhya-Yoga
and Bhakti-Yoga, the enquiry into Vedanta-Vakyas etc.
I-i-18-23. Rama: Liberation is of four kinds: Salokya etc. But the only
real type is Kaivalya. Anybody even though leading a wicked life,
attains Salokya, not other worlds, by worshipping my name. Dying in the
sacred Brahmanala in Kashi, he will get the Taraka-mantra and also
liberation, without rebirth. On dying anywhere (else) in Kashi,
Maheshvara will utter the Taraka-mantra in his right ear. He gets
Sarupya with me as his sins are washed away.
The same is called Salokya and Sarupya. Persevering in good conduct,
with mind fixed upon me, loving me as the Self of all, the twice-born
gets nearer to me – This is called the three forms of liberation.
Salokya, Sarupya and Samipya.
I-i-24-25. Meditating on my eternal form as prescribed by the Teacher,
one will surely achieve identity with me like the insects changing into
the bee. This alone is the liberation of identity (Sayujya) yielding the
bliss of Brahman.
All these four kinds of Mukti will be got by worshipping Me.
I-i-26-29. But by what means is the Kaivalya kind of Moksha got ? The
Mandukya is enough; if knowledge is not got from it, then study the Ten
Upanishads. Getting knowledge very soon, you will reach my abode. If
certainty is not got even then, study the 32 Upanishads and stop. If
desiring Moksha without the body, read the 108 Upanishads. Hear their
order.
I-i-30-39. 1. Isa
2. Kena
3. Katha
4. Prasna
5. Munda
6. Mandukya
7. Taittiri
8. Aitareya
9. Chandogya
10. Brihadaranyaka
11. Brahma
12. Kaivalya
13. Jabala
14. Svetasva
15. Hamsa
16. Aruni
17. Garbha
18. Narayana
19. Paramahamsa
20. Amritabindu
21. Amritanada
22. Atahrvasirah
23. Atharvasikha
24. Maitrayini
25. Kaushitakibrahmana
26. Brihajjabala
27. Nrisimhatapini
28. Kalagnirudra
29. Maitreya
30. Subala
31. Kshurika
32. Mantrika
33. Sarvasara
34. Niralamba
35. Sukarahasya
36. Vajrasuchika
37. Tejobindu
38. Nadabindu
39. Dhyanabindu
40. Brahmavidya
41. Yogatattva
42. Atmabodha
43. Naradaparivrajaka
44. Trisikhi
45. Sita
46. Yogachudamani
47. Nirvana
48. Mandalabrahmana
49. Dakshinamurti
50. Sarabha
51. Skanda
52. Tripadvibhuti-Mahanarayana
53. Advayataraka
54. Ramarahasya
55. Ramatapani
56. Vasudeva
57. Mudgala
58. Sandilya
59. Paingala
60. Bhiksu
61. Mahat
62. Sariraka
63. Yogasikha
64. Turiyatita
65. Sannyasa
66. Paramahamsaparivrajaka
67. Akshamalika
68. Avyakta
69. Ekakshara
70. Annapurna
71. Surya
72. Akshi
73. Adhyatma
74. Kundika
75. Savitri
76. Atma
77. Pasupata
78. Parabrahma
79. Avadhutaka
80. Tripuratapini
81. Devi
82. Tripura
83. Katharudra
84. Bhavana
85. Rudrahridaya
86. Yoga-kundali
87. Bhasma
88. Rudraksha
89. Ganapati
90. Darsana
91. Tarasara
92. Mahavakya
93. Panchabrahma
94. Pranagnihotra
95. Gopalatapini
96. Krishna
97. Yajnavalkya
98. Varaha
99. Satyayani
100. Hayagriva
101. Dattatreya
102. Garuda
103. Kalisamtarana
104. Jabali
105. Saubhagyalakshmi
106. Sarasvatirahasya
107. Bahvricha
108. Muktika
I-i-40-43. These destroy three kinds of Bhavana (regarding) body, senses
and mind respectively as identified with Atman. The best of Brahmanas
will become Jivanmuktas if they study upto the destruction of Prarabdha,
these 108 Upanishads from a Guru along with the Shanti-pada. Then, in
course of time they will get Vedeha-mukti, surely.
I-i-44-52. These 108 are the essence of all Upanishads and can cut away
all sins by merely hearing once. These cause release whether read with
or without knowledge. One may give away a kingdom, wealth etc., to one
who asks, but not these 108 to just anyone – to an unbeliever (nastika),
ungrateful, of bad conduct, one against devotion to me, deluded by wrong
scripture or lacking devotion to the Guru.
But they shall be taught to one devoted to service, devotee, of good
conduct, birth and wisdom. He should be well tested. A Rik verse on
this: the goddess of knowledge came to a Brahmana and said ‘Protect me,
I am your treasure, do not teach me to one who is jealous, dishonest and
deceitful – then I shall powerful, but give it to one who is learned,
careful, wise and celibate, after examining him’.
I-ii-1. Then Maruti asked Sri Ramachandra thus: Please relate to me
separately the Shanti-mantras of the different Vedas, Rig etc.
Sri Rama then said: "My speech rests on my mind … " [Vanme-Manasi….].
This is the Shanti-mantra of the following ten Upanishads forming part
of the Rig-Veda:
1. Aitareya
2. Kaushitakibrahmana
3. Nadabindu
4. Atmabodha
5. Nirvana
6. Mudgala
7. Akshamalika
8. Tripura
9. Saubhagyalakshmi
10. Bahvricha
I-ii-2. "That (which lies beyond) is full" [Purnamada ….] – and so on:
This is the Shanti-mantra of the following Nineteen Upanishads, forming
part of the Sukla-Yajur-Veda:
1. Isavasya
2. Brihadaranyaka
3. Jabala
4. Hamsa
5. Paramahamsa
6. Subala
7. Mantrika
8. Niralamba
9. Trisikhibrahmana
10. Mandalabrahmana
11. Advayataraka
12. Paingala
13. Bhiksu
14. Turiyatita
15. Adhyatma
16. Tarasara
17. Yajnavalkya
18. Satyayani
19. Muktika
I-ii-3. "May (the Brahman of the Upanishads) protect us both" [Sahanavavatu
…] – and so on: This is the Shanti-mantra of the following Thirty-Two
Upanishads, forming part of the Krishna-Yajur-Veda:
1. Kathavalli
2. Taittiriyaka
3. Brahma
4. Kaivalya
5. Svetasvatara
5. Garbha
6. Narayana
7. Amritabindu
8. Amritanada
9. Kalagnirudra
10. Kshurika
11. Sarvasara
12. Sukarahasya
13. Tejobindu
14. Dhyanabindu
15. Brahmavidya
16. Yogatattva
17. Dakshinamurti
18. Skanda
19. Sariraka
20. Yogasikha
21. Ekakshara
22. Akshi
23. Avadhuta
24. Katharudra
25. Rudrahridaya
26. Yoga-kundalini
27. Panchabrahma
28. Pranagnihotra
29. Varaha
30. Kalisamtarana
31. Sarasvatirahasya
I-ii-4. "May the unseen powers nourish" [Apyayantu ….] – and so on: This
is the Shanti-mantra of the following Sixteen Upanishads forming part of
the Sama-Veda:
1. Kena
2. Chandogya
3. Aruni
4. Maitrayani
5. Maitreya
6. Vajrasuchika
7. Yogachudamani
8. Vasudeva
9. Mahat
10. Sannyasa
11. Avyakta
12. Kundika
13. Savitri
14. Rudrakshajabala
15. Darsana
16. Jabali
I-ii-5. "May we hear with our ears the auspicious truths of the Vedanta"
[Bhadram-Karnebhih…] – and so on: This is the Shanti-mantra of the
following Thirty-One Upanishads of the Atharva-Veda:
1. Prasna
2. Mundaka
3. Mandukya
4. Atahrvasiras
5. Atharvasikha
6. Brihajjabala
7. Nrisimhatapini (Purvottara)
8. Naradaparivrajaka
9. Sita
10. Sarabha
11. Tripadvibhuti-Mahanarayana
12. Ramarahasya
13. Ramatapini (Purvottara)
14. Sandilya
15. Paramahamsaparivrajaka
16. Annapurna
17. Surya
18. Atma
19. Pasupatabrahmana
20. Parabrahma
21. Tripuratapini
22. Devi
23. Bhavana
24. Bhasmajabala
25. Ganapati
26. Mahavakya
27. Gopalatapini (Purvottara)
28. Krishna
29. Hayagriva
30. Dattatreya
31. Garuda
I-ii-6. Men who are seekers after Liberation and well-equipped with the
four requisite means ! Approach properly, with gifts in the hands, a
good teacher who is dedicated, belonging to a good family, well-versed
in the Vedas, interested in the scriptures, of good quality,
straightforward, interested in the welfare of all creatures,
compassionate and learn in the prescribed manner the one hundred and
eight Upanishads; study them through listening, reflection and deep
absorption continuously; the accumulated Karmas will be dissolved, the
three kinds of bodies (gross, subtle and causal) are abandoned and like
the ether of the pot when released from its Upadhi, rise to the level of
fullness called Videha-mukti. This indeed is the Absolute Liberation (Kaivalya-mukti).
That is why even those in the Brahma-loka, get identity with Brahman
after listening to the Upanishads from his mouth. And for everyone
Absolute Liberation is stated to be (attainable) only through knowledge;
not through Karma rituals, not through Sankhya-Yoga or worship. Thus the
Upanishad.
II-i-1. Then Hanuman asked Ramachandra: What is this Jivanmukti,
Videha-mukti ? What is the authority, means of success and purpose ?
Rama said: For a person there is bondage from doer-ship, enjoyer-ship,
pleasure, pain etc., -- their prevention is liberation in the body.
Videha-mukti (liberation without the body) is from the destruction of
Prarabdha (operative) karma, like the space in a pot released from the
conditioning (enclosing) pot. For both the authority is the 108
Upanishads. The purpose is eternal happiness through the stopping of the
misery of doer-ship etc. This can be achieved by human effort just as a
son is got by putra-kama sacrifice, wealth by trade etc., and heaven by
jyotistoma.
II-ii-1-9. There are these verses: Human effort is said to be of the two
kinds: For and against the Shastras – the former gives disaster, the
latter the ultimate reality. True knowledge does not come to one from
latent impressions through the world, Shastras and the body. Such
impressions are two-fold: good and bad; if you are induced by the good,
you shall reach me gradually but quickly; the bad ones involved lead to
trouble and should be overcome with effort. The river of impression
flowing through good and bad paths, must be turned into the good path
with human effort – One should fondle the mind-child with human effort.
When by means of practice, good impressions arise, then the practice has
been fruitful. Even when this is in doubt, practice only the good
tendencies – there shall be no fault.
II-ii-10-15. The destruction of impressions, cultivation of knowledge
and destruction of the mind, when practised together for long will yield
fruit. If not practised together, there will be no success even after
hundreds of years, like mantras which are scattered. When these three
are practised long, the knots of the heart surely are broken, like lotus
fibre and the stalk. The false impression of worldly life is got in a
hundred lives and cannot be destroyed without long practice. So avoid
desire of enjoyment as a distance with effort and practise the three.
II-ii-16. The wise know that the mind is bound by the impressions, it is
liberated when released well from them. So, O Hanuman, practice the
destruction of mental impression, quickly.
II-ii-17-18. When impressions die out, the mind becomes put out like a
lamp. Whoever gives up impressions and concentrates on Me without
strain, he becomes Bliss.
II-ii-19-23. Whether he concentrates on actions or not, when he avoids
all the desires of the heart, he is doubtlessly liberated. He has
nothing to gain from action or inaction. If his mind is not freed from
impressions even Samadhi and Japa cannot give fruit. The highest place
cannot be got without silence free from impressions. Sense organs like
the eye go towards external objects without voluntary impression but
because of the latent impression just as the eye falls voluntarily
without attachment on external objects, so the man of wisdom operates in
work.
II-ii-24-31. The sages know that Vasana comprises all objects generated
by creative faculty of the mind in attaining or avoiding them. The very
unsteady mind which is the cause of birth, old age and death is
generated by desire for objects in excess. By the influence of Vasana
there is the pulsation of Prana, from it comes Vasana (again) like seed
and sprout. For the tree of the human mind, the pulsation and Vasana are
two seeds – when one dies both die. Latent impressions stop operating
through detached behaviour, avoidance of worldly thought and realization
that the body is mortal.
The mind becomes non-mind by giving up Vasanas. When the mind does not
think, then arises mindlessness giving great peace; so long as your mind
has not fully evolved, being ignorant of the supreme reality, perform
what has been laid down by the teacher, Shastra and other sources. Then
with impurity ripened (and destroyed) and Truth understood, you should
give up even the good impressions.
II-ii-32-37. In a Jivanmukta the destruction of the mind is with form –
in a Videhamukta it is formless – when you achieve it, the mind with
qualities like friendliness will surely attain peace. The mind of the
Jivanmukta has no rebirth.
The mind is the root of the tree of Samsara which has thousands of
sprouts, branches, fruits etc. I take the mind to be nothing but
construction; make it dry in such a way that the tree also is dried up.
II-ii-38-47. There is only one means for overpowering mind. Shooting up
of one’s mind is one’s undoing, its destruction is good fortune. The
mind of the knower is destroyed, it is a chain for the ignorant. As long
as the mind is not defeated by means of firm practice, the impressions
jump in the heart like ghosts at night.
The impressions of enjoyment die, like lotus in winter, for one whose
mental pride is reduced and the senses – the enemies – are defeated. One
should at first conquer the mind, hands locked in hands, teeth set on
teeth and limbs subdued. The mind cannot be conquered without defectless
reasoning (methods) by merely sitting, just as an elephant in rut
without a goad. The reasons (methods) well-nourished in mind-conquest
are knowledge of Vedanta, contact with good people, giving up
impressions and stopping of the pulsation of Prana. Those who ignore
these and control the mind by force, throw away the lamp and search in
darkness by means of soot, also (try to) bind an elephant in rut by
lotus fibre.
II-ii-48-50. The tree of mind, bearing the weight of the creepers of
thought, has two seeds: the pulsation of Prana and strong impressions.
All pervasive consciousness is shaken by the pulsation of Prana – In
contrast, by means of concentration the knowledge arises. The Dhyana,
its means, is now imparted. Dissolving thought totally in the reverse
order, think only of the remaining pure consciousness.
II-ii-51-56. After the Apana sets and before Prana arises in the heart,
there exists the state of Kumbhaka (immobility) experienced by Yogins.
Kumbhaka in the external form is the fullness of Prana after in-breath
disappears and out-breath arises. By repeatedly practising meditation of
Brahman without ego, Samprajnata Samadhi will be got. The Asamprajnata
Samadhi, loved by Yogins, is (from) the mind giving great bliss after
(all) the mental modifications (thoughts) die away. It is valued by
sages, being the spirit devoid of the light (of ego), of the mind (of
dream) and of the intellect (in deep sleep). This concentration is other
than what is not Brahman. Full above, below and in the middle the
essence of goodness – this state, prescribed by the Upanishads, is the
ultimate reality.
II-ii-57-60. Latent impression is that unexamined grasping of objects by
persistent imagination. What one brings into being, through intense
dispassion by one’s self, is realized quickly, devoid of opposite
impressions. Influenced by impressions, a person looks upon those things
as reality by the peculiarity of the impressions, the ignorant person
sees the spirit wrongly though it does not lose its own nature.
II-ii-61-68. The impure impression binds, the pure destroys birth. The
impure one is solid ignorance and ego, causes rebirth. The restful state
is like the roasted seed, giving up the (sprout of) rebirth. Can the
inner light be sought with chewing the cud of many Shastras, uselessly ?
One who remains alone giving up perception as well as non-perception is
himself the Brahman – A person cannot know Brahman by merely learning
the four Vedas and Shastras, as the ladle cannot taste the food.
If a person does not get detachment by the bad smell of his own body,
what other cause of detachment can be taught ? The body is very impure –
the soul is pure. When one knows the difference, what purification need
be prescribed ? Bondage is by impressions, Moksha is their destruction –
you give them up as well as the desire for Moksha.
II-ii-69-71. Give up mental impressions of objects and cultivate pure
impressions like friendship; then, discarding even these while acting
according to them, putting down all desires, have only the impression of
consciousness. Give up these too along with mind and intellect;
concentrate only on me.
II-ii-72-77. Contemplate me as devoid of sound, touch, form, taste and
smell, eternal, indestructible, without name and family, destroying all
suffering, the nature of vision like the sky, the one syllable Om,
unsmearing though omnipresent, unique, without bondage, forward, across,
above, below, I fill ever place.
Unborn, ageless, shining by myself, not the cause nor effect, ever
contented when the body dies away, giving up the state of Jivanmukta,
one enter the Videhamukti stage.
So says the Rik: That supreme place of Vishnu the sages see ever – like
an eye extended in heaven. The wise and awakened persons, free from
emotions, keep it alight.
Om – This is the Upanishad.
Om ! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite.
The infinite proceeds from the infinite.
(Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe),
It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone.
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
Here ends the Muktikopanishad belonging to the Sukla-Yajur-Veda.
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