The highway leading from worldly attachment to non-attachment: Mundkopanishad

There is an inseparable resemblance between the traditions of Indian culture. Sometimes small differences are given more importance than similarities or unity and as a result religion leads to quarrels, quarrels and conflicts instead of affection and goodwill. If you look at the rest, the meaning of Upanishads is the same as the meaning of Paryushana in another form. This Upanishad is made up of the word 'up-ni-sad-quip' and means to sit close, that is, to be close to the Guru and strive for the attainment of mystical knowledge. The Upanishads are literature that reveals, describes, and critiques the mysteries of life and the world. In a broader sense, there are four parts to Vedic literature. The first is Mantra or Samhita, the second is Brahmanical texts, the third is Aranyaka and the fourth is Upanishad. This Upanishad is the final part of Vedic literature or the ultimate culmination.

In mantras or samhitas, basically, ritual, jnanakanda and upasana are stated. These topics have been expanded in Brahmanical texts and Upanishad texts. From that point of view, Aranyaka and Upanishads are about knowledge and worship. Thus being the final part of Vedic literature, the Upanishads are called 'Vedanta' (Veda-Anta). This is because in the Vedas, Brahman is said to be the ultimate goal and that Brahman is described in the Upanishads. Thus there are three departures in Vedanta philosophy Upanishad, Brahmasutra and Gita. The Upanishads come first.

The code of each Veda is different from Brahman, Aranyaka and Upanishad. It is said that there are a total of 1160 Upanishads of the four Vedas, not all of which are available today. Among the Upanishads received today are the main twelve Upanishads. In which (1) Ishavasya Upanishad (2) Canopanishad (3) Kathopanishad (4) Prashnopanishad (4) Mundkopanishad (4) Mandukya Upanishad (4) Taittiriya Upanishad (5) Etraya Upanishad (6) Kaushitaki Upanishad and (12) Shvetashvatar Upanishad.

Adi Shankaracharya has written honest commentary on these Upanishads. Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Nimbarkacharya, Vallabhacharya etc. have written sectarian commentaries on these Upanishads in their own way. All sects find their roots in the Upanishads and that is why it became necessary for each sect to write its own commentary on the Upanishads in order to establish its own reputation.

My favorite in this creation of Upanishads is Mundkopanishad. Mundkopanishad is a part of the Shaunak branch of the Atharva Veda. It has three heads and each head has two chapters. The origin of the universe and the theology is its main subject.

If we look inside this Mundkopanishad, the sky of a great spirituality is opened, because the narrow sectarian edges are burnt before the knowledge of the Upanishads. All such differences between my religion and that religion dissolve before the Upanishads. The Upanishads open up a realm of mystical metaphysics, in which the wandering or wandering inquirer becomes immersed in the deep waters of the profound stream of metaphysics.

The Upanishads are the path of knowledge that leads from attachment to the world to non-attachment to the world. It is the peak that liberates human beings from the spirit and reaches the highest position. The Upanishads give a lore in which the jiva approaches Brahman. Man finds the source of his supreme credit in the Upanishads.

The teachings of these Upanishads are very different from other teachings. It does not depict the movement towards any knowledge of life or the world. Rather, it is this knowledge that leads the seeker faithfully to Brahman. In this creation of Upanishads, 'Mundkopanishad' attracts the mind by its very name.

Why is this Upanishad named 'Mundkopanishad'? Mundak means to be shaved. Looking at the meaning on the surface, it seems that if one wants to study this Upanishad, shaving will be a necessary condition. That means he should take off all the hair on his head.

The hair of the head is considered a symbol of attachment. Hermits shave. Jain monks do loch. Buddhist monks do not have a single hair on their head. One of the meanings of this is that there is a 'Mundkopanishad' for the ascetics who have had their heads shaved. In fact Mundkopanishad is not only included in the circle of life work of a hermit. In fact, Mundkopanishad is not a scripture for those who believe in certain beliefs or live in certain ways or behave in certain ways.

If we think of its special subtle meaning, it refers to human beings who are mentally ascetic or ascetic. One of the practices of the study of the Upanishads is mentioned in the Atharva Veda. The practice is to study by holding fire on the head. The essence of this is to study the Upanishads with a burning fireplace on Mundela's head. He who has attained asceticism is entitled to study this Upanishad.

Four things are required for the study of this Upanishad or any other Upanishad. These include asceticism, conscience, restraint of the senses and mumuksha. When Vairagya awakens, Vivek comes, when Vivek comes, Raag-Dvesh Mukti Saday, Indriya Nigraha, Titiksha and Shraddha come and Mumuksha wakes up from all this.

It is also said about the naming of 'Mundkopanishad' that the student of this Upanishad had to wear a head covering to hold fire on his head. But instead of using the word Mundak for hermits elsewhere, it became a derogatory term for calling homeless people such as Buddhists. The tradition of calling Buddhist-Jain monks 'Mundiya' in contempt was found in tradition. So is such a word used for Upanishads? As a result, the term appears to have been applied not to the shaving of the head, but to the shaving weapon. In this Upanishad there is a lot of discussion about Para and Apara Vidya and thus the Upanishad leading from Avidya to Paravidhya is Mundkopanishad. Mundkopanishad is the science of transcendence that identifies the indestructible truth.

An affluent gentleman named Shaunak went to Angiras sage and asked him a great question. This Angiras is identified by 'Mundkopanishad' as 'Mahashal'. 'Mahashal' means a well-to-do gentleman.

This question is not of an ordinary person, but of a happy householder who enjoys all the comforts of life. Shaunak has all three of prosperity, achievement and fame. What question arises when all the means of enjoyment are available?

The question arises in Shaunak's mind, it means that in spite of having a lot of external wealth, there was Ajanpo in the distance. He was engrossed in wealth and fame, but at the same time he was suffering from inner restlessness. Everything was found in life but instead of being satisfied with it, he felt dissatisfied. Despite being omnipotent, instead of enjoying this power, 'Mahashal' Shaunak's Ajanpo did not leave its caddo. As Mahashal Shaunak humbly went to the Guru, Angiras went to the sage with Samitpani.

There was a curiosity in Shaunak's mind. Curiosity is the light of knowledge. Most people's curiosity is almost dead. The curiosity of those who believe that life is a ragged chariot or vaitru is over. The curiosity of some dries up after gaining a little knowledge. Once he gets some information in a subject, he becomes omniscient and sits on a stool. Few individuals have such a curiosity, but that does not lead the curiosity in the right direction or field. Lacking a proper understanding of what to know, it is a source of unnecessary information.

The happy gentleman Shaunak had true curiosity. Man is born with intellect and that intellect is the abode of curiosity and thirst for knowledge. Shaunak's curiosity is a special curiosity. It is to acquire a knowledge that gives knowledge and contentment-satisfaction. So Angiras asks the sage, 'Oh my God! What is it that makes everything seem real? Can it all be overcome? ' We will see in the next issue what the Mundkopanishad answers about this.