An Upanishad

Muktikopanishad of Sukla-Yajurveda

Adhyaya 1

Hanuman asked: "Rama, you are Paramatma of the nature of Sachchidananda. I wish to know for the sake of emancipation, your nature as it really is. Rama, be gracious enough to tell me that which I shall be easily released from the bondage of mundane existence by, and shall attain salvation by."

Rama replied, "Well asked: listen then to the truth uttered by me. Have recourse to Vedanta too."

Hanuman asked again, "What are Vedantas? Where do they abide? Do enlighten me."

Rama answered "Listen and I shall describe to you how Vedanta is. Through my out-breath—Vishnu—the Vedas were generated as many. Vedanta is in the Vedas."

Hanuman asked again, "Rama, how many are the Vedas and their branches? What are the Upanishads? Be graceous and tell me."

Rama said, "The Vedas are said to be four. Their branches are many. So also the Upanishads. In Rigveda, there are 21 branches. There are 109 branches in Yajurveda. There are 1,000 branches in Samaveda. There are 50 branches in Atharvanaveda. In each branch, there is one Upanishad. Whoever studies with devotion to me even one of the these hymns (riks), attains the state of samadhi, which is rare for the munis to attain."

Hanuman asked, "Rama, some excellent Munis have said there is one kind of salvation only, while salvation is stated to be of four kinds through the divisions of Salokya and others."

Rama answered, "The one who is freed from all sins, attains my swarupa (form). [p. 3} Who meditates on the all-Atma, attains samipya (nearness) to me.

"Final emancipation is attained is through Mandukya-Upanishad alone. If jnana is not attained thereby, study the 10 Upanishads, and you shall soon attain jnana, and then my seat. If your jnana is not made firm, practise (study) well the 32 Upanishads. You shall get release. If you long for videhamukti (disembodied salvation), study the 108 Upanishads. I will truly state in order the (names of the) Upanishads with their Santi (purificatory Mantras). Listen to them. (They are:) Isha, Kena, Katha, Prashna, Munda, Mandukya, Tittiri, Aitareya, Chhandogya, Brihadaranyaka, Brahma, Kaivalya, Jabala, Swetashwatara, Hamsa, Aruni, Garbha, Narayana, (Parama)-Hamsa, (Amrita)-Bindu, (Amrita)-Nada, (Atharva)-Sira, (Atharva)-Sikha, Maitrayani, Kaushitaki, (Brihat)-Jabala, (Narasihma)-Tapani, Kalagnirudra, Maitreyi, Subala, Kshurika, Mantrika, Sarvasara, Niralamba, (Suka)-Rahasya, Vajrasuchika, Tejo-(Bindu), Nada-(Bindu), Dhyana-(Bindu), (Brahma)-Vidya, Yoga-Tattwa, Atmabodhaka, Parivrat (Narada-Parivrajaka), (Tri)-Sikhi, Sita, (Yoga)-Chuda-(Mani) Nirvana, Mandala-(Brahmana), Dakshina-(Murti), Sarabha, Skanda, (Tripadvibhuti)-Maha-Narayana, Adwaya-(Taraka), (Rama)-Rahasya, (Rama)-Tapani, Vasudeva, Mudgala, Sandilya, Paingala, Bhikshu, Mahat-Sariraka, (Yoga)-Sikha, Turiyatita, Sannyasa, (Paramahamsa)-Parivrajaka, Akshamalika, Avyakta, Ekakshara, (Anna)-Purna, Surya, Akshi, Adhyatma, Kundika, Savitri, Atma, Pashupata, Parabrahma, Avadhuta, Tripuratapani, Devi, Tripura, Kara, Bhavana, (Rudra)-Hridaya, (Yoga)-Kundalini, Bhasma-(Jabala) Rudraksha, Ganapati, Darshana, Tarasara, [p. 4} Mahavakya, Panchabrahma, (Prana)-Agnihotra, Gopala-Tapani, Krishna, Yajnavalkya, Varaha, Satyayani, Hayagriva, Dattatreya, Garuda, Kali-(Santarana), Jabala, Soubhagya, Saraswatirahasya, Bahvricha, and Muktika.

"These 108 (Upanishads) are able to do away with the three bhavanas [doubt, vain thought, and false thought], conferring jnana [wisdom, gnosis] and vairagya [non-attachment], and destroying the three vasanas [mind-impressions of book-lore, world and body].

"The twice-born—after learning the 108 Upanishads, together with the Santi as prescribed both before and after from the mouth of a Guru well versed in the observances of Vedic knowledge and study—become jivanmuktas [free souls] until the destruction of their prarabdha [karma]; in course of time as prarabdha is destroyed, they attain my disembodied salvation. There is no doubt of it. These 108 Upanishads are the essence of all the Upanishads, and they are capable of destroying all sins through their mere study, my disciple. This science of the 108 Upanishads taught by me, is an occult one. Never shall the 108 Upanishads be imparted to an atheist, an ungrateful person, one intent on vicious actions, or one who loses his path in the cave of books, and one devoid of piousness. Only after a thorough examination should they be imparted to a disciple doing service (to a Guru), to a well-disposed son, or to one devoted to me, following good observances, and of good intelligence.

"A rik (verse): Vidya (Saraswati) went to a Brahman and asked: 'Protect me. I shall be your treasure. Do not confide me to the envious [etc.].'" Then Hanuman asked Rama to relate the Santi [mantra] of each Upanishad according to the divisions of Rigveda and others that they belong to.

Rama answered, "Aitareya, Kaushitaki, Nada-(Bindu), Atma-Bodha, Nirvana, Mudgala, Akshamalika, Tripura, Soubhagya and Bahvricha—these 10 Upanishads are of Rigveda and have the Santi beginning with 'Vanme-Manasi, etc'. Isha, Brihadaranyaka, Jabala, Hamsa, (Parama)-Hamsa, Subala, Mantrika, Niralamba, Trishikhi-Brahmana, Mandala-Brahmana, Adwaya-Taraka, Paingala, Bhikshu, Turiyatita, Adhyatma, Tarasara, Yajnavalkya, Satyayani, and Muktika—these 19 Upanishads are of Sukla Yajurveda and have the Santi beginning with 'Purnamada, etc'.

"Katha, Tittiri, Brahma, Kaivalya, Swetashwatara, Garbha, Narayana, (Amrita)-Bindu, (Amrita)-Nada, Kalagnirudra, Kshurika, Sarvasara, Sukarahasya, Tejo-(Bindu), Dhyana-(Bindu), (Brahma)-Vidya, Yoga-Tattwa, Dakshina-(Murti), Skanda, Sariraka, (Yoga)-Sikha, Ekakshara, Akshi, Avadhuta, Kara, (Rudra)-Hridaya, (Yoga)-Kundalini, Panchabrahma, (Prana)-Agnihotra, Varaha, Kali-(Santarana), and Saraswatirahasya,—these 32 Upanishads are of Krishna Yajurveda and have the Santi beginning with 'Sahanavavatu, etc'.

"Kena, Chhandogya, Aruni, Maitrayani, Maitreyi, Vajrasuchika, (Yoga)-Chuda-(Mani), Vasudeva, Mahat-Sannyasa, Avyakta, Kundika, Savitri, Rudraksha, Jabala, Darshana, and Jabali,—these 16 Upanishads are of Samaveda and have the Santi beginning with 'Apyayantu, etc'.

"Prashna, Mundaka, Mandukya, (Atharva)-Sira, (Atharva)-Sikha, (Brihat)-Jabala, (Nrisihma)-Tapani, (Narada-Parivrajaka), Sita, Sarabha, Maha-Narayana, (Rama)-Rahasya, (Rama)-Tapani, Sandilya, (Paramahamsa)-Parivrajaka, (Anna)-Purna, Surya, Atma, Pashupata, Parabrahma, Tripuratapani, Devi, Bhavana, Bhasma-(Jabala), Ganapati, Mahavakya, Gopala-Tapani, Krishna, Hayagriva, Dattatreya, and Garuda,—these 31 Upanishads of Atharvana-Veda have the Santi beginning with 'Bhadram-Karnebhih, etc'.

"Persons who desire emancipation should, with presents in their hands, [p. 6} approach a Guru who is intent on the welfare of all beings, and an ocean of compassion. After studying the 108 Upanishads under him according to the rules, one should ever be going through the process of studying, thinking and reflecting on them.

Adhyaya 2

Hanuman asked again, "What is Jivanmukti [giant freedom]? What is Videhamukti? [etc.]?"

Rama answered "Control of chitta [mind-stuff] is Jivanmukti. Eternal bliss has to be achieved through human efforts. Jivanmukti is gained through Samadhi arising through Vedantic study, and accomplished through human efforts.

"There are verses thus: 'The efforts of man are stated to be of two kinds, those that transcend scriptures and those that are according to scriptures. If you are led by the pure Vasanas, you shall soon reach by degrees my seat by it. But if old impure Vasanas land you in danger, they should be overcome through efforts. This river of Vasanas needs to be diverted to the pure path through human efforts.

"Chitta has to be fondled through human efforts. Even in the case of doubt, the pure Vasanas alone should be practised.

"There is nothing wrong with the increase of the pure Vasanas. The extinction of Vasanas, Vijnana and the destruction of Manas when practised together for a long time, will not yield its fruit like a mantra that is even imperfectly done.

"The wise know that a mind associated with Vasana tends to bondage. Practise the state of a mind devoid of Vasana. Vasana perishes through well-conducted deliberation and truth.

"One who has a supreme chitta with a heart devoid of all desires is an emancipated person.

"When the mind does not think at all, being completely devoid of Vasana, then dawns the state of mindlessness which confers the great peace. But when you are a knower of the Reality without any anxiety, then even all the good vasanas should be given up.

"The manas of a Jivanmukta is free from fresh rebirth [etc.]

"Association with the wise and the control of pranas are [among] the [prescribed] means.

"Should persons try to control the mind through violence, they are like those that search in darkness, having thrown aside the light. Those who endeavour to control the mind through force are but trying to bind a mad elephant with the filaments of a lotus-stalk.

Meditate on that which remains—[viz.], Chinmatra (the consciousness alone), which is also Chidananda (conscious-bliss).

"[The inward state] that is devoid of light, Buddhi, and that is of the nature of Chit (consciousness merely) is styled Atadvyavritti Samadhi (a Samadhi that does not care or require the aid of another).

"With effort seek the effulgence within.

"Try to remain indifferent, even if you have not yet attained indifference to the mental impressions [vasanas] and the body.

"The one [Atma] that dwells in [the body] is very pure.

"After abandoning wholly the vasanas [deep mind-impressions], give up even the desire for salvation, and become of the form of the longing after Chit alone. Then, give up that also [etc.].

""I am that non-dual One (Brahman) . . . supreme, always shining, without birth, non-dual, without destruction, without attachment and pervading all. I am the All." Also meditate on me thus: 'I am birthless, deathless, ageless, immortal, self-shining, all-pervading, destructionless, causeless, pure beyond the effect (of the universe) and ever content.'

Om-Tat-Sat is the Upanishad.

Literature  

Aiyar, K. Narayanasvami, tr. Thirty Minor Upanishads. Madras: K. Narayanasvami Aiyar / Annie Besant at the Vasanta Press, Adyar, 1914.



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