Mudgala

Verse 1

ॐ पुरुषसूक्तार्थनिर्णयं व्याख्यास्यामः। पुरुषसंहितायां पुरुषसूक्तार्थः संग्रहेण प्रोच्यते। सहस्रशीर्षेत्यत्र सशब्दोऽनन्तवाचकः। अनन्तयोजनं प्राह दशाङ्गुलवचस्तथा॥

Om. We shall expound the determinative meaning of the Puruṣa-sūkta. In the Puruṣa-saṁhitā, the meaning of the Puruṣa-sūkta is taught in brief. In the phrase “sahasraśīrṣā” (“thousand-headed”), the word “sahasra” signifies the Infinite. It also proclaims His extent as “infinite yojanas”; and likewise the statement “ten aṅgulas” is to be understood in that same spirit.

Verse 2

तस्य प्रथमया विष्णोर्देशतो व्याप्तिरीरिता। द्वितीयया चास्य विष्णोः कालतो व्याप्तिरुच्यते॥

By its first half, Viṣṇu’s all-pervasion with respect to space is declared; and by its second, this Viṣṇu’s all-pervasion with respect to time is stated.

Verse 3

विष्णोर्मोक्षप्रदत्वं च कथितं तु तृतीयया । एतावानिति मन्त्रेण वैभवं कथितं हरेः ॥

By the third mantra, indeed, Viṣṇu’s granting of mokṣa (liberation) is declared; and by the mantra beginning with “etāvān,” the majesty (vaibhava) of Hari is proclaimed.

Verse 4

एतेनैव च मन्त्रेण चतुर्व्यूहो विभाषितः । त्रिपादित्यनया प्रोक्तमनिरुद्धस्य वैभवम् ॥

By this very mantra the fourfold Vyūha is explained; and by this (mantra) beginning with “tripād,” the majesty of Aniruddha is stated.

Verse 5

तस्माद्विराडित्यनया पादनारायणाद्धरेः । प्रकृतेः पुरुषस्यापि समुत्पत्तिः प्रदर्शिता ॥

Therefore, by this (mantra) beginning with “virāṭ,” the arising of prakṛti and also of puruṣa from Pāda-Nārāyaṇa—Hari—is shown.

Verse 6

यत्पुरुषेणेत्यनया सृष्टियज्ञः समीरितः । सप्तास्यासन्परिधयः समिधश्च समीरिताः ॥

By the Ṛgvedic formula beginning “yat puruṣeṇa…,” the sacrifice that is creation itself is declared; and by it the seven enclosing-sticks (paridhi-s) and the kindling-sticks (samidh-s) are also set forth.

Verse 7

तं यज्ञमिति मन्त्रेण सृष्टियज्ञः समीरितः । अनेनैव च मन्त्रेण मोक्षश्च समुदीरितः ॥

By the mantra containing the words “taṃ yajñam…,” the sacrifice that is creation is declared; and by this very mantra liberation (mokṣa) too is proclaimed.

Verse 8

तस्मादिति च मन्त्रेण जगत्सृष्टिः समीरिता । वेदाहमिति मन्त्राभ्यां वैभवं कथितं हरेः ॥

And by the mantra beginning “tasmād…,” the creation of the world is declared; by the two mantras beginning “veda” and “aham,” the majesty (vaibhava) of Hari is stated.

Verse 9

यज्ञेनेत्युपसंहारः सृष्टेर्मोक्षस्य चेरितः । य एवमेतज्जानाति स हि मुक्तो भवेदिति ॥

With the words “by yajña (sacrifice) …” the conclusion has been stated—concerning creation and also liberation. He who thus knows this indeed becomes liberated—so it is declared.

Verse 1

अथ तथा मुद्गलोपनिषदि पुरुषसूक्तस्य वैभवं विस्तरेण प्रतिपादितम् । वासुदेव इन्द्राय भगवज्ज्ञानमुपदिश्य पुनरपि सूक्ष्मश्रवणाय प्रणतायेन्द्राय परमरहस्यभूतं पुरुषसूक्ताभ्यां खण्डद्वयाभ्यामुपादिशत् । द्वौ ख...

Now, in the Mudgala Upaniṣad, the grandeur of the Puruṣa-sūkta is expounded in detail. Vāsudeva, having instructed Indra in the knowledge of the Lord, again taught the reverent Indra—who sought subtle hearing—the supreme secret by means of the Puruṣa-sūkta in two sections. Two sections are spoken of. This liberated Puruṣa, abandoning a theme exceedingly difficult for transmigrating beings to know—beyond the reach of knowledge of name and form—assumed a form with auspicious limbs of a thousand parts, granting liberation by mere sight, with the intent to remove the gods and others afflicted by suffering. With that form he pervaded the worlds beginning with the earth and transcended them by infinite yojanas. The Puruṣa, Nārāyaṇa, was the past, the present, and the future; and he is greater than all in majesty; therefore none is greater. The Great Puruṣa, dividing himself fourfold, remained with three quarters in the supreme heaven; with the other fourth—as Aniruddha-Nārāyaṇa—all the worlds came to be. That Pāda-Nārāyaṇa generated Prakṛti in order to create the universe. Though possessed of a fully developed body, he did not himself undertake the act of creation; that Aniruddha-Nārāyaṇa instructed him regarding creation: “O Brahmā, meditate upon your senses as the priests; meditate upon the firm, knotted body, constituted of sheaths, as the oblation; meditate upon me as the eater of the oblation; meditate upon spring as the ghee; meditate upon summer as the fuel; meditate upon autumn as the essence/juice; thus, having offered into the fire, by contact with the limbs the body becomes hard as a thunderbolt.” Then, having created all living beings according to their respective functions, animals and the rest will manifest; thereafter the world consisting of the immovable and the movable will come to be. By this, the method of liberation through the conjunction (yoga) of the individual Self and the Supreme Self is also stated—thus it is to be connected with the teaching. He who knows this creation-sacrifice and the method of liberation attains the fullness of lifespan.

Verse 1

एको देवो बहुधा निविष्ट अजायमानो बहुधा विजायते । तमेतमग्निरित्यध्वर्यव उपासते । यजुरित्येष हीदं सर्वं युनक्ति । सामेति छन्दोगाः । एतस्मिन्हीदं सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् । विषमिति सर्पाः । सर्प इति सर्पविदः । ...

The one Deity, having entered in many ways, though unborn, is born in many ways. Him—this very One—the Adhvaryu priests worship as “Agni.” As “Yajus”—for indeed he yokes and binds all this together. As “Sāman,” the Chāndoga singers worship him. In him, truly, all this is established. As “Poison,” the serpents regard him. As “Serpent,” the knowers of serpents regard him. As “Vital power (ūrj),” the gods regard him. As “Wealth (rayi),” humans regard him. As “Māyā,” the asuras regard him. As “Svadhā,” the ancestors regard him. As “Devajana,” the knowers of the divine hosts regard him. As “Form,” the Gandharvas regard him. As “Gandharva,” the Apsarases regard him. As one worships him in whatever manner, so indeed one becomes. Therefore a brāhmaṇa should contemplate: “I am indeed the supreme Brahman, of the form of the Person (puruṣa).” He becomes of that form—who thus knows.

Verse 1

तद्ब्रह्म तापत्रयातीतं षट्कोशविनिर्मुक्तं षडूर्मिवर्जितं पञ्चकोशातीतं षड्भावविकारशून्यम्—एवमादि सर्वविलक्षणं भवति। तापत्रयं त्वाध्यात्मिकाधिभौतिकाधिदैविकं कर्तृकर्मकार्यज्ञातृज्ञानज्ञेयभोक्तृभोगभोग्यम...

That Brahman is beyond the threefold affliction; freed from the six bodily sheaths; devoid of the six waves of worldly experience; beyond the five sheaths; and free from the six modifications of becoming—thus It is distinguished from all else. The threefold affliction is of three kinds: internal (ādhyātmika), external/elemental (ādhibhautika), and divine/cosmic (ādhidaivika); and it is also spoken of as the triads of agent–action–effect, knower–knowledge–known, and enjoyer–enjoyment–enjoyed. Skin, flesh, blood, bone, sinew, and marrow are the six bodily sheaths. Desire, anger, greed, delusion, pride, and envy are the six inner enemies. The food-made, vital-made, mind-made, intellect-made, and bliss-made are the five sheaths. Dearness, origination, growth, transformation, decline, and destruction are the six states (bhāvas). Hunger, thirst, grief, delusion, old age, and death are the six waves. Family, lineage, birth-group, social class (varṇa), life-stage (āśrama), and form are the six delusions. By this yoga the individual self (jīva) becomes the Supreme Person (Paramapuruṣa), and none other. Whoever daily studies this Upaniṣad becomes purified by fire, purified by wind, purified by the sun; becomes free from disease; becomes prosperous; becomes endowed with sons, grandsons, and the like; and becomes learned. He becomes purified from great sins: from drinking intoxicants; from approaching the forbidden; from intercourse with one’s mother; from intercourse with one’s daughter or daughter-in-law; from stealing gold; from great violence connected with the altar/ritual ground; from neglecting service to the teacher; from officiating for the unfit; from eating what is forbidden; from accepting harsh/illicit gifts; and from going to another’s wife. He becomes untroubled by desire, anger, greed, delusion, envy, and the like, and is freed from all sins. In this very life he becomes ‘Puruṣa’. Therefore this meaning of the Puruṣa-sūkta is exceedingly secret—royal secret, divine secret, more secret than the secret—and should not be taught to one who is not initiated; nor to one not learned; nor to one not devoted to sacrifice; nor to one not devoted to Viṣṇu; nor to one not a yogin; nor to a talkative person; nor to one who speaks unpleasantly; nor to one who has not observed the year-long discipline; nor to one dissatisfied; nor to one who has not studied the Veda. Even the teacher who knows thus, in a pure place, under an auspicious constellation, having restrained the breaths and meditating on the Puruṣa, should instruct the approaching disciple in the meaning of the Puruṣa-sūkta into the right ear. He should not speak it many times; it becomes ‘yātayāma’ (stale, without freshness). He should not communicate it into the ear repeatedly. One who does thus—both student and teacher—becomes ‘Puruṣa’ in this very life: thus is the Upaniṣad.