Verse 3

Mundaka

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

यदा पश्यः पश्यते रुक्मवर्णं कर्तारमीशं पुरुषं ब्रह्मयोनिम् ।

तदा विद्वान् पुण्यपापे विधूय निरञ्जनः परमं साम्यमुपैति ॥३॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

यदा । पश्यः । पश्यते । रुक्म-वर्णम् । कर्तारम् । ईशम् । पुरुषम् । ब्रह्म-योनिम् ।

तदा । विद्वान् । पुण्य-पापे । विधूय । निरञ्जनः । परमम् । साम्यम् । उपैति ॥३॥

IAST Transliteration

yadā paśyaḥ paśyate rukma-varṇaṃ kartāram īśaṃ puruṣaṃ brahma-yonim |

tadā vidvān puṇya-pāpe vidhūya nirañjanaḥ paramaṃ sāmyam upaiti ||3||

Translation

ਜਦੋਂ ਦ੍ਰਸ਼ਟਾ ਸੁਵਰਨ-ਵਰਨ ਵਾਲੇ—ਕਰਤਾ, ਪ੍ਰਭੂ, ਪੁਰਖ, ਬ੍ਰਹਮ-ਯੋਨੀ—ਨੂੰ ਵੇਖਦਾ ਹੈ, ਤਦ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਪੁੰਨ ਤੇ ਪਾਪ ਨੂੰ ਝਾੜ ਕੇ, ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਪਰਮ ਸਮਤਾ (ਏਕਾਤਮਤਾ) ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।

Academic Translation

When the seer sees the golden-hued (One)—the maker, the Lord, the Person, the source (womb) of Brahman—then the knower, having shaken off merit and demerit, stainless, attains the supreme sameness (identity).

Verse Context

• Mokṣa through Brahma-jñāna; transcendence of puṇya/pāpa; sāyujya/sāmya with Brahman
• Mahavakya: Supports the import of identity taught by mahāvākyas (especially ‘अहं ब्रह्मास्मि’ / ‘तत्त्वमसि’) by describing attainment of ‘paramaṃ sāmyam’ (supreme identity/sameness) upon realization.
• Atharva
• Śaunaka (Atharvaveda tradition; Muṇḍaka is classed among Atharva-upaniṣads) Shakha
• Chandas: Mixed/Upaniṣadic verse (often classed under Triṣṭubh/Jagatī-type cadence in recitation traditions; not strictly fixed like Saṃhitā meters)