Summary:
Chapter 1, Section 1, Verses 1-2: The lineage of brahma-vidyā traces from Brahmā (creator and protector of the universe) to Atharva (his eldest son), then to Aṅgir, Satyavāha, Bhāradvāja, and finally Aṅgiras. This knowledge is sarva-vidyā-pratiṣṭhā (foundation of all knowledge) – the only complete knowledge without ignorance that stops the need to know more. The tradition shows Truth flows through willing instruments rather than being authored by any individual. Knowledge transformation requires exact understanding without mental additions or subtractions.
Chapter 1, Section 1, Verse 3: Śaunaka, a mahāśālaḥ (great householder) living in dharma with purity of mind, approaches Aṅgiras with reverence and asks: “By knowing which one thing alone does everything become known?” This question arises from inward dissatisfaction despite experiencing life's pleasures and challenges. The possibility is demonstrated through the gold-ornament analogy – knowing gold reveals the essence of all gold ornaments since effects are not separate from their cause. The ornament's form is mithyā (dependent reality) while gold is satyam (independent reality), establishing the satya-mithyā relationship that helps understand ontological reality without negating the world.
Who is a Seasoned Spiritual Person?
Mundaka Upanishad prayer points out how is an ideal “spiritual person”, seeker of truth. Before the prayer, let's first define such a person in modern language…
Lives by ethics:
- An ideal spiritual person asks questions about reality. Accepts there’s more to life then what’s seen. Honors ethics (dharma), and actively attempts to live by them much as possible. Common world values don’t satisfy him. Strong discernment (critical-thinking). Searching for infinite.
Grounded to empirical reality:
- Engages in responsible living. Treats things functionality, seeing things what they are, having proper perspective towards them. Is relatively free from binding likes/dislikes (self-imposed limitations).
- Isn't desireless, but recognizes as you mature, the desire changes to subtler things, such as desire to know my nature.
- Acknowledges the world is manifestation of God. Recognizes that dissatisfaction towards the material world is actually dissatisfaction with self and God, because there is only God.
Engages in two types of pursuits (mostly unknowingly):
- Self-growth:
- In Sanskrit, this is in “Apraptasya-prapti” category. Something which isn’t already there, and you gain it through effort.
- Here, “fake it until you make it” works.
- This pursuit helps you develop self-belief, alignment to dharma, refining responses, developing relative equanimity. And it's crucial because most healthy virtues don’t come naturally. Without them, spirituality becomes an identity boost, rather then realizing one's freedom from the person. For example, one half of brain says “I’m small”, and the other, “I’m the whole”. In other words, what you’re saying about yourself is one thing, but how you’re feeling is different. Without work on the relative self, the seeker acquires new words in Vedanta, such as “All this is mithya” – and those words also become part of the seeker's identity.
- Self-inquiry:
- In Sanskrit, this is in “Praptasya-prapti” category. Discovering something that’s already present, fully developed and accomplished. It can’t be made more or less, only discovered as it truly is. Any effort here is not to develop it, but remove “clouds” preventing you comfortably and effortlessly knowing it. This is category of self-knowledge (brahma-vidya, atma-jnana), a discovering that “I” was never bound, and am free and limitless right now.
- You can't pretend you are free or limitless, or by saying it. “Fake it until you make it”, doesn't work here. Because the “you” that’s saying it, is still deeply identified with the mortal mind and body.
Mundaka Upanishad Official Prayer:
ओं भद्रम् कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवाः ।
oṁ bhadram karṇebhiḥ śṛṇuyāma devāḥ |
[Om] [May] we hear [what is] auspicious with [our] ears, O gods!
Pronunciation help: oṁ bha-dram karṇe-bhi śṛṇu-yāma devāḥ
Let my ears hear what is auspicious. Can’t blame senses (as they just hear), nor the world. Focus is on free will; where you expose the ears. It’s not question of detaching from world, but making intelligent choices.
भद्रम् पश्येम अक्षभिः यजत्राः ।
bhadram paśyema akṣabhiḥ yajatrāḥ |
[May] we see [what is] auspicious with [our] eyes, O worshipful [ones]!
Pronunciation help: bhadram paśye-mākṣa-bhir yaja-trāḥ
Give my eyes ability to see things as they are. Meaning, may my eyes see what is required in each situation and respond appropriately. IE: Objectivity. EG: When someone breaks up, don’t give them wisdom, but empathy.
स्थिरैः अङ्गैः तुष्टुवांसः तनूभिः ।
sthiraiḥ aṅgaiḥ tuṣṭuvāṁsaḥ tanūbhiḥ |
With firm limbs, [and] praising [you], with [strong] bodies…
Pronunciation help: sthirair-aṅgaiḥ tuṣṭu-vā(gm) sas tanū-bhiḥ |
May my body and limbs be healthy. It’s a tool, you need it to solve the problem. Exercise.
व्यशेम देव-हितम् यदायुः ।
vyaśema deva-hitam yadāyuḥ |
Without sandhi: vyaśema deva-hitam yat āyuḥ |
[May] we live out the life allotted by the gods [in well-being].
What do you want to spend your time while having a healthy body? Seeing your connection with the universe.
स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्ध-श्रवाः ।
svasti na indro vṛddha-śravāḥ |
Without sandhi: svasti naḥ indraḥ vṛddha-śravāḥ |
May Indra, of ancient fame, [grant] us well-being.
For seeing your connection with universe, you need blessings of deities such as Indra. Who are deities? Different manifestations of Ishvara.
स्वस्ति न पूषा विश्व-वेदाः ।
svasti na pūṣā viśva-vedāḥ |
Without sandhi: svasti naḥ pūṣā viśva-vedāḥ |
May Pūṣan, the all-knower, [grant] us well-being.
I need help of the sun, which represents clarity.
स्वस्ति नस्-तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्ट-नेमिः ।
svasti nas-tārkṣyo ariṣṭa-nemiḥ |
Without sandhi: svasti naḥ tārkṣyaḥ ariṣṭa-nemiḥ |
May Tārkṣya [Garuda], of unbroken wheels, [grant] us well-being.
I need blessings of Garuda, eagle, it flies high and sees reality from larger perspective, but also able to focus on the smallest details. You want mind of an eagle.
स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर् दधातु ॥
svasti no bṛhaspatir dadhātu ||
Without sandhi: svasti naḥ bṛhaspatiḥ dadhātu ||
May Bṛhaspati [the teacher of gods] bestow well-being [upon] us.
I need blessings of Brahmaji, which represents new opportunities. Enable me to make use of every new moment intelligently, and not waste it away. Let me not be a slave to the past.
“Moment” doesn’t mean complete present. It’s not possible to be completely in the present, as each moment is intimately connected to the past. EG: Your body-mind is drawing skills & memories just to read this sentence, how it's being read, language recall, etc.
ओं शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
oṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||
Om, peace, peace, peace.
CH 1, SECTION 1, VERSE 1/2: Lineage of Teachers
ब्रह्म देवानाम् प्रथमः सम्-बभूव
विश्वस्य कर्ता भुवनस्य गोप्ता
सः ब्रह्म-विद्याम् सर्व-विद्या-प्रतिष्ठाम्
अथर्वाय ज्येष्ठ-पुत्राय प्राह (१.१.१)
brahma devānām prathamaḥ sam-babhūva
viśvasya kartā bhuvanasya goptā
saḥ brahma-vidyām sarva-vidyā-pratiṣṭhām
atharvāya jyeṣṭha-putrāya prāha (1.1.1)
Among the gods, Brahmaji came into being first; he is the creator of the entire universe and also its protector. He taught the knowledge of Brahman which is the most exalted among all forms of knowledge, to Atharva, his first son.
अथर्वणे याम् प्रवदेत ब्रह्म
अथर्वा ताम् पुरोवाच अङ्गिरे ब्रह्म-विद्याम्
सः भारद्वाजाय सत्य-वहाय प्राह
भारद्वाजः अङ्गिरसे परावराम् (१.१.२)
atharvaṇe yām pravadeta brahma
atharvā tām purovāca aṅgire brahma-vidyām
saḥ bhāradvājāya satya-vahāya prāha
bhāradvājaḥ aṅgirase parāvarām (1.1.2)
In the beginning, Atharvā taught that very same brahma-vidyā to Aṅgir which brahma-vidyā Brahmaji had given to Atharvā. Aṅgir taught it to Satyavaha who was born in the family of Bharadvāja. Bhāradvāja taught that brahma-vidyā, which is gained by the student from the teacher, to Aṅgiras.
Order How Self-Knowledge Is Passed On:
Brahma (Creator):
Brahmā, which means “creator” or cause of the universe. In other Vedantic texts, we use “Īśvara”. Don’t confuse Brahmā (mas) with Brahman (neuter).
Atharva (Brahma’s son):
Creator's knowledge was taught to his eldest son Atharva, born of his thought (sankalpa). A father would never consciously deceive his own child by giving false knowledge. Additionally, unlike some teachers who withhold knowledge from disciples — Brahmā taught his son completely, without holding back.
The knowledge taught, or that's passed down, is called “sarva-vidya-pratishtha” — the foundation or support of all other forms of knowledge. Meaning, gaining this knowledge – every other knowledge is gained. While other relative knowledges remain limited. For example, knowledge about the legal system, excludes knowledges about human anatomy. But this knowledge, doesn't exclude anything.
Additionally, in all other forms of knowledge – the more you learn, the more you realize how much you don't know. Whereas self-knowledge (brahma-vidya), that's being taught in this Upanishads, deals with the whole, which has no parts. It is the only subject in which there is knowledge without ignorance, or knowledge that stops you from needing to know more.
The Requirement for Knowledge to Transform You:
For knowledge of the self to work it's magic, the knowledge presented needs to be captured exactly as it is, without your additions/subtractions.
Meaning what your mind understands or “sees” — is 100% keeping with what is intended to be communicated. There's no discrepancy.
For example:
-
- A glass is only glass — not “my favorite cup” or “too fragile.” Those labels are your additions. Swami Dayananda use to say, “Drop the adjective, and the illusion collapses.”
- In the statement, “God is benevolent”, the “benevolent” is your own addition. In reality, Ishvara manifests as laws and orders, which if you align to, you benefit. If you don’t, such as choosing not to sufficiently nourish the body with variety of nutrients — then you miss out the benefits of a well-functioning body. In which case, Ishvara becomes malevolent for you, which forces you to create another entity called “devil”, which forces you imagine some external entity influencing the world. Just one mistake in reference to nature of God, and it creates a chain-reaction of errors down the line.
Order of Knowledge Transfer:
Brahmā > Atharva > Angir > Satyavāha > Bharadvaja > Angrias (the teacher in this Upanishad) > Shaunaka (the student).
What is purpose of showing this order?
The verse shows teaching is timeless. Nobody is the author of Vedanta. Tradition isn’t centered on anyone, but on Truth which flows through willing instruments.
It also shows source of all knowledges is Brahmā. EG: Gravity existed before Newton brought out it’s laws on paper. This makes Newton a rishi (seer). Humans only lift the veil, never create anything new.
It also shows you don’t have to go to Brahmā for the knowledge, but to a living human being.
CH 1, SECTION 1, VERSE 3: Shaunaka’s Question to Angiras
शौनकः ह वै महाशालः अङ्गिरसम् विधिवत्
उपसन्नः पप्रच्छ
कस्मिन् नु भगवः विज्ञाते सर्वम् इदम् विज्ञातम् भवति इति (१.१.३)
śaunakaḥ ha vai mahāśālaḥ aṅgirasam vidhivat
upasannaḥ papraccha
kasmin nu bhagavaḥ vijñāte sarvam idam vijñātam bhavati iti (1.1.3)
Śaunaka, the famous householder, approached Aṅgiras and asked thus: ‘O Revered Sir! By knowing which one thing alone, does everything become known?
Shaunaka’s Journey:
Story starts with Shaunaka approaching Angiras. Shaunaka is described as “mahāśālaḥ” — a great householder, living a life of prayer and dharma, thereby gaining purity of mind. He was fully engaged, healthy, not suppressing his desires, experiencing pleasures and challenges. He now feels an inward dissatisfaction amidst the best of what life has to offer.
How Shaunaka approaches the teacher Angiras?
With reverence, curiosity and faith. In ancient tradition, a student would approach a teacher carrying a small bundle of twigs, symbolizing student's readiness. There was a rule: “Do not see a king, a deity in a temple, or a teacher empty-handed.” Then he asks, “Teach me that knowledge, knowing which, everything is known?”.
How did Shaunaka know to ask such a question? Heard from exalted people in society.
Demonstrating the Possibility of Shaunaka's Profound Question:
By knowing gold, you come to know the essence of all gold ornaments (since they are all essentially gold). Similarly, by knowing the material cause of the universe, one comes to know the essence of everything that exists. If you know the svarūpa (nature) of the cause, the svarūpa of the effects is also known, because effects are not separate from their cause.
To illustrate further…
Chain’s weight, shine, and malleability are nothing but gold’s properties. Meaning you don’t deny the ornament’s form — but see through it to recognize gold. Also, you don’t need to melt or destroy the necklace to know it’s gold. Similarly, one doesn't need to negate the world or ego, because they are pervaded by one cause. All you need to do, is see things in proper perspective.
Do you need to experientially resolve every ornament into the gold? No. You can enjoy all ornaments, no matter how ugly or attractive they are — knowing they’re all of the same gold.
Additionally, where does the ring ‘end’ and gold ‘begin’?”
What is the relationship between the ornament and gold?
Ornament’s form is mithyā (that which depends on something else). Mithyā doesn't mean false, illusionary, unreal. Because the ornament has a certain reality to it. Its reality or existence is borrowed from the gold, which is called satya (that which is independent).
So ornament depends on the gold. Therefore the relationship is a satya-mithya relationship. One is dependent. The other is independent.
Satya-mithya helps you understand relationship between two things. Without the satya-mithya model, which shows the ontological reality of things, our tendency is to give reality to mithya, missing out on the substance (satyam).
Objection is Raised…
Gold-ornament opens up possibility to Shaunaka’s question. But it doesn’t prove “knowing one thing, everything is known” in real life. Thus teacher Angiras still has to show there’s one independently existing reality, upon which all things are depending.
To do this, Angiras in the next verse – starts out by comparing satya-mithya knowledge, to every other type of knowledge…
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Recorded 7 July, 2025