A Devotee is Magnanimous (Sajjana – Vadanya)

The Divinity of Śrī Caitanyadeva

By Swami Bhaktivijñāna GiriPublished On: September 27, 2024Tags: Śāstra23.9 min read

Overview

This introductory installment serves as the prelude to a commentary on the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad by Swami Bhaktivijñāna Giri. While the Advaitins have primarily interpreted this text to uphold their monistic philosophical viewpoint, this commentary seeks to present a different perspective: that the transcendental sound vibration of 'oṁkāra' signifies the Supreme Person, rather than merely an abstract, impersonal consciousness. Furthermore, this Supreme Person regulates the three states of consciousness experienced by the jīvātmā.

Articles in This Series:

Introduction

Despite its brevity, the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad of the Atharva Veda plays a very important role amongst the ten major Upanisads. The text contains only twelve short verses elaborating on the mystic syllable oṁ (or oṁkāra) and its connection to the avasthas, or four states of consciousness – vaiśvānara (consciousness of one’s gross material surroundings), taijasa (consciousness beyond the gross and subtle planes). prājña (consciousness of the mental plane) and turīya (transcendence of all planes and the attainment of the spiritual realm). Upon reaching the state of turīya, one achieves liberation and is freed from saṁsāra, the cycle of repeated birth and death.

The title of this upaniṣad stems from the Sanskrit word maṇḍūka which means ‘frog’, and there are several theories as to why this text has such an odd name. One theory states that the frog is known for its prowess for leaping – similarly, those who desire to attain the Supreme should leap from mundane consciousness to the state of transcendence. The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad may also be connected to the sage Maṇḍūkeya, the disciple of Indrapramiti, mentioned in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (12.6.56). The Vaiṣṇava philosopher, Madhva of the Dvaita school of Vedānta offers his own opinion. Madhva considers Varuṇa, the demigod of water, to be the revealer of the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad and attributes this to a story from the Padma Purāṇa:

maṇḍūka-rūpiṇā varuṇena catur-rūpo nārāyaṇaḥ styuate
dhyāyen-nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ praṇavena samāhitaḥ
maṇḍūka-rūpī varuṇas tuṣṭāva harim avyayam

Varuṇa assumed the shape of a frog and praised the four forms of Nārāyaṇa, meditating upon Him within oṁkāra. Thus, as a frog, Varuṇa prayed to the imperishable Hari.

In his commentary to the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad, the Advaita philosopher Ādi Śaṅkara interprets the four states of consciousness from a purely monistic perspective. In relation to the individual ātmā, he states that upon reaching the stage of turīya, the ātmā merges into Brahman and all distinctions arising from ignorance disappear. Vaiṣṇava commentators disagree with this solipsistic interpretation and uphold a theistic conclusion, declaring that turīya is a state of liberation wherein the ātmā retains its individuality and serves the Supreme Person in the eternal realm of Vaikuṇṭḥa/Goloka. Kūra-Nārāyaṇa Jiyār and Śrī Raṅga Rāmānuja Muni of the Viśiṣṭhādvaita school consider the four stages to be presided over by Viṣṇu’s catur-vyūha expansions, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Saṅkarṣaṇa and Vāsudeva. Madhva, on the other hand, regards the four states to be governed by four forms of Viṣṇu named Viśva, Taijasa, Prājña and Turīya. This connection between the quadruple avatāras and the four states of consciousness is also found in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and the Ahirbudhnya Saṁhitā.

Within the Advaita tradition, the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad is of prime importance, and its principal commentary is the kārikā of Gauḍapāda, the grand-guru of Ādi Śaṅkara. Gauḍapāda wrote four chapters containing 215 verses which are considered to be the first systematic exposition on Advaita philosophy. However, the kārikā is controversial inasmuch that Gauḍapāda’s authorship is disputed by some. For example, Madhva rejects Gauḍapāda as the original author and considers the verses of the kārikā to be explanations by Brahmā and thus, part of the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad itself. This is also accepted by Kūra-Nārāyaṇa. Raṅga Rāmānuja, however, does not include the kārikā in his commentary.

Unfortunately, monists have monopolised Vedantic philosophy, and in particular the Upaniṣads. Libraries are replete with commentaries propagating non-dual conceptions, but theistic interpretations are very few and far between. There is even a modern-day commentary by a popular swami who claims that the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad is for those who wish to practice spirituality without resorting to the ‘unnecessary abstract concept’ of a Supreme Being! However, as we will see, the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad only speaks about the Supreme. Trying to separate the Upaniṣads from the Supreme is as foolish as attempting to separate light from the sun. Similarly, self-realisation without surrender to the Supreme Self is unachievable. Without following the path of spiritual surrender (śaraṇāgati), so-called ‘enlightenment’ is merely self-deception.

During the course of writing this book, I have primarily drawn inspiration from the works of the Gauḍīya ācāryas as well as the commentaries of Raṅga Rāmānuja Muni and Ācārya Madhva. Our commentary follows the Prakāśikā of Śrī Raṅga Rāmānuja Muni, in that we have only commented on the twelve core verses that he considered to be the original śruti-mantras. The twelve verses of Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad are arranged in four parts (khaṇḍas) according to Śrī Raṅga Rāmānuja, however this system is not found in other commentaries.

In conclusion, we humbly offer this Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad commentary unto the hands of our beloved spiritual master, Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja and to the Vaiṣṇavas with the hope that it will please them.

OṀ TAT SAT

Śrī narasiṅgha-pāda-sevakā –
Swami Bhaktivijñāna Giri

INVOCATION

ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवाः भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः ।
स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्टुवाँसस्तनूभिर्व्यशेम देवहितं यदायुः ॥
स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः ।
स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्टनेमिः स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

oṁ bhadraṁ karṇebhiḥ śṛṇuyāma devāḥ bhadraṁ paśyemākṣabhir-yajatrāḥ
sthirairāṅgais-tuṣṭuvāṁsas-tanūbhiḥ vyaśema deva-hitaṁ yad āyuḥ

svasti na indro vṛddha-śravāḥ svasti naḥ pūṣā viśva-vedāḥ
svasti nas-tārkṣyo ariṣṭanemiḥ svasti no bṛhaspatir dadhātu
oṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

OṀ – Devas, may our ears continue to hear about the all-auspicious Lord. O you who are worthy of worship, may our eyes always behold He that is auspicious. May we engage our entire life with every strong limb of our body in praising the Supreme.

May that Lord of eternal praise bless us with auspiciousness. May He who is the maintainer of the universe, who is all-knowing, bless us with auspiciousness. May He that is worth attaining, who removes all material bondage, bless us with auspiciousness. May He who is the Lord of speech bless us with auspiciousness. OM peace, peace, peace.

Commentary

yena matir mamottiṣṭhā kūpa maṇḍūka sādṛśā
tam arpayāmyahaṁ bhāṣyaṁ māṇḍūkyo paribhāṣitam

I dedicate and offer this commentary on the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad unto my spiritual master, who drew my frog-like mind out of the well of ignorance.

The invocation of peace (śānti-pāṭha) invokes auspiciousness upon the speaker and the audience before the study of the Upaniṣads. By meditating upon the words and meaning of the śānti-pāṭha, one can attain the proper frame of mind to enter into the philosophy found within the text.

Bhadraṁ karṇebhiḥ śṛṇuyāma devāḥ – the beginning of the invocation starts with the word bhadram meaning ‘auspiciousness.’ Bhadram also refers to Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, because He is the personification of all auspiciousness.

yasmāt bhadro bhūtvā sarvadā bhadraṁ dadhāti
rocano rocamānaḥ śobhano śobhamānaḥ kalyāṇaḥ

Because He is the personification of all things auspicious and gives auspiciousness to all, and because He is radiant and makes others radiant, and because He is splendid and makes others splendorous and auspicious, He is known as Bhadra. (Nṛsiṁha Tāpaniya Upaniṣad)

sarvo’pi yaṁ samāśritya sakalaṁ bhadram aśnute
śriyā ca bhadrayā juṣṭo yastaṁ bhadraṁ namāmyaham

I offer my respects unto He who is the repository of all auspicious things. By worshipping Him, everyone is able to obtain auspiciousness. (Ahirbudhnya-saṁhitā)

bhadra-śabdena devasya nitya nirdoṣatocyate

The word bhadra indicates that the Lord is eternal and flawless. (Ahirbudhnya-saṁhitā)

The invocation first addresses the Devas, the demigods who are entrusted with the management of various functions within the material world and who preside over the various senses. The Vedic texts explain that each sense organ is supported by a controlling Deva who is deputed by the Supreme. For example, living beings cannot see without light, and light is supplied by the sun. There is a presiding deity of the sun, and thus, the eyes of all living creatures are controlled by the sun-god. Similarly, all the bodily senses that perform work and acquire knowledge are controlled by different Devas. However, the finite jīvas have no permanent relationship with the interdependent actions of the senses, sense-objects and their controlling deities. Their primary dependence is upon the Supreme, who is the ultimate controller of the senses and their presiding Devas. Therefore, the first line of the invocation specifically prays to the dig-devatās (the deities of the ten directions that control the aural senses) to bless the speaker and the listeners with the ability to always hear beneficial sounds about Bhadra, the all-auspicious Supreme Lord.

According to the Vedas, the first element to manifest in the material universe is sound. Sound is the subtlest of all elements and thus its power of penetrating the consciousness is the strongest. The world we live in is a jungle of sounds that produces so many emotions within us. At present, there is so much talk about ‘sound pollution,’ but the fact is that all mundane sound pollutes the environment. The vibrations around us in the form of music, news, technology etc. can be categorised as manifestations of various material desires. Lust, anger, greed, envy etc. are all present within material sound, and receiving those vibrations affects us on a subtle level. In order to become free from the effects of ‘sound pollution’ we should refrain from hearing material sound vibrations as much as possible. For example, listening to mundane conversations should be avoided as they propel us towards trivial and superficial topics that distract us from spiritual reality. The śāstra warns us:

strī-dhana-nāstika-vairi-caritraṁ na śravaṇīyam

Do not listen to narrations about the opposite sex, wealth, atheistic philosophies and inimical people. (Nārada-bhakti-sūtra 4.62)

When we hear mundane subject matters, vasanas (desires in a subtle form) manifest within the mind. Vasanas produce vṛttis (thought patterns that cause us to act) and vṛttis produce karma (action). Karma then produces reactions and saṁskāras (impressions) which follow us to the next life. Therefore, hearing mundane subject matters serves as stimuli to create impurities within the heart. Hearing about sex creates lust within the heart which forces the jīva to identify with the material body. Listening to talks about wealth produces greed for financial prosperity and envy towards those who have more than us. Atheism is very popular in the modern world – and for good reason in many cases, since man-made religions have produced nothing but unnecessary bloodshed and superstitious dogmas. However, rather than remain open minded, atheists conclude that any sort of belief in a Creator is delusional and should be thoroughly discarded. Hearing from atheists contaminates the consciousness and should be avoided. Similarly, listening to those who are envious and inimical creates anger and bitterness within us and is not beneficial to those who aspire for transcendence. Furthermore, we should avoid becoming ‘information junkies’. Nowadays, with modern technology, it is very easy to fill our ears with discussions about worldly matters such as politics, sport, movies, the environment etc. If these things have no connection to spirituality, such sounds will only pollute our consciousness. Alternatively, when transcendental sound enters the ears and heart, in particular those sounds connected to Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes, all material contamination is eventually driven away.

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
hṛdy antaḥ stho hy-abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām

Śrī Kṛṣṇa purifies one through the process of hearing and chanting. He is the greatest friend of the virtuous who hear about Him, because He enters their hearts and destroys all inauspiciousness. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.2.17)

aśeṣa-saṅkleśa-śamaṁ vidhatte guṇānuvāda-śravaṇaṁ murāreḥ

Simply by hearing about the divine qualities and narrations of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the killer of the Mura demon, unlimited miseries are destroyed. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.7.14)

The process of hearing and chanting about Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa is known as śravaṇa and kīrtana. These two methods are most important for attaining self-realisation, especially on the path of bhakti-yoga, the topmost system of yoga. There are certain prerequisites to perform śravaṇa – it is not simply the physical act of hearing. It is hearing submissively from a proper source, a qualified teacher. The listener must be sincere and enthusiastic to understand. By hearing in this way, one can relish transcendental topics and one’s heart becomes purified.

Kīrtana stems from the word kīrti, or fame, because it denotes praising the Supreme. Kīrtana may be performed by singing devotional songs, chanting mantras, reciting and explaining the Vedic literature, or writing about the Supreme. It is very common to find many people performing kīrtana nowadays, but such people are generally entertainers who have turned kīrtana into a livelihood. The purpose of kīrtana is to extinguish the blazing fire of repeated birth and death – not to extinguish the blazing fire of a hungry belly or an empty bank account.

In regards to mantras, there are many mantras found in the Vedic literature praising the Supreme Lord, but the most potent is revealed by Brahmā in the Kali-santaraṇa Upaniṣad of the Kṛṣṇa Yajur Veda:

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare
hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare
iti ṣoḍaśakaṁ nāmnāṁ kali-kalmaṣa-nāśanam
nātaḥ parataropāyaḥ sarva-vedeṣu dṛśyate
ṣoḍaśa-kalā-vṛtasya jīvasyāvaraṇa-vināśanam
tataḥ prakāśate paraṁ brahma meghāpāye ravi raśmi maṇḍalī veti

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. These sixteen names can destroy the contamination of Kali-yuga. A superior remedy cannot be seen in all the Vedas. This mantra destroys the 16 kalās that cover the jīvas. Then, the Supreme Absolute appears clearly before the jīva just as the sun’s rays shine brightly when the veil of the clouds has dissipated. (Kali-santaraṇa Upaniṣad 2)

This mantra is known as the mahā-mantra because, by chanting it purely, the sixteen kalās that surround the jīva are removed. The sixteen kalās are the five material elements (earth, water, fire, air and space), the five working senses (hands, legs, voice, anus and genitals), the five knowledge-acquiring senses (smell, sound, sight, taste, touch) and the material mind. In other words, the material body is eventually dissolved and one becomes fully aware of one’s eternal spiritual identity. In Kali-yuga, the present age of vice and darkness, kīrtana of the mahā-mantra is most effective.

However, kīrtana also has requirements – one who does kīrtana must also be connected to the śrota-pantha, the disciplic line of gurus who are self-realised. Such a disciplic succession is known as a sampradāya. According to the Padma Purāṇa there are four genuine sampradāyas and one must take initiation in one of them in order to receive proper instruction.

sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ
ataḥ kalau bhaviṣyanti catvāraḥ sampradāyinaḥ
śrī-brahma-rudra-sanakā vaiṣṇavāḥ kṣiti-pāvanāḥ

Mantras received outside a sampradāya are considered fruitless. Thus, in Kali-yuga, there will be four sampradāyas beginning with Śrī, Brahmā, Rudra and Sanaka. These devotees will purify the earth.

Spiritual mantras and knowledge are not gained merely by reading books. Books are there to guide us, but ultimately the knowledge found within them must be realised, not simply theoretical. That knowledge is a living, dynamic message which has to be received from a qualified guru. A speaker of the Absolute Truth must also have experience of the Absolute Truth.

Bhadraṁ paśyemākṣabhir-yajatrāḥ – next, the invocation requests the worshippable Devas to bless the speaker and the listeners with the ability to always see the Lord and all those things connected to Him that create auspiciousness. However, to see the Supreme is not an easy thing. He cannot be perceived by our blunt physical senses. Firstly, the senses must be purified. Our eyes are covered with the cataracts of ignorance that are removed by constant śravaṇa and kīrtana. By engaging in these two processes, eventually the Lord may reveal Himself to us.

ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ
sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ

The name, form, qualities and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are transcendental and cannot be experienced through the material senses. But to one who performs pure devotional service to the Lord, beginning with the tongue, the Lord will personally manifest to such a devotee. (Padma Purāṇa)

Only those who have real devotion are able to perceive Him, not with the temporary physical eyes, but through devotional trance (samādhi):

premāñjana-churita-bhakti-vilocanena
santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti
yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

I worship Govinda, the original Person, who is always seen by those devotees whose devotional eyes are anointed with the salve of divine love. Within their hearts, He is seen by them in His form of Śyāmasundara, along with His inconceivable qualities. (Brahma-saṁhitā 5.38)

The divine vision of Kṛṣṇa is not mere imagination or self-delusion – it is attainable in proportion to the degree that the eyes of pure consciousness are developed by the cultivation of devotion (bhakti). As one abandons matter and pursues the path of bhakti-yoga, one’s dormant spiritual consciousness awakens within. In this regard, the śruti says:

yan na paśyanti paśyanti yan na śṛṇvanti śṛṇvanti yan jānanti jānanti ca

Those that do not see material things can see Him. Those who do not hear material things can hear Him. Those who do not know material things can know Him. (Sauparṇa-śruti)

Endeavouring to see the Supreme by our own physical efforts is like trying to view the sun at midnight. He reveals Himself according to His own sweet will – not on our demand. The finite living beings should act in such a submissive way that the Infinite Supreme will be attracted and desire to see them. Those that are truly connected to the Supreme see His potency everywhere, in all things, and they especially perceive the Supreme within His devotee. The Lord bestows His mercy to His pure devotee, and such a devotee is empowered to deliver the message of the Supreme to others. Thus, one’s consciousness becomes purified through contact with the Vaiṣṇava, the devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

Sthirairāṅgais-tuṣṭuvāṁsas-tanūbhiḥ vyaśema deva-hitaṁ yad āyuḥ – the speaker now prays that they may continuously praise the Supreme Lord with their bodily strength according to the time allotted to them in his world. All normal human beings desire a long and healthy life, but ironically, humans spend much of their lives engaging in activities that reduce their lifespans. They continue to consume the wrong kinds of food (or the right foods in wrong quantities), drink excessive amounts of alcohol, rely upon various drugs (both prescription and recreational), and engage in sexual activities that give rise to various deadly diseases as well as emotional and mental imbalances, potentially leading to increased anxiety, depression, stress etc. On the whole, humans, within our present self-indulgent society, have proven themselves to be paradoxical and irresponsible. The goal of mankind, however, is not simply to live a long life, but to attain self-realisation. We are to understand that we are the eternal ātmā, not the physical body encasing it. Long life without consciousness of the Supreme is useless, as stated in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam:

taravaḥ kiṁ na jīvanti bhastraḥ kiṁ na śvasanty uta
na khādanti na mehanti kiṁ grāme paśavo ’pare
śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ
na yat-karṇa-pathopeto jātu nāma gadāgrajaḥ

Do not the trees also live? Do not bellows also breathe? Do not village animals and those that resemble animals also eat and mate? That human animal, whose ears never hear about the Supreme Lord who removes all miseries, is only praised by dogs, hogs, camels and donkeys. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2.3.18-19)

One may be a mayfly that lives for twenty-four hours, or Brahmā, the topmost jīva in this universe, who lives for 311.04 trillion earth years – all living beings must eventually succumb to death. Young or old, death can strike at any moment. Before we leave this world of repeated birth and death (saṁsāra), we should endeavour to use all our energy in the service of the Supreme. In this regard, the great devotee Kulaśekhara sings:

jihve kīrtaya keśavaṁ mura-ripuṁ ceto bhaja śrīdharaṁ
pāṇi-dvandva samarcayācyuta-kathāḥ śrotra-dvaya tvaṁ śṛṇu
kṛṣṇaṁ lokaya locana-dvaya harer gacchāṅghri-yugmālayaṁ
jighra ghrāṇa mukunda-pāda-tulasīṁ mūrdhan namādhokṣajam

O tongue, sing the glories of Keśava. O mind, worship the enemy of Mura. O hands, serve the Lord of Lakṣmī. O ears, hear the topics of Acyuta. O eyes, gaze upon Kṛṣṇa. O feet, walk to the temple of Hari. O nose, smell the tulasī upon Mukunda’s feet. O head, bow down before Adhokṣaja. (Mukunda-māla Stotram 17)

Thus, the conditioned jīvas have the chance to use their senses properly for Kṛṣṇa. One who does not utilise the human form of life by engaging the mind and body in the service of the Supreme, is said to be a killer of the self – in other words, they waste their rare opportunity of attaining self-realisation. This is confirmed by Śrī Kṛṣṇa in His conversation with Uddhava:

nṛ-deham ādyaṁ su-labhaṁ su-durlabhaṁ
plavaṁ su-kalpaṁ guru-karṇadhāram
mayānukūlena nabhasvateritaṁ
pumān bhavābdhiṁ na taret sa ātma-hā

The rare human form, which is sometimes attained by good fortune, is like a well-constructed boat. The guru is like the captain, and the boat is propelled by the favorable wind of serving Me. That person who does not endeavour to cross the ocean of material existence is a killer of the self. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.20.17)

Although there are over seven-billion humans on the planet, still, compared to the number of other species such as birds, mammals, aquatics, reptiles, insects, microbes and germs, the human form of life is very rare. The laws of karma dictate that if we misuse this human body, we will be forced to take birth in one of the 8,400,000 species according to the activities performed in this life. Those who are intelligent realise that this rare birth has been awarded to them in order to realise their spiritual identity. They do not waste their valuable time and energy in trivial pursuits – they take shelter of the spiritual master and perform devotional service to the Lord, and in this way, attain immortality.

āyur harati vai puṁsām udyann astaṁ ca yann asau
tasyarte yat-kṣaṇo nīta uttama-śloka-vārtayā

The rising and setting of the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except those that utilise their time by discussing topics of the Supreme Lord. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2.3.17)

Svasti na indro vṛddha-śravāḥ – The second half of the śānti-pāṭha begins with the word svasti (su+asti – ‘well-being’) which means ‘auspiciousness’. First, it addresses Indra, who is the leader of the Devas and requests his blessings for auspiciousness. Indra is also the adhisthāna-devatā (presiding deity) of the mind. Just as Indra holds sway over the various Devas, similarly the mind is supposed to rule over the senses – thus, the senses are known as indriya (‘belonging to Indra’). Indra means ‘ruler’ and ultimately refers to the Supreme Ruler Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa who resides within the heart of Indra and grants him the ability to rule. Kṛṣṇa is known as Hṛṣīkeśa because He is the prime Master of the senses. Spiritual advancement is only possible when we control the senses, and the senses can only be checked when we worship Hṛṣīkeśa. Sense-control doesn’t mean artificial suppression – such unnatural restraint only leads to failure. The senses need to be fully engaged in spiritual activities (hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa sevanaṁ), then there is no chance of them being drawn towards inferior activities. In this way, the senses become purified by attaining a higher taste.

Vṛddha-śrava mean ‘one that is eternally praised.’ Although there are many prayers to Indra found in the Vedas, Indra’s position is temporary; His lifespan is a mere 306,720,000 years – a short duration of life in comparison to eternity. Therefore, vṛddha-śrava can only apply to the Supreme Lord who is praised eternally by the Vedas, the great sages and the demigods (sadāradhyam brahmādibhiḥ).

Svasti naḥ pūṣā viśva-vedāḥ – Pūṣā generally describes one of the twelve Vedic solar deities that are collectively known as the Ādityas. Pūṣā is the demigod that offers good health and prosperity to those who desire it (pūṣnati iti pūṣāḥ). However, according to the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Pūṣā primarily denotes Viṣṇu:

tat tu purṇatvataḥ pūṣā viṣṇuḥ darśayati svayam
satya-dharmāya bhaktāya

Viṣṇu is known as Pūṣā because He is complete, perfect and reveals His form to His devotees.

Puṣā means ‘nourisher’ and Viṣṇu nourishes, maintains and protects His devotees because they are fully surrendered to Him. He is always aware of His devotee’s necessities, just as a parent is conscious of their child’s requirements. In the Padma Purāṇa, the Lord tells Brahmā:

darśana-dhyāna-saṁsparśair matysa-kūrma-vihaṅgamāḥ
puṣṇanti svānyaptyāni tathāham api padmaja

O lotus-born one, as fish, turtles and birds nourish their young by watching, meditating upon, and touching them, similarly I also nourish My devotees.

The Lord is called viśva-veda because due to His samvit-śakti (potency of omniscience), He is fully aware of everything that occurs within His creation. Śrī Kṛṣṇa confirms this in the Bhagavad-gīta (7.26) wherein He says, vedāhaṁ samatītāni vartamānāni cārjuna – “I know past, present and future.” His omniscience pervades all three phases of time; thus, He is known as bhūta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhu (Viṣṇu Sahasranāma, verse 1).

Svasti nas-tārkṣyo ariṣṭanemiḥ – The name Tārkṣya sometimes indicates the great sage Kaśyapa, or Garuḍa, the carrier of Viṣṇu. In this case, Tārkṣya refers to the Supreme Lord (tṛṣṭitum veditum yogya iti tārkṣyaḥ – one who is worth knowing and attaining). He is also described in this verse as Ariṣṭanemi (one who destroys all types of miseries). Another meaning of Ariṣṭanemi is ‘He whose disc-weapon (nemi) destroys calamities (ariṣṭa). Yet another meaning of Ariṣṭanemi is ‘He who is a thunderbolt (nemi) to Ariṣṭa,’ referring to Kṛṣṇa’s slaying of Ariṣṭāsura, the bull-demon, during His pastimes in Vraja.

Svasti no bṛhaspatir dadhātu – Bṛhaspati is the guru of the Devas, but in this context, Bṛhaspati means the ‘Lord of all-expansive power’ (bṛhattvāt brahmaṇatvāt – ‘that which expands and causes to expand’). Bṛhaspati also means the ‘Lord of speech’ (bratyaḥ vācaḥ patiḥ). Here, speech does not refer to any mundane communication that we are familiar with in this world, but śabda-brahman – spiritual sound vibrations that lead one to the Absolute Truth. In particular, śabda-brahman denotes the words of the Vedic literature which are considered to be apauruṣeya, without any mortal author. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa declares that He is to be known by the Vedas, because He is the śabda-brahma-svarūpa (personification of all spiritual sound). In transcendence, there is no difference between śabda (the sound) and śabdi (He who is revealed by the sound) – they are both one and the same. Thus, by chanting the Name of Kṛṣṇa purely, one can realise Him and associate with Him.

Having explained the auspicious invocation, we proceed to the text of the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad.

About the Author: Swami Bhaktivijñāna Giri

Swami B.V. Giri is a senior disciple of Swami B.G. Narasiṅgha Mahārāja. Receiving dīkṣā and sannyāsa initiation in the year 2000, he has been the main editor, translator and researcher for many books and articles written by Swami B.G. Narasiṅgha and many that he's authored himself. He is currently residing in Vṛṇdavana where he is engaged translating and publishing articles and books of our acāryās.