Contemplation on Verses 2.42-44 - in light of Mundaka Upanisad (1st Mundaka, 2nd Section)
Sri Krishna's critical view of those who take delight in the Kamya Karma, quoting the Vedas as the basis for thier actions and goals - is seen in Upanisad itself.
Mundaka Upanisad - 1st Mundaka - 2nd Section is entirely devoted to this line of thought.
This section spends about 6-7 verses outlining the nature of Karma undertaken by those desirous of heavenly pursuit. (These are very instructive, information verses in general).
Verse 1.2.6 clearly outlined the end-destination of one - who manages to successfully perform these difficult karmas with precision.
एह्येहीति तमाहुतयः सुवर्चसः सूर्यस्य रश्मिभिर्यजमानं वहन्ति।
प्रियां वाचमभिवदन्त्योऽर्चयन्त्य एष वः पुण्यः सुकृतो ब्रह्मलोकः।।1.2.6।।
English Translation By Swami Gambirananda
।।1.2.6।।.Saying, ‘ Come, come ’, uttering pleasing words such as, ‘ This is your well-earned, virtuous path which leads to heaven ’, and offering him adoration, the scintillating oblations carry the sacrificer along the rays of the sun.
*Sri Bhagavathpaada in the commentary* on this verse says as follows : - _From the context it follows that brahmaloka (lit. the world of Brahma) means heaven. This karma, unassociated with knowledge (upasana, meditation), is being decried by showing that it has only this limited result; that it is the product of ignorance, desire and action; and that it is for this reason unsubstantial and the source of misery_
In verse 1.2.7 (the next verse), Sruti takes a critical view, on the attitude of those who rely upon such relative transactions, as worty of pursuit (i.e. ignoring the path of Jnana/Bhakti as upheld in Advaita Marga).
प्लवा ह्येते अदृढा यज्ञरूपा अष्टादशोक्तमवरं येषु कर्म।
एतच्छ्रेयो येऽभिनन्दन्ति मूढा जरामृत्युं ते पुनरेवापियन्ति।।1.2.7।।
plavā hy ete adṛḍhā yajña-rūpā aṣṭādaśoktam avaram yeṣu karmā,
etac chreyo ye’bhinandanti mūḍhāḥ jarā-mṛtyuṁ te punar evāpiyanti. 1.2.7
_Since these eighteen constituents of a sacrifice, on whom the inferior karma has been said to rest, are perishable because of their fragility, therefore those ignorant people who get elated with the idea ‘This is (the cause of) bliss’, undergo old age and death over again_
Sruti's tirade continues into next few verses also.
अविद्यायामन्तरे वर्तमानाः स्वयं धीराः पण्डितं मन्यमानाः।
जङ्घन्यमानाः परियन्ति मूढा अन्धेनैव नीयमाना यथान्धाः।।1.2.8।।
English Translation By Swami Gambirananda
।।1.2.8।।.Remaining within the fold of ignorance and thinking, ‘ We are ourselves wise and learned ’, the fools, while being buffeted very much, ramble about like the blind led by the blind alone.
Sri Bhagavathpaada is also very critical of those whom Sruti refers to as _blind leading the blind_.
---
Verse 12 is one of the most important verses in Upanisads, especially in the context of our current Gita Discussion.
Here Sruti explains how the ripe Sadhaka, after having developed clarity w.r.t goal of life (which involves seeing the defect of all relative transactions as being finite and hence source of misery) - approaches a Guru - who is a Srotriya and Brahmanista, so as to know the highest (by knowing which everything is becomes known - kasmin nu bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātam bhavati iti - see verse Mu 1.1.3)
Let's conclude this discussion into Mundaka Upanisad with the following (important) verse and its translation : -
परीक्ष्य लोकान्कर्मचितान्ब्राह्मणो निर्वेदमायान्नास्त्यकृतः कृतेन।
तद्विज्ञानार्थं स गुरूमेवाभिगच्छेत्समित्पाणिः श्रोत्रियं ब्रह्मनिष्ठम्।।1.2.12।।
_parīkṣya lokān karmancitān brāhmaṇo nirveda māyān nāsty akṛtah kṛtena_
_tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyam brahma-niṣṭham_
।।1.2.12।।.A Brahmana should resort to renunciation after examining the worlds acquired through karma, with the help of this maxim: ‘ There is nothing (here) that is not the result of karma; so what is the need of (performing) karma ? ’ For knowing that Reality he should go, with sacrificial faggots in hand, only to a teacher versed in the Vedas and absorbed in Brahman.
Mundaka Upanisad - 1st Mundaka - 2nd Section is entirely devoted to this line of thought.
This section spends about 6-7 verses outlining the nature of Karma undertaken by those desirous of heavenly pursuit. (These are very instructive, information verses in general).
Verse 1.2.6 clearly outlined the end-destination of one - who manages to successfully perform these difficult karmas with precision.
एह्येहीति तमाहुतयः सुवर्चसः सूर्यस्य रश्मिभिर्यजमानं वहन्ति।
प्रियां वाचमभिवदन्त्योऽर्चयन्त्य एष वः पुण्यः सुकृतो ब्रह्मलोकः।।1.2.6।।
English Translation By Swami Gambirananda
।।1.2.6।।.Saying, ‘ Come, come ’, uttering pleasing words such as, ‘ This is your well-earned, virtuous path which leads to heaven ’, and offering him adoration, the scintillating oblations carry the sacrificer along the rays of the sun.
*Sri Bhagavathpaada in the commentary* on this verse says as follows : - _From the context it follows that brahmaloka (lit. the world of Brahma) means heaven. This karma, unassociated with knowledge (upasana, meditation), is being decried by showing that it has only this limited result; that it is the product of ignorance, desire and action; and that it is for this reason unsubstantial and the source of misery_
In verse 1.2.7 (the next verse), Sruti takes a critical view, on the attitude of those who rely upon such relative transactions, as worty of pursuit (i.e. ignoring the path of Jnana/Bhakti as upheld in Advaita Marga).
प्लवा ह्येते अदृढा यज्ञरूपा अष्टादशोक्तमवरं येषु कर्म।
एतच्छ्रेयो येऽभिनन्दन्ति मूढा जरामृत्युं ते पुनरेवापियन्ति।।1.2.7।।
plavā hy ete adṛḍhā yajña-rūpā aṣṭādaśoktam avaram yeṣu karmā,
etac chreyo ye’bhinandanti mūḍhāḥ jarā-mṛtyuṁ te punar evāpiyanti. 1.2.7
_Since these eighteen constituents of a sacrifice, on whom the inferior karma has been said to rest, are perishable because of their fragility, therefore those ignorant people who get elated with the idea ‘This is (the cause of) bliss’, undergo old age and death over again_
Sruti's tirade continues into next few verses also.
अविद्यायामन्तरे वर्तमानाः स्वयं धीराः पण्डितं मन्यमानाः।
जङ्घन्यमानाः परियन्ति मूढा अन्धेनैव नीयमाना यथान्धाः।।1.2.8।।
English Translation By Swami Gambirananda
।।1.2.8।।.Remaining within the fold of ignorance and thinking, ‘ We are ourselves wise and learned ’, the fools, while being buffeted very much, ramble about like the blind led by the blind alone.
Sri Bhagavathpaada is also very critical of those whom Sruti refers to as _blind leading the blind_.
---
Verse 12 is one of the most important verses in Upanisads, especially in the context of our current Gita Discussion.
Here Sruti explains how the ripe Sadhaka, after having developed clarity w.r.t goal of life (which involves seeing the defect of all relative transactions as being finite and hence source of misery) - approaches a Guru - who is a Srotriya and Brahmanista, so as to know the highest (by knowing which everything is becomes known - kasmin nu bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātam bhavati iti - see verse Mu 1.1.3)
Let's conclude this discussion into Mundaka Upanisad with the following (important) verse and its translation : -
परीक्ष्य लोकान्कर्मचितान्ब्राह्मणो निर्वेदमायान्नास्त्यकृतः कृतेन।
तद्विज्ञानार्थं स गुरूमेवाभिगच्छेत्समित्पाणिः श्रोत्रियं ब्रह्मनिष्ठम्।।1.2.12।।
_parīkṣya lokān karmancitān brāhmaṇo nirveda māyān nāsty akṛtah kṛtena_
_tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyam brahma-niṣṭham_
।।1.2.12।।.A Brahmana should resort to renunciation after examining the worlds acquired through karma, with the help of this maxim: ‘ There is nothing (here) that is not the result of karma; so what is the need of (performing) karma ? ’ For knowing that Reality he should go, with sacrificial faggots in hand, only to a teacher versed in the Vedas and absorbed in Brahman.
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