IAST
The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that emerged during ...
: Mudgala Upaniṣad) is a medieval era Sanskrit text and a major
Upanishad
The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...
of
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
. It is classified as a Samanya Upanishad and attached to the
Rigveda
The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts ('' śruti'') known as the Vedas. Only on ...
.
The ''Mudgala Upanishad'', along with Subala Upanishad, is one of the two Upanishads that discuss the Purusha Sukta of Rigveda. It is notable for asserting that Narayana (Vishnu) is the
Brahman
In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...
(Highest reality, Supreme being), that he created the universe from a fourth part of himself, then became himself the
Atman Atman or Ātman may refer to:
Film
* ''Ātman'' (1975 film), a Japanese experimental short film directed by Toshio Matsumoto
* ''Atman'' (1997 film), a documentary film directed by Pirjo Honkasalo
People
* Pavel Atman (born 1987), Russian hand ...
(soul) in individual living beings.
The text asserts that Narayana is
Moksha
''Moksha'' (; sa, मोक्ष, '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'' and ''mukti'', is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. In its soteriologic ...
(liberation), representing the state of union between the Atman and the Brahman. The text is notable in that it presents only the first nine verses of the Purusha Sukta, and the absence of last seven verses that describe the creation of living beings and varna (social classes) considered by scholars to be a later addition.
Development
The author or composition date of ''Mudgala Upanishad'' is unknown.
Jan Gonda
Jan Gonda (14 April 1905 – 28 July 1991) was a Dutch Indologist and the first Utrecht professor of Sanskrit. He was born in Gouda, in the Netherlands, and died in Utrecht. He studied with Willem Caland at Rijksuniversiteit, Utrecht (since 1990 ...
– a professor of Sanskrit and Dutch Indologist, states it is a late Upanishad. The style and structure of Sanskrit words used by the text suggest it to be a medieval text. The text, states Klaus Witz, is a post-Vedic but early Vaishnava Upanishad. The Upanishad reflects an integration and a harmony of Vedic doctrines with those of Vaishnava doctrines.
The text is titled after Vedic sage Mudgala, who is credited to be the author of Rigvedic hymn 10.102, where his wife wins a metaphorical competitive race against others, despite the handicaps placed against her, because she and Mudgala held on to truth and reality during the competition, while others behaved falsely. The Vedic sage Mudgala is celebrated in the Hindu epic Mahabharata as the one who refused to go to heaven with a celestial messenger, because he prefers his meditative monk life and his human life in the state of
moksha
''Moksha'' (; sa, मोक्ष, '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'' and ''mukti'', is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. In its soteriologic ...
. The discussions on virtues and ethics for a happy, content life found in the Mahabharata reappear in the text of the ''Mudgala Upanishad''.
Manuscripts of this text are also found titled as ''Mudgalopanisad''.Vedic Literature, Volume 1, , Government of Tamil Nadu, Madras, India, pages 521-522 In the Telugu language
anthology
In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors.
In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically cate ...
of 108 Upanishads of the Muktika canon, narrated by
Rama
Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bei ...
to
Hanuman
Hanuman (; sa, हनुमान, ), also called Anjaneya (), is a Hindu god and a divine '' vanara'' companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is an ardent devotee of Rama and on ...
, it is listed at number 57.
Contents
The ''Mudgala Upanisad'' is structured into four chapters. The first part opens with nine slokas which references and presents the Purusasukta from the Rigveda chapter 10.90, stating it to be the foundation of Vaishnavism and asserting that Vishnu is the
Purusha
''Purusha'' (' or ) is a complex concept whose meaning evolved in Vedic and Upanishadic times. Depending on source and historical timeline, it means the cosmic being or self, awareness, and universal principle.Karl Potter, Presuppositions of Ind ...
, or primordial person. The second part of the text is structured in prose form, presenting it as a discourse from Vasudeva (Vishnu) to Indra who represents the inhabitants of the universe seeking moksha (liberation). The teachings in the text, states Gonda, resonate with the main tenets found in the Hindu epics and post-epic, especially
pancharatra
''Pancharatra'' ( IAST: ''Pāñcarātra'') was a religious movement in Hinduism that originated in late 3rd-century BCE around the ideas of Narayana and the various avatars of Vishnu as their central deities.varna), stage in life ( ashrama) and favorable circumstances. One overcomes these with
Yoga
Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
, asserts the text, and by meditating on one's soul, and realizing it being one with Vishnu.
Maha Upanishad
The ''Maha Upanishad'' ( sa, महा उपनिषद्, IAST: Mahā Upaniṣad) is a Sanskrit text and is one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism. The text is classified as a Samanya Upanishad.
The text exists in two versions, one attac ...