The Hindu : Significance of human birth

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 19, 2003

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Significance of human birth

CHENNAI FEB.19 . The Upanishads, which are the philosophical portion of the Vedas, derive their names due to various reasons. While some are named after the opening Mantra of the text others are indicative of the subject matter dealt with in them. The Mundaka Upanishad, which is one of the important texts, indicates monks because spiritual evolution involves renunciation of worldly desires. Thus the name gives inkling into the topics handled in it. The Mundaka occurs in the Atharvana Veda and has three chapters containing two sections each with a total of 64 Mantras. The verses of the Upanishads are generally called Mantras, as in the case of the Vedas.

The Mundaka Upanishad has a hoary lineage, which is traced to the creator, Brahma, who taught it to his son Atharvan. The teaching was then transmitted through the preceptor-disciple tradition of sages like Bharadvaja, Angirasa and Saunaka. Oral transmission by the teacher to his disciple is a distinct feature of the spiritual tradition, as it is not just imparting the text, which is the motive but the actual experience of truth. The meaning of the word "Upanishad" gives insight into the nature of the subject matter dealt with in these texts and also the prerequisites of the student like a receptive mind to imbibe the subtle teachings.

In his discourse, Sri Goda Venketeswara Sastri said the Upanishads showed man how to live properly by focussing on the purpose of human life. Human birth is meant for realising the goal of liberation from rebirths. If an individual does not understand this significance and take steps to realise the objective in this birth itself then there is no escape from transmigration. His rebirth is determined by the Karma he accumulates by his meritorious deeds and sinful acts. So death is only a stage in the evolution of the transmigrating soul. The Upanishad starts by making a distinction between matter and Spirit so that it is made clear in the beginning itself that the subject of deliberation is the Self (Atman).

Saunaka approached Angirasa with the question that confronts every spiritual seeker, "Knowing what does all become known?" The teaching follows as answer to this query in which the teacher subsumes all other subjects except spirituality as lower because each area can only give knowledge about it. The discourse shows that a preceptor (Guru) is one who does not just answer the student's doubt but goes on to teach him with patience till he is enlightened by Self-knowledge.

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