Mundaka Upanishad 2.12

Lower vs Higher KnowledgeAtharva Veda

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Mundaka Upanishad 2.12Famous
intermediate
परीक्ष्य लोकान्कर्मचितान्ब्राह्मणो निर्वेदमायान्नास्त्यकृतः कृतेन। तद्विज्ञानार्थं स गुरुमेवाभिगच्छेत्समित्पाणिः श्रोत्रियं ब्रह्मनिष्ठम्॥

parīkṣya lokānkarmacitānbrāhmaṇo nirvedamāyānnāstyakṛtaḥ kṛtena | tadvijñānārthaṃ sa gurumevābhigacchetsamitpāṇiḥ śrotriyaṃ brahmaniṣṭham ||

"Having examined the worlds won by karma, the Brahmin should arrive at dispassion: the uncreated cannot be attained by action. To know That, he should approach a teacher, fuel in hand, who is learned in scripture and established in Brahman."

What This Means:

After seeing that karma-based achievements are limited, one should develop dispassion and seek a qualified teacher for the higher knowledge.

Going Deeper:

This is the prescription: examine, become disillusioned with karma, then approach a realized teacher with humility (symbolized by fuel offering).

How To Apply This:

When you see action's limits, find a teacher established in truth. Approach with humility.

#dispassion#seek teacher#humility