Destinations of different transcendentalists (Mundaka Upaniṣad #07)
As Krsna mentions in the Gita, one's destination follows his mentality and process of worship. Sacrifices thus grant different results according to the mentality of the performer.
Sacrifices performed with perfect knowledge and without material desires carry the performer to the spiritual sky. This pure performance of sacrifice is true renunciation. However, when one doesn't have the proper understanding, he is instead elevated to the higher planets, up to Satyaloka. As Krsna mentions in the Gita, one's destination follows his mentality and process of worship. Sacrifices thus grant different results according to the mentality of the performer. Fruitive activities are offered in the scriptures simply as a way to attract the masses and gradually conduct them on the path of self-realization. Despite considering themselves intelligent, the performers of these ritualistic sacrifices are defined as fools, who miss the true goal of the Vedas, which is devotional service to the Lord. Material duties and pious activities are supposed to be performed in the spirit of karma-yoga, as a matter of duty, without attachment to the results, as explained in the Bhagavad-gita. When performed in this spirit they gradually elevate us to the platform of devotional service. However, if one performs them for fruitive results and promotion to the heavenly planets, he fails to gain any permanent results.
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Destinations of different performers of sacrifice
Text 1.2.6
ehy ehīti tam āhutayaḥ suvarcasaḥ
sūryasya raśmibhir yajamānam vahanti
priyām vācam abhivadantyo ’rcayantya
eṣa vaḥ puṇyaḥ sukṛto brahmalokaḥ
"Come, come!" Say the oblations in the form of shining rays, as they carry the pure performer of sacrifices. They greet him and glorify his activities. "This is the spiritual world, attained by you on the strength of our devotional service."
Commentary: In the sixth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, during the conclusion of the narration of the history of Ajamila, it is mentioned:
"Ajāmila fully engaged in devotional service. Thus he detached his mind from the process of sense gratification and became fully absorbed in thinking of the form of the Lord. When his intelligence and mind were fixed upon the form of the Lord, the brāhmaṇa Ajāmila once again saw before him four celestial persons. He could understand that they were those he had seen previously, and thus he offered them his obeisances by bowing down before them. Upon seeing the Viṣṇudūtas, Ajāmila gave up his material body at Hardwar on the bank of the Ganges. He regained his original spiritual body, which was a body appropriate for an associate of the Lord. Accompanied by the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu, Ajāmila boarded an airplane made of gold. Passing through the airways, he went directly to the abode of Lord Viṣṇu, the husband of the goddess of fortune." (SB 6.2.41-44)
When a devotee is elevated to the Vaikuntalokas, he is greeted at the time of death by the Vishnudutas, who warmly greet him and glorify his devotional activities as he travels back home, back to Godhead. This is the destination of the pure performers of sacrifices.
Srila Madhvācārya corroborates this by quoting the Vyasa Smrti: "Sacrifices performed without material desires and with perfect knowledge, carry the performer to the eternal Brahman. Such performance of sacrifice is the true renunciation that carries one to the ancient Eternal."
However, when one doesn't have the proper understanding, he doesn't reach this ultimate goal, being instead elevated to the celestial planets, Satyaloka, etc. As Krsna explains in the Bhagavad-gita: "Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; and those who worship Me will live with Me."
The final destination of the practitioner, indicated in the verse by the word "brahmalokaḥ" depends on the line one of understanding one is following. Depending on the context, brahmalokaḥ can be interpreted as the world of Brahman, the spiritual world, or the planet of Brahma (Satyaloka). Sankaracarya, who interprets the previous verse as meaning that one goes to Svargaloka, interprets it as meaning heaven, the land of light. This serves as yet another example of the distinction between parā-vidyā and aparā-vidyā. In the highest sense, all verses of the scriptures speak about the Lord, His Supreme abode, and devotional service to him. This perfect understanding is captured by pure devotees, as well as the inhabitants of Satya-yuga. When this meaning is missed, however, the verses appear to indicate something else, like fruitive sacrifices and promotion to Svargaloka. The verses thus acquire different meanings according to the mentality of the student.
All the previous verses, from one to six, have at least four different meanings, according to the adhikari (qualification) of the student. In his commentary, Madhvācārya emphasizes the highest meaning, pure devotional service, while Sankaracarya emphasizes the lower meaning, interpreting the verses in terms of fruitive activities and results.
Madhvācārya classifies the performers of sacrifice into four classes. Three are transcendentalists, classified as Apratīkālambanās (perfect devotees), Pratīkālambanas (intermediate devotees), and Dehālambanas (yogis who meditate on Paramatma). To these three, ordinary karmis who perform sacrifices to be elevated to the celestial planets can be added. Each of these classes will understand the verses in a different way, and different acaryas may emphasize one understanding or another according to whom they are speaking.
Apratīkālambanās perform sacrifices with the highest understanding and without material desires. For them, the fire is Lord Vishnu Himself, and the oblations are offered with a devotional sentiment, with the sole goal of pleasing him. For them, the Vishnudutas appear at the time of death and carry them to the spiritual world.
Pratīkālambanas, intermediate devotees, also practice sacrifices with a devotional sentiment, but they are not so elevated in knowledge and are not completely free from material desires. They are thus conducted by the rays of the sun, by the grace of the Lord, to the planetary systems of Maharloka, Janaloka, or Tapoloka, from where they can continue perfecting their devotional service until they attain perfection. Dehālambanas, who meditate on Paramatma inside their hearts, are elevated to Satyaloka, from where they can attain liberation at the end of Brahma's life.
Ordinary karmis, however, have just a poor fund of knowledge, and thus they can't see the Lord at all in the verses. For them, sacrifices are performed for the demigods, the fire is a representative of Agni, and the goal is to attain fruitive results. They are elevated to Svargaloka with the help of the demigods, according to their Karma, but from there they fall back to earth.
As Krsna explains in the Bhagavad-gita: "When they have thus enjoyed vast heavenly sense pleasure and the results of their pious activities are exhausted, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus those who seek sense enjoyment by adhering to the principles of the three Vedas achieve only repeated birth and death."
Repeated birth and death
Text 1.2.7
plavā hy ete adṛḍhā yajña-rūpā
aṣṭā-daśoktam avaram yeṣu karma
etac chreyo ye ’bhinandanti mūḍhāḥ
jarāmṛtyum te punar evāpi yanti
Those who perform inferior sacrifices (śrauta-karmas), conducted by eighteen persons, cannot cross the ocean of samsāra. For them, these rituals are like rotten boats, dangerous to the sailor. These fools, performers of fruitive sacrifices rejoice, thinking these are the best path, but as a result, they just attain repeated birth and death.
Commentary: The destination of pure devotees was already stated in the previous verses. They attain the spiritual planets, from where they don't return to this material world. Pratīkālambanas and Dehālambanas also have an opportunity to attain liberation at the end of the life of Brahma. The destinations of these three classes of transcendentalists were thus described in the previous verses.
Karmis however attain Svargaloka, from where they fall when the results of their karma are exhausted. These are the men of small intelligence described in this verse, who board rotten boats that can't cross the ocean of samsāra. Such performers attain thus just repeated birth and death.
Such sacrifices, devoid of proper knowledge, are condemned here. The word "adṛḍhā" in the first line means, in this context, not permanent, and thus plavā means "ephemeral". These ephemeral sacrifices are executed by eighteen persons, including sixteen priests, the sacrificer, and his wife. Materialistic people are proud of executing these costly performances, but this verse explains the true results.
Text 1.2.8
avidyāyām antare vartamānāḥ
svayam dhīrāḥ paṇḍitam manyamānāḥ
janghanyamānāḥ paryanti mūḍhāḥ
andhenaiva nīyamānā yathāndhāḥ
Dwelling in ignorance while thinking themselves most intelligent, these fools, attacked by suffering, go round and round, like blind men led by the blind.
Commentary: The fruitive performers are defined as fools (mūḍhāḥ), both in this verse and in the previous, but they consider themselves dhīrās and paṇḍitas, very learned, proud of whatever knowledge they have on the rules and rituals of the Vedas. In reality, they are described as being in ignorance (avidyāyām), blindly performing rituals, like blind men led by other blind men.
As Krsna describes in the third chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, the Vedic process of sacrifice was created by the Lord for the gradual elevation of persons with fruitive results. By executing these duties and rituals, one gradually becomes purified and has the opportunity to satisfy his material desires. After experiencing material sense gratification on the celestial planets and understanding the problems associated with it, one may seek the association of pure devotees and be finally elevated to a platform of knowledge. This path certainly offers much better opportunities than the path of a sinful life. The danger however is that one may become just maddened by sensual desires and thus abuse the process, going repeatedly up and down, without ever seeking transcendental knowledge.
Text 1.2.9
avidyāyām bahudhā vartamānā
vayam kṛtārthā ity abhimanyanti bālāḥ
yat karmiṇo na pravedayanti rāgāt
tenāturāḥ kṣīṇa-lokāś cyavante
Due to their ignorance, they consider themselves successful. Because of their attachment, they don't understand that when their pious results are exhausted, they will fall from Svarga back into the world of suffering.
Commentary: Because of a combination of attachment and lack of knowledge, they don't understand that even if one attains the celestial planets, his position there is temporary and when his pious results are exhausted, he falls again to Earth.
It's mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam that when souls fall from the celestial planets after their good karma is exhausted, they fall with the rain, become plants that grow grains, and being eaten by a man eventually become semen, which is then transferred to the womb of a woman, leading to a new birth as a human being. In his comment to the Vedanta-sutra (section three), Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana explains that this is an ordered process to conduct the soul to a new human body.
In the celestial planets, the soul possesses a refined body, more subtle than the bodies we have on Earth. When one falls due to the exhaustion of his pious karma, he goes through a process of again developing a gross body. First, the soul associates with the gross elements, starting with the element ether, and then air, fire, and water. Associated with the element water, he falls into the earth as rain and associates with a plant that produces grains. Just as the soul does not become ether or water, but just uses these elements as a transport, the soul also does not become a plant but just uses the plant and the grains as a medium to be transported into the body of a man. There, again the soul does not become semen but just uses it as a transport to enter into the body of a mother where he can develop his human body and finally take birth. This process is not accidental: everything happens due to karma.
The plant, the grains, and the spermatozoids in the semen have all their corresponding souls who are enjoying these particular bodies, however, none of them become human beings. The one who gets the human body is the soul which uses all these elements as a medium and is predestined to get a human body.
Text 1.2.10
iṣṭāpūrtam manyamānā variṣṭham
nānyac chreyo vedayante pramūḍhāḥ
nākasya pṛṣṭe te sukṛte ’nubhūtve
mam lokam hīnataram vā viśanti
Thinking that performing sacrifices (iṣṭā) and charitable deeds (pūrta) as most important and not knowing anything better, these ignorant men fall back into this world or some lower world after enjoying the fruits of their good karma in heaven.
Commentary: The word iṣṭāpūrtam in the first line indicates fruitive activities, such as sacrifices, and public welfare activities, such as digging canals and wells, planting trees, etc. which bring good material results. These activities are supposed to be performed in the spirit of karma-yoga, as a matter of duty, without attachment to the results, as Krsna explains in the Bhagavad-gita. When one performs these activities with this understanding, they award spiritual results, gradually bringing one to a platform of knowledge. Krsna himself recommends this path in the Bhagavad-gita as an entrance door to the path of karma-yoga:
"All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajña [sacrifice], and yajña is born of prescribed duties. Regulated activities are prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are directly manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Consequently the all-pervading Transcendence is eternally situated in acts of sacrifice. My dear Arjuna, one who does not follow in human life the cycle of sacrifice thus established by the Vedas certainly leads a life full of sin. Living only for the satisfaction of the senses, such a person lives in vain." (Bg 3.14-16)
Even pure devotees are recommended to perform such material duties if they are householders, to give an example to people in general, as He explains in the subsequent verses:
"Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme. Kings such as Janaka attained perfection solely by performance of prescribed duties. Therefore, just for the sake of educating the people in general, you should perform your work. Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues." (Bg 3.19-21)
However, if one fails to connect such acts with the Lord, executing them as just a way to accumulate good karma and gain promotion to the heavenly planets, he fails to gain any permanent results. Such materialistic men are again described as great fools, pramūḍhāḥ.
The verse opens the possibility of failing to lower planetary systems after enjoying in Svargaloka. Mam lokam hīnataram means that they can fall either back to Earth, or to one of the lower planetary systems. This is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita (9.23-24): "Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only Me, O son of Kuntī, but they do so in a wrong way. I am the only enjoyer and master of all sacrifices. Therefore, those who do not recognize My true transcendental nature fall down."
Srila Madhvācārya explains that this depends on one's mentality. Devotees are described as satya-kāmāḥ, because they desire to please the Lord through their activities, without a second motive. Understanding the real purpose of the scriptures, they go upwards.
One who serves the Lord in devotional service is not deprived of the results of lesser paths, such as good material results and the development of knowledge, but he simultaneously attains the real result. As Krsna explains in the Gita: "All purposes served by a small well can at once be served by a great reservoir of water. Similarly, all the purposes of the Vedas can be served to one who knows the purpose behind them." (Bg 2.46)
Students of the three Vedas who become attached only to the fruitive activities, failing to see the real purpose of the scriptures are called traividyas, or ritualistic followers of the Vedas who fail to see the purpose behind the texts. Still, because they at least see Lord Vishnu as superior to the other demigods and invoke Him as the ultimate enjoyer of their sacrifices, they become purified of sinful activities and attain the celestial planets, from where they fall back to Earth, having then an opportunity to met devotees and start on the path of devotional service. Krsna mentions them in the Gita:
"Those who study the Vedas and drink the soma juice, seeking the heavenly planets, worship Me indirectly. Purified of sinful reactions, they take birth on the pious, heavenly planet of Indra, where they enjoy godly delights. When they have thus enjoyed vast heavenly sense pleasure and the results of their pious activities are exhausted, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus those who seek sense enjoyment by adhering to the principles of the three Vedas achieve only repeated birth and death." (Bg 9.20-21)
However, one who sees Lord Vishnu as just another of the demigods, or who is envious of Him, goes downwards in the direction of the lower planets, joining the ranks of atheists who live there. Many of the lower planets are similar to the celestial planets in opulence (the Bila-Svarga), but the atheists who live there have little inclination for self-realization. Joining them, one has little opportunity to get out of the cycle of birth and death, falling eventually to hell and life on the lower species. These envious persons try to follow the Vedas, but because they do that with an inappropriate mentality and through inappropriate processes, they attain the opposite result.
Such persons are described in the Gita (2.43) as veda-vāda-ratāḥ (so-called followers of the Vedas). Krsna explains that because they are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, they are bewildered and not attracted to the path of devotional service. As a consequence, they gradually slide down in the direction of the lower regions of the universe.
Prabhupada mentions this point in his purport to Sri Isopanisad, verse 9: "One must approach a bona fide spiritual master in order to understand the transcendental message of the Vedas. That is the direction of the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (1.2.12). These veda-vāda-rata people, however, have their own ācāryas, who are not in the chain of transcendental succession. Thus they progress into the darkest region of ignorance by misinterpreting the Vedic literature. They fall even further into ignorance than those who have no knowledge of the Vedas at all."
Krsna then urges Arjuna to rise beyond these materialistic interpretations of the Vedas and reach the platform of transcendental knowledge by declaring:
trai-guṇya-viṣayā vedā, nistrai-guṇyo bhavārjuna
nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho, niryoga-kṣema ātmavān
"The Vedas deal mainly with the subject of the three modes of material nature. O Arjuna, become transcendental to these three modes. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the self." (Bg 2.45)