Mundaka-1-2-9-avidyāyaṃ

Mundaka Upanishad – Mundaka 1 – Chapter 2 – Verse 9 « »

अविद्यायं बहुधा वर्तमाना वयं
कृतार्था इत्यभिमन्यन्ति बालाः ।
यत् कर्मिणो न प्रवेदयन्ति रागात्
तेनातुराः क्षीणलोकाश्च्यवन्ते ॥ ९॥

avidyāyaṃ bahudhā vartamānā vayaṃ
kṛtārthā ityabhimanyanti bālāḥ .
yat karmiṇo na pravedayanti rāgāt
tenāturāḥ kṣīṇalokāścyavante .. 9..

9 Children, immersed in ignorance in various ways, flatter themselves, saying: We have accomplished life’s purpose. Because these performers of karma do not know the Truth owing to their attachment, they fall from heaven, misery- stricken, when the fruit of their work is exhausted.

Word Meaning
अविद्यायां (avidyāyāṃ) – in the ways of the ignorant
बहुधा (bahudhā) – many
वर्तमानाः (vartamānāḥ) – present (being)
वयं (vayaṃ) – we
कृतार्थाः (kṛtārthāḥ) – reached the goal
इति (iti) – that
अभिमन्यन्ति (abhimanyanti) – think
बालाः (bālāḥ) – people of childish nature
यत् (yat) – because
कर्मिणः (karmiṇaḥ) – men of actions (the sacrificers)
न (na) – not
प्रवेदयन्ति (pravedayanti) – attain knowledge
रागात् (rāgāt) – by passion and attachment
तेन (tena) – by that
आतुरा (āturā) – dejected, wretched
क्षीणलोकाः (kṣīṇalokāḥ) – (when) the fruit of their good deeds are exhausted
च्यवन्ते (cyavante) – (they) fall down

Table of Contents

Sri Shankara’s Commentary (Bhashya) translated by S. Sitarama Sastri

The ignorant acting diversely according to ignorance, flatter themselves that they have achieved what they should. This being so, the followers of karma do not learn the truth as they are assailed with the desire for the fruits of karma; they grow miserable for that reason and fall from heaven after the fruits of their karma are consumed.

Links
Various resources on the Mundakopanishad
Upanishad Series – Mundakopanishad Commentary by Swami Chinmayananda

Mundaka Upanishad – Verse 9 – Mundaka-1-2-9-avidyāyaṃ – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Meaning and Commentary by Adi Shankaracharya (Sankara Bhashya) – Mundaka-1-2-9