Question

UPSC Prelims 2014 Question:

The National motto of India, ‘Satyameva Jayate’ inscribed below the Emblem of India is taken from

1. Katha Upanishad
2. Chandogya Upanishad
3. Aitareya Upanishad
4. Mundaka Upanishad

Answer (Detailed Solution Below)

Option 4: Mundaka Upanishad

Detailed Solution

Explanation:

Satyameva jayate, the National motto of India, is taken from a hymn of the ancient Indian wisdom text, the Mundaka Upanishad.
Mun̩d̩aka Upanis̩had has evolved from the Atharva Veda. It is a highly mystical Upanis̩had. The term ‘Mun̩d̩aka’ means shaven head. The teaching of the Upanis̩hads liberates the student from ignorance.
Mundaka Upanishad contains about sixty verses. The first chapter deals with the greatness of the teaching and the tradition of the teaching in the first section. And the second section elaborates on the aparā Vidyā, lower knowledge of the ritual, mundane and secular activities.

Therefore, option (4) is the correct answer.

Knowledge Box

Katha Upanishad is a collection of philosophical poems representing a conversation between the sage Naciketas and Yama god of death). They discuss the nature of Atman, Brahman and Moksha liberation). The book is made up of six sections Valli).
The Chandogya Upanishad is one of the most famous and often-read Upanishads. It tells the story of a father teaching his son the ultimate truth of Hinduism.
The Aitareya is another Upanishad which, from another angle of vision, tells us how we as human beings, individuals, find ourselves in the predicament in which we are—one part of knowledge being available to us through the faculties of our understanding, and another part totally unknown to us.

Subject: History| Indian Literature

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