On Mundaka Upanishad: Not many, not one, not zero

Following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

गताः कलाः पञ्चदश प्रतिष्ठा देवाश्च सर्वे प्रतिदेवतासु ।
कर्माणि विज्ञानमयश्च आत्मा परेऽव्यये सर्वे एकीभवन्ति ॥

gatāḥ kalāḥ pañcadaśa pratiṣṭhā devāśca sarve pratidevatāsu
karmāṇi vijñānamayaśca ātmā pare’vyaye sarve ekībhavanti

The fifteen parts return into their foundations, and all the gods pass into their proper godheads, works, and the Self of Knowledge, all become one in the Supreme and Imperishable.

~ Verse 3.2.7

✥ ✥ ✥

Acharya Prashant (AP): “The fifteen parts return into their foundations, and all the gods pass into their proper godheads, works and the Self of Knowledge, all become one in the Supreme and Imperishable.”

So, what is the context? What are we referring to here? We are referring here to the ultimate state possible.

What is it that the mind finally wants? What is it that happens, rather stops happening once you are out of illusion and bondage? “The fifteen parts pass into the whole.” The śloka says kalā, pañcadaśa kalā, fifteen parts. ‘Kalā’ in Sanskrit means parts as well.

The Upanishads have to be read in the light of their context. The student has come, and the student is in illusion but eager; he does not know, but he wants to enquire. So, there is ignorance but with the spirit to enquire; there is darkness but with a movement towards illumination, and all that is being said by the seer is with a view to dispel false knowledge.

We have to remember that the Upanishads do not seek to bring the Truth to us. They proceed via negativa. Their method is of ruthless negation; they destroy the false. They expose what is follow and weak and hence fit to be rejected.

So, what is it that gets rejected, destroyed, or comes to an end as you progress through your consciousness in an upward direction? “The fifteen parts…