Kaṭha Upaniṣad

Now verily, with zeal did Vajasravasa give his whole possession [as a religious gift]. He had a son, Naciketas by name.

This line is found at Brih. 4. 4. n a K verbatim. ; with vaiiant in the first word, at Ka 3 a and Brih. 4. 4 1 1 a M.

Into him, boy as he was, while the sacrificial gifts were being led up, faith (sraddha) entered. He thought to himself:

Then he said to his father : ; Papa, to whom will you give me ? ' 3 — a second time — a third time.

Of many I go as the first.

Look forward, how [fared] the foimer ones. Look backward; so [^ill] the after ones. Like grain a mortal upens1

As fire, enters

Since for three nights thou hast abode in my house

With intent appeased, well-minded, with passion departed, That Gautama toward me may be, 0 Death ; That cheerfully he may greet me, when from thee dismissed — This of the three as boon the first I choose !

Cheeiful as formerly will he be — Auddalaki Arum, from me dismissed.1

In the heavenly world is no fear whatsoever.

Thyself, O Death, understandest the heavenly fire. Declaie it to me who have faith (sraddadhana). Heaven-world people partake of immortality. This I choose with boon the second.

To thee I do declare, and do thou learn it of me — Understanding about the heavenly fire, 0 Naciketas !

He told him of that fiie as the beginning of the world, What bricks, and how many, and how [built].

Having kindled a triple Naciketas-fire, having attained union

This, O Naciketas, is thy heavenly fire, Which thou didst choose with the second boon As thine, indeed, will folks proclaim this fire, The third boon, Naciketas, choose !

This doubt that there is in regard to a man deceased • 'He exists,5 say some; 'He exists not/ say others —

Even the gods had doubt as to this of yore1

Even the gods had doubt, indeed, as to this,

Choose centenarian sons and grandsons, Many cattle, elephants, gold, and horses Choose a great abode of earth.

This, if thou thmkest an equal boon, Choose — wealth and long life '

Whatever desires aie haid to get in mortal world — For all desires at pleasure make request. These lovely maidens with chariots, with lyres — Such [maidens], indeed, aie not obtainable by men — By these, fiom me besto\\ed, be waited on! O Naciketas, question me not regarding dying (mar ana) \

Ephemeral things! That which is a mortal's, O End-maker, Even the vigor (tejas) of all the powers, they wear away. Even a whole life is slight indeed.

Not with wealth is a man to be satisfied. Shall we take wealth, if we have seen thee ? Shall we live so long as thou shalt rule?

When one has come into the presence of undecaying immortals, What decaying mortal here below that understands,

This thing whereon they doubt, 0 Death:

The \vord srnka occurs nowhere else in the language — so far as has been reported— than in I. 16 and here. Its meaning is obscuie and only conjectural. Sankara glosses it differently in the two places, here as * way.'

Both the better and the pleasanter come to a man. Going all around the two, the ^ise man discriminates.

Thou indeed, upon the pleasant and pleasantly appeanng

Widely opposite and asunder are these two :

Those abiding in the midst of ignorance, Self-wise, thinking themselves learned, Running hither and thither, go around deluded, Like blind men led by one who is himself blind.3

The passing-on* is not clear to him who is childish, Heedless, deluded with the delusion of wealth. Thinking 'This is the world! Theie is no other!7 — Again and again he comes under my control.

He -\\rio by many is not obtainable even to hear of, He whom many, even when hearing, know not — Wonderful is the declarer, proficient the obtainer of Him! Wondeiful the knower, proficiently taught!

Not, when proclaimed by an inferior man, is He l

Not by reasoning (tarka) is this thought (mati) to be attained. Proclaimed by another, indeed, it is for easy understanding,

I know that what is known as treasuie is something inconstant. For truly, that which is steadfast is not obtained by those

The obtamment of desire, the foundation of the world (jagat\ The endlessness of will,4 the safe shore of fearlessness,

Him who is haid to see, entered into the hidden,

When a mortal has heaid this and fully compiehended,

Apart from the right (dharma] and apait from the umight

The word5 which all the Vedas reheaise, And which all austerities pioclaim,

That syllable,2 tmly, indeed, is Brahma!3 That syllable indeed is the supreme ! Knowing that syllable, truly, indeed, Whatever one desires is his ' 4

That is the best support. That is the supreme support. Knowing that support,

If the slayer think to slay, If the slain think himself slain, Both these understand not. This one slays not, nor is slam.6

Moie minute than the minute, greater than the great

Sitting, he proceeds afar, Lying, he goes everywhere.

Him who is the bodiless among bodies, Stable among the unstable,

This Soul (Atman) is not to be obtained by instruction, Nor by intellect, nor by much learning.

Not he Tsho has not ceased from bad conduct,

He for whom the priesthood (brahman} and the nobility

There are two that drink of lighteousness (rta) in the world

This which is the bridge for those who sacrifice, And which is the highest impenshable Biahma

Know thou the soul (atman, self) as riding in a chariot, The body as the chariot

The senses (mdrya), they say, are the horses; The objects of sense, what they range over. The self combined with senses and mind Wise men call 'the enjoyer ' (bhokfr).

He who has not understanding (a-mjnana), Whose mind is not constantly held firm — His senses are uncontrolled,

He, however, \\ho has understanding, Whose mind is constantly held firm — His senses are under control.

He, however, who has not understanding, Who is unmindful and ever impure, Reaches not the goal,

He, however, who has undei standing, Who is mindful and ever paie, Reaches the goal

He, however, ^ho has the understanding of a chariot- driver, A man \\ho reins in his mind —

Higher than the senses aie the objects of sense. Higher than the objects of sense is the mind (manas) ; And higher than the mind is the intellect (buddhi). Higher than the intellect is the Great Self (Atman).

Higher than the Great is the Unmamfest (avyakfd). Higher than the Unmamfest is the Person* Higher than the Person there is nothing at all. That is the goal. That is the highest course.

Arise ye! Awake ye!

If one recites this supreme secret In an assembly of Biahmans,

What is soundless, touchless, formless, imperishable, Likewise tasteless, constant, odorless.

The Self-existent (svqyambhu) pierced the openings [of the

The childish go after outward pleasures ; They walk into the net of widespread death. But the wise, knowing immortality,

That by which [one discerns] form, taste, smell, Sound; and mutual touches —

By recognizing as the great pervading Soul (Atman) That whereby one perceives both

He who knows this expeiiencer1

He who was born of old from austerity (tapas\ Was born of old from the waters,

She3 who arises with life (prana), Aditi (Infinity), maker of divinity,

Fire (Agm), the all-knower (jataveda$\ hidden away in the

Whence the sun rises,

Whatever is here, that is theie. What is there, that again is here. He obtains death after death

By the mind, indeed, is this [realization] to be attained: — There is no difference here at all ! 3

A Person of the measure of a thumb Stands in the midst of one's self (atmari), Lord of what has been and of what is to be. One does not shrink away from Him.

A Person of the measure of a thumb, Like a light without smoke,

As water rained upon rough ground R.uns to waste among the hills.

As pure water poured forth into pure Becomes the very same,

By ruling over the eleven-gated citadel1 Of the Unborn, the Un-crooked-minded one, One sorrows not. But \vhen liberated [from the body], he is liberated indeed.

The swan [i.e. sun] in the clear, the Vasu in the atmosphere, The priest by the altar, the guest in the house, In man, in broad space, in the right (rta), in the sky, Born in water, born m cattle, born in the right, born in rock, is the Right, the Gieat ' 2

Upwards the out-breath (pram) he leadeth. The m-breath (apdna) inwards he casts. The dwarf \\ho is seated in the middle3 All the gods (deva) reverence '

When this incorporate one that stands m the body Is dissolved,

Not by the out-breath (prdna) and the in-bieath (apana)5 Doth any mortal whatsoever live.

Come ! I will declare this to you : The hidden, eternal Brahma; And how, after it reaches death, The soul (atman) fares, 0 Gautama !

He who is awake in those that sleep,

As the one file has entered the world

As the one wind has entered the world

As the sun, the eye of the whole woild,

The Inner Soul (antaratman) of all things, the One Controller, Who makes his one form manifold —

Him who is the constant among the inconstant, the intelligent

'This is it!' — thus they recognize The highest, indescribable happiness. How, now, shall I understand 4 this ' ? Does it shine [of itself] or does it shine in reflection ?

The sun shines not there, nor the moon and starss

Its root is above, its branches below — This eternal fig-tree!2

This whole world, whatever theie is,

From fear of Him fire (Agni) doth burn. From fear the sun (Surya) gives forth heat. From fear both Indra and Wind (Vayu), And Death (Mntyu) as fifth, do speed along4

A very similar stanza U in Tait. 2. 8.

As in a mirror, so is it seen in the body (atman)] As in a dream, so in the world of the fathers ; As if in water, so in the world of the Gandharvas (genii) ; As if in light and shade, so in the world of Brahma.

The separate nature of the senses, And that their arising and setting

Higher than the senses (zndrtya) is the mind (manas) ; Above the mind is the true being (saffva).

Higher than the Unmanifest, however, is the Person

His form is not to be beheld.

When cease the five

This they consider as Yoga2 —

Not by speech, not by mind,

He can indeed be comprehended by the thoughi 'He is'

When are liberated all

When are cut all

A Person of the measure of a thumb is the inner soul