इति काठकोपनिषदि द्वितीयाध्याये तृतीया वल्ली ॥
18 verses · 6 of 6
The eternal ashvattha has its roots above and branches below; its root is the pure Brahman in which all worlds rest. From fear of it fire burns, the sun shines, and Indra, Vayu and Death do their work. Yama teaches yoga: when the five senses and the mind are still and the intellect does not stir, that is the highest state, the firm holding of the senses. The Self is reached by the one who says It is. When every desire in the heart falls away, the mortal becomes immortal; when the knots of the heart are cut, he attains Brahman here. Of the hundred and one channels from the heart, one leads upward to immortality. Nachiketa, having received this knowledge, became free of death and stain.
ऊर्ध्वमूलोऽवाक्शाख एषोऽश्वत्थः सनातनः ।
तदेव शुक्रं तद्ब्रह्म तदेवामृतमुच्यते ।
तस्मिँल्लोकाः श्रिताः सर्वे तदु नात्येति कश्चन ।
एतद्वै तत्
ūrdhvamūlo'vākśākha eṣo'śvatthaḥ sanātanaḥ |
tadeva śukraṃ tadbrahma tadevāmṛtamucyate |
tasmim̐llokāḥ śritāḥ sarve tadu nātyeti kaścana |
etadvai tat
This eternal ashvattha tree has its root above and its branches below. That root is the Pure, that is Brahman, that alone is called immortal. In It all worlds rest, and no one goes beyond It. This is That.
यदिदं किं च जगत् सर्वं प्राण एजति निःसृतम् ।
महद्भयं वज्रमुद्यतं य एतद्विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति
yadidaṃ kiṃ ca jagat sarvaṃ prāṇa ejati niḥsṛtam |
mahadbhayaṃ vajramudyataṃ ya etadviduramṛtāste bhavanti
This whole universe, whatever there is, came forth from prana, the life of all, and moves in it. It is a great terror, like a raised thunderbolt. Those who know It become immortal.
भयादस्याग्निस्तपति भयात्तपति सूर्यः ।
भयादिन्द्रश्च वायुश्च मृत्युर्धावति पञ्चमः
bhayādasyāgnistapati bhayāttapati sūryaḥ |
bhayādindraśca vāyuśca mṛtyurdhāvati pañcamaḥ
From fear of Him fire burns; from fear of Him the sun shines. From fear of Him Indra and Vayu do their work, and Death, the fifth, runs about his task.
इह चेदशकद्बोद्धुं प्राक्षरीरस्य विस्रसः ।
ततः सर्गेषु लोकेषु शरीरत्वाय कल्पते
iha cedaśakadboddhuṃ prākṣarīrasya visrasaḥ |
tataḥ sargeṣu lokeṣu śarīratvāya kalpate
If a man is able to know Him here, before the body falls away, he is freed. If not, he must take a body again in the created worlds.
यथाऽऽदर्शे तथाऽऽत्मनि यथा स्वप्ने तथा पितृलोके ।
यथाऽप्सु परीव ददृशे तथा गन्धर्वलोके
छायातपयोरिव ब्रह्मलोके
yathā''darśe tathā''tmani yathā svapne tathā pitṛloke |
yathā'psu parīva dadṛśe tathā gandharvaloke
chāyātapayoriva brahmaloke
As in a mirror, so is He seen in one's own self; as in a dream, so in the world of the fathers; as in water, so in the world of the gandharvas. As light and shade, clear and distinct, so is He seen in the world of Brahma.
इन्द्रियाणां पृथग्भावमुदयास्तमयौ च यत् ।
पृथगुत्पद्यमानानां मत्वा धीरो न शोचति
indriyāṇāṃ pṛthagbhāvamudayāstamayau ca yat |
pṛthagutpadyamānānāṃ matvā dhīro na śocati
Knowing that the senses are separate from the Self, that they arise and set apart from it, the wise man does not grieve.
इन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनो मनसः सत्त्वमुत्तमम् ।
सत्त्वादधि महानात्मा महतोऽव्यक्तमुत्तमम्
indriyebhyaḥ paraṃ mano manasaḥ sattvamuttamam |
sattvādadhi mahānātmā mahato'vyaktamuttamam
Beyond the senses is the mind; beyond the mind is the intellect; beyond the intellect is the great Self; beyond the great Self is the Unmanifest.
अव्यक्तात्तु परः पुरुषो व्यापकोऽलिङ्ग एव च ।
यं ज्ञात्वा मुच्यते जन्तुरमृतत्वं च गच्छति
avyaktāttu paraḥ puruṣo vyāpako'liṅga eva ca |
yaṃ jñātvā mucyate janturamṛtatvaṃ ca gacchati
Beyond the Unmanifest is the Purusha, all-pervading and without any mark. Knowing Him, a creature is freed and attains immortality.
न संदृशे तिष्ठति रूपमस्य
न चक्षुषा पश्यति कश्चनैनम् ।
हृदा मनीषा मनसाऽभिक्लृप्तो
य एतद्विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति
na saṃdṛśe tiṣṭhati rūpamasya
na cakṣuṣā paśyati kaścanainam |
hṛdā manīṣā manasā'bhiklṛpto
ya etadviduramṛtāste bhavanti
His form is not within the range of sight; no one sees Him with the eye. He is grasped by the heart, by the intellect, by the mind. Those who know Him become immortal.
यदा पञ्चावतिष्ठन्ते ज्ञानानि मनसा सह ।
बुद्धिश्च न विचेष्टते तामाहुः परमां गतिम्
yadā pañcāvatiṣṭhante jñānāni manasā saha |
buddhiśca na viceṣṭate tāmāhuḥ paramāṃ gatim
When the five organs of knowing are still, together with the mind, and the intellect too does not stir, that, they say, is the highest state.
तां योगमिति मन्यन्ते स्थिरामिन्द्रियधारणाम् ।
अप्रमत्तस्तदा भवति योगो हि प्रभवाप्ययौ
tāṃ yogamiti manyante sthirāmindriyadhāraṇām |
apramattastadā bhavati yogo hi prabhavāpyayau
This firm holding of the senses is what they call yoga. Then one must be watchful, for yoga comes and goes.
नैव वाचा न मनसा प्राप्तुं शक्यो न चक्षुषा ।
अस्तीति ब्रुवतोऽन्यत्र कथं तदुपलभ्यते
naiva vācā na manasā prāptuṃ śakyo na cakṣuṣā |
astīti bruvato'nyatra kathaṃ tadupalabhyate
He cannot be reached by speech, nor by mind, nor by the eye. How can He be known except by one who says, 'He is'?
अस्तीत्येवोपलब्धव्यस्तत्त्वभावेन चोभयोः ।
अस्तीत्येवोपलब्धस्य तत्त्वभावः प्रसीदति
astītyevopalabdhavyastattvabhāvena cobhayoḥ |
astītyevopalabdhasya tattvabhāvaḥ prasīdati
He should be grasped first as 'He is', and then in His true nature, as the two are known. To him who has grasped Him as 'He is', His true nature shines clear.
यदा सर्वे प्रमुच्यन्ते कामा येऽस्य हृदि श्रिताः ।
अथ मर्त्योऽमृतो भवत्यत्र ब्रह्म समश्नुते
yadā sarve pramucyante kāmā ye'sya hṛdi śritāḥ |
atha martyo'mṛto bhavatyatra brahma samaśnute
When all the desires that dwell in the heart are let go, then the mortal becomes immortal and attains Brahman here itself.
यथा सर्वे प्रभिद्यन्ते हृदयस्येह ग्रन्थयः ।
अथ मर्त्योऽमृतो भवत्येतावद्ध्यनुशासनम्
yathā sarve prabhidyante hṛdayasyeha granthayaḥ |
atha martyo'mṛto bhavatyetāvaddhyanuśāsanam
When all the knots of the heart are cut here, then the mortal becomes immortal. This is the whole of the teaching.
शतं चैका च हृदयस्य नाड्य-
स्तासां मूर्धानमभिनिःसृतैका ।
तयोर्ध्वमायन्नमृतत्वमेति
विष्वङ्ङन्या उत्क्रमणे भवन्ति
śataṃ caikā ca hṛdayasya nāḍya-
stāsāṃ mūrdhānamabhiniḥsṛtaikā |
tayordhvamāyannamṛtatvameti
viṣvaṅṅanyā utkramaṇe bhavanti
There are a hundred and one channels of the heart. One of them rises to the crown of the head. Going up by it, one reaches immortality; the others lead, at departure, in every direction.
अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषोऽन्तरात्मा
सदा जनानां हृदये संनिविष्टः ।
तं स्वाच्छरीरात्प्रवृहेन्मुञ्जादिवेषीकां धैर्येण ।
तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतं तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतमिति
aṅguṣṭhamātraḥ puruṣo'ntarātmā
sadā janānāṃ hṛdaye saṃniviṣṭaḥ |
taṃ svāccharīrātpravṛhenmuñjādiveṣīkāṃ dhairyeṇa |
taṃ vidyācchukramamṛtaṃ taṃ vidyācchukramamṛtamiti
The Purusha, the size of a thumb, the inner Self, ever dwells in the hearts of men. One should draw Him out from one's own body with patience, as one draws the stalk from munja grass. Know Him as the Pure, the Immortal. Know Him as the Pure, the Immortal.
मृत्युप्रोक्तां नचिकेतोऽथ लब्ध्वा
विद्यामेतां योगविधिं च कृत्स्नम् ।
ब्रह्मप्राप्तो विरजोऽभूद्विमृत्यु-
रन्योऽप्येवं यो विदध्यात्ममेव
mṛtyuproktāṃ naciketo'tha labdhvā
vidyāmetāṃ yogavidhiṃ ca kṛtsnam |
brahmaprāpto virajo'bhūdvimṛtyu-
ranyo'pyevaṃ yo vidadhyātmameva
Having received this knowledge taught by Death, and the whole method of yoga, Nachiketa attained Brahman, free from passion and free from death. So will any other who knows the inner Self in this way.
सह नाववतु ।
saha nāvavatu |
सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
ॐ सह नाववतु ।
सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सहवीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु ।
मा विद्विषावहै ॥ ॥ ? ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
ॐ तत् सत् ॥ ॥ ? ॥
saha nau bhunaktu |
saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai |
tejasvināvadhītamastu mā vidviṣāvahai
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||
oṃ saha nāvavatu |
saha nau bhunaktu |
sahavīryaṃ karavāvahai |
tejasvi nāvadhītamastu |
mā vidviṣāvahai || || ? ||
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||
oṃ tat sat || || ? ||
1. "There is that ancient tree, whose roots grow upward and whose branches grow downward; — that indeed is called the Bright that is called Brahman, that alone is called the Immortal. All worlds are contained in it, and no one goes beyond. This is that.
2. Whatever there is, the whole world, when gone forth (from the Brahman), trembles in its breath. That Brahman is a great terror, like a drawn sword. Those who know it become immortal.
3. From terror of Brahman fire burns, from terror the sun burns, from terror Indra and Vâyu, and Death, as the fifth, run away.
4. If a man could not understand it before the falling asunder of his body, then he has to take body again in the worlds of creation.
5. As in a mirror, so (Brahman may be seen clearly) here in this body; as in a dream, in the world of the Fathers; as in the water, he is seen about in the world of the Gandharvas; as in light and shade in the world of Brahmâ.
6. Having understood that the senses are distinct (from the Âtman), and that their rising and setting (their waking and sleeping) belongs to them in their distinct existence (and not to the Âtman), a wise man grieves no more.
7. Beyond the senses is the mind, beyond the mind is the highest (created) Being, higher than that Being is the Great Self, higher than the Great, the highest Undeveloped.
8. Beyond the Undeveloped is the Person, the all-pervading and entirely imperceptible. Every creature that knows him is liberated, and obtains immortality.
9. His form is not to be seen, no one beholds him with the eye. He is imagined by the heart, by wisdom, by the mind. Those who know this, are immortal.
10. When the five instruments of knowledge stand still together with the mind, and when the intellect does not move, that is called the highest state.
11. This, the firm holding back of the senses, is what is called Yoga. He must be free from thoughtlessness then, for Yoga comes and goes.
12. He (the Self) cannot be reached by speech, by mind, or by the eye. How can it be apprehended except by him who says: "He is?"
13. By the words "He is," is he to be apprehended, and by (admitting) the reality of both (the invisible Brahman and the visible world, as coming from Brahman). When he has been apprehended by the words "He is," then his reality reveals itself.
14. When all desires that dwell in his heart cease, then the mortal becomes immortal, and obtains Brahman.
15. Whean all the ties of the heart are severed here on earth, then the mortal becomes immortal — here ends the teaching.
16. There are a hundred and one arteries of the heart, one of them penetrates the crown of the head. Moving upwards by it, a man (at his death) reaches the Immortal; the other arteries serve for departing in different directions.
17. The Person not larger than a thumb, the inner Self, is always settled in the heart of men. Let a man draw that Self forth from his body with steadiness, as one draws the pith from a reed. Let him know that Self as the Bright, as the Immortal; yes, as the Bright, as the Immortal.
18. Having received this knowledge taught by Death and the whole rule of Yoga (meditation), Nakiketa became free from passion and death, and obtained Brahman. Thus it will be with another also who knows thus what relates to the Self.
19. May He protect us both! May He enjoy us both! May we acquire strength together! May our knowledge become bright! May we never quarrel! Om! Peace! peace! peace! Harih, Om!"
Public-domain translation by F. Max Müller (1884).
Text source: Wikisource · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikisource transcription of a public-domain text)
