Katha Upanisad

KAṬHA UPANIṢAD

PART I

Canto I

Introduction: Salutation to Bhagavān (1) Yama (Death), son of the Sun and the imparter of the knowledge of Brahman, and salutation to Naciketā.

Now then, a brief exposition of the cantos of the Kaṭha Upaniṣad is begun for the sake of making their import easily comprehensible. The word upaniṣad is derived by adding upa (near) and ni (with certainty) as prefixes and kvip as a suffix to the root sad, meaning to split up (destroy), go (reach, attain), or loosen. And by the word upaniṣad is denoted the knowledge of the knowable entity presented in the book that is going to be explained. By virtue of what relation with (any particular) significance (of the word upaniṣad), again, is knowledge denoted by the word upaniṣad? This is being stated. Knowledge is called upaniṣad by virtue of its association with this significance: It (viz knowledge) splits up, injures, or destroys the seeds of worldly existence such as ignorance etc., in the case of those seekers of emancipation who, after becoming detached from the desire for the seen and unseen (2) objects, approach (upa sad) the knowledge that is called upaniṣad and that bears the characteristics to be presented hereafter, and who then deliberate on it with steadiness and certainty (ni). (3) Thus it will be said later on, ‘knowing That, one becomes freed from the jaws of Death’ (I. iii. 15). Or the knowledge of Brahman is called upaniṣad because of its connection with the idea of leading to Brahman, inasmuch as it makes the seekers after emancipation, who are possessed of the qualities already mentioned, attain the supreme Brahman. Thus it will be said later on, ‘Having become free from virtue and vice, as also desire and ignorance, (he) attained Brahman’ (II. iii. 18). And even the knowledge about Fire, who preceded all the worlds, who was born of Brahma and is possessed of enlightenment, and whose knowledge is prayed for (by Naciketā) through the second boon (I. i. 13), is also called upaniṣad by virtue of its bearing the meaning (to loosen) of the root (sad), inasmuch as by leading to the result, achievement of heaven, it weakens or loosens such multitude of miseries as living in the womb, birth, old age, etc., continually recurring in lives hereafter. Thus it will be spoken, ‘The dwellers of heaven get immortality’, etc. (ibid).

Objection: Is it not a fact that by the word upaniṣad the readers refer to the book as well in such sentences as: ‘We read the upaniṣad’, and ‘We teach the upaniṣad’?

Answer: Though, from this point of view, the meanings of the root sad—such as loosening the causes of the world, viz ignorance etc.—are inapplicable with regard to a mere book, and applicable to knowledge, still this is no fault, since the book, too, being meant for that purpose, can justifiably be denoted by that word, as for instance (in the sentence) ‘Clarified butter is indeed life.’ Therefore, with regard to knowledge, the word upaniṣad is used in its primary sense, while with regard to a book it is used in a secondary sense.

Thus, through the very derivation of the word upaniṣad, the person particularly qualified for knowl-edge has been pointed out. And the subject matter of the knowledge is also shown to be a unique thing, viz the supreme Brahman that is the indwelling Self. And the purpose of this upaniṣad is the absolute cessation of the transmigratory state, which consists in the attainment of Brahman. (4) And the connection (between knowledge and its purpose) has been mentioned ipso facto through the enunciation of such a purpose. (5) Thus these cantos themselves are (meant) for special persons (competent for their study), and have a special subject matter, a special purpose, and a special connection, inasmuch as they reveal, like an apple (lit. emblic myrobalan) placed in the hand, the knowledge that is (meant) for a man of special competence, and has a special subject matter, a special purpose, and a special connection as already explained. Hence we shall explain these cantos to the best of our understanding. The story there is by way of eulogizing the knowledge.

ॐ उशन् ह वै वाजश्रवस: सर्ववेदसं ददौ ।

तस्य ह नचिकेता नाम पुत्र आस ।। १।।

1. Once upon a time, the son of Vājaśravā, being desirous of fruit, gave away everything. He had, as the story goes, a son named Naciketā.

Uśan, being desirous of; ha and vai (equivalent to—once upon a time) are two indeclinable particles, recalling to mind what happened before. Vājaśravā is he whose śravaḥ, fame, is consequent on the giving of vājam, food. Or it is a proper name. His son, Vājaśravasa, being desirous of the fruit of the sacrifice, performed the Viśvajit sacrifice in which all is given away. In that sacrifice, he dadau, gave away; sarvavedasam, all (his) wealth. Tasya, of him, of that performer of sacrifice; āsa, there was; ha, as the story goes; naciketā nāma putraḥ, a son named Naciketā.

तँ ह कुमारँ सन्तं दक्षिणासु नीयमानासु श्रद्धाविवेश सोऽमन्यत ।। २।।

2. As the presents were being carried (to the Brāhmaṇas) faith took possession of him who was still a boy. He thought:

Tam, into him, into Naciketā; kumāraṁ santam, while still in the prime of life, still not adolescent, still a mere boy; śraddhā, faith (in the verity of the scrip-tures), induced by a desire for his father’s good; āviveśa, entered. At what time? This is being stated: dakṣiṇāsu nīyamānāsu, when gifts were being carried, when cows meant for presents were being led separately (according to each one’s due), to the priests and the assembled Brāhmaṇas; saḥ, he, that Naciketā who had an influx of faith; amanyata, thought.

How he thought is being stated in pītodakā etc.

पीतोदका जग्धतृणा दुग्धदोहा निरिन्द्रिया: ।

अनन्दा नाम ते लोकास्तान् स गच्छति ता ददत् ।। ३।।

3. He goes to those worlds that are known as joyless, who gives away the cows that have drunk water and eaten grass (for good), whose milk has been milked (for the last time), and which have lost their organs.

The cows meant for offering to the Brāhmaṇas are being described: Those by which udakam, water, has been pītam, drunk, are pītodakāh, (6) those by which tṛṇam, grass, has been jagdham, eaten, are jagdhatṛṇāḥ; those whose dohaḥ, milk, has been dugdhaḥ, milked, are dugdha-dohāḥ, nirindriyāḥ, those that are devoid of the power of their organs, incapable of bearing calves; that is to say, the cows that are decrepit and barren. Dadat, giving; tāḥ, those, the cows that are of this kind; to the priests as rewards for their service; saḥ, he, the performer of sacrifice; gacchati, goes; tān, to those (worlds); anandāḥ nāma te lokāḥ, which worlds are known as devoid of happiness, joyless.

स होवाच पितरं तत कस्मै मां दास्यसीति ।

द्वितीयं तृतीयं तँ होवाच मृत्यवे त्वा ददामीति ।। ४।।

4. He said to his father, ‘Father, to whom will you offer me?’ He spoke to him a second time and a third time. To him (the father) said, ‘To Death I offer you.’

‘The evil result thus accruing to my father as a con-sequence of the imperfection of the sacrifice should be warded off by me, who am a good son, by perfecting the sacrifice even through an offering of myself, thinking thus, saḥ, he—approached his father; and uvāca ha, said; pitaram, to the father; ‘Tata (same as tata), O father; kasmai, to whom, to which of the priests; māṁ dāsyasi, will you offer me, that is to say, offer me as a present?’ iti. Though ignored by his father who was addressed thus, dvitīyam trtīyam uvāca, he spoke even-a second time and a third time, thus: ‘To whom will you offer me?’ ‘To whom will you offer me?’ Incensed at the thought, ‘This one is not behaving like a boy’, the father uvāca ha, said; tam, to him, to his son; ‘Mṛtyave, to Death, to the son of the Sun; dadāmi, I give away; tvā (which is same as tvām), you’; iti, (this much).

That son, having been spoken to thus, sorrowfully cogitated in a solitary place. How ? That is being said:

बहूनामेमि प्रथमो बहूनामेमि मध्यम: ।

किँ स्विद्यमस्य कर्तव्यं यन्मयाऽद्य करिष्यति ।। ५।।

5. Among many I rank as belonging to the highest; among many I rank as belonging to the middling. What purpose can there be of Death that my father will get achieved today through me?

Bahūnām, among many—of many sons or disciples; emi, I go (rank); prathamaḥ, as first owing to the best conduct of a disciple etc. This is the idea. And bahūnām, among many—many middling ones; madhyamaḥ emi, I move (count) as a middling one, I behave in a middling manner. But never do I behave as the worst. (7) Though I am a son possessed of such quality, still to me my father has said, ‘To Death I offer you.’ Kim svit, what; kartavyam, purpose; yamasya, of Death—can there be; which purpose he (my father) adya, today; kariṣyati, will achieve; mayā, through me, by sending me?

‘My father must have certainly spoken so out of anger, without any consideration of purpose. Still, that utterance of the father must not be falsified’, thinking thus, he said sorrowfully to his father, remorseful