Katha Upanishad

दूरमेते विपरीते विषूची अविद्या या च विद्येति ज्ञाता । विद्याभीप्सिनं नचिकेतसं मन्ये न त्वा कामा बहवोऽलोलुपन्त

Far apart, opposed, and diverging are ignorance and knowledge, as known. I consider you, Nachiketa, as one who desires knowledge; many desires have not tempted you.

अविद्यायामन्तरे वर्तमानाः स्वयं धीराः पण्डितंमन्यमानाः । दन्द्रम्यमाणाः परियन्ति मूढा अन्धेनैव नीयमाना यथान्धाः

Dwelling amid ignorance, thinking themselves wise and learned, the deluded wander, being led about, just as the blind are led by the blind.

न साम्परायः प्रतिभाति बालं प्रमाद्यन्तं वित्तमोहेन मूढम् । अयं लोको नास्ति पर इति मानी पुनः पुनर्वशमापद्यते मे

The hereafter does not appear to the childish, heedless, deluded by wealth. Thinking 'this world alone exists, there is no other,' again and again they fall under my control.

श्रवणायापि बहुभिर्यो न लभ्यः शृण्वन्तोऽपि बहवो यं न विद्युः । आश्चर्यो वक्ता कुशलोऽस्य लब्धा आश्चर्यो ज्ञाता कुशलानुशिष्टः

He is not easily heard of, even by many; many hear, but do not know him. Wonderful is the speaker, skilled is the receiver; wonderful is the knower, taught by the skilled.

न नरेणावरेण प्रोक्त एष सुविज्ञेयो बहुधा चिन्त्यमानः । अनन्यप्रोक्ते गतिरत्र नास्ति अणीयान् ह्यतर्क्यमणुप्रमाणात्

This is not easily understood when spoken by an inferior person, though considered in many ways. There is no way here except when taught by one who is different; it is subtler than subtle, beyond reasoning, measured by the smallest.

नैषा तर्केण मतिरापनेया प्रोक्तान्येनैव सुज्ञानाय प्रेष्ठ । यां त्वमापः सत्यधृतिर्बतासि त्वादृङ्नो भूयान्नचिकेतः प्रष्टा

This understanding cannot be attained through reasoning; it is taught by another, to one who is truly wise, dearest. You have received it, steadfast in truth you are indeed; may a questioner like you be found for us, O Naciketas.

जानाम्यहं शेवधिरित्यनित्यं न ह्यध्रुवैः प्राप्यते हि ध्रुवं तत् । ततो मया नाचिकेतश्चितोऽग्निः अनित्यैर्द्रव्यैः प्राप्तवानस्मि नित्यम्

I know that the treasure is impermanent; for the eternal cannot be obtained by what is not lasting. Therefore, O Naciketas, the fire you have established by impermanent means, I have attained as eternal.

कामस्याप्तिं जगतः प्रतिष्ठां क्रतोरानन्त्यमभयस्य पारम् । स्तोममहदुरुगायं प्रतिष्ठां दृष्ट्वा धृत्या धीरो नचिकेतोऽत्यस्राक्षीः

Having seen the fulfillment of desire, the foundation of the world, the endlessness of ritual, and the far shore of fearlessness, and having beheld the great praise and the foundation of prosperity, steadfast, you, O Naciketas, have renounced them.

तं दुर्दर्शं गूढमनुप्रविष्टं गुहाहितं गह्वरेष्ठं पुराणम् । अध्यात्मयोगाधिगमेन देवं मत्वा धीरो हर्षशोकौ जहाति

That divine being, difficult to see, deeply hidden, set in the secret cave, dwelling in the abyss, ancient—by attaining him through the discipline of the inner self, the wise person, having known, abandons joy and sorrow.

एतच्छ्रुत्वा सम्परिगृह्य मर्त्यः प्रवृह्य धर्म्यमणुमेतमाप्य । स मोदते मोदनीयँ हि लब्ध्वा विवृतँ सद्म नचिकेतसं मन्ये

Having heard this and comprehended it fully, a mortal, having discerned this subtle principle and attained it, rejoices, having obtained what is worthy of rejoicing. I think the house of Naciketas is open.

अन्यत्र धर्मादन्यत्राधर्मा- दन्यत्रास्मात्कृताकृतात् । अन्यत्र भूताच्च भव्याच्च यत्तत्पश्यसि तद्वद

Apart from righteousness, apart from unrighteousness, apart from what has been done and not done, apart from what is and what is to be—what you see there, declare that.

सर्वे वेदा यत्पदमामनन्ति तपाँसि सर्वाणि च यद्वदन्ति । यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति तत्ते पदँ संग्रहेण ब्रवीम्योमित्येतत्

That goal which all the Vedas declare, which all austerities proclaim, for which people practice celibacy desiring it—that goal I will tell you briefly: it is this—Om.

एतद्ध्येवाक्षरं ब्रह्म एतद्ध्येवाक्षरं परम् । एतद्ध्येवाक्षरं ज्ञात्वा यो यदिच्छति तस्य तत्

This syllable alone is Brahman; this syllable alone is the supreme. Knowing this syllable, whatever one desires, that is his.

एतदालम्बनँ श्रेष्ठमेतदालम्बनं परम् । एतदालम्बनं ज्ञात्वा ब्रह्मलोके महीयते

This is the best support; this is the supreme support. Knowing this support, one is glorified in the world of Brahman.

न जायते म्रियते वा विपश्चिन् नायं कुतश्चिन्न बभूव कश्चित् । अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे

The wise one is not born, nor does he die; he did not come from anywhere, nor did anyone come from him. He is unborn, eternal, everlasting, ancient; he is not slain when the body is slain.

हन्ता चेन्मन्यते हन्तुँ हतश्चेन्मन्यते हतम् । उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायँ हन्ति न हन्यते

If one thinks he is the slayer, or if another thinks he is slain, both do not understand. He neither slays nor is slain.

अणोरणीयान्महतो महीया- नात्माऽस्य जन्तोर्निहितो गुहायाम् । तमक्रतुः पश्यति वीतशोको धातुप्रसादान्महिमानमात्मनः

Finer than the finest, greater than the greatest, the Self is hidden in the cave of the living being. One who is free from desire, sees, through the serenity of the senses, the majesty of the Self, being free from sorrow.

आसीनो दूरं व्रजति शयानो याति सर्वतः । कस्तं मदामदं देवं मदन्यो ज्ञातुमर्हति

Sitting, it travels far; lying down, it goes everywhere. Who other than myself can know that divine one, who is joyful and joyless?

अशरीरँ शरीरेष्वनवस्थेष्ववस्थितम् । महान्तं विभुमात्मानं मत्वा धीरो न शोचति

Bodiless among bodies, stable among the unstable, considering the great, all-pervading Self, the wise one does not grieve.

नायमात्मा प्रवचनेन लभ्यो न मेधया न बहुना श्रुतेन । यमेवैष वृणुते तेन लभ्यः तस्यैष आत्मा विवृणुते तनूँ स्वाम्

This Self is not attained by instruction, nor by intellect, nor by much hearing. He is attained only by the one whom he chooses; to such a one, the Self reveals his own form.

नाविरतो दुश्चरितान्नाशान्तो नासमाहितः । नाशान्तमानसो वाऽपि प्रज्ञानेनैनमाप्नुयात्

Not by one who has not ceased from evil conduct, not by one who is not tranquil, not by one who is not composed, not even by one whose mind is not at peace, can this be attained by knowledge.

यस्य ब्रह्म च क्षत्रं च उभे भवत ओदनः । मृत्युर्यस्योपसेचनं क इत्था वेद यत्र सः

For whom both Brahman and Kshatra are food, and death is the condiment—who can know where he is?

ऋतं पिबन्तौ सुकृतस्य लोके गुहां प्रविष्टौ परमे परार्धे । छायातपौ ब्रह्मविदो वदन्ति पञ्चाग्नयो ये च त्रिणाचिकेताः

Drinking the truth in the world of good deeds, entering the secret cave in the highest, in the supreme, those who know Brahman, and those who perform the five fires and the triple Naciketa sacrifice, call them the shadow and the light.

यः सेतुरीजानानामक्षरं ब्रह्म यत् परम् । अभयं तितीर्षतां पारं [https://puranastudy.000space.com/pur_index15/nachiketa.htm नाचिकेतँ] शकेमहि

That which is the bridge for those who know, the imperishable Brahman, the highest; for those who wish to cross to the shore of fearlessness, Nachiketa, may we be able to attain it.

आत्मानँ रथिनं विद्धि शरीरँ रथमेव तु । बुद्धिं तु सारथिं विद्धि मनः प्रग्रहमेव च

Know the self as the rider, the body as the chariot; know the intellect as the charioteer, and the mind as the reins.

इन्द्रियाणि हयानाहुर्विषयाँ स्तेषु गोचरान् । आत्मेन्द्रियमनोयुक्तं भोक्तेत्याहुर्मनीषिणः

The senses are called the horses, and their objects are the paths they travel; the wise say that the self, joined with mind and senses, is the enjoyer.

यस्त्वविज्ञानवान्भवत्ययुक्तेन मनसा सदा । तस्येन्द्रियाण्यवश्यानि दुष्टाश्वा इव सारथेः

But whoever lacks understanding, whose mind is always unrestrained, his senses are uncontrolled, like unruly horses for a charioteer.

यस्तु विज्ञानवान्भवति युक्तेन मनसा सदा । तस्येन्द्रियाणि वश्यानि सदश्वा इव सारथेः

But whoever possesses understanding, whose mind is always restrained, his senses are controlled, like good horses for a charioteer.

यस्त्वविज्ञानवान्भवत्यमनस्कः सदाऽशुचिः । न स तत्पदमाप्नोति संसारं चाधिगच्छति

But whoever lacks understanding, whose mind is unsteady and impure, he does not attain that state; he enters into the cycle of rebirth.