Katha Upanishad

योनिमन्ये प्रपद्यन्ते शरीरत्वाय देहिनः । स्थाणुमन्येऽनुसंयन्ति यथाकर्म यथाश्रुतम्

Some embodied beings enter a womb for the sake of a body; others go into stationary forms, according to their deeds and according to their knowledge.

य एष सुप्तेषु जागर्ति कामं कामं पुरुषो निर्मिमाणः । तदेव शुक्रं तद्ब्रह्म तदेवामृतमुच्यते । तस्मिँल्लोकाः श्रिताः सर्वे तदु नात्येति कश्चन । एतद्वै तत्

That person who, creating desire after desire, remains awake among those who sleep—he alone is the pure one, he is Brahman, he is called the immortal; upon him all worlds rest, and none goes beyond him—this indeed is that.

अग्निर्यथैको भुवनं प्रविष्टो रूपं रूपं प्रतिरूपो बभूव । एकस्तथा सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा रूपं रूपं प्रतिरूपो बहिश्च

As fire, one alone, having entered the world, takes on a form corresponding to every form, so too the inner self of all beings, one alone, takes on a form corresponding to every form, both within and without.

वायुर्यथैको भुवनं प्रविष्टो रूपं रूपं प्रतिरूपो बभूव । एकस्तथा सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा रूपं रूपं प्रतिरूपो बहिश्च

As wind, one alone, having entered the world, takes on a form corresponding to every form, so too the inner self of all beings, one alone, takes on a form corresponding to every form, both within and without.

सूर्यो यथा सर्वलोकस्य चक्षुः न लिप्यते चाक्षुषैर्बाह्यदोषैः । एकस्तथा सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा न लिप्यते लोकदुःखेन बाह्यः

As the sun, the eye of the whole world, is not tainted by external faults seen by the eye, so too the inner self of all beings, one alone, is not tainted by the sorrows of the world, being beyond them.

एको वशी सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा एकं रूपं बहुधा यः करोति । तमात्मस्थं येऽनुपश्यन्ति धीराः तेषां सुखं शाश्वतं नेतरेषाम्

The one ruler, the inner self of all beings, who makes the one form manifold—those wise ones who perceive him established in themselves, for them is eternal happiness, not for others.

नित्योऽनित्यानां चेतनश्चेतनानाम् एको बहूनां यो विदधाति कामान् । तमात्मस्थं येऽनुपश्यन्ति धीराः तेषां शान्तिः शाश्वती नेतरेषाम्

The eternal among non-eternal things, the conscious among the conscious, the one who grants desires to the many—those wise ones who perceive him established in themselves, for them is eternal peace, not for others.

तदेतदिति मन्यन्तेऽनिर्देश्यं परमं सुखम् । कथं नु तद्विजानीयां किमु भाति विभाति वा

They think of that as this—indescribable, supreme bliss. How indeed may I know it? Does it shine or does it not shine?

न तत्र सूर्यो भाति न चन्द्रतारकं नेमा विद्युतो भान्ति कुतोऽयमग्निः । तमेव भान्तमनुभाति सर्वं तस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति

There the sun does not shine, nor the moon and stars; these lightnings do not shine, how then this fire? That shining, all else shines after it; by its light, all this shines.

ऊर्ध्वमूलोऽवाक्शाख एषोऽश्वत्थः सनातनः । तदेव शुक्रं तद्ब्रह्म तदेवामृतमुच्यते । तस्मिँल्लोकाः श्रिताः सर्वे तदु नात्येति कश्चन । एतद्वै तत्

With roots above and branches below, this eternal aśvattha tree—he alone is the pure one, he is Brahman, he is called the immortal; upon him all worlds rest, and none goes beyond him—this indeed is that.

यदिदं किं च जगत् सर्वं प्राण एजति निःसृतम् । महद्भयं वज्रमुद्यतं य एतद्विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति

Whatever is here, this whole world, moves as sent forth by prāṇa; a great terror, a raised thunderbolt—those who know this become immortal.

भयादस्याग्निस्तपति भयात्तपति सूर्यः । भयादिन्द्रश्च वायुश्च मृत्युर्धावति पञ्चमः

From fear of him, fire burns; from fear, the sun shines; from fear, Indra and Vāyu, and Death as the fifth, run their course.

इह चेदशकद्बोद्धुं प्राक्षरीरस्य विस्रसः । ततः सर्गेषु लोकेषु शरीरत्वाय कल्पते

If one is unable to know him here, before the body falls away, then one becomes fit for embodiment in the worlds of creation.

यथाऽऽदर्शे तथाऽऽत्मनि यथा स्वप्ने तथा पितृलोके । यथाऽप्सु परीव ददृशे तथा गन्धर्वलोके छायातपयोरिव ब्रह्मलोके

As in a mirror, so in the self; as in a dream, so in the world of ancestors; as in water, so in the world of gandharvas; as in shadow and sunlight, so in the world of Brahman.

इन्द्रियाणां पृथग्भावमुदयास्तमयौ च यत् । पृथगुत्पद्यमानानां मत्वा धीरो न शोचति

He who knows the distinctness of the senses, their rising and setting, and their separate origin—such a wise one does not grieve.

इन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनो मनसः सत्त्वमुत्तमम् । सत्त्वादधि महानात्मा महतोऽव्यक्तमुत्तमम्

Beyond the senses is the mind; beyond the mind is the higher intellect; beyond the intellect is the great self; beyond the great is the unmanifest.

अव्यक्तात्तु परः पुरुषो व्यापकोऽलिङ्ग एव च । यं ज्ञात्वा मुच्यते जन्तुरमृतत्वं च गच्छति

Beyond the unmanifest is the Person, all-pervading and without marks; knowing him, a living being is freed and attains immortality.

न संदृशे तिष्ठति रूपमस्य न चक्षुषा पश्यति कश्चनैनम् । हृदा मनीषा मनसाऽभिक्लृप्तो य एतद्विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति

His form does not stand within sight; no one sees him with the eye. He is grasped by the heart, by thought, by the mind. Those who know this become immortal.

यदा पञ्चावतिष्ठन्ते ज्ञानानि मनसा सह । बुद्धिश्च न विचेष्टते तामाहुः परमां गतिम्

When the five senses, together with the mind, come to rest, and the intellect does not stir, they call that the highest state.

तां योगमिति मन्यन्ते स्थिरामिन्द्रियधारणाम् । अप्रमत्तस्तदा भवति योगो हि प्रभवाप्ययौ

They consider that firm holding of the senses as yoga. At that time, one becomes vigilant, for yoga is the origin and dissolution.

नैव वाचा न मनसा प्राप्तुं शक्यो न चक्षुषा । अस्तीति ब्रुवतोऽन्यत्र कथं तदुपलभ्यते

He cannot be attained by speech, nor by mind, nor by the eye. How can he be realized except by one who says, 'He is'?

अस्तीत्येवोपलब्धव्यस्तत्त्वभावेन चोभयोः । अस्तीत्येवोपलब्धस्य तत्त्वभावः प्रसीदति

He is to be realized as existing, in both aspects, in his true nature. For one who realizes him as existing, his true nature becomes clear.

यदा सर्वे प्रमुच्यन्ते कामा येऽस्य हृदि श्रिताः । अथ मर्त्योऽमृतो भवत्यत्र ब्रह्म समश्नुते

When all desires that dwell in the heart are released, then the mortal becomes immortal; here he attains Brahman.

यथा सर्वे प्रभिद्यन्ते हृदयस्येह ग्रन्थयः । अथ मर्त्योऽमृतो भवत्येतावद्ध्यनुशासनम्

When all the knots of the heart are broken here, then the mortal becomes immortal—this alone is the teaching.

शतं चैका च हृदयस्य नाड्य- स्तासां मूर्धानमभिनिःसृतैका । तयोर्ध्वमायन्नमृतत्वमेति विष्वङ्ङन्या उत्क्रमणे भवन्ति

A hundred and one are the arteries of the heart; one of them rises to the crown. Going up through it, one attains immortality; the others, spreading in all directions, become the path of departure.

अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषोऽन्तरात्मा सदा जनानां हृदये संनिविष्टः । तं स्वाच्छरीरात्प्रवृहेन्मुञ्जादिवेषीकां धैर्येण । तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतं तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतमिति

The person, the inner self, of the size of a thumb, is always seated in the hearts of people. With steadiness, draw him out from your own body, as one draws a reed from the stalk. Know him as pure, as immortal—know him as pure, as immortal.

मृत्युप्रोक्तां नचिकेतोऽथ लब्ध्वा विद्यामेतां योगविधिं च कृत्स्नम् । ब्रह्मप्राप्तो विरजोऽभूद्विमृत्यु- रन्योऽप्येवं यो विदध्यात्ममेव

Having obtained this knowledge, taught by Death, and the entire rule of yoga, Nachiketas became united with Brahman, free from stain, free from death. So too may anyone who knows the self in this way.

सह नाववतु । सह नौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै

May he protect us both together; may he nourish us both together; may we work together with great energy; may our study be vigorous and enlightening; may we not hate each other.