Kathopanishad - Chapter 2, Valli 3 - Grantha

𑌕𑌠𑍋𑌪𑌨𑌿𑌷𑌤𑍍 𑌅𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌯 2, 𑌵𑌲𑍍𑌲𑍀 3, is the culmination of 𑌨𑌚𑌿𑌕𑍇𑌤𑌾's instruction sequence. It gathers prior teachings - 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌯𑌸𑍍/𑌪𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌯𑌸𑍍, inward turn, sense-governance, witness-recognition, and non-duality - into a final contemplative ascent that is both philosophical and 𑌸𑌾𑌧𑌨𑌾-oriented.

This 𑌵𑌲𑍍𑌲𑍀 is especially revered because it contains many of Vedanta's most cited 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌯-like formulations in thematic form: the upside-down cosmic tree, the fear-order sustaining cosmic law, the imperishable 𑌪𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌷 beyond 𑌅𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌕𑍍𑌤, the stillness-state called 𑌯𑍋𑌗, the release of heart-knots, and the upward 𑌨𑌾𑌡𑍀 teaching.

𑌅𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌯 2
𑌵𑌲𑍍𑌲𑍀 3

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
This is Katha Upanishad chapter 2, section 3, the section that establishes the culminating consolidation of imperishable supreme-consciousness teaching and liberation-ready contemplative discipline.

𑌊𑌰𑍍𑌧𑍍𑌵𑌮𑍂𑌲𑍋𑌽𑌵𑌾𑌕𑍍‍𑌶𑌾𑌖 𑌏𑌷𑍋𑌽𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌥𑌃 𑌸𑌨𑌾𑌤𑌨𑌃।
𑌤𑌦𑍇𑌵 𑌶𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌤𑌦𑍍 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮 𑌤𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌾𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌮𑍁𑌚𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇।
𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌂𑌲𑍍𑌲𑍋𑌕𑌾𑌃 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌃 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍇 𑌤𑌦𑍁 𑌨𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌤𑌿 𑌕𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌨। 𑌏𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌵𑍈 𑌤𑌤𑍍‌ ॥1॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
This eternal sacred fig tree has its root above and branches below. That root alone is the pure luminous reality, Brahman, the immortal. All worlds rest in That, and none can go beyond it. This indeed is That.

𑌯𑌦𑌿𑌦𑌂 𑌕𑌿𑌂 𑌚 𑌜𑌗𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣 𑌏𑌜𑌤𑌿 𑌨𑌿𑌃𑌸𑍃𑌤𑌮𑍍‌।
𑌮𑌹𑌦𑍍 𑌭𑌯𑌂 𑌵𑌜𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌤𑌂 𑌯 𑌏𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍁𑌰𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌭𑌵𑌂𑌤𑌿 ॥2॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
All this universe that moves does so having emerged in the life-order of the One. It is governed by a great awe-inspiring law, like a raised thunderbolt. Those who know this become immortal.

𑌭𑌯𑌾𑌦𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌪𑌤𑌿 𑌭𑌯𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌪𑌤𑌿 𑌸𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌃।
𑌭𑌯𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌂𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌵𑌾𑌯𑍁𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌮𑍃𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌧𑌾𑌵𑌤𑌿 𑌪𑌂𑌚𑌮𑌃 ॥3॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Out of reverential obedience to That order, fire burns, sun shines, Indra and Vayu function, and Death itself performs its role.

𑌇𑌹 𑌚𑍇𑌦𑌶𑌕𑌦𑍍‌𑌬𑍋𑌦𑍍𑌧𑍁𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌕𑍍 𑌶𑌰𑍀𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌵𑌿𑌸𑍍𑌰𑌸𑌃।
𑌤𑌤𑌃 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌗𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌲𑍋𑌕𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌶𑌰𑍀𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌯 𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑌤𑍇 ॥4॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
If one does not realize this here before the body falls, one remains within the cycle of created worlds and further embodiment.

𑌯𑌥𑌾𑌽𑌽𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌶𑍇 𑌤𑌥𑌾𑌽𑌽𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌿 𑌯𑌥𑌾 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌪𑍍𑌨𑍇 𑌤𑌥𑌾 𑌪𑌿𑌤𑍃𑌲𑍋𑌕𑍇।
𑌯𑌥𑌾𑌽𑌪𑍍𑌸𑍁 𑌪𑌰𑍀𑌵 𑌦𑌦𑍃𑌶𑍇 𑌤𑌥𑌾 𑌗𑌂𑌧𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌲𑍋𑌕𑍇 𑌛𑌾𑌯𑌾𑌤𑌪𑌯𑍋𑌰𑌿𑌵 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌲𑍋𑌕𑍇 ॥5॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Realization appears with varying clarity across standpoints: clear like a mirror in inward Self-recognition, dream-like in other subtle states, wavering like reflection in water elsewhere, and as shadow-light distinction in brahma-loka.

𑌇𑌂𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌾𑌣𑌾𑌂 𑌪𑍃𑌥𑌗𑍍𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌮𑍁𑌦𑌯𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌮𑌯𑍌 𑌚 𑌯𑌤𑍍‌।
𑌪𑍃𑌥𑌗𑍁𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌂 𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌧𑍀𑌰𑍋 𑌨 𑌶𑍋𑌚𑌤𑌿 ॥6॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Knowing that senses are separate instruments with their own arising and fading, the wise does not grieve.

𑌇𑌂𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍇𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑌨𑍋 𑌮𑌨𑌸𑌃 𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌮𑍁𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌮𑌮𑍍‌।
𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌦𑌧𑌿 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾 𑌮𑌹𑌤𑍋𑌽𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌮𑍁𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌮𑌮𑍍‌ ॥𑍭॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Beyond senses is mind; beyond mind is refined intellect; beyond intellect is the great principle; beyond that is the unmanifest.

𑌅𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌪𑌰𑌃 𑌪𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌷𑍋 𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌪𑌕𑍋𑌽𑌲𑌿𑌂𑌗 𑌏𑌵 𑌚।
𑌯𑌂 𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌮𑍁𑌚𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇 𑌜𑌂𑌤𑍁𑌰𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌚 𑌗𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌤𑌿 ॥𑍮॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Beyond the unmanifest is the supreme conscious reality - all-pervading and without defining marks. Knowing That, the embodied being is liberated and attains immortality.

𑌨 𑌸𑌂𑌦𑍃𑌶𑍇 𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌤𑌿 𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌨 𑌚𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍁𑌷𑌾 𑌪𑌶𑍍𑌯𑌤𑌿 𑌕𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌨𑍈𑌨𑌮𑍍‌।
𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌾 𑌮𑌨𑍀𑌷𑌾 𑌮𑌨𑌸𑌾𑌽𑌭𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌲𑍃𑌪𑍍𑌤𑍋 𑌯 𑌏𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍁𑌰𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌭𑌵𑌂𑌤𑌿 ॥𑍯॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Its nature is not grasped by ordinary seeing; no one sees It with the physical eye. It is recognized through refined heart-intelligence and contemplative mind. Those who know this become immortal.

𑌯𑌦𑌾 𑌪𑌂𑌚𑌾𑌵𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌂𑌤𑍇 𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌨𑌿 𑌮𑌨𑌸𑌾 𑌸𑌹।
𑌬𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌨 𑌵𑌿𑌚𑍇𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌤𑍇 𑌤𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌹𑍁𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑌮𑌾𑌂 𑌗𑌤𑌿𑌮𑍍‌ ॥10॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
When the five senses, along with mind, come to rest, and intellect no longer agitates, that is called the supreme state.

𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌮𑌿𑌤𑌿 𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌂𑌤𑍇 𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌿𑌰𑌾𑌮𑌿𑌂𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌧𑌾𑌰𑌣𑌾𑌮𑍍‌।
𑌅𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌦𑌾 𑌭𑌵𑌤𑌿 𑌯𑍋𑌗𑍋 𑌹𑌿 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌭𑌵𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌯𑌯𑍌 ॥11॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
That steady holding of the senses is called contemplative steadiness. One must be vigilant then, for that steadiness can both arise and decline.

𑌨𑍈𑌵 𑌵𑌾𑌚𑌾 𑌨 𑌮𑌨𑌸𑌾 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌤𑍁𑌂 𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌯𑍋 𑌨 𑌚𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍁𑌷𑌾।
𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍀𑌤𑌿 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌵𑌤𑍋𑌽𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌰 𑌕𑌥𑌂 𑌤𑌦𑍁𑌪𑌲𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇 ॥12॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
It cannot be attained as an object by speech, mind, or eye. Apart from recognizing "It is," how can That be approached?

𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍀𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌵𑍋𑌪𑌲𑌬𑍍𑌧𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌭𑌾𑌵𑍇𑌨 𑌚𑍋𑌭𑌯𑍋𑌃।
𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍀𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌵𑍋𑌪𑌲𑌬𑍍𑌧𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌸𑍀𑌦𑌤𑌿 ॥13॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
It is first to be recognized as "It is," and then known in its true nature; for one who has this existential recognition, the reality of That becomes clear and settled.

𑌯𑌦𑌾 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍁𑌚𑍍𑌯𑌂𑌤𑍇 𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾 𑌯𑍇𑌽𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌿 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌃।
𑌅𑌥 𑌮𑌰𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌽𑌮𑍃𑌤𑍋 𑌭𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌰 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮 𑌸𑌮𑌶𑍍𑌨𑍁𑌤𑍇 ॥14॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
When all desires lodged in the heart are released, the mortal becomes immortal; here itself one attains Brahman.

𑌯𑌥𑌾 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌭𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌂𑌤𑍇 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌹 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌂𑌥𑌯𑌃।
𑌅𑌥 𑌮𑌰𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌽𑌮𑍃𑌤𑍋 𑌭𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌤𑌾𑌵𑌦𑍍𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌨𑍁𑌶𑌾𑌸𑌨𑌮𑍍‌ ॥15॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
When all the heart-knots are cut here, the mortal becomes immortal. This is the essential teaching in full.

𑌶𑌤𑌂 𑌚𑍈𑌕𑌾 𑌚 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌨𑌾𑌡𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌸𑌾𑌂 𑌮𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌧𑌾𑌨𑌮𑌭𑌿𑌨𑌿𑌃𑌸𑍃𑌤𑍈𑌕𑌾।
𑌤𑌯𑍋𑌰𑍍𑌧𑍍𑌵𑌮𑌾𑌯𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌮𑍇𑌤𑌿 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌙𑍍𑌙𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌾 𑌉𑌤𑍍𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌣𑍇 𑌭𑌵𑌂𑌤𑌿 ॥16॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
There are a hundred and one channels of the heart; one of them ascends to the crown. Moving upward through that leads toward immortality; through the others, beings depart in diverse trajectories.

𑌅𑌂𑌗𑍁𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌃 𑌪𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌷𑍋𑌽𑌂𑌤𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾 𑌸𑌦𑌾 𑌜𑌨𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌂 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌯𑍇 𑌸𑌂𑌨𑌿𑌵𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌃।
𑌤𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌰𑍀𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌵𑍃𑌹𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌮𑍁𑌂𑌜𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌵𑍇𑌷𑍀𑌕𑌾𑌂 𑌧𑍈𑌰𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌣।
𑌤𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌚𑍍𑌛𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌂 𑌤𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌚𑍍𑌛𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌮𑌿𑌤𑌿 ॥1𑍭॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
That inner Self, indicated as thumb-sized and seated in the heart, is to be discerned from body-identification with steadfast courage - like drawing a reed-fiber from munja grass. Know That as pure, immortal; know That as pure, immortal.

𑌮𑍃𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌪𑍍𑌰𑍋𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌨𑌚𑌿𑌕𑍇𑌤𑍋𑌽𑌥 𑌲𑌬𑍍𑌧𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍇𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌵𑌿𑌧𑌿𑌂 𑌚 𑌕𑍃𑌤𑍍𑌸𑍍𑌨𑌮𑍍‌।
𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌤𑍋 𑌵𑌿𑌰𑌜𑍋𑌽𑌭𑍂𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌮𑍃𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍁 𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌽𑌪𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌵𑌂 𑌯𑍋 𑌵𑌿𑌦𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌮𑍇𑌵 ॥1𑍮॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Receiving this knowledge taught by Death, along with the full contemplative discipline, Nachiketa attained Brahman, became stainless, and went beyond death. So too does anyone else who realizes thus in relation to the Self.

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