Kathopanishad - Chapter 2, Valli 1 - Kannada

ಕಠೋಪನಿಷತ್ ಅಧ್ಯಾಯ 2, ವಲ್ಲೀ 1, deepens the interior turn begun in the first ಅಧ್ಯಾಯ. The section opens with a powerful diagnosis: the senses are naturally turned outward, so the inner Self is missed unless attention is consciously reversed. From there, the text unfolds a rigorous non-dual contemplative map.

This ವಲ್ಲೀ is structurally elegant. It moves from psychological correction (outwardness and desire) to witness-recognition (across waking and dream), then to cosmological pointers (source of deities, sun, and life), and finally to explicit non-duality and contemplative assimilation. The repeated refrain ಏತದ್ವೈ ತತ್ marks each insight as pointing to the same supreme reality.

ಅಧ್ಯಾಯ 2
ವಲ್ಲೀ 1

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
This is Katha Upanishad chapter 2, section 1, the section that establishes the inward turn to the inner Self and the repeated "this indeed is That" contemplative pointers.

ಪರಾಂಚಿಖಾನಿ ವ್ಯತೃಣತ್ಸ್ವಯಂಭೂಸ್ತಸ್ಮಾತ್ಪರಾಙ್ಪಶ್ಯತಿ ನಾಂತರಾತ್ಮನ್‌।
ಕಶ್ಚಿದ್ಧೀರಃ ಪ್ರತ್ಯಗಾತ್ಮಾನಮೈಷದಾವೃತ್ತಚಕ್ಷುರಮೃತತ್ವಮಿಚ್ಛನ್‌ ॥1॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
The Self-born projected the sense openings outward; therefore beings look outward and not toward the inner Self. But some discerning one, seeking immortality, turns attention inward and realizes the inner Self.

ಪರಾಚಃ ಕಾಮಾನನುಯಂತಿ ಬಾಲಾಸ್ತೇ ಮೃತ್ಯೋರ್ಯಂತಿ ವಿತತಸ್ಯ ಪಾಶಂ‌।
ಅಥ ಧೀರಾ ಅಮೃತತ್ವಂ ವಿದಿತ್ವಾ ಧ್ರುವಮಧ್ರುವೇಷ್ವಿಹ ನ ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥಯಂತೇ ॥2॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
Immature people pursue outward desires and fall into death's widespread snare. The wise, knowing the immortal, do not seek the permanent in impermanent things.

ಯೇನ ರೂಪಂ ರಸಂ ಗಂಧಂ ಶಬ್ದಾನ್ಸ್ಪರ್ಶಾಂಶ್ಚ ಮೈಥುನಾನ್‌।
ಏತೇನೈವ ವಿಜಾನಾತಿ ಕಿಮತ್ರ ಪರಿಶಿಷ್ಯತೇ। ಏತದ್ವೈ ತತ್‌ ॥3॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
That by which form, taste, smell, sound, touch, and pleasure are known - by that alone all this is known. What then remains unknown here? This indeed is That.

ಸ್ವಪ್ನಾಂತಂ ಜಾಗರಿತಾಂತಂ ಚೋಭೌ ಯೇನಾನುಪಶ್ಯತಿ।
ಮಹಾಂತಂ ವಿಭುಮಾತ್ಮಾನಂ ಮತ್ವಾ ಧೀರೋ ನ ಶೋಚತಿ ॥4॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
That by which one witnesses both dream and waking - knowing that great, all-pervading Self, the wise no longer grieves.

ಯ ಇಮಂ ಮಧ್ವದಂ ವೇದ ಆತ್ಮಾನಂ ಜೀವಮಂತಿಕಾತ್‌।
ಈಶಾನಂ ಭೂತಭವ್ಯಸ್ಯ ನ ತತೋ ವಿಜುಗುಪ್ಸತೇ। ಏತದ್ವೈ ತತ್‌ ॥5॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
Who knows this Self as the inner living principle, the enjoyer and the Lord of past and future, no longer recoils in fear. This indeed is That.

ಯಃ ಪೂರ್ವಂ ತಪಸೋ ಜಾತಮದ್‌ಭ್ಯಃ ಪೂರ್ವಮಜಾಯತ।
ಗುಹಾಂ ಪ್ರವಿಶ್ಯ ತಿಷ್ಠಂತಂ ಯೋ ಭೂತೇಭಿರ್ವ್ಯಪಶ್ಯತ। ಏತದ್ವೈ ತತ್‌ ॥6॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
That which is prior to cosmic manifestation, prior even to elemental emergence, yet abiding in the inner cave and discerned through beings - this indeed is That.

ಯಾ ಪ್ರಾಣೇನ ಸಂಭವತ್ಯದಿತಿರ್ದೇವತಾಮಯೀ।
ಗುಹಾಂ ಪ್ರವಿಶ್ಯ ತಿಷ್ಠಂತೀಂ ಯಾ ಭೂತೇಭಿರ್ವ್ಯಜಾಯತ। ಏತದ್ವೈ ತತ್‌ ॥7॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
That cosmic principle, appearing through vital force as Aditi and manifesting through beings while dwelling in the inner cave - this indeed is That.

ಅರಣ್ಯೋರ್ನಿಹಿತೋ ಜಾತವೇದಾ ಗರ್ಭ ಇವ ಸುಭೃತೋ ಗರ್ಭಿಣೀಭಿಃ।
ದಿವೇ ದಿವೇ ಈಡ್ಯೋ ಜಾಗೃವದ್ಭಿರ್ಹವಿಷ್ಮದ್ಭಿರ್ಮನುಷ್ಯೇಭಿರಗ್ನಿಃ। ಏತದ್ವೈ ತತ್‌ ॥8॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
Like fire hidden in the arani sticks, like an embryo carefully held, Agni is to be daily invoked by vigilant offering humans. This indeed is That.

ಯತಶ್ಚೋದೇತಿ ಸೂರ್ಯೋಽಸ್ತಂ ಯತ್ರ ಚ ಗಚ್ಛತಿ।
ತಂ ದೇವಾಃ ಸರ್ವೇಽರ್ಪಿತಾಸ್ತದು ನಾತ್ಯೇತಿ ಕಶ್ಚನ। ಏತದ್ವೈ ತತ್‌ ॥9॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
From That the sun rises and into That it sets; in That all deities are grounded; none can go beyond That. This indeed is That.

ಯದೇವೇಹ ತದಮುತ್ರ ಯದಮುತ್ರ ತದನ್ವಿಹ।
ಮೃತ್ಯೋಃ ಸ ಮೃತ್ಯುಮಾಪ್ನೋತಿ ಯ ಇಹ ನಾನೇವ ಪಶ್ಯತಿ ॥10॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
What is here is there, and what is there is here. Whoever sees separateness here as ultimate goes from death to death.

ಮನಸೈವೇದಮಾಪ್ತವ್ಯಂ ನೇಹ ನಾನಾಽಸ್ತಿ ಕಿಂಚನ।
ಮೃತ್ಯೋಃ ಸ ಮೃತ್ಯುಂ ಗಚ್ಛತಿ ಯ ಇಹ ನಾನೇವ ಪಶ್ಯತಿ ॥11॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
This truth must be realized through a refined inward mind; here, in reality, there is no true multiplicity. Whoever sees separateness as absolute goes from death to death.

ಅಂಗುಷ್ಠಮಾತ್ರಃ ಪುರುಷೋ ಮಧ್ಯ ಆತ್ಮನಿ ತಿಷ್ಠತಿ।
ಈಶಾನೋ ಭೂತಭವ್ಯಸ್ಯ ನ ತತೋ ವಿಜುಗುಪ್ಸತೇ। ಏತದ್ವೈ ತತ್‌ ॥12॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
The "thumb-sized" purusha is said to abide in the heart-center, the Lord of past and future; knowing this, one no longer recoils in fear. This indeed is That.

ಅಂಗುಷ್ಠಮಾತ್ರಃ ಪುರುಷೋ ಜ್ಯೋತಿರಿವಾಧೂಮಕಃ।
ಈಶಾನೋ ಭೂತಭವ್ಯಸ್ಯ ಸ ಏವಾದ್ಯ ಸ ಉ ಶ್ವಃ। ಏತದ್ವೈ ತತ್‌ ॥13॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
That same meditative purusha is like smokeless light, Lord of past and future - the same in today and tomorrow. This indeed is That.

ಯಥೋದಕಂ ದುರ್ಗಂ ವೃಷ್ಟಂ ಪರ್ವತೇಷು ವಿಧಾವತಿ।
ಏವಂ ಧರ್ಮಾನ್ಪೃಥಕ್‌ ಪಶ್ಯಂಸ್ತಾನೇವಾನುವಿಧಾವತಿ ॥14॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
Just as rainwater on mountains runs in many scattered channels, so one who sees realities as absolutely separate runs after that very multiplicity.

ಯಥೋದಕಂ ಶುದ್ಧೇ ಶುದ್ಧಮಾಸಿಕ್ತಂ ತಾದೃಗೇವ ಭವತಿ।
ಏವಂ ಮುನೇರ್ವಿಜಾನತ ಆತ್ಮಾ ಭವತಿ ಗೌತಮ ॥15॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
As pure water poured into pure water becomes one with it, so for the sage who truly knows, identity abides in the Self, O Gautama.

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