Kathopanishad - Chapter 2, Valli 1 - Marathi

कठोपनिषत् अध्याय 2, वल्ली 1, deepens the interior turn begun in the first अध्याय. 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 वल्ली 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 एतद्वै तत् marks each insight as pointing to the same supreme reality.

अध्याय 2
वल्ली 1

Translation (भावार्थ):
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.

परांचिखानि व्यतृणत्स्वयंभूस्तस्मात्पराङ्पश्यति नांतरात्मन्‌।
कश्चिद्धीरः प्रत्यगात्मानमैषदावृत्तचक्षुरमृतत्वमिच्छन्‌ ॥1॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
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.

पराचः कामाननुयंति बालास्ते मृत्योर्यंति विततस्य पाशम्‌।
अथ धीरा अमृतत्वं विदित्वा ध्रुवमध्रुवेष्विह न प्रार्थयंते ॥2॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
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.

येन रूपं रसं गंधं शब्दान्स्पर्शांश्च मैथुनान्‌।
एतेनैव विजानाति किमत्र परिशिष्यते। एतद्वै तत्‌ ॥3॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
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.

स्वप्नांतं जागरितांतं चोभौ येनानुपश्यति।
महांतं विभुमात्मानं मत्वा धीरो न शोचति ॥4॥

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

य इमं मध्वदं वेद आत्मानं जीवमंतिकात्‌।
ईशानं भूतभव्यस्य न ततो विजुगुप्सते। एतद्वै तत्‌ ॥5॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
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.

यः पूर्वं तपसो जातमद्‌भ्यः पूर्वमजायत।
गुहां प्रविश्य तिष्ठंतं यो भूतेभिर्व्यपश्यत। एतद्वै तत्‌ ॥6॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
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.

या प्राणेन संभवत्यदितिर्देवतामयी।
गुहां प्रविश्य तिष्ठंतीं या भूतेभिर्व्यजायत। एतद्वै तत्‌ ॥7॥

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

अरण्योर्निहितो जातवेदा गर्भ इव सुभृतो गर्भिणीभिः।
दिवे दिवे ईड्यो जागृवद्भिर्हविष्मद्भिर्मनुष्येभिरग्निः। एतद्वै तत्‌ ॥8॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
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.

यतश्चोदेति सूर्योऽस्तं यत्र च गच्छति।
तं देवाः सर्वेऽर्पितास्तदु नात्येति कश्चन। एतद्वै तत्‌ ॥9॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
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.

यदेवेह तदमुत्र यदमुत्र तदन्विह।
मृत्योः स मृत्युमाप्नोति य इह नानेव पश्यति ॥10॥

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

मनसैवेदमाप्तव्यं नेह नानाऽस्ति किंचन।
मृत्योः स मृत्युं गच्छति य इह नानेव पश्यति ॥11॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
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.

अंगुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषो मध्य आत्मनि तिष्ठति।
ईशानो भूतभव्यस्य न ततो विजुगुप्सते। एतद्वै तत्‌ ॥12॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
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.

अंगुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषो ज्योतिरिवाधूमकः।
ईशानो भूतभव्यस्य स एवाद्य स उ श्वः। एतद्वै तत्‌ ॥13॥

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

यथोदकं दुर्गं वृष्टं पर्वतेषु विधावति।
एवं धर्मान्पृथक्‌ पश्यंस्तानेवानुविधावति ॥14॥

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

यथोदकं शुद्धे शुद्धमासिक्तं तादृगेव भवति।
एवं मुनेर्विजानत आत्मा भवति गौतम ॥15॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
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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