Kathopanishad - Chapter 2, Valli 3 - Shuddha Kannada

ಕಠೋಪನಿಷತ್ ಅಧ್ಯಾಯ 2, ವಲ್ಲೀ 3, is the culmination of ನಚಿಕೇತಾ's instruction sequence. It gathers prior teachings - ಶ್ರೇಯಸ್/ಪ್ರೇಯಸ್, inward turn, sense-governance, witness-recognition, and non-duality - into a final contemplative ascent that is both philosophical and ಸಾಧನಾ-oriented.

This ವಲ್ಲೀ is especially revered because it contains many of Vedanta's most cited ಮಹಾವಾಕ್ಯ-like formulations in thematic form: the upside-down cosmic tree, the fear-order sustaining cosmic law, the imperishable ಪುರುಷ beyond ಅವ್ಯಕ್ತ, the stillness-state called ಯೋಗ, the release of heart-knots, and the upward ನಾಡೀ teaching.

ಅಧ್ಯಾಯ 2
ವಲ್ಲೀ 3

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
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.

ಊರ್ಧ್ವಮೂಲೋಽವಾಕ್‍ಶಾಖ ಏಷೋಽಶ್ವತ್ಥಃ ಸನಾತನಃ।
ತದೇವ ಶುಕ್ರಂ ತದ್ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ತದೇವಾಮೃತಮುಚ್ಯತೇ।
ತಸ್ಮಿಂಲ್ಲೋಕಾಃ ಶ್ರಿತಾಃ ಸರ್ವೇ ತದು ನಾತ್ಯೇತಿ ಕಶ್ಚನ। ಏತದ್ವೈ ತತ್‌ ॥1॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
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.

ಯದಿದಂ ಕಿಂ ಚ ಜಗತ್ಸರ್ವಂ ಪ್ರಾಣ ಏಜತಿ ನಿಃಸೃತಮ್‌।
ಮಹದ್ ಭಯಂ ವಜ್ರಮುದ್ಯತಂ ಯ ಏತದ್ವಿದುರಮೃತಾಸ್ತೇ ಭವನ್ತಿ ॥2॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
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.

ಭಯಾದಸ್ಯಾಗ್ನಿಸ್ತಪತಿ ಭಯಾತ್ತಪತಿ ಸೂರ್ಯಃ।
ಭಯಾದಿನ್ದ್ರಶ್ಚ ವಾಯುಶ್ಚ ಮೃತ್ಯುರ್ಧಾವತಿ ಪಞ್ಚಮಃ ॥3॥

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

ಇಹ ಚೇದಶಕದ್‌ಬೋದ್ಧುಂ ಪ್ರಾಕ್ ಶರೀರಸ್ಯ ವಿಸ್ರಸಃ।
ತತಃ ಸರ್ಗೇಷು ಲೋಕೇಷು ಶರೀರತ್ವಾಯ ಕಲ್ಪತೇ ॥4॥

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

ಯಥಾಽಽದರ್ಶೇ ತಥಾಽಽತ್ಮನಿ ಯಥಾ ಸ್ವಪ್ನೇ ತಥಾ ಪಿತೃಲೋಕೇ।
ಯಥಾಽಪ್ಸು ಪರೀವ ದದೃಶೇ ತಥಾ ಗನ್ಧರ್ವಲೋಕೇ ಛಾಯಾತಪಯೋರಿವ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಲೋಕೇ ॥5॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
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.

ಇನ್ದ್ರಿಯಾಣಾಂ ಪೃಥಗ್ಭಾವಮುದಯಾಸ್ತಮಯೌ ಚ ಯತ್‌।
ಪೃಥಗುತ್ಪದ್ಯಮಾನಾನಾಂ ಮತ್ವಾ ಧೀರೋ ನ ಶೋಚತಿ ॥6॥

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

ಇನ್ದ್ರಿಯೇಭ್ಯಃ ಪರಂ ಮನೋ ಮನಸಃ ಸತ್ತ್ವಮುತ್ತಮಮ್‌।
ಸತ್ತ್ವಾದಧಿ ಮಹಾನಾತ್ಮಾ ಮಹತೋಽವ್ಯಕ್ತಮುತ್ತಮಮ್‌ ॥7॥

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

ಅವ್ಯಕ್ತಾತ್ತು ಪರಃ ಪುರುಷೋ ವ್ಯಾಪಕೋಽಲಿಙ್ಗ ಏವ ಚ।
ಯಂ ಜ್ಞಾತ್ವಾ ಮುಚ್ಯತೇ ಜನ್ತುರಮೃತತ್ವಂ ಚ ಗಚ್ಛತಿ ॥8॥

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

ನ ಸನ್ದೃಶೇ ತಿಷ್ಠತಿ ರೂಪಮಸ್ಯ ನ ಚಕ್ಷುಷಾ ಪಶ್ಯತಿ ಕಶ್ಚನೈನಮ್‌।
ಹೃದಾ ಮನೀಷಾ ಮನಸಾಽಭಿಕ್ಲೃಪ್ತೋ ಯ ಏತದ್ವಿದುರಮೃತಾಸ್ತೇ ಭವನ್ತಿ ॥9॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
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.

ಯದಾ ಪಞ್ಚಾವತಿಷ್ಠನ್ತೇ ಜ್ಞಾನಾನಿ ಮನಸಾ ಸಹ।
ಬುದ್ಧಿಶ್ಚ ನ ವಿಚೇಷ್ಟತೇ ತಾಮಾಹುಃ ಪರಮಾಂ ಗತಿಮ್‌ ॥10॥

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

ತಾಂ ಯೋಗಮಿತಿ ಮನ್ಯನ್ತೇ ಸ್ಥಿರಾಮಿನ್ದ್ರಿಯಧಾರಣಾಮ್‌।
ಅಪ್ರಮತ್ತಸ್ತದಾ ಭವತಿ ಯೋಗೋ ಹಿ ಪ್ರಭವಾಪ್ಯಯೌ ॥11॥

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

ನೈವ ವಾಚಾ ನ ಮನಸಾ ಪ್ರಾಪ್ತುಂ ಶಕ್ಯೋ ನ ಚಕ್ಷುಷಾ।
ಅಸ್ತೀತಿ ಬ್ರುವತೋಽನ್ಯತ್ರ ಕಥಂ ತದುಪಲಭ್ಯತೇ ॥12॥

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

ಅಸ್ತೀತ್ಯೇವೋಪಲಬ್ಧವ್ಯಸ್ತತ್ತ್ವಭಾವೇನ ಚೋಭಯೋಃ।
ಅಸ್ತೀತ್ಯೇವೋಪಲಬ್ಧಸ್ಯ ತತ್ತ್ವಭಾವಃ ಪ್ರಸೀದತಿ ॥13॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
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.

ಯದಾ ಸರ್ವೇ ಪ್ರಮುಚ್ಯನ್ತೇ ಕಾಮಾ ಯೇಽಸ್ಯ ಹೃದಿ ಶ್ರಿತಾಃ।
ಅಥ ಮರ್ತ್ಯೋಽಮೃತೋ ಭವತ್ಯತ್ರ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಸಮಶ್ನುತೇ ॥14॥

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

ಯಥಾ ಸರ್ವೇ ಪ್ರಭಿದ್ಯನ್ತೇ ಹೃದಯಸ್ಯೇಹ ಗ್ರನ್ಥಯಃ।
ಅಥ ಮರ್ತ್ಯೋಽಮೃತೋ ಭವತ್ಯೇತಾವದ್ಧ್ಯನುಶಾಸನಮ್‌ ॥15॥

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

ಶತಂ ಚೈಕಾ ಚ ಹೃದಯಸ್ಯ ನಾಡ್ಯಸ್ತಾಸಾಂ ಮೂರ್ಧಾನಮಭಿನಿಃಸೃತೈಕಾ।
ತಯೋರ್ಧ್ವಮಾಯನ್ನಮೃತತ್ವಮೇತಿ ವಿಶ್ವಙ್ಙನ್ಯಾ ಉತ್ಕ್ರಮಣೇ ಭವನ್ತಿ ॥16॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
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.

ಅಙ್ಗುಷ್ಠಮಾತ್ರಃ ಪುರುಷೋಽನ್ತರಾತ್ಮಾ ಸದಾ ಜನಾನಾಂ ಹೃದಯೇ ಸನ್ನಿವಿಷ್ಟಃ।
ತಂ ಸ್ವಾಚ್ಛರೀರಾತ್ಪ್ರವೃಹೇನ್ಮುಞ್ಜಾದಿವೇಷೀಕಾಂ ಧೈರ್ಯೇಣ।
ತಂ ವಿದ್ಯಾಚ್ಛುಕ್ರಮಮೃತಂ ತಂ ವಿದ್ಯಾಚ್ಛುಕ್ರಮಮೃತಮಿತಿ ॥17॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
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.

ಮೃತ್ಯುಪ್ರೋಕ್ತಾಂ ನಚಿಕೇತೋಽಥ ಲಬ್ಧ್ವಾ ವಿದ್ಯಾಮೇತಾಂ ಯೋಗವಿಧಿಂ ಚ ಕೃತ್ಸ್ನಮ್‌।
ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಪ್ರಾಪ್ತೋ ವಿರಜೋಽಭೂದ್ವಿಮೃತ್ಯು ರನ್ಯೋಽಪ್ಯೇವಂ ಯೋ ವಿದಧ್ಯಾತ್ಮಮೇವ ॥18॥

Translation (ಭಾವಾರ್ಥ):
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.

Browse Related Categories: