Courtesy:Sri.S.Ramaswamy
Katha Upanisad
Chapter One
1. OM. Usan Vajasravasa once offered a sacrifice entailing the giving away of all his possessions. He had a son called Naciketas.
2. Though he was just a boy, when the gifts of cattle were being led away, faith entered him and he thought:
3. 'They have drunk their water and eaten their grass, Have given their milk, senseless ones: Joyless the worlds called To which goes the one who gives these.'
4. And he said to his father, 'Father, to whom will you give me? A second and a third time he said it.
'I give you to Death!'
5. 'First of many I go;
midst of many I go.
What work has Yama to do
6. 'Looking toward those before me
And looking back at those who come after
Like the crops a mortal ripens
And like the crops springs up again.'
7. As fire a Brahmana
Guest enters a house,
And so they quench him.
Bring water, son of Vivasvat!
8. From that man of little wit
In whose house he stays, unfed,
A Brahmana takes hope and expectation,
Friendship, happiness, action and merit, sons and
Cattle-everything.
9. 'Brahma, since you, a guest to be honored,
Have stayed three nights in my house, unfed,
Homage to you, Brahma! May it be well with me!
Choose three boons.
10. 'May Gautama, his mind at peace, well disposed,
His anger toward me gone, O Death,
Greet me, content, when I am released by you.
I choose this as the first of the three boons.'
11. Auddalaka Aruni, released by me,
Shall be content as before.
He shall sleep well nights, his anger gone,
Once he has seen you set free from the mouth of Death.'
12. 'In the heavenly world there is no fear:
You are not there, nor does one fear old age:
Having crossed over both hunger and thirst
One rejoices in that heavenly world beyond sorrow.
13. 'You teach me, Death, about the heavenly fire.
Tell it to me, who have faith.
The heavenly worlds share in immortality.
I choose this by way of my second boon.'
14. 'I will tell you, Naciketas, so listen to me
And learn of the heavenly fire.
Know of this, which is kept in a secret place
How to win an endless world, and remain there.'
15. He taught him of the fire, the beginning of the
world
What bricks to use and how many, and how to build it
And he repeated it back as it had been told to him
Then Death, satisfied, spoke again.
16. The great-hearted (mahatman) one, pleased, said, 'Today I give you another favour:
This fire will be known by your name.
Grasp this chain with its many forms.
17. 'The one of three Naciketa fires, who has attained
union with the three,
Who does the three works, crosses over birth and death.
god, worthy of offerings, who knows all
That is born form brahman,
And building the fires, he reached this surpassing
Peace.
18. 'The one of three Naciketa-fires, knowing this
threesome,
Who, knowing this, builds up the Naciketa,
Thrusting Death's snares from before him,
Going beyond sorrow, rejoices in a heavenly world.
19. 'Naciketas, since you chose the heavenly fire
By way of you second boon,
Folk will speak of this fire as yours.
Naciketas, choose your third boon.'
20. 'There is doubt concerning a man who has departed.
Some say He is, and others say He is not.
Taught by you, I would know this.
This is the third of my boons.'
21. 'This was doubted here too, by the gods before:
It is a subtle dharma, not easily understood.
Choose a different boon, Naciketas.
Do not, do not insist: release me from this.'
22. 'So this was doubted here too, by the gods before:
Since you, Death, tell me it is not easily understood,
And no one else can be found who can teach this as you can,
There is no boon to equal this.'
23. 'Choose a hundred years, sons and grandsons,
Many cattle, elephants gold, horses:
Choose a great estate of land,
And yourself live as many autumns as you will.
24. 'If you think fit, choose another boon, equal to this
Wealth and long life too.
Naciketas, enter a great realm of desires:
I will make you the enjoyer of your desires.
25. 'Whatsoever desires are hard to obtain in the mortal world,
Ask for them all, at your will.
Here are fair ladies, with chariots, with musical instruments,
Their like not to be won by men.
Enjoy yourself with them- I give them to you-
Naciketas, but do not ask me about dying.'
26. 'Ephemeral things, Ender! Since they wear out
The potency of all mortal's faculties,
And all life is so sort,
The chariots are yours, the dance and sons yours still.
27. 'A human being cannot be satisfied by wealth.
Shall we get wealth if we have seen you?
We shall live just as long as you decree.
That boon of mine is the only one to choose.
28. 'Once he has encountered the agelessness of the immortals,
How could the ageing mortal, dwelling on earth below, understanding this,
Contemplating their beauty, pleasure and delights,
Find pleasure in very long life?
29. 'Tell us, Death, what people are doubtful of
In the great matter of their passing away.
Naciketas chooses no other boon bout this one
That is so deeply hidden.'
Katha Upanisad
The Kathas Upanisad is traditionally assigned to the Black Yajurveda, or sometimes to the Atharvaveda. Its books are called Valli, literally, 'creeper, climbing plant'. Some editions divide the work into two books, with our Books editions divide the work into two books, with our Books I-III forming the chapters of Book One and IV-VI the chapters of Book Two. In been greatly indebted to D.H. Killingley's unpublished Notes on the Katha Upanisad.
OM. Together may it protect us two:
Together may it profit us two:
Together may we do a hero's work.
May we learn intelligently:
May we never hate one another.
OM. Peace, peace, peace.
The Kathas Upanisad is traditionally assigned to the Black Yajurveda, or sometimes to the Atharvaveda. Its books are called Valli, literally, 'creeper, climbing plant'. Some editions divide the work into two books, with our Books editions divide the work into two books, with our Books I-III forming the chapters of Book One and IV-VI the chapters of Book Two. In been greatly indebted to D.H. Killingley's unpublished Notes on the Katha Upanisad.
OM. Together may it protect us two:
Together may it profit us two:
Together may we do a hero's work.
May we learn intelligently:
May we never hate one another.
OM. Peace, peace, peace.
Chapter One
1. OM. Usan Vajasravasa once offered a sacrifice entailing the giving away of all his possessions. He had a son called Naciketas.
2. Though he was just a boy, when the gifts of cattle were being led away, faith entered him and he thought:
3. 'They have drunk their water and eaten their grass, Have given their milk, senseless ones: Joyless the worlds called To which goes the one who gives these.'
4. And he said to his father, 'Father, to whom will you give me? A second and a third time he said it.
'I give you to Death!'
5. 'First of many I go;
midst of many I go.
What work has Yama to do
6. 'Looking toward those before me
And looking back at those who come after
Like the crops a mortal ripens
And like the crops springs up again.'
7. As fire a Brahmana
Guest enters a house,
And so they quench him.
Bring water, son of Vivasvat!
8. From that man of little wit
In whose house he stays, unfed,
A Brahmana takes hope and expectation,
Friendship, happiness, action and merit, sons and
Cattle-everything.
9. 'Brahma, since you, a guest to be honored,
Have stayed three nights in my house, unfed,
Homage to you, Brahma! May it be well with me!
Choose three boons.
10. 'May Gautama, his mind at peace, well disposed,
His anger toward me gone, O Death,
Greet me, content, when I am released by you.
I choose this as the first of the three boons.'
11. Auddalaka Aruni, released by me,
Shall be content as before.
He shall sleep well nights, his anger gone,
Once he has seen you set free from the mouth of Death.'
12. 'In the heavenly world there is no fear:
You are not there, nor does one fear old age:
Having crossed over both hunger and thirst
One rejoices in that heavenly world beyond sorrow.
13. 'You teach me, Death, about the heavenly fire.
Tell it to me, who have faith.
The heavenly worlds share in immortality.
I choose this by way of my second boon.'
14. 'I will tell you, Naciketas, so listen to me
And learn of the heavenly fire.
Know of this, which is kept in a secret place
How to win an endless world, and remain there.'
15. He taught him of the fire, the beginning of the
world
What bricks to use and how many, and how to build it
And he repeated it back as it had been told to him
Then Death, satisfied, spoke again.
16. The great-hearted (mahatman) one, pleased, said, 'Today I give you another favour:
This fire will be known by your name.
Grasp this chain with its many forms.
17. 'The one of three Naciketa fires, who has attained
union with the three,
Who does the three works, crosses over birth and death.
god, worthy of offerings, who knows all
That is born form brahman,
And building the fires, he reached this surpassing
Peace.
18. 'The one of three Naciketa-fires, knowing this
threesome,
Who, knowing this, builds up the Naciketa,
Thrusting Death's snares from before him,
Going beyond sorrow, rejoices in a heavenly world.
19. 'Naciketas, since you chose the heavenly fire
By way of you second boon,
Folk will speak of this fire as yours.
Naciketas, choose your third boon.'
20. 'There is doubt concerning a man who has departed.
Some say He is, and others say He is not.
Taught by you, I would know this.
This is the third of my boons.'
21. 'This was doubted here too, by the gods before:
It is a subtle dharma, not easily understood.
Choose a different boon, Naciketas.
Do not, do not insist: release me from this.'
22. 'So this was doubted here too, by the gods before:
Since you, Death, tell me it is not easily understood,
And no one else can be found who can teach this as you can,
There is no boon to equal this.'
23. 'Choose a hundred years, sons and grandsons,
Many cattle, elephants gold, horses:
Choose a great estate of land,
And yourself live as many autumns as you will.
24. 'If you think fit, choose another boon, equal to this
Wealth and long life too.
Naciketas, enter a great realm of desires:
I will make you the enjoyer of your desires.
25. 'Whatsoever desires are hard to obtain in the mortal world,
Ask for them all, at your will.
Here are fair ladies, with chariots, with musical instruments,
Their like not to be won by men.
Enjoy yourself with them- I give them to you-
Naciketas, but do not ask me about dying.'
26. 'Ephemeral things, Ender! Since they wear out
The potency of all mortal's faculties,
And all life is so sort,
The chariots are yours, the dance and sons yours still.
27. 'A human being cannot be satisfied by wealth.
Shall we get wealth if we have seen you?
We shall live just as long as you decree.
That boon of mine is the only one to choose.
28. 'Once he has encountered the agelessness of the immortals,
How could the ageing mortal, dwelling on earth below, understanding this,
Contemplating their beauty, pleasure and delights,
Find pleasure in very long life?
29. 'Tell us, Death, what people are doubtful of
In the great matter of their passing away.
Naciketas chooses no other boon bout this one
That is so deeply hidden.'
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