INTRODUCTION
The
kathopanisad is the third in the traditional
order of the Upanisads and it is indeed a
very important next step in the knowledge of
Godhead or the Supreme self of all. The
Isopanisad mentioned briefly that the path
of Karma, that is injuncted ction (dharma),
should be distinterestedly trodden
faithfully and even mentioned that when
followed with integral knowledge with
fidelity (vidya) it does help the
‘crossing over’ Death1. The
Kenopanisad showed the transcendental
nature and power of the ultimate Being and
its supreme “desirableness” as manifested in
the activities of the senses(or gods) and
mind, but which there senses and mind could
never know except vaguely (or
subliminally?). The Kathopanisad
embraces both these facts of immortality and
ultimate beneficence (amrtava2
as tadvanatva). It elaborates the
cryptic statement at the end of the
Kenopanisad which describes the
subsidiaries of the divine knowledge
tasyai tapo damah karma ca pratistha vedah
sarvangani satyam ayatanam , iv.8.
Dr.
Ānanda K. Coomaraswami considers Katha
to be a Gnostic document which has to be
studied as part of the Gnostic literature
all over the world1. According to
Śrī Krishna Prem2 “Kathopanisad
is a practical treatise written to help us
achieve a very real end here and now” and
the explanations he has given follows the
occult literature all over the world.
Thus we have every reason to take this
Upanisad seriously as a’ vidya’. According
to earlier seers and teachers a vidya or a
knowledge is a path to be trodden or
followed in a particular manner and the
fruits of such a path are indeed ultimate
beatitude and realization. Thus each
Upanisad I a ‘Vidya’, a clear and definite
instruction of a particular path, integral
to the realization of the goal, which of
course could be reached by other vidyas
also. Thus the Upanisads in all re said to
give thirty-two vidyas, of which the
Kathopanisad deals with the
Naciketa-vidya or trinaciketa or Naciketa
Agni-vidya.
________________
1 The ‘crossing over’ is
mentioned as something that has efficacy
after death or dying (vimukte pretya).
It is so understood as counseling
videhamukti. It may mean ‘occult passing on’
according to Krishna Prem, but even Śankara
does not accept this latter view.
2
Sreyas is the full nature of the divine,
and from this most possibly is developed the
personality of Śrī who is stated to have her
residence in the Divine Lord, wherefore His
name ‘Śrī-nivasa’.
The
Kathopanisad is a very important
Upanisad in yet another sense. It contains a
general survey of the vedic ritual and
philosophy and eschatology. It has had the
good fortune of having been much studied and
written about by scholars both occidental
and oriental, and stands only next to Isa
and the Gītā from the point of
view of popularity Śrī Śankara commented on
this work s also Śrī Madhva, and Śrī
Rāmānuja has commented on this work s also
Śrī Madhva, and Śrī Rāmānuja has cmmented in
his Śrī Bhasya, on certain important
points raised in this Upanisad, which have
been taken into consideration by Bhagavan
Bādarāyana for purposes of synthesis in his
Vedānta sūtras. These points have
been reproduced at the end of this work. Śrī
RangaRāmānuja has commented on this work
following closely the steps of Śrī Rāmānuja
and his expounders like Śrī sudarsana Suri
or Srutaprakasikacarya. Prof. Rawson, who
is a careful scholar of this Upanisad, has
stated in his work that he made no use of
the Bhasya by RangaRāmānuja because of
necessary on intricate or important points.
He however considers that Śrī Rāmānuja’s
explanations are more in accord with the
spirit of the Upanisad than those of others.
The
Kathopanisad belongs to the Kathaka
School of the Krsna Yajur Veda. We do not
possess a Kathaka-Brahmana. The Taittirīya
Samhita has both a Brahmana and an Upanisad.
The Taittirīya Brahmana (III.11.8 1-6)
contains an outline of the Naciketa story
wit which the Kathopanisad opens and
is parallel to the latter which is made more
elaborate. Indeed according to RangaRāmānuja
this anuvaka of the Taittirīya
Brahmana is referred to by the
Kathopanisad in I.17. Śrī krishan Prem
considers that we can see ‘the germ of this
Upanisad’ in Rg. VedaX. 135.
No
attempt has here been made to deal with the
possible relations of this Upanisad to the
Bhagavad Gītā-which contains much
that is parallel to, if not precisely
identical with the instruction in almost
the very language used here. Not to
Buddhism. We have to point out that whatever
may be the appropriateness in such parallels
we hve always to remember that a vidya is an
integral instruction and it may undergo
transformation under new conditions due to
subordination to other Vidyas.
But on
thing is certain that, even s in the
Bhagavad Gītā, the Kathopanisad
insists upon the necessity to perform
ordained or injuncted karma (for that is
dharma) the svadharma of each
individual, and its performance is capable
of leading tot eh highest abode of immortal
existence, and not merely to the lower
heaven. Such karma is incapable of binding
the soul to samsara. The truth is
that disinterested action, or action
divinised or offered to the Divine, action
that reveals the glorious purpose of service
to God, is capable of helping achievement of
the immortal status for the soul. The
question that arises thereafter is as to the
nature of that soul after mukti or
moksa, whether t continues to be
separate or after lost in the One Divine
variously described as the Ocean or the
Nirvana state of Brahman? It is held by
modern scholars that what Buddha meant by
Nirvana was a state of positive nature of
the supremely Transcendent and not a
negative state. It is clear that it is not
annihilationa s such or Pure Non-being. Any
attainment of the Buddhistic metaphysical
state of annihilation or loss of self or
non-existence soul of as such has not formed
part of the Upanisadic thought. It is
particularly a feature of the rational
method of Buddha, who in order to define the
nature of the soul as held by the several
thinkers, had to negate all that it is not.
In this sense, Buddha went to the logical
extreme of Yājñavalkya and insisted upon the
apprehension of the futility of seeking to
make permanent the impermanent congeries of
affections, feelings, habits, desires and
hopes. Truly we used the permanent, but the
permanent is not all that it is described
to be by materialistic metaphysics. Anyway
it is not in line with the purpose of this
Upanisd to investigate into the nature of
the real or self as such, but only as to
what becomes of the soul of self on
liberation, for it is clearly held that the
soul does persist after death.
This
Upanisad gives a definite answer to the
question asked. It speaks in the first part
of the Upanisad about the necessity to know
the meaning of the Fire-altar as the
Brahmanas had taught it, (perhaps in the
adhyatmic way too), and already the promise
of the highest immortal state is envisaged
in that section, though some commentators
think otherwise.
But as
the Upanisads are Adhyatma-sastras or
vidyas which instruct the occult
truth and path towards the positive
attainment of Gnostic knowledge which could
only be attained after a period of practice
of self-control and service of the Divine (yama
and niyamaof the Yoga), the nature of
the Supreme Self and that of the individual
soul and its progressive attainment of the
former are taught along with the steps of
Yoga which lead to the ultimate realization.
This Upanisad even like the Isa inculcates
the conjoint performance of Avidya
(construction of the Fire-altar and the
rituals prescribed) and the Vidya,
which is the knowledge of the Tattva
or Reality in respect of the three terms,
god, soul and Nature, It is held by some
thinkers that the final verses of the
Kathopanisad are not integral to the
Upanisad as it concludes earlier. It may be
that these final verses reveal the
culmination of the Yoga of concentration at
the time of departure, antyakalasmarana.
The antyakala-smaranahas been shown
to be very helpful by the Bhagavad Gītāin
respect of determining the nature of the
world that a man would reach. Or more
properly if smarana pertains to
concentration on any articular deity, it
will be an invocation to that deity to lead
him on to freedom or Bliss. This will
reveal a psychological set-up in the
consciousness, a psychological set which
will reveal the type of personality that the
soul has been building up, whether towards
liberation or towards mundne enjoyment,
“preyas’ or ‘sreyas’ as the
Kathopanisad beautifully puts it. It is an
act of choice made Kathopanisad beautifully
puts it. It is an act of choice made under
the great cloud of departure, the threat of
death, and therefore revealing the inmost
structure of the soul, its primary longing
and conversion. That this choice could be
made longing and conversion. That this
choice could be made earlier and practiced
with assiduity is not denied, but the
crucial moment is indeed the moment of
departure, death, threat of possible
physical annihilation. And such moments are
spiritual pointers to the status of the soul
in its integral being. Man’s primary
instinct is confronted with other desires
and the balance of death decides which side
is heavier. Man is then alone weighed and
measured.
STRUCTURE OF THE UPANISAD
It
consists f two (parts) adhyayas,
each of which contains three sections (vallis).
With the exception of the first two
sentences in the first part, the whole
Upanisad is in metrical form. Since the
first adhyaya concludes with the following
passage “Naciketam…” it is sometimes held
that the Upanisad ends here and that the
second adhyaya is a later addition. It is
even claimed that the second adhyaya merely
expands the teaching of the first adhyaya.
The repetition of the last line (cd) in the
first adhyaya confirms the above view that
the natural conclusion should have been
this alone. There is some difference
between what is stated there and the
conclusion in the second adhyaya. The real
conclusion of the Upanisad seems be the
concluding verse of the second adhyaya
(sixth valli); mrtyu proktam……
FIRST ADHYAYA
It
appears however that importance is attached
to the story of Naciketas in the first
adhyaya.1 whereas importance is
attached to instruction regarding reality (tattva),
the means hita and the result
(fruit, phala) as a whole in the
second adhyaya. From this we find that this
Upanisad contains, as is usual in all
Upanisads2, a the three
instructions on tattva, hita and
purusartha without which no vidya can be
followed, not to speak of being understood.
The story
of Naciketas after his having been offered
to Death by his father Vajasravas is
contained in this section. After having gone
to the abode of Death he had to wait for
three days are Death returned and in lieu of
this waiting and fasting for three days
as a guest, he was offered three boons.
The story after
____________________
1 It may be pointed out here that
if in the Kenopanisad, the story myth is
found in the third section, which
illustrates the tattva, truth ,
enunciated in the earlier two sections, here
the story myth comes at the very beginning
of the Upanisad and its inner meaning
elaborated in the second adhyaya. The Kena
insists upon knowing that all activity
proceeds from and is sustained by the
Brahman: here it is shewn that all action is
to be totally consecrated to the Divine
alone who is the inner ruler immortal,
capable of being known within the heart
alone with the soul, that is also immortal,
as its adorable object.
2 Cf.
Introduction to Isa and Kena Upnisads.
describing the first
two boons which pertain to the earth (artha)
and heaven (svarga) introduces the
philosophical third, Moksa or liberation
form the round of existence in earth and
heaven. Naciketas refused to entertain the
third purusartha namely desire (kama),
and withstood the temptations offered to him
by Yama in this regard. This rejection of
the kama-purusartha is shown to be of the
preyas or mere pleasant which is other
than and inferior to the sreyas, the
good, which alone is to be sought, and this
sreyas is liberation-getting. No
true philosophical instruction can have
effectiveness unless the karma-purusartha
is totally rejected, as Yama himself points
out in his story in the opening lines of the
second valli.
It may
however be asked as to what difference there
is between the second and the third boons in
s much as according to RangaRāmānuja
svargya refers to a svarga that
is identical with “The eternal abode of
Visnu” and should be considered to be
identical with the Kenopanisad’s
final lines ananta-svarga-loka-jyeye.
In the Tait. Brahmana-story of Naciketas,
the second boon refers to dharma that is the
full effectiveness of sacrificial
performance, (tato vai tasyestapurte
naksiyete) for the sake of which Yama
teaches Naciketas the Naciketa-Fire even as
in the Upanisad here. The third boon in the
Brahmana however refers to Immortality=1
–freedom from redeath- punar-mrtyu- a
point also noticed in the second boon in the
Upanisad I.1. 18cd. Yama in the Brahmana
teaches that the Naciketa-fire itself
secures that end, thus confirming the view
that the Upanisad has clubbed together the
second and third boons there to form one
here. Thus there has arisen a new questionas
to whether the soul exists at all in or
after attaining the state of immortality,
and as to how it then exists.
The third
boon asked by Naciketas could not be
answered without a clear understanding of
what the question is about. The question
about the existence of the soul after death
does not refer to the existence or
non-existence of the soul as such,1
but to the nature of existence of the soul
at liberation, that is, the nature of the
liberated soul (mukta) and the nature
of that which it attains, and the means to
that final or peak attainment (param
padam). Therefore we can see that the
Upanisad is a logical development of the
Brahmana’s third boon. Unless we take this
question in this way, Yama’s answer
contained in the II.12 cannot be held to be
relevant.
II.Valli.The
first portion of this Valli up to
Mantra 11 is also an introduction to Yama’s
answer to the third question, as it
describes the qualifications of a seeker
after this2. It lays emphasis not
only (i0 on the detachment from preyas,
worldly advancement and enjoyment, but
also (ii) on the necessity of having a
proper teacher to teach one that truth about
‘sreyas’’ the highest Good.
____________________
1 There is no place here for the
Buddhist view of general sunya, for it clear
that it really refers to the existence of a
liberated soul as a separate entity or
whether it non-exists having utterly merged
in the One Being.
2 Śrī
Krishna Prem’s references to the Myths of
Temptation are interesting and reveal a
significant secret of occultism.
The tenth
mantra of this Valli contains the
significant statement of Yama “that he
performed or contructed the Naciketa
fire-altar and the attained the Eternal by
means of transitory ghings.” Śrī Śankara
interprets the word ‘eternal’ as
“comparatively enduring”. The meaning given
by RangaRāmānuja is in accordance with the
Brahmana statement tato vai so’ pa punr
mrtyum ajayet.
Yama’s
answer to Naciketa’s question is very brief,
It is contained in one single mantra
(II.12). Thereafter Yama tells Naciketas
that he had already instructed him fully
about that which he prayed for. But
Naciketas asks Yama to tell him about the
truth known as other than dharma etc, Yama
then beginst to explain in detail the answer
he gave cryptically in the twelfth mantra.
Firstly he speaks about the Pranava, then
about the nature of the soul and lastly
about the supreme soul (II.22). In verse 20
the Grace of the supreme Create is stated
to be necessary in adhyatma Yoga for be
holding the hidden Being in the cave, the
supreme Lord who is anoraniyan mahato
mahiyan. Dhatuh-prasadais to be
interpreted as the grace of the Creator (who
is also the supporter and protector) and not
merely as the mental peace or luminosity
which undoubtedly is a necessity in Yoga for
any large or real comprehension of the
Divine Nature. This idea is not merely
implicitly but also explicitly stated in the
23rd verse. The text of
RangaRāmānuja reads it ‘dhatuh-prasadat’.
The verse 23 is interpreted by rangaRāmānuja
as referring to the grace of God which is
stated to result from loving devotion or
one-pointed seeking in love. The concluding
verses refer to the attainment of this
knowledge and presence of the Divine within.
It must be remembered that the theory of the
Mīmāmsākas about the existence of strict
causality or determinism between ritual and
fruits is repudiated or rather bye-passed
when the individual is asked to surrender
himself for service to God through illumined
love or one-pointed Yoga without seeking any
fruits for his actions or dhyanas,
since this non-seeking any fruits for his
actions or dhyanas, since this
non-seeking of anything for oneself is that
which snaps the causal chain, and is the
meaning of true love or devotion or pure
wisdom or illumined understanding and
serevice, This valli concludes with
the intimation of certain rules of conduct
and instructs certain virtues that are to be
cultivated for enabling one to receive the
Supreme Grace.
III.Valli.
The third valli deals with the hita
or the means to the attainment of Supreme
Grace, thus expanding the instruction given
at the end of the second valli. It lays
stress on the necessity to control the
sense-organs. It mentions further that
control is to be exercised gradually in the
following order: firstly on the
sense-organs, secondly on the object of
enjoyment, thirdly on the mind, fourthly on
the intellect, fifthly on the soul, sixthly
on the body as a whole (the Unmanifest) and
lastly reach through the above stages (of
dharana cum- pratyahara) the
Supreme Self, whose grace alone is capable
of granting final Liberation. As many
scholars hold, Yoga-sastra might have got
its fundamental clues form this section.
SECOND ADHYAYA
IV.
Valli. After pointing out tire distinction
between the seeker and the non-seeker or the
indifferent seeker, this valli describes the
nature of the Supreme self as dwelling in
all creatures, thus distinguishing Him
front the embodied jiva who resides
in a body (IV.5-8) . (t may be noted that on
account of the indwelling of the Infinite
Person in the body of the embodied soul, the
Infinite Person assumes the size of a thumb
(angustha-matra) in the heart for the
sake of meditation or conceivability.
V Valli.
This valli develops the instruction
regarding the indwelling-nature of Brahman
with special reference to His being
responsible for all the actions of the soul.
(cf. first Kena I.): What may be considered
to be a direct answer to the third question
of Naciketas in the I valli ‘Ye yam prete
vicikitsa….’ (20) is here given by Yama
who says “ O Gautama, surely I shall teach
you now the secret eternal Brahman and what
he soul becomes after departure (release)”
(V. 6-7) “Some souls enter wombs for getting
bodies; others take up the form of the
Unmoving in accordance with karma and in
accordance with Knowledge”, with which we
may profitably compare Śrī Krsna’s reply to
Arjuna’s answer (Bh. Gītā VI.40-47). The
point at issue is, it may be noted,
regarding the seeker mainly, and
should not be held to be a reply regarding
the ordinary man who has not entered on the
spiritual path or Yogic evoluation.
It may be
seen here that Yama promises to teach first
this secret eternal Brahman and then as to
what becomes of the liberated soul after its
departure from its body. Yama however
answers the second part fist in mantra 7,
and the first is answered in the eighth
mantra. This again shows that the third
question after all refers not only to what
becomes of the liberated soul after
departure but also the Nature of the Supreme
self, Brahman (who is held to be the self of
all souls including the departed and
liberated ones). The paramam sukhamin
mantra 14 may have a possible reference to
the Ānandavalli of he taittriyopanisad
wherein this description of Brahman is
developed at length. Thus if the Isa-Rsi
described the realization of God as the
indwelling Lord of all beings and things, as
leading to non-revulsion, non-grief and
non-fear, if the Kena-Rsi taught the Supreme
Cause as the “Desirable” (Tad Vanam)
knowledge of whom as such makes the realiser
desirable, the Katha Seer, Yama, promises a
more integral realization of the
“Desirable”, as the sreyas,
transcendent Bliss, paramam sukham.
VI Valli.
This valli deals with the Yoga of attainment
in 9th, 10th and 11th
verses. In mantra 4, with regard to the
difficulty in construction of the two lines
RangaRāmānuja treats asakad as
anactive participle with nan
prefixed, which yields the meaning ‘unable’.
Like the Kenopanisad, this Upanisad in
mantra 12 also takes special care to
instruct that Brahman can be grasped
neither by speech nor by mind fully; except
through instruction received through a Guru
it can never be grasped.
The
Upanisad concludes with the additional
knowledge that has to be learnt about the
hundred psychonic paths (nadis) of
the heart wherein the thumb-sized Lord
dwells, one of which (later on known as
Susumna) leads upwards to immortality whilst
others lead to lesser goals. It is this
Nadi that has to be known as the path of
exit at departure. It is considered by some
modern writers that this knowledge may be a
later addition. This not likely since the
Brihadaranyaka seems to be aware of this
fact. Further the path of exist is an
integral piece of instructions to be given
to a Yogin.
KATHOPANISAD
Usan ha vai vajasravasah sarvavedasam
dadau
Tasya ha Naciketa nama putra asa
Once, the son of vajasravas, desiring (some
fruit) gave away all his possessions. He had
a son named Naciketas.
Commentary:
1. Let my anjali go
to the Beauty of Anjanadri,1 of
the colour of common flax
(atasi)-flower-bunch, with His chest adorned
by Śrī.
2. Bowing to Vyasa,
Rāmānuja and other teachers, I shall write
this comment, according to my intelligence,
on the Kathopanishad, for the delight
of the learned.
usan :
Desirous the word comes form the root vasa
meaning desire with the suffic satr, which
gets samprasarana (Panini I.i.45) as
enjoined in the Sūtra beginning with
grahijya (Panini.VI.i.16).
ha vai: These
two are particles, (used to) indicate things
that have transpired. ‘The fruit’ is to be
supplied. The meaning is that the sage
indeed performing the sacrifice called
Visvajit (conqueror of the world).1
in which every possession is to be offered
as fees for performance (daksina) (to
Rtviks), gave away in that sacrifice all his
possessions. By the word ‘usan’ is indicated
that the sacrifice, being one that is
performed for getting some fruit, the fees,
must necessarily be in every way correct
(and proper).
vjasravasah :
son of Vajrasravas. Vajasravas is one who
has attained fame through gifts of food
(vaja)2. His son is Vajasravasah.
Or it may be a name, merely, Vajasravas.
_____________________
1 Beauty of Anjanadris is Śrī
Venkatesvara.
2 cf… Śrī
Krishana Prem yoga of the Kathopanisad
p. 14 : meaning of Vajasravasa
asa :
babhuva : there was. Here (bhu)
has not replced the root ‘as’ as in ‘svasthaye
tarksyam’ (for the well-being, Garuda),
since lit (Perfect tense) is a
sarvadhatuka (Panini III 4.113)
as enjoined in chandasy ubhayatha.
I.2.
tam ha kumaram
santam daksinasu niyamanasu
sraddhavivesa
somanyayta
While the fees were
being distributed, Sraddha overtook him, who
was still young. He reflected thus :
Commentary :
tam : Him,
Naciketas
kumaram santam
: who was still young2
daksinasu
niyamanasu : at the time of distribution
of fees, namely, cows to the rtviks
(the officiating priests)
_______________________
1 The Visvajit-sacrifice was
performed by Mahabali when vamana came and
asked fro three paces of ground,
symbolically the earth. Heaven and self,
thus completing the sacrifice fully, Vamana
is stated to be the subject dealt with by
this Upanisad. Cha. Visnusahasranama :
visvam (1).
2 cf.
Krishna Prem “boy as he was.”
sraddha1:
devotional mentality due to his wishing well
for his father (pitur-hita-kama-prayukta)
avivesa :
overtook.
Even though the thing
which helps in procuring consent (to
officiate as priests) is called fee(s)
(darksina), and the consent is (given) only
once in a sacrifice, since (the word fees)
gains its significance on account of that
consent, therefore the word fees (daksina)
has to be only a singular number ; wherefore
(ata eva) it is stated by Jaimini (Mīmāmsā-sūtra
X. iii.56) “O milch cows in the passage, cow
is the fee of it” (tasya dhenur iti gavam),
that in the passage “the milch cow is its
fee’ read in the context of the one-day
sacrifice called bhu, all the fees,
the cows (112), the horse, & etc., belonging
to the original sacrifice (prakrtasya)
are to be substituted by it (dhenu),
this word fee here signifies some wealth (bhrti).
And it is used with reference to action as
in “In this action this is the wage.” It is
also used with reference to the agent (kartr)
as in “In this action, this is the wage to
this person (agent).” Since therefore the
fees are many on account of the officiating
priests being many, the plural ‘fees’ (daksinasu)
is proper. Therefore, it is said in the
adhikaranain chapter X beginning with
the sūtra “If the fight is to the Brahman
(priest) the fee (to the Rk priest) will be
less by it, with the modification the fee
will be the same” 2 that, if the
passage occurring in the sacrifice called
Rtapeya “The fee is the Soma-vessel made of
Udumbara (fig-wood),” it must be given to
the Brahman-priest, who is friendly and of
the same gotra”, is to be one single
sentence (which it is not), then, the
Brahman-priest’s share alone is to be
substituted, since the word ‘dakshina’
coul signify it with its primary
significance without any resort to the
secondary significance (jlaksana) is
respect of the portion.
______________________
1 Krishna Prem translates it as
Faith, but it is not”blind faith”
“accompanied by hidden doubt.” It is true
faith or “fair faith,” which is a form of
Knowledge.
2 Yadi
brahmanah tad unam tadvikarah syat.
Jaimini: P.M.S. X.iii.72.
Now
therefore it can be seen that even though
the fee in reference to this (Visvajit)
sacrifice be one, there may be differences
in the fees in reference to the rtviks,
and as such, there is no impropriety in the
(use of the ) plural ‘fees’.
I.i.3.
pitodaka
jagdha-tma dugdha-doha nirindriyah
ānanda nama te
lokas tan sa gacchati ta dadat
He who gives these
(cows) by which the water has been drunk,
the grass has been eaten, the milk has been
given (and) which have become barren, goes
to those worlds that are well-known as
delightless.
Commentary.
The manner of this
devotional mentality (on the part of
Nacketas) is thus shown:
pitodakah:
Those (cows) by which (last) water has been
drunk1
jagadhatrnah:
Those by which (last ) grass has been eaten
dugdhadohah :
Those from which (last) milk has been drawn
nirindriyah:
Incapable of future progeny, worn out. In
other words, ‘useless.’ He who gives (the
cows) of this nature to the officiating
priests deeming them as daksina (fees) (goes
to delightless worlds).
_______________
1 The idea is that these cows had
drunk water for the last time, eaten grass
for the last time etc., and which therefore
are dying, are absolutely useless as gifts,
for gifts, must be of good cows and not of
worthless ones.
ānandah :
delightless. Are there not worlds known from
scriptures which are delightless?
tain : to those
(worlds)
sah : He, the
sacrificer, goes to . Thus he (Naciketas)
reflected : this is the meaning.
I.i.4.
sa hovaca pitaram
tata kasmai mam dasyasiti dvitiyam trtiyam.
Tam hovaca Mrtyave tva dadamiti.
He spoke to his
father : “Father, to whom will you give me,”
for the second (time), for the third (time).
To him spoke (the father) thus : “To Death I
shall give you.”
Commentary.
sahovaca pitaram
The most faithful Naciketas who thought that
the fees that are being given are defective
(bad) and who wished to make the sacrificial
performance of his father good, even through
giving himself away (as fees), approached
his father and said:
tata : O
Father !
kasmai : to
which Rtvik by way of sacrificial fee
mam : me
dasyasi : will
you give.
[sah] He (Naciketas)
not having been paid any attention to by his
father though addressed by him thus,
dvitiyam : for
the second time, (and)
trtiyam api :
for the third time also spoke to him “To
whom will you give me ?” The father, pressed
very much, became angry and told his son
that he would give him away to Death.
I.i.5.
bahunam emi
kprathamo bahunam emi madhyamah kim svid
yamasya kartavyam yan māyādya karisyati
I go ahead of many, I
go in the midst of many. What is that Death
has to do, which he would have done by me?1
Commentary.
Though thus spoken to
(Naciketas) without fear or sorrow told his
father thus : Off all those who go to the
abode of Death I shall be either in the
forefront or in the middle but never at the
end. The intention is “I am not at all
worried about going to the abode of Death.”
(If it be asked) what is it that (you are
worried) about? He replies:
Kimsvid : What
purpose has Death got which He is going to
have done by me? Is there any advantage with
one so tender as me to Death of fulfilled
desires, where the gift of me to Him will be
of some use, as (the fight of me) to Rtviks
(will be). Therefore it is about this alone
that I am worried. This is the intention.
I.i.6
anupasya yatha
purve pratipasya tatha pare sasyam iva
martyah pacyate sasyam iva jayate punah
Reflect on how the
ancestors (were); ponder how the other
9present ones are). Man ripens like corn; he
is again born like com.
_________________________
1 Krishna Prem : “What is the
task that Yama, Lord of Death, will
accomplish on me today?”
Commentary:
(Naciketas) looking
at the father of remorseful heart who
thought on hearing these words of such a
son, who was free from any fear or anger, “I
said, I give you to Death ‘out of anger’ but
I do not wish to give away such a son to
Death.” Said:
purve :
grandfather and others, as they were without
any false speech; so also.
apare : the
good men that are now even after them; in
the same manner must you behave. This is the
meaning.
sasyam iva :
like corn
martyah : the
man becomes like corn worn out in a short
while and, becoming worn out, dies, and like
corn is the born again. In this mortal world
which is transitory, what is the use of
uttering falsehood. Keeping to truth send me
to Death. This is the meaning.
I.I.7.
yaisvanarah
pravisaty atithir brahmano grhan
tasyaitam śāntim
kurvsnti hara Vaivasvatodakam
The fire, the
Brahman-guest, enters the house. To him
(they) this appeasement make. O son of the
Sun! take water (unto him, Naciketas).
Commentary :
That son (Naciketas),
having been thus sent away, stayed at the
gates of Death who was away, eating nothing
for three nights. Then an old man at the
gates (of Death’s abode) told Death (Yama),
who returned after having been away, thus:
Verily the God of
Fire himself in the form of Brahman-guest
enters the house. To that fire good men
perform this appeasement of the form of
water for feet-cleansing and offering of
seat, so that they may not be burnt by their
disrespect to him. Therefore, O Vaivasvatha!
Bring to Naciketas water for feet-cleansing.
hara means
ahara : bring. This is the meaning.
asapratikse
samgatam sunrtan ca
istapurte
putrapasums ca sarvan
etad vrnkte
purusasyalpamedhaso
yasyanasnan vasati
brahmano grhe
Hope and
expectations, contact (with good men), the
true and kind words, sacrificial good deeds,
beneficence, the sons and cattle of the
unintelligent person at whose house a
Brahman dwells starving, this (sin)
destroys.1
Commentary:
And they showed that
failing to do it honouring the guest) result
in sinfulness (pratyavaya).
Yasya alpamedhasah
purusasya grhe : In the house of which
unintelligent person
anasnan :
starving
Brahmanah :
guest
____________________
1 This translation is in
accordance with the commentary. But the text
seems to be capable of another
interpretation also “Hope and expectations
etc.etc., (all) this of the unintelligent
person at whose house a Brahman remains
starving, the (starving Brahman) destroys.”
vasati :
dwells
tasya : of him
asapratikse :
desire and will; or else, asa means
desire for the unaccomplished, and
pratiksa, desire to get things which are
existing.
samgatam :
contact with the good
sunrtam :
speech that is true and pleasnt
istapurte : ista
means sacrific and others and purta
means construction of tanks etc.
putran
pasums ca : sons and cattle
etad : the
sin of the form of starving.
vrnkte :
deprivas, destroys is the meaning : from
vryi varjane : to deprive. (VII
conjugation snam) or else this is a
form from the root vrja varjane (II
conjugation) which omits the conjugational
sign sah.)
tisro ratrir
yadavatsir grhe me
‘nasnan Brahman
natithir namasyah
namas te’stu
Brahman svasti me
‘stu tasmat prati
trin varan vrnisva
O Brahman! Since you,
the respectful guest, have stayed without
food in my house for three nights, let my
salutations be to you, O Brahman! Let there
be well being to me. In return, therefore,
choose three boons.
Commentary :
Thus addressed by the
elders, Death said to Naciketas :
me grhe : in
my house, O Brahman fit to be revered, thou,
the guest, have spent three nights without
food. This is the meaning
namas te : the
meaning is clear
tasmat………..therefore,
for this reason
me : to me
svasti :
well-being, so that I may be well
trin varan : prati
: three boons in return
vrnisva :
choose.
Even though you are
desireless, you should choose three boons
corresponding to the three nights of fasting
to favour me. This is the meaning.
I.i.10
santasamkalpah
sumana yatha syad
vitamanyur Gautamo
mabhi mrtyo
tvatprasrstam ma’
bhivadet pratitah
etat trayanam
prathamam varam vrne
O Death! (please
make) Gautama (my father) free from all
anxieties, well-disposed, free-from anger
towards me; (and) well pleased let him speak
to me, sent back by you. This is the first
of the three boons I elect.
Commentary :
Thus being requested,
Naciketas said:
Mrtyo : O
Death!
Santasamkalpah :
free from anxiety of the form “having
reached Death, what will ny son do?”
Sumanah : with
his mind settled in peace
Mabhi :
towards me
Gautamah :
Gautama, my father
Vitamanyuh :
freed form anger (rosa)
Yatha syat :
(make him) so as to be thus.
And
tvat prasrstam
: sent back (home) by you
mabhi :
towards me.
pratitah :
pleased as before
vadet : would
speak.
Or else
abhi vadet:
will bestow 9on me) blessings, since the
abhivadana is used to signify the
giving of blessings in Smrti-texts such s
abhivadati, nabhivadayate.
Etad…. The
meaning is clear.
I.i.11.
yatha purastad
bhavita pratitah
Auddalakir Arunir
mat prasrstah
sukham raytrih
sayita vitamanyus
tvam dadrsivan1
mrtyumukhat pramuktam
Son of Uddalaka of
Aruna-family, influenced by me will be
well-disposed (towards you) as before. On
seeing you released from the mouth of Death,
free from anger, he will happily sleep in
the nights.
Commentary :
Asked thus Death
replied : he will become as before
well-disposed towards you. Auddalaki is to
be taken as Uddalaka; Aruni means son of
Aruna. Or else he is a descendent of the two
families, or else the son of Uddalaka and of
the family of aruna.1
mat prasrstah
: influenced by me or as favoured by me, the
meaning is ‘due to my blessing.’
________________
1 darsivan : Nir. Sa.Ed.
Sukham: Having
become free from anger in respect of you, he
will sleep happily in the future nights.
Lut (1st Future) Signifies
that he will get (thereafter) good sleep.
dadrsivan :
(darsivan) : Having seen (you) is the
meaning. This is a form ending with the
suffix kvasu. The suffix kvasu is
preceded by it according to the Vartika (Panini
VII. 2.69 Vartika). This, where there is
no reduplication, is a Vedic grammatical
exception to the rule (Panini.
VI.1.8).
matprasrstam :
if the reading is in the accusative (i.e.
matprasrstam in the place of
matprasrstah) then the construction is
you who are sent back by me.’
___________________
1Dvyamusyayana means the
son of a lady who was given in marriage to
an individual on the condition that her
issue is to be deemed to be the son of the
giver (of her). (Ānandagiri’s Commentary).
Svarge loke na
bhayam kincanasti
na tatra tvam na
jaraya bibheti
ubhe tirtva
asanayapipase
sokatigo modate
Svargaloke
There is no fear
whatever in the svarge-world (heaver). You
are not (present) there. One is not afraid
of old age. Getting over the two, thirst
and hunger, transcending sorrow, one
delights in the Svarga-world.
Commentary :
Naciketas now asks
for the second boon in two mantras
(beginning with svarge loke…). Here the
world Svarga means the realm of liberation.
How it is so, will be explained later.
Mrtyo : O
Death. There you are not the Lord. One in
old age does not fear (death). One does not
fear old age. ‘The man that exists there’ is
to be supplied there (in the verse).
ubhe:….
asanaya : Hunger. Here also Svarga means
the world of liberation.
I.i.13.
sa tvam Agnim
Svargyam adhyesi Mrtyo
prabruhi tam
sraddadhanaya mahyam
svargaloka
amrtatvam bhajanta
etad dvitiyena
urne varena
you of such nature,
O Death, knowest the Agni leading to Svarga.
Teach it to me who have much faith. Those
who exist in Svrga-world attain immortality.
This is the second boon I choose.
sa tvam : You
whose omniscience is well-known in Purana,
You know the fire which is helpful in the
attainment of Svarga.
yat (ya) is
the suffix signifying prayojana
(utility) according to the passage “yat
comes as suffix after Svarga and
others” (Ganapatha Panini V.i.111).
It will be clear later on that the utility
of Agni of the form of fire-alter in
attaining Svarga is through
meditation.
sraddadhanaya :
to one who has ardent desire for liberation.
What is that which you will get attaining
the svarga-world? The reply is:
Svargalokah
(amrtatvam) : those whose world is
Svarga; this means those who have attained
the supreme world, since the immortality
which is called liberation (moksa) which is
of the form of the manifestation (or
revealment) of (ones) own nature comes only
after the attainment of the Brahman in that
particular place (here called Svarga) as in
the passage “Having attained the Supreme
Light one stands revealed with one’s own
nature.”
etad… This is
clear.
I.i.14
pra te bravimi tad
u me nibodha
svargyam agnim
Naciketah prajanan
anantalokaptim
atho pratistham
vidhi tvam enan
nihitam guhayam
I shall explain to
you fully: know that of me, O Naciketas !
Knowing that fire which leads to svarga (one
gets) the attainment of the world of the
infinite (Visnu) and permanence. Know thou
this (fire) placed in the cave.
Thus spoken to .
Death speaks :
Pra te bravimi
: I shall tell you who have requested. The
use of the particle para separated
from the root is in accordance with
Panini Sūtra : ‘They can be used
separately from roots’ (I.iv.82).
me : From me :
from my teaching do you know. This is the
meaning. The goal of knowledge is now made
known — Svargyam agnim.
anantalokaptim
: the attainment of the world of the
Infinite Visnu, because of the subsequent
passage (I.iii.9) “That is Visnu’s Supreme
Abode.
atho : After
the attainment of that
pratistham :
Non-return also. ‘One gets’ is to be
supplied. Thinking that Naciketas may have a
doubt as to how that knowledge could have
such a power (Death) says:
Viddhi : Know,
This nature of knowledge that is the cause
of liberation due to its being a subsidiary
to the meditation on Brahman placed in the
cave, others do not know. (Thereafter) do
you know it, is the idea.
Or else, the relation
of cause and effect is determined when it is
said “Knowing Agni do thou get attainment of
he world of the Infinite and Permanence”
since the root vid meaning ‘to know’, could
mean ‘to get.’ The suffix (star) in
prajanan is in accordance with Panini
(III.2.126) “The suffixes star and sanac
come after the root whose meaning signified
or is the cause of another action.
lokadim agnim tam
uvaca tasmai
ya istaka yavatir
va yatha va
sa capi tat
pratyavadad yathoktam
arthasya Mrtyuh
punarevahatustah1
To him, Death taught
that fire, the means of (attaining) the
world (Svarga). (He also taught him) which
and how many are the bricks and how (they
are to be arranged). He (Naciketas) too
repeated it as it was taught. Then pleased
with (his) ability Death spoke again.
Commentary :
Then the Veda speaks.
lokasya adhim :
means to the world; the meaning is the same
as Svargya (leading to Svarga).
tam Atnim uvaca
: taught that fire. The meaning is that he
taught him all this, the bricks, of what
nature, of what number and the manner in
which they have to be piled. The
assimilation in yavatir (yavati as :
yavatyah must be the proper form) is
due to the exception in Vedic grammer.
Sa capi : He
too : and Naciketas too
tat : all that
he heard exactly repeated, this is the
meaning.
arthasya :
Death pleased on seeing the ability to grasp
(the instruction given) of his disciple
spoke again.
tam abravit
priyamano mahatma
varam tavehadya
dadami bhuyah
tavaiva namna
bhavitayam agnih
srnkam cemam
anekarupam grhana
The mahatman (Death)
being pleased told him. Now I give you here
one more boon. This Fire verily shall be
known by your name. Also take this resonant
necklace of many hues.
Commentary :
High-minded Death
well-pleased told Naciketas thus “I shall
grant you a fourth boon” What it is he
explains:
tavaiva : This
fire I have been teaching you will be known
by the name of Naciketa.
vicitram srnkam :
many-coloured resonant necklace of precious
stones. This do you accept is the meaning.1
I.i.17.
trinaciketas
tribhir etya sandhim
trikarmakrt tarati
janma-mrtyu
brahmajajanam
devam idyam viditva
nicayyemam śāntim
atyantam eti
One learning the
three anuvakas dealing with Naciketa and
performing three actions, attaining contact
(with brahmoasana) with the three (by
means, of it) crosses over birth and death.
Knowing and realizing the soul
born-of-Brahman and conscient as the worthy
Lord, one attains thorough peace for ever.
_______________
1 Krishna Prem gives a very
interesting occult interpretation of this
Garland of many forms in his work.
Commentary:
Again He (Death)
refers to Karma :
Trinaciketah :
One learning the three anuvakas (Tait.
Brah. III.xi.7, 8 & () beginning with “ayam
vava yah pavate” This verily which blows
(is the Fire-Naciketas).
trikarmakrt :
One that does the actions of sacrificing and
learning and giving, or else one who
performs the paka-yajna (seven
domestic sacrifices), havir-yajna
(corn-sacrifices) and soma yajna
(soma-sacrifices).
tribhir :
with the fires thrice performed
(constrtucted),
sandhim :
contact with meditation on the Supreme Self
etya :
attaining
janma-mryu tarati
: Crosses over birth and death. This is the
meaning. Since this has to have the same
sense as the passage karoti tad yena
punar na jayate occurring in the next
mantra(d) and since this mantra has been
interpreted in this manner by Vyasarya
(author of Sruta-Prakasika)1
under the Vedānta Sūtra :
I.vi. 6 “trayanan
eva caivam — and of three only there is
this mention and question.”
Thereafter he speaks
of the meditation upon the Supreme Self
which is the principal (angi)
mentioned in the first half of this Verse
tribhir etya sandhim.
__________________
1 Commentary on the Śrī Bhasya of
Śrī Rāmānuja..
This mantra has been
explained in the Bhasya under the Sūtra
(I.ii.12) “Because of the specification” as
follows :—
Brahmajajna is
soul, since he is born of Brahman and is
consicent, knowing Him as the worthy Divine.
The meaning is “Knowing he soul who
meditates as that which ahs Brahman as its
self.”
deva : What
is meant by the Bhasya is this:
“This significance of the word deva goes up
to one who has the Supreme Self as one’s
self, since the word deva signifies the
Supreme Self and since identity cannot be
between the soul and the Supreme.
nicayya :
Realizing one’s own self as one whose self
is Brahman.
imam : this
mentioned in the earlier part of this mantra
as trikarmakrt tarati.
śāntim : means
the abolition of the miseries of the form of
samsara (the
cycle of Births and deaths).1
I.i.18.
trinaciketas
trayam etad viditva
ya evam vidvans
cinute Naciketam
sa mrtyupasan
puratah pranodya
sokatigo modate
Svargaloke
He who, having
mastered the performance of the three
sections dealing with the Naciketa (fire)
and knowing in this manner, performs the
pilling of the Naciketa-alter after knowing
the three.1 that
person, casting away the fetters away the
fetters of death even prior to transcending
sorrow, enjoys in the celestial world.
_____________________
1 Krishna Prem discuss the views
of Śankara and Madhava and inclines to the
view that Madhav’s view is more revealing,
as Krama mukti is true of the occult
development.
Commentary:
trinaciketa :
has already been explained.
trayam etad :
The nature of Brahman and the nature of the
soul hving the former as its self mentioned
in the mantra brahmajajnam devam idyam
: (I.i.17) and the nature of the fire
(altar) mentioned in the passage “Teribhir
etya samdhim” (ibid).
Viditva :
having known through the instruction of
gurus or from sacrifices.
evam vidvan :
The knower who with this knowledge of these
three, constructs the Naciketa-fire-altar.
sah : That
person (casting away) the death’s fetters of
the form of attachment and hatred etc.
puratah : even
prior to leaving the body.
pranodya :
Casting away. The meaning is being free from
the attachment and hatred even while living.
sokatigah :
transcending sorrow; this has been already
commented upon.
I.i.18b.
This
mantra is not in other texts, and is special
to ranga Rāmānuja’s Bhasya on the
Upanisads.
____________________
1 Śrī Śankara considers this to
be father, Mother and Guru: Prem identifies
them a Atma-Buddhi-Manas.
yo va, pretam
brahmajajnatmabhutam
citim viditva
cinute Naciketam
saeva bhutva
brahmajajnatmabhutam
karoti tad yena
punar na jayate
whoever knowing this
pilling up which is the selfborn of Brahman
and sentient constructs Naciketa
(fire-altar), that very person becoming the
born of Brahman and sentient, does that by
which (he) is not born again.
Yah……..Whoever,
knowing this pilling up, knowing this to be
of the form of his self, with Brahman as his
Self.
sa eva : that
same person.
brahmajajnamabhutah Having the
knowledge of his own self with Brahman as
his Self, performs that meditation of God
which is the means of non-rebirth.
Therefore the
intention is that what was mentioned in the
previous mantra “tribhir etya samdhim
trikarmakrt tarati janmamrtyu : One
learning these there anuvakas dealing with
Naciketa and performing three actions
attaining contact (with Brahmopasana) by
means of it crosses over birth and death,”
as the means of liberation through the
meditation upon the Lord, is the piling up
of the fire-alter preceded by the knowledge
of his own self having God as his soul and
not anything else.
This mantra is not
seen in some texts and was not commented
upon by some. Since, however, this is
commented upon by such most reliable
(authorities) as Vyasarya (author of
the Sdrutapraka sika) and others, the
doubt as to its being an interpolation is
not proper.
I.i.19.
esa te’gnir
Naciketah svargyah
yam avrnitha
dvitiyena varena
etam agnim tavaiva
pravaksyanti janasah
tritiyam varam
Naciketo vrnisya
This is the fire, O
Naciketas ! that leads to heaven which you
chose as your second boon. People will call
this fire as yours alone. O Naciketas !
choose a third boon.
esa : This
etc. “’has been taught’ has to be supplied.
yam : which
the meaning is clear. And besides people
will call this Agni by your name alone.
tritiyam varam :
third boon : the meaning is clear.
If it be asked as to
what authority there is for taking the word
svarga frequently used in this context, to
mean liberation (or the abode of the
liberated), we state thus: There is no room
for any doubt (in this matter since the
Bhasyakara (Rāmānuja) himself 1
has explicitly and impliedly explained with
reference to the mantra containing the words
svargyam and agnim (Katha
.I.i.13) as follows : “It is the (above of)
liberation which is the highest and, that is
meant by the word svargya here,
because the text “Those that live in svarga
attain immortality” (Katha.I.1.13)
states that one who is there has neither
birth nor death; because the reply is “One
learning the three anuvakas dealing with
Naciketa and performing three actions,
attaining contact with the three, by means
of it crosses over death and birth” (Katha.
I.i.17), and because it cannot be that
Naciketas whose face is turned away from
perishable ends can ask for the means for
attaining a svarga that is
transitory, as he scorns at the transitory
ends when asking for the third boon; d
because the liberation of the form of the
unbounded bliss can be meant by the
‘svarga’ signifying the supreme
Happiness.
_________________
1 Śrī Bhasya : I.iv.6.
(Purvapaksa)
Objection: If it be asked : The word
‘svarga’ is repeated four times in
the two mantras concerning the second boon
(Katha. I. 1.12 and 13). If it means (the
abode of) liberation, is it through primary
significance or through secondary
significance? The first (alternative) is not
acceptable, because the svarga which
is well-known in the Vedic and worldly usage
means the opposite of liberation (apavarga)
in such passages as “Through the two paths
of svarga and apavarga..”;
“One of the two, svarga and
apavarga..” Neither the svarga
nor the non-birth”….and “It may be
svarga, since it is common to all (to be
desired)” P.M.S. IV.3.15), and because,
according to the (Paurnaic) passage1
“the distance of fourteen lakhs (of miles)
between the Sun and the Pole Star is spoken
of by those who have studied the arrangement
of that worlds as the svarge,” the
word ‘svarga’ can signify that
particular space that lies between the Sun
and the Pole star and to that alone the
Vedic and worldly usages have reference; and
that is not the abode of liberation. Nor is
the second alternative that is (that it
means that) through secondary significance
acceptable, because the primary significance
has nothing to contradict it. If there can
be anything to contradict it, what is it?
(i) is the mention of the absence of old
age, death, the attainment of immortality
etc., stated in the text of the question (prasna-vakya)
or (ii) (is it) the crossing over old age
etc., contained in the reply or (iii) (is
it) that the transitory ‘svarga’ that
cannot be asked by Naciketas who is
indifferent to all worldly desires?
___________________
1 Śrī
Bhasya : I.iv.6.
Not the first
(alternative), because the word ‘svarga’
which precedes (the word amrta) in
the sentence which cannot be explained
otherwise and signifies the principal
(visesya) of the sentence, cannot be
interpreted according to the word ‘amrta’
(mmortal) which is well-known in Vedic and
worldly usages as signifying elative
immortality and which stands at the
concluding part of the passage; because in
the Puranic contexts explaining the nature
of the svarga, it is seen that those
that dwell in the world of svarga are free
from old age, death, hunger, thirst, sorrow
etc., because there is the Smrti
(passage) “Immortality is spoken of as
existence till deluge (pralya)”;
because in this Upanisad itself the world
‘immortal’ is used in respect of Death in
the passage” Having approached those that do
not grow old and that are immortal” (K.U.
I.i.28); and because the statement (passage)
that “they whose world is svarga attain
immortality” can be explained as stated in
(the passages) “Those in the world of
Brahman at the time of final departure.”
(Tait. Nar.) and “Those that live in the
world of svarga can attain
immortality through meditation upon
Bsrahman” (Mund.U.III.ii.6).
Not the second
(alternative), because the mantra Trinaci
keta’… (K.U.I.i.17) may be taken to
mean that the fire (Naciketa) that
leads to svarga (Heaven) performed
thrice is the means to the Brahman-knowledge
that helps the crossing over birth and
death, and thus it need not be in
contradiction with the primary meaning of
the word ‘svarga’. For the same
reason, the passage (K.U. I.i.18d)
which has the same meaning as the passage
already stated, does not contradict the
primary sense of the word svarga.
Nor the third
alternative, according to which it is stated
that it is impossible for Naciketas who is
indifferent to any other goal, to ask for
the transitory svarga. Yama (Death),
the beneficent replying to the question
regarding the fire that leads to svarga,
introduced the topic on the nature of
liberation, though not asked for (by
Naciketas) in the passages “The attainment
of the world of the Infinite (K.U.I.i.14c)
and “One, learning the three anuvakas
dealing with Naciketa and performing the
three actions, attaining contact with the
three, by means of it crosses over birth and
death” (K.U. I.i.17ab), which created
in Naciketas the desire to get freed
(liberated). Thus he was made stronger by
Yama’s reluctance to teach (as in the
passage) anyam varam Naciketo vrnisva’
“O Naciketas! Ask for a different boon” (K.U.
I.i.21c). How can his (Naciketas ‘s) scorn
at the transitory ends made at that stages
contradict his earlier prayer for svarga?
Besides, it is seen in the passages
svobhava mrtyasya yad Antakaitat
sarvendriyanam jarayanti tejah— api
sarvam jivitam alpam eva tavaiva vahas tava
nrtyagite (K.U.I.i.26) “O Death ! (all
those enjoyable things) of man will be
non-existent to-morrow. These will wear out
whatever power these sense-organs have. All
the life is but brief. Let the conveyances,
dance and music remain only for thee” and
others, that the human enjoyment alone is
scorned at, and svarga is not spoken
of derisively. If the word ‘svarga’
refers to liberation (abode of liberation)
it cannot be the result of fire (of
Naciketas), it being the result of knowledge
alone. The word ‘svarga’ repeatedly
used at the beginning, the middle and the
end will get a strained meaning.
Or let there be
contradiction in the reply. Still the word ‘svarga’
that is found in the question-passage that
precedes (the reply), is strong enough
according to the principle of
Upakramadhi-kārana (PMS. III.3.1-7). Nor
can it be said that “for the sake of many”
the few found in the beginning are to be
rejected according to the principle
enunciated in the Sūtra “Those of the larger
number must have their common subsidiaries.”
(PMS. XII.ii.22); because in the Sūtra
(PMS.XII.ii.23) it is said that “that alone
which is first” is stronger than those at
the end, though they are larger in number.
Therefore there is no reason at all for
over-riding the primry sense of the word
ssvarga.
Siddhānta :
The reply (to the above objection) is as
follows : The word svarga signifies
liberation (abode of liberation) only
through its primary significance. The
Mīmāmsākas have stated in the
Svargakamadhikarana (PMS VI i.1)
that the word svarga, according to
the principle Nagrhita-visesanaNyāya
(that the cognition does not grasp the
principal without grasping the attributes),
signifies only delight (priti) and
not substance that grants delight (priti-visista-dravya).
Further they raise
the issue that thought it is true that the
word svarga signifies delight
according to the principle above mentioned
it is yet to be established that it
signifies that delight which is enjoyable in
another body at another place. It cannot be
said that the supplementary passage “That in
which there is no heat etc.,” leads to the
conclusion that the word svarga used in the
injuncting texts, signifies the particular
kind of delight, because here there is no
room for the principle “That which is
doubtful is to be determined with the help
of the rest of the passage” (PMS
I.iv. 29), since there is no doubt here as
to the significance which has been already
determined as having reference to delight in
general (pritimatra) to which issue
they (themselves) reply as follows:
“No doubt it is true
the word svarga has its significance
determined according to common usage itself.
If, however, the word svarga is taken
to mean the limited delight known to us,
then the sacrifices such a Jyotistoma
will have to be means to that (limited)
delight. Consequently, the injunction
regarding Jyotistoma and other
sacrifices will become impotent on account
of there being no intelligent person to
perform these sacrifices which re full of
hindrances and requiring much money, men and
labour, when there are easier worldly means
to achieve it, requiring comparatively
little money, men and labour. When
accordingly the significance of the word
svarga is determined in the
supplementary passage the meaning is the
same even in places where there is no such
supplementary passage as in the case of the
words, “Wheat, pig, etc.” There is no need
to accept any other significance regarding
the worldly limited delight, since
secondary significance alone is sufficient.
Nor can it be stated
that the word svarga may have its
significance only in respect of delight in
general, while yet in the Veda it may mean
the unlimited delight; because the part of
the meaning (limitless) is not known
otherwise, and therefore the power of
signifying has to include that part also
necessarily, and this will led to accepting
the word as having two meanings viz. (i) one
in the worldly usage and (ii) the other in
the Vedic usage. When, however, the
significance is in respect of the limitless
delight known through the Vedic usage, then
the worldly limited delight is indicated
through secondary significance on account of
its also having the common nature of being
delight. Since thus the Mīmāmsakas have
established that the word svarga means the
unlimited delight alone, it is not
reasonable to question the equation of
svarga with liberation (abode of
liberation). Just as the word ‘Partha’ is
(not) frequently used in respect of other
sons of kunti as in respect of Arjuna and
yet signifies others also through its
primary significance, so also, though the
word svarga is not frequently used to denote
anything other than the delight obtainable
in the world lying between the sun and the
pole star, yet it does not lose its primary
signifying power to signify that thing
(i.e. abode of liberation)
The words
barhis, ājya and others, though they are not
used by Ārya in respect of unpurified grass
ghee and others, yet they retain their
primary significance in respect of them,
because their non-usage by some (persons)
cannot establish the absence of their
signifying power. Therefore it is
established in the Barhirājyadhi karana
(PMS. 1.4.10) that the words barhis
etc., have their signifying power in respect
of the genus, trnatva, grossness etc. This
is stated in the Vārtika.1
. “In respect of a word which is seen at
some places at least determined in it
genusense, there is no reason to postulate
any other condition (nimitta), that
word not losing that condition (i.e.,
genus-sense)." Therefore the word svarga is
verily a common general term denoting
liberation also.
Pūruvapaksa
(Objection): If it be asked: through the
words barhis, ājya and others are not used
by Āryas so as to indicate unpurified
grass, ghee and others, still they may have
their signifying power in respect of the
unpurified things also, since there is such
a use
_______
___________
1 Kumarila’s
Tantra-Vārtika (P.343 Poona ed.)
_________________
by non-Ārya.
But in the case of svarga, its signifying
power is to be accededpted so as to exclude
anything other than that delight that is
obtainable in the world lying between the
Sun and the Pole star, since the word is
never used to signify anything other than
that. Otherwise1 the conclusion
arrived at in the Prodgātradhikarana
(PMS. III v. 23-26) is that the word udgatr
nominally means the particular rtvik who is
the head of the four rtviks officiating as
Saman-singers, since it is never used in
respect of any other of the group. But that
particular rtvik being only one, the plural
in the mantra “Let the Hotr’s cup come
forward, also the Brahman’s cup, the
Udgatr’s cup, the Yajamana’s cup, and the
sadasya’s cup” is inconsistent. Therefore we
have to assume for it a secondary
significance based upon the nominal
significance, as as to make the word to mean
the three in the group excluding
Subrahmanya, or including him, all the four
of the group. Further in the
Ahīnadhikarana. (PMS. II>iii.15-16) it is
stated that the number twelve relating to
Upasad-sacrfices enjoined in the sentence
“Twelve for the Ahīna” which occurs in the
context of Jyotistoma is however to be
taken away to a particular group of
sacrifices to be performed for many days
(ahargana-visesa) because the word Ahīna is
to be etymologically explained as having
been formed according to Vārtika under
Pānini IV. 2.43, with Kha-suffix after the
base ahan and is to be taken as meaning
through nominal significance (rudhi) some
particular group of sacrifices performed
during a number of days ).
_____________________
1.
Sat. Brah IV. 2.1.29 & Apastamba Sr. S.XII.
23.13 cf. The text in the Vārtika of this
sloka has the variant gamita instead of the
word kalpana.
___________________
Further1
though the word ‘dhāyyā’ is formed according
to Pānini (III. I.129) and used to mean the
rks called samidani (Rks used at the time of
kinding the sacrificial fire), yet it does
not mean the Samidhani Rks in general, nor
does it mean according to etymological
explanation, namely, that which is used
(dhīyamāna) in all the Rks that are used (in
any rite), for it (the word) is not and
praise without saman (stotra and sastra) as
it is not used in respect of samidhani Rks
in general. But it means some particular
rks such as “Those with terms ‘Prthu’,
‘Paja’ which are specially mentioned in
Vedic Passages” The rks with prthu and Paja
are the dhāyyā ones.” This is found in the
Adhikarana having the Sūtra (PMS
V.iii.3). All this will get contradicted if
the word svarga could have its primary
significance (in respect of liberation or
abode of liberation) as stated by you (the
siddantin.) there would be no need to accept
the words Udgatr etc., as having nominal
significance in respect of a particular
Rtvik and others.
Reply
(Siddhānta):-
True, if
the word ‘svarga’ was never used in respect
of anything other than the ordinary svarga
(that is the place between the Sun and the
Pole star), then it would be necessary to
accept a nominal significance for it, so
restricted as not to apply to it
(liberation). But it is used to denote that
(liberation) also. For it is found to be
used in the following passages in the
spiritual scriptures
(adhyatma
sastresu
such as the Taittirīya Aranyaka 1.27.3
Brhadarnyaka and Talavakara Upanisads:-
__________________
1
Ganganath Jhas’ translation
1. In that
city there is a world-sheath of golden
colour surrounded by light. Whoever knows
that city of Brahman surrounded by nectar
(blisss), to him the Supreme Self and
Brahman grant long life, fame and progeny.
2. “By it
the wise, the knowers of Brahman, go up
hence to the heavenly world, released.
1 (Bra U., 4.48).
3. “He
verily who knows it, thus striking off evil
becomes established in the most excellent,
endless heavenly world……..”2
(Kena U., IV.9.)
The nominal
significance (of the word ‘svarga’
postulated by the Paurankikas must be
disregarded even like that of the word
‘avyakta’ postulated by the Sāmkhyas, since
in the very context (of the Katha Up). In
the mantra (1.i.18) the word svarga loka
Which signifies the resultant of the
combined Jñāna and karma is explained even
by others as meaning the abode called
Vairaja,’ which is distinct from the world
lying between the Sun and the Pole star.
Now, it may
be said “The principle of signification
(i.e., being a world that is above the world
of the Sun) being the same with regard to
the place of Vairaja, it is not a secondary
meaning. (It is a primary one).” (To this we
reply), the world of Brahman (abode of
liberation) too being the one that is above
is not other than the primary sense. The
usage such as “By the two paths of svarga
and apavarga (liberation),” can be
justified on the principle of Brahmana
–parivrajaka (i.e., the general term gets
restricted on account of the particular
mentioned along with it).1
Or else let it be a secondary meaning since
there is something to (contradict) its
primary sense. What is it that contradicts
it? Listen attentively. In the first of the
questionmantras “svarge loke na bhayam
kincanasti:
there is mentioned the complete riddance of
sin by the words ‘There is no fear
whatsoever.’ The absence of such fear of the
form ‘when through what sin would I fall’
indicated by the passage “There is no
comfort even to one who is in svarga it
being transitory and having the fear of
fall always.” Is meant here. Indeed it will
happen to one that is alotogether free from
sin. By the passages “There you are not”
(K.U. 1.i.12b) and “One does not fear old
age” are indicated freedom from old age and
freedom from death. By the passage “Having
crossed over both hunger and thirst”
(K.U.1.i. 12c) are mentioned absence of
hunger and absence of thirst” And so freedom
from sorrow (K.U.1.i12d); by the words “One
enjoys in the world of Svarga” (K.U.1.i.12)
are mentioned the nature of being one whose
desires get always realized and whose
volition is always true (satya).This is
(also) mentioned in the scriptural passage”
If the becomes desirous of the world of the
fathers, verily through his volition there
come his fathers (samuttisthanti) (He)
attaining that world of fathers gets
glorified” (Ch.U.VIII 2.1) Since therefore
the manifestation of the eight
Brahman-qualities (freedom from sin etc.)
taught in the scriptures is found here, it
is not proper to hold (that the word svarga
means) attainment of relative absence of
death and birth available in the ‘Svarga’-
world of the
