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Kathopanisad

Adyaya 1 Valli 2 Mantra 11

Lecture

Mantra

kāma̍syā’ptiṁ ja̱gata̍ḥ pratiṣṭhāṁ
krato̍r ānantyaṁ a̱bhaya̍sya pāram
stoma̍-mahad u̱rugāyam pratiṣṭhāṁ dṛṣṭvā
dhṛtyā dhī̱ro na̱cike̍to’tyasrākṣīḥ

But you, dṛṣṭvā = having seen, examined; kāmasya-āptiṁ = the goal of desire – [all desires reach their fulfillment in the state of enlightenment and freedom from suffering]; having realised; jagataḥ pratiṣṭhāṁ = the support of the universe, the substratum; ānantyaṁ = infinitude or final end of; kratuḥ = meditation or sacrifices. (having seen) pāram = the other shore, the utmost limit; abhayasya = of fearlessness;) urugāyam = the expanse; which is stoma = praiseworthy, and mahat = great   (and having seen) pratiṣṭhāṁ = existence, foundation of existence [your own state]; naciketaḥ = O Naciketas; with dhṛtyā = patience; and dhīraḥ = Intelligent, enlightened; [you have] atyasrākṣīḥ = renounced [all those material enjoyments I offered to you.]

Having examined patiently the consummate fulfillment of desire, the support of the universe, the final end of meditation, the other shore where there is no fear, the great expanse that is praiseworthy, the  far-stretching,  the  foundation  of  life,  O  wise  Naciketas,  you  have  steadfastly renounced.

According to Shankara, Naciketas had spread before him, all the allurements of the material world, including the position of Brahma the highest state in the phenomenal world, obtained by those who worship the Supreme Being through sacrifice and meditation, and he has rejected them all.

Here perhaps is suggested the contrast between the Vedic ideal of heaven and the Upanishad ideal of liberation.

The fulfilment of all desire can refer to all the heavenly realms which are reachable by Karma and it can also apply to the immortal Brahman. It is the support of the world, the Ultimate Reality. M.U. 3:2:1. If we take these words in this is the way, then the reference cannot be to the Vedic heaven but to final liberation or moksha.

the great expanse that is praiseworthy — Rāmānuja takes this to mean qualities like indestructability (avināśitva) absolute fearlessness (atyanta-nirbhayatva) freedom from all sinful inclination (apahatva–pāpmatva), having the ability to actualize concepts (satya-saṅkalpatva) and many others — all these relate to the state of Mokṣa.

Renunciation refers to the rejection of the objects offered by Yama but it can also mean a rejection of false views concerning the topics raised in this verse itself.

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Kathopanisad

Adyaya 1 Valli 2 Mantra 10

Lecture

Mantra

jānāmy aham śevadhir i̱ty anityam
na hy adhruvaiḥ  prā̱pyate hi dhruvaṁ tat
tato mayā nā̱ciketaś cito’gnih
a̱nityair dravyaiḥ prā̱ptavān asmi nityam

aham jānāmi = I know; iti = this; śevadhiḥ = treasure; anityam = are impermanent; hi = for indeed; tat = that; dhruvaṁ = permanent reality, na hi = cannot be; prāpyate = attained; adhruvaiḥ = through that which is impermanent; tataḥ = therefore; mayā = by me; naciketaḥ cito’gniḥ = the fire called Naciketa was accomplished; anityaiḥ dravyaiḥ = with impermanent things; prāptavān asmi = I have achieved; nityam = the everlasting [the relatively everlasting abode of Yama which is called heaven].

I know that wealth is impermanent. The Eternal is not attained through non-eternal things; yet by performing the Naciketa Sacrifice, I have, by sacrificing impermanent things reached the imperishable.

Some translators (e.g. Max Muller and Hume) attribute this verse to Naciketas. But surely Naciketas has not yet performed the sacrifice called by his name as he is still in conference with Yama.

Shankara attributes these words to Yama, who makes out that through the sacrificial fire meditation that he taught earlier, he has obtained the enduring sovereignty of heaven. But this sovereignty is only relatively permanent. Through the transitory means of Karma (action) including sacrifices, nothing truly permanent can be achieved. The performer of the Naciketa fire,sacrifice will endure as long as the cosmos lasts but such endurance is not eternity, since the cosmos with all that it contains will be absorbed (pralaya) into the eternal at the end of the cosmic day.

Rāmānuja says that this verse means that by burning in sacrifice all transient things the eternal is attained, in other words, we must perforce use the finite tools available to us to obtain that which is infinite. The trans-empirical is obtained through the empirical.

Another commentator Gopala Yatindra has stated that through sacrifice Yama obtained his status as Overseer of Dharma and the controller of all beings.

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