Index…

Kathopanisad

Chapter 1 Valli 3 Mantra 3

Lecture

Mantra

ā̱tmāna̱ṁ rathi̍naṁ vi̱ddhi̱ śarī̍raṁ ra̱thame̍va tu
bu̱ddhiṁ tu̱ sāra̍thiṁ vi̱ddhi̱ mana̍ḥ pragra̱hame̍va ca

viddhi = know that; ātmānaṁ = the Self [the enjoyer of the fruits of karma]; rathinaṁ = is the rider of the chariot; śarīraṁ = the body; ratham eva = is indeed the chariot; tu = and; buddhiṁ = the intellect [characterized by determination]; viddhi = know [to be]; sārathiṁ = the charioteer; manaḥ = the mind [characterized by volition and doubt]; pragraham = is the bridle.

Know the Atman as the Lord of the chariot, who sits with in it and the body as the chariot. Know the intellect as the charioteer and the mind as, verily, the reins.

by Swami Chinmayananda:

With this stanza we begin the discussion of an analogy, famous in the Hindu philosophical literature, often quoted by authors and orators. Herein we may detect also the exact point in this famous Upanishad which probably gave all the fiery inspiration necessary for Sree Vyasa Bhagavan to write his famous Upanishad-poem, the Gita.

The analogy of the chariot is, as such, most picturesquely depicted in the Divine Song, the Gita. Therein we have the picture of a chariot led by the five surging horses with Lord Krishna, the Supreme Intelligence, at the charioteer’s box and Arjuna the confused and confounded, sitting in the chariot, as the lord of it. On both sides of the chariot stand the armies of the Kauravas and the Pandavas, drawn up in battle array ready to strike and open their total war at the sign.

It is at these tense moments, just before the actual war has started, that we have the setting for the great Gita. Arjuna despaired at the questions of righteousness and the call-of-duty, confused in mind and intellect, falls prostrate at the Lord’s feet, imploring of Him light and guidance; and the Lord half-turning towards Arjuna holding the reins tight and the five steeds steady, as though smiling, gives out a summary of the Truth declared in the various Upanishads. No wonder then that an artist, as Sree Vyasa was, while trying to express in simpler words the transcendental Truth declarations of the Upanishads, has to repeat ten Mantras or parts of Mantras from this Upanishad in the Gita. We have already discussed many instances of such borrowings and we shall see later on again many more similar instances.

In the analogy of the chariot, the Self is the master of the chariot; the pure discriminating intellect is the charioteer, the body of the individual is the chariot, and the reins with which the intellect guides the movements of the body are the mind.

It is also noteworthy here that there is a similar comparison in Swataswatara Upanishad.

by Swami Gurubhaktananda:

1. Aatmaanam rathinam viddhi   –  Know the Jiva to be the master of the chariot;
2. shareeram ratham eva tu;       –  and the body to be the chariot;
3. buddhim tu saarathim viddhi   –  know the intellect as the charioteer;
4. manah pragraham eva cha.    –  and the mind as verily the bridle.

1. The Owner –                    The Jiva, the individual soul, who rides in the chariot;
2. The Chariot –                   The physical body;
3. The Charioteer –              The intellect;
4. The Bridle or Reins –       The mind;

The Link Text between verses 2/3 in the Bhashya says that of the two selves, the Jiva is travelling in this body chariot. Where he goes depends on his state of knowledge or ignorance. The former takes him across Samsara; the latter, deeper into Samsara.

Is the Jiva a Samsari?

The owner is the Jiva who simply sits in the back seat as the traveler. He engages others to take his chariot to its destination. They are employed by him, as it were. In reality, each Jiva gets the necessary intellect, mind, sense organs and body due to it in accordance with his Prarabdha. So he is responsible for training his ‘employees’.

Emphasis is placed in the Bhashya on the fact that the Jiva is not really a Samsari by nature. He has a far greater purpose to fulfil. His real destination in this life is to unite himself to the Supreme Self, the Atman. Due to ignorance he has become ‘trapped’ into a very limited existence in his physical and mental Upadhis he possesses. He really does not want to remain bound to the world, but that is his helpless situation. He searches for the knowledge to get out of this vicious cycle.

The chariot metaphor helps us to grasp what is to be done to progress spiritually. It tells us the options available to the Jiva. The Jiva has to choose the right options.

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Index…

Kathopanisad

Chapter 1 Valli 3 Mantra 2

Lecture

Mantra

yas se̱turī̍jānānām a̱kṣara̍ṁ brahma̱ yat pa̍ram
abha̍yam ti̱tīrṣa̍tām pā̱ra̱ṁ nā̱cike̍taṁ śa̱kema̍hi

śakemahi = may we master; nāciketaṁ = that Nāciketa Vidya; yaḥ = which is; setuḥ = a bridge [to cross over suffering]; ījānānām = of those who sacrifice; yat = that is; akṣaram = imperishable; param brahma = Supreme Self or Reality; titīrṣatām = of those who wish to cross; abhayam = to the fearless; pāram = far shore [of samsāra].

May we master that Nāciketa fire-sacrifice which is the bridge for those who perform sacrifices, and also which is the highest Immortal Brahman, fearless, and the other shore for those who wish to cross the Ocean of Samsara.

by Swami Chinmayananda:

These two opening stanzas of this section seem to be later interpolations as they individually explain two different themes and in themselves do not seem to possess any direct connection with the discussions that are yet to follow in this chapter. But, however, there is a connection between these two and what is to follow, inasmuch as the Upanishads, though a product of a revolt against the ritualistic Karma-portion of the Vedas, they rise from and have an intimate relation with it.

Sethu (bridge or refuge):  The ‘Nāciketa-Fire * that was discussed before is described here as a bridge that connects this mortal world of ours with the shores of that immortal life in the heavens. This stanza seems. to glorify both the Goals of Karma (Worship) and Gyana (Knowledge). The first part of the Mantra asserts that this Sacred Fire, if performed with sincerity, faith and devotion as prescribed earlier, can lead the Ego-centric-soul to that realm of consciousness called the heaven; and the duration of existence in embodiment there being longer than life upon this globe, in a relative sense, it is indeed an immortal life,

In the second part of the Mantra there is glorification of the goal reached by a Gyani through his meditation upon the Nature of the Soul and its relationship with the Total Soul.

Altogether this reads as a prayer by the master and pupil before commencing the elaborate discussions on the special Yoga of knowledge. The last line can be read with subject “That **; or * That Nāciketas “*; in the later sense Nāciketas becomes the name or symbol of that, the goal of life.

by Swami Gurubhaktananda:

Two distinct requirements for two distinct seekers have been addressed so far. The following facts are stated in order to prepare us for the next phase in the text, which explains the Sadhana or means by which each of these two types gets what he wants:

The Bridge & Need of the Karma Upāsaka:

1 & 3b-4 Chapter 1 acquaints us with the Upasana for performing the Nāchiketa Fire Sacrifice for those wishing to obtain entry into the higher realms of heaven after death. In their case, the Setu or “bridge” is between the Earth and the Heavenly planes.

Eejānānām: is 6^th Case in Sanskrit, “of the sacrificers”; in English it sounds more correct to say “for the sacrificers”.

This path is covered by Nāciketa’s 2^nd boon, which meets the need of the Karma Upāsakas who wish only to go to heaven to enjoy the pleasures there, even if they are only temporary. They desire to go beyond the sorrows they face in this world. The Karma Upāsakas see the Self as something to be worshipped so as to obtain some favour – that of going to heavenly planes to enjoy the refined pleasures there.

The Bridge & Need of the Jnani:

2-3a Chapter 2 acquaints us with knowledge of the Self. We step into the higher realm of Brahman, which is for those wishing to obtain exit from the world of Samsara. In their case, the Setu or “bridge” is from the manifested plane of Unreality to the unmanifested plane of the Absolute Reality.

Titīrshatām: is 6^th Case in Sanskrit, “of those who wish to cross”; again, in English it sounds better to say “for those who wish to cross”.

This path is covered by Nāciketa’s 3^rd boon, which meets the need of the Jnanis who wish to attain the Supreme Brahman, imperishable and eternal, and thereby come out of the birth and death cycle permanently. They attain freedom from fear by reaching Non-duality, where there is no ‘other’ to cause any fear.

The Jnanis see the Self as something that is their own higher Self, to be meditated upon and united with so as to be totally liberated from all desire for favors, and be freed from all sorrows of the relative world.

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