Index…

Kathopanisad

Chapter 1 Valli 3 Mantra 17

Lecture

Mantra

ya i̱maṁ para̍maṁ gu̱hya̱ṁ śrāva̍yed bra̱hma-sa̍ṁsadi
pra̱yata̱ḥ śrāddha̍-kāle̱ vā̱ ta̱d āna̍ntyāya̱ kalpa̍te
ta̱d āna̍ntyāya̱ kalpa̍tā i̱ti

yaḥ = whoever; śrāvayed = causes to be recited; imam = this; paramaṁ guhyaṁ = supreme secret doctrine; brahma-saṁsadi = in an assembly of brahmins; prayataḥ = after becoming purified; vā = or; śrādddha-kāle = at the time of the ceremonies for the dead; tat = that funeral ceremony; kalpate = becomes conducive; ānantyāya = to an eternal result.

Whoever with devotion recites before an assembly of Brahmins or at the time of Sraddha of forefathers, this highest secret, obtains thereby immortality, obtains immortality.

by Swami Chinmayananda:

(Thus ends the Third Valli of the First Chapter)

āna̍ntyāya̱ kalpa̍te (obtains immortality). This statement should not be confused by the student of Vedanta to mean what it directly says.  Immortality cannot be gained by merely “reading some textbooks, however great they may be in the presence of any assembly. Knowledge alone is the cure for ignorance; light alone can end the darkness. The vital experience lived through Samadhi that one is, in one’s real Swarupa, of the nature of the Self, alone can end the delusion-created ego-centric false-identifications. It is only with the end of the ego, can we end the dream-sorrows of Samsar and end forever the endless whirl of births. Here immortality means only relative immortality which is the lot of the denizens of the heavens. Compared with the quick visitations of death in the plane of the mortal the long periods of life extending over thousands of years and enjoyed by the enjoyers of heaven, the heavenly life can be favorably expressed as immortal.

With this glorification of Brahma Vidya the first half of the Upanishad ends. It is the style of the Upanishads to repeat the last portion of the last Mantra in each chapter to indicate the end of the chapter. Thus, we have here a repetition of the last two phrases to indicate the close of the chapter.

Thus, in this chapter we have an elaborate scene of a fit student for Vedanta; Nachiketa, approaching a great and perfect Master of Brahma Vidya, Lord Death, with a burning doubt for elucidation. The chapter also contains some crisp statements in which the scriptural answer to the transcendental question has been very briefly hinted at, with, as it were, many ots-and-dashes in between. The next chapter constituting in itself the entire second part of the Upanishad gives us in detail the philosophical expositions on the Nature of the Self.

16-17. There are critics who believe that here the Upanishad ended and these two stanzas give the result of its recital. But this chapter raised some points as to the nature of the Self, the meaning of Yoga, etc. Hence the second chapter.

by Swami Gurubhaktananda:

Auspicious Recitation of this Knowledge

1   Yah imam paramam guhyam      Should anyone get this highest secret
2   shrāvayet brahma sam-sadi;      recited before an assembly of Brahmanas;
3   prayatah shrāddha kāle vā         or at the time of the purificatory rites for the dead,
4a tadā anantyāya kalpate;             then the recital becomes conducive to eternal fruit;
4b tadā anantyāya kalpate iti.          indeed, it becomes conducive to eternal fruit!

1 Special credit is given in this last verse of Part 1 to the active field worker who assists in organizing assemblies of hearers of this knowledge.
2 The recitation of this text before an assembly of Brahmanas (i.e., spiritual aspirants seeking the Immortal Truth), or
3 its recitation at a funeral ceremony is especially blessed by Lord Yama.
4 Such recitation programs are said to take all the people involved with it towards the ultimate Goal – eternal union with Brahman.

At present, the absence of this knowledge makes people unnecessarily afraid of Death. When this knowledge is received by more people, they are less likely to meet death with fear. The result will be that the people whom Yama receives will already know the laws of Karma upon which the governance of life on earth is based. Knowing these laws, when Lord Yama finally visits them, people will welcome him, not repel him.

Thus ends the Third Chapter of the First Part of the Katha Upanishad.

Previous…