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Kathopanisad

Chapter 1 Valli 1 Mantra 28

Lecture

Mantra

Response 4: Chooses Wisdom Over Folly

Ajīryatām amritānām upetya
jīryan-martyah kvadhah-sthah prajānan;
abhidhyāyan varnaratipramodā
natidīrghe jīvite ko rameta.

Ajīryatām amritānām upetya     
The proximity of the undecaying immortals, have I reached.
jīryan martyah kvadhah sthah prajānan; 
Being a perishable mortal myself, knowing well of existence on earth down below,
abhidhyāyan varnah ratih pramodān       
having seen the worthlessness of beauty and the enjoyment of love,
atidīrghe jīvite kah rameta.             
why will I rejoice in wanting an extended lifespan?

Having come all the way to the region of Yama, who in his right senses will ask for the things of the lower earth region, for which he has already developed intense dispassion? It will be foolish to accept that which one has positively.

The word Kvadhahsthah has two meanings:

1. Ku-adha-sthah: “a dweller of earth, which is below the heavenly regions”; or
2. Kva-tadastha: “where one gets absorbed in evanescent things”.

Varna-rati-pramodan: “taking delight in a variety of pleasures”. It is used here to cover the entire world of sensual pleasures with all its distractions, sense appeal and This is how Naciketa sums up the Apsaras and their troupe of entertainers. Why would one want a long life? Is it just to enjoy frivolous things? What a waste of a boon that would be! Such is the mood of Naciketa that everything Unreal is totally rejected. He has already unwittingly done the highest Vedantic negation. Such a ripe student can be rocketed into realization immediately after Sravana.

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