Index…
Kathopanisad
Chapter 1 Valli 2 Mantra 21
Lecture
Mantra
āsī̍no dūraṁ vrajati śa̱yāno̍ yāti̱ sarva̍taḥ
ka̱stam ma̍dāma̱da̱ṁ de̱va̱m ma̱danyo̍ jñātu̱m-arha̍ti
āsīnaḥ = while seated; vrajati = it goes; dūraṁ = afar; śayānaḥ = while sleeping/lying; yāti = it goes; sarvataḥ = everywhere; kaḥ = who; mad-anyaḥ = apart from me; arhati = is worthy, able; jñātum = to known; tam = that; mada-amadaṁ = that joyful and joyless; devam = divinity;
Sitting he goes far; lying he goes everywhere. Who else, therefore, save myself is able to comprehend the God who rejoices and rejoices not?
by Swami Chinmayananda:
The indescribable Atma-tattva when forced to confine Itself to the limited meanings of a finite language, the phrases and sentences employed must get blasted out into a jig-saw-puzzle like confusing contrariness! It is only the fittest student, who has the necessary heart and head, that can, through the trellis of the words, peep beyond and actually discover the beauty and the truth that lie beyond; and this becomes fully successful only when the student gets a chance to listen to discourses upon the Śruti Mantras from a fit master.
Sitting he goes far – Pure consciousness that seems to preside over faculties in the body is conceived of here as the Atman sitting. But the moment a mental wave vitalized by this Truth in us flies from here to Europe to contemplate upon the sunny land of Italy it seems to meet therein Existence or Consciousness already present there. In this sense, the Atman is said to be making travels far into distances though in fact, the Absolute, All-pervading Truth cannot and will not move.
When we say that we are going to the next room it is a clear indication that we are leaving the spot where we are now and travelling towards a point where now we are not and where we shall be in time. This movement is possible only when the thing is a limited entity. When it is an all-pervading Truth, it actually cannot go anywhere, since there is no spot where it is not already. For example, my right hand cannot move into my right hand, since my right hand is all-pervading in my right hand, no two substances can occupy one and the same place during the same period of time, is a scientific fact known, applauded and appreciated by the modem world. Thus, Atman or the Life-Centre is a motionless entity, but seems to be moving only when it is conditioned by the mind and functioning as its manifestations, as thought-waves! The same idea is repeated for purposes of emphasis and clarification in “Lying he goes everywhere”.
The second line of the Mantra seems to be a quotation from an arrogant monster of incorrigible vanity and egoism, at the peak of an evening’s discourse wherein the listeners were patient enough to encourage his vanity by applauses! ‘Who else therefore save me is able to comprehend the God’- Friends, no such egoism is meant here. If Lord Death were so egoistic, He would not have been the Master of Knowledge and self-realization as He was; and naturally, not a Gum fit for Śruti to bring into her palace as a tutor for her beloved son, Naciketa.
The Master means to state that one who has gained sufficient control over his mind and intellect, through a sincere discipline of self-control alone can, through the higher meditations on the Nature of Truth, reach the cumulative glory of subjectively experiencing the All-pervading Truth as described in the above pleasant language of contradictions. If the mind is not pure, the Truth realized shall not be the Absolute.
Like a mirror Truth truly reflects the object in front of it; Mr. Das if he stands in front of his mirror in his bath-towel or in this office dress or in his bridal robe or even in any fancy dress he chooses to wear, the reflection in the mirror reflects faithfully the same Das in the particular form of dress he has worn. An impure intellect can experience only the sullied Truth!
by Swami Gurubhaktananda:
The link-line of Śaṅkara Bhashya connecting verses 20 and 21 says: “The Self cannot be known by any Tom, Dick and Harry who is fully possessed by desire. Only someone qualified like Yama and Naciketas can achieve success on this path.” The path is difficult for those filled with desire, but Suvijneya or “easily known” for those who are dispassionate.
To help interpreting these lines, we take note that the scriptures speak of two selves: one is the ego-self or individual consciousness, and the other is the true Self or universal Consciousness. A subtle intellect is needed to differentiate these. This is the most important point driven by this verse.
Three Contradictions in the Self:
The three flashing contradictions in the verse compel us to remember this point about having a subtle intellect. Acharyaji was intent on not letting these further examples of contradictions go unnoticed. The Bhashya brings out the hidden teaching in them:
- Sitting, It travels far: We can understand the body remaining in one place while the mind travels far away in imagination. This line is not about this type of ‘mental travel’. This is about the Self which is all-pervading. There isn’t a spot that it does not Where does it need to travel? That is the riddle raised.
- Sleeping, It goes everywhere: Again, when we are asleep, our body is plottable on an x-y axes that give it a location, but the mind is elsewhere in dream. How does the line apply the same to the Self? The Self does not act, so it can be considered as good as asleep. It is not possible for the Self to go about everywhere if it is not
- Joyful, It is joyless: The third contradiction is most Humans can express joy and still be joyless within. But the Self is free from feeling joy or sorrow. It is said to be All-Bliss at all times.
It is clear that these contradictions are not demanding an explanation. They are not intended to be explained. They only indicate the Self to be beyond the reach of normal human experience, that is all. Lord Yama is introducing Naciketa to the idea of an understanding that is beyond the operating system of the intellect and the mind.
In the Bhashya, Shankaracharya explains these contrasts through two well-chosen similes. Each simile illustrates a special aspect of worldly experience:
- Vishwaroopa: “a multi-facetted prism”. A prism presents a different color to a viewer as his angle of observation varies. This example shows us the variety of ways in which many persons see the same object.
- Chintamani: “philosopher’s stone”. (chinta = thought; mani = object). The peculiar feature of this stone is that it presents to a viewer the object of his imagination. This example shows the variety of ways in which the same person sees one object. If the owner thinks of a cat, he will see a cat in it, and so on. Through these examples Shankaracharya tries to show us the illusory nature of the perceived
The Śaṅkara Bhashya, translating “I” as “us”, i.e. “you and I”, Yama says, “It is only the wise of fine intellect, like us, that this Self can be well comprehended.” Does Naciketa really need this boost of praise to give him confidence on the path? He has proven his even- mindedness on many occasions already. It is probably only to encourage the reader that this form of praise is brought in by Śaṅkaracharya.
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