Index…

Kathopanisad

Chapter 2 Valli 2 Mantra 2

Mantra

ha̱msah śu̍ciṣad vasu̍r antari̱kṣasad hotā̍ vedi̱ṣad ati̍thir duroṇa̱sat |
nṛ̱ṣad va̍ra̱sad ṛ̍ta̱sad vyo̍ma̱sad a̱bjā go̱jā ṛ̍ta̱jā a̍dri̱jā ṛ̱taṃ bṛ̱hat ||

haṁsaḥ = a swan, the Supreme Mover (ham = to go); śuci sad = a dweller in the pure place i.e., sky; vasuḥ = all pervader; antarikṣa-sad = a dweller in the intermediate region of the sky; hotā = the sacrificial fire or the priest; vediṣat = the dweller upon the sacrificial altar; atithiḥ = the guest; duroṇasat = that is within the drona vessel; nṛṣat =a dweller among humans; varasat = a dweller among the gods; ṛtasat = a dweller in Truth or Cosmic Order; vyomasat = a dweller in space; abjā = born in the waters; gojā = born in the earth; ṛtajā = born of sacrifice; adrijā = born in the mountains (rivers etc); ṛtam = immutable in nature; bṛhat = the great.

As Hamsa (Sun) He dwells in heaven; as Vayu (air) He dwells in the sky; as fire He dwells on the Earth; as guest He dwells in a house; He dwells in man, in the Gods, in the Sacrifice (truth), in the sky. He is born in the waters, He is born in the earth, He is born in the sacrifice, He is born on the mountains; He is true and great.

by Swami Chinmayananda:

The Purusha who has been explained, in the last Mantras, as residing in the human body is now explained in its wider aspect as the Lordly one who presides over all the functions in every form. The stanza gives us a very melodious list of living organisms and forms in the universe.

Abja (born in water) — In the form of conch, mother-of-pearl, shell, fish, insects; in short, all aquatic animals and insects.

Gojah (born of the earth) — In the form of corn, grain, plants, trees, herbs and so on.

Adrijah (born of mountains) — In the form of rivers, springs, rivulets, and so on.

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