Kaṭhopaniṣad is one of the ten upaniṣad commentated by shankarācārya. It belongs to kāṭhaka śākhā of krṣṇa-yajurveda. This upanisad contains of 2 chapters, 3 sections and 119 mantras. This teaching is in the form of a dialog between a student named naciketa and the teacher yama-raja (god of death). Before we start this upanisad teaching, we will begin with the prayer śāntipāṭha to remove the obstacles to the study.
om saha nāvavatu l saha nau bhunaktu l saha vīryam karavāvahai l
tejasvi nāvadhītamastu l māvidhiṣāvahai ll
om shāntiḥ shāntiḥ shāntiḥ
May Īśvara protect both of us (teacher and student with knowledge).
May Īśvara nourish both of us (with the result of knowledge).
May both of us make effort together (to receive and to impart knowledge).
May both of us be brilliant (to understand the vision of śāstra).
May there be no misunderstanding between us (in grasping knowledge).
Every text has its own mangalacaranam, which is a prayer to bhagavan and the teacher in the sampradaya for successful completion of studying this particular text. Besides that, it also helps us to tune our minds towards the subject matter and the purpose of our study.
om namo bhagavate vaivasvatāya mṛtyave brahmavidyācāryāya
naciketase ca l
My salutation to bhagavan, the lord sun, and the god of death, which is the teacher of brahmavidyā. Also salutation to naciketa the student who is qualified.
Let us understand the word upaniṣad before we get into the text. The word upaniṣad itself denotes brahmavidyā, where the subject matter to be known is the reality of jagad - the entire world is brahman alone. Thus, upaniṣad means brahmavidyā.
What is the connection (by which association) between the word upaniṣad and brahmavidyā which is denoted? The word upaniṣad has three components, namely upa (prefix)+ ni (prefix)+ sad (root) + kvip (suffix). The prefix upa is giving the sense of going near. For seekers of freedom who have seen the limitation of the sense objects now and after life, they are approaching brahmavidyā through guru and śāstra. Another prefix ni means with determination, indicating the dedication of the seekers of freedom in this pursuit. The root sad itself has three meanings, namely destruction, reaching, and weakening.
brahmavidyā brings destruction of the seeds of samsāra, which is ignorance and its products. Because this destruction is caused by brahmavidyā, therefore brahmavidyā is said to be upaniṣad. This is the association.
brahmavidyā makes the qualified seeker reaches (knows) the absolute brahman, therefore brahmavidyā is called upaniṣad.
brahmavidyā loosens up the repeated and continuous misery of life, such as staying in the womb, birth, sickness, old age, etc. This upanisad particularly presents the result of upasana prescribed in this upaniṣad itself, in the form of attaining svarga-loka - heaven. Because by attaining heaven, one is released from misery for a length of time.
Therefore the primary meaning of the word upaniṣad is brahmavidyā, and the secondary meaning of upaniṣad is the text itself, since the text is the means to get brahmavidyā.
Before we start any text, we need to know its anubandha-catustaya (four-fold introductory), they are:
Adhikāri - qualified students, indicated by the word upaniṣad itself, a special qualified student is suggested for this knowledge. Since the subject matter is brahmavidyā, therefore the adhikāri is the one who is endowed with sadhana-catustaya (four-fold qualification), namely:
a) viveka - discrimination between ātmā and anātmā.
b) vairagya - dispassion towards the material world.
c) samādisadkasampatti - six-fold values which are:
śama - equanimity,
dama - mastery over organs,
uparama - observance of one’s duty,
titiksa - endurance,
śraddha- trust towards teacher and veda, and
samādhana - one pointed mind.
d) mumuksutva - desire of liberation.
2. Visaya - subject matter, which is absolute brahman as the innermost self of all.
3. Prayojanam - the purpose of studying this upanisad is absolute removal of samsāra.
4. Sambandha - sadhana-sadya-sambandha - connection between the knowledge delivered by this upanisad as the means and moksa as the goal.
Therefore, these following sections are having the content of four-fold introductory, which are the binding factors of the entire text. And for the purpose of glorification of brahmavidyā, the teaching begins in the form of a story.
1st chapter, 1st section
uśan ha vai vājaśravasaḥ sarvavedasam dadau l
tasya ha naciketā nāma putra āsa ||1.1.1||
Desiring heaven, vājaśravasaḥ gave away all his wealth (in viśvajit-yajña). He had a son named naciketa.
vājaśravasaḥ literally means one who got fame because of giving food or by contention given by his father. uśan - having desired of heaven, vājaśravasaḥ worshiped the lord by doing viśvajit ritual, where the performer is required to give away all his possessions - sarvavedasam dadau as dakṣiṇa. The last dakṣiṇa is in the form of cows, which are going to be distributed equally to the four main priests at the end of the ritual.
There are three important factors for the completion of a ritual:
1. Vidhi - following the procedure.
2. Śraddha - reverence and faith towards the veda which prescribed this ritual.
3. Dakṣiṇa - offering.
tasya ha naciketā nāma putra āsa - he has a son called naciketa, who is fully endowed with these three factors.
tam ha kumāram santam dakṣiṇāsu nīyamānāsu śraddhā’ viveśa
so’manyata || 1.1.2||
When final dakṣiṇa were being brought, śraddha entered forcefully into that boy’s (naciketa’s) thought. He thought in these particular ways:
Naciketa was mentioned as kumāram - a boy who is around 10 years old here. Even though at such a young age, he is endowed with śraddha - attitude where veda as pramanam (valid means) in connection of karma and its result. Induced by the desire for the well-being of his father, śraddhā’ viveśa - this śraddha entered forcefully into his mind.
In which situation does śraddha enter naciketas’ mind? dakṣiṇāsu nīyamānāsu - when the cows meant for final dakṣiṇa were being taken out separately to each priest, at that time śraddha entered to naciketa’s mind, then he thought in the following manner.
pītodakā jagdhatṛṇā dugdhadohā nirindriyāḥ |
anandā nāma te lokāstān sa gacchati tā dadat ||1.1.3||
(These cows) which have drunk water (for the last time), which have eaten grass (for the last time), which have given milk (for the last time), and which have no procreative ability. Giving such cows (as dakṣiṇa), one goes to the joyless worlds.
Naciketa observed the conditions of those cows which are meant to be given as dakṣiṇa. They are so frail that they have no energy to drink water - pītodakā and eat grass - jagdhatṛṇā anymore. They are so old where there is not even a single drop of milk can be produced - dugdhadohā and their procreative organs are not functioning - nirindriyāḥ due to old age. This sight triggers naciketas’ śraddha where the three factors for the completion of a ritual should be followed properly for the desired result. The purpose of his father doing viśvajit ritual is for heaven after this life, but with this kind of dakṣiṇa, the result will only be traveling to the joyless worlds - anandā nāma te lokāstān sa gacchati. After thinking in this manner, he decides that he must do something to remove the imperfection of this ritual.
sa hovāca pitaram tata kasmai mām dāsyasīti |
dvitīyam tṛtīyam tam hovāca mṛtyave tvā dadāmīti ||1.1.4||
He said to his father: “oh father! to whom (which priest) will you give me away (as dakṣiṇa)?” (He repeated the same question) second and third time. Then father replied, “I am giving you to the lord of death!”
Because of the love for his father and his duty as a son, he has to do something to save his father from the terrible result by giving such a dakṣiṇa in the ritual. This ritual requires giving away all of the ritualist’s possessions, and naciketa being the son is considered a possession of his father, thus he thinks he also should be given away since he is more useful than those old cows. Thinking of that sa hovāca pitaram - he asked his father to which particular priest father would like to offer him as dakṣiṇa. tata kasmai mām dāsyasīti - “oh father, to whom will you give me away?” He asked twice - dvitīyam but father ignored him both times, thinking he was just a child who didn’t know the situation. Again he asked for the third time - tṛtīyam. But this time it got into father’s nerve, then tam hovāca - father replied, mṛtyave tvā dadāmīti - “I will you give to the lord of death!”
Comments