Katha Upanishad 2

Commentary of Śaṅkarācārya of Śaṅkarācārya 2

Language: Sanskrit

2.p1

parīkṣya śiṣyaṃ vidyāyogyatāṃ cāvagamyāha— anyat pṛthageva śreyaḥ niḥśreyasaṃ tathā anyat utaiva api ca preyaḥ priyataramapi te śreyaḥpreyasī ubhe nānārthe bhinnaprayojane satī puruṣam adhikṛtaṃ varṇāśramādiviśiṣṭaṃ sinītaḥ badhnītaḥ | tābhyāṃ vidyāvidyābhyāmātmakartavyatayā prayujyate sarvaḥ puruṣaḥ | preyaḥśreyasorhi abhyudayāmṛtatvārthī puruṣaḥ pravartate | ataḥ śreyaḥpreyaḥprayojanakartavyatayā tābhyāṃ baddha ityucyate sarvaḥ puruṣaḥ | te yadyapyekaikapuruṣārthasaṃbandhinī vidyāvidyārūpatvādviruddhe ityanyatarāparityāgenaikena puruṣeṇa sahānuṣṭhātumaśakyatvāttayoḥ hitvā avidyārūpaṃ preyaḥ, śreya eva kevalam ādadānasya upādānaṃ kurvataḥ sādhu śobhanaṃ śivaṃ bhavati | yastvadūradarśī vimūḍho hīyate viyujyate arthāt puruṣārthātpāramārthikātprayojanānnityāt pracyavata ityarthaḥ | ko'sau ? ya u preyaḥ vṛṇīte upādatte ityetat ||

2.2

yadyubhe api kartuṃ svāyatte puruṣeṇa, kimarthaṃ preya evādatte bāhulyena loka iti, ucyate| satyaṃ svāyatte ; tathāpi sādhanataḥ phalataśca mandabuddhīnāṃ durvivekarūpe satī vyāmiśrībhūte iva manuṣyaṃ puruṣam ā itaḥ etaḥ prāpnutaḥ śreyaśca preyaśca | ato haṃsa ivāmbhasaḥ payaḥ, tau śreyaḥpreyaḥpadārthau saṃparītya samyakparigamya manasā ālocya gurulāghavaṃ vivinakti pṛthakkaroti dhīraḥ dhīmān | vivicya ca śreyo hi śreya eva abhivṛṇīte preyaso'bhyarhitatvācchreyasaḥ | ko'sau ? dhīraḥ | yastu mandaḥ alpabuddhiḥ saḥ sadasadvivekāsāmarthyāt yogakṣemāt yogakṣemanimittaṃ śarīrādyupacayarakṣaṇanimittamityetat | preyaḥ paśuputrādilakṣaṇaṃ vṛṇīte ||

2.3

sa tvaṃ punaḥ punaḥ mayā pralobhyamāno'pi priyān putrādīn priyarūpāṃśca apsaraḥprabhṛtilakṣaṇān kāmān abhidhyāyan cintayan teṣāmanityatvāsāratvādikṣān he naciketaḥ, atyasrākṣīḥ atisṛṣṭavān parityaktavānasi ; aho buddhimattā tava | na etām avāptavānasi sṛṅkāṃ sṛtiṃ kutsitāṃ mūḍhajanapravṛttāṃ vittamayīṃ dhanaprāyām ; yasyāṃ mṛtau majjanti sīdanti bahavaḥ aneke mūḍhā manuṣyāḥ ||

2.4

'tayoḥ śreya ādadānasya sādhu bhavati hīyate'rthādya u preyo vṛṇīte' iti hyuktam ; tatkasmāt ? yataḥ dūraṃ dūreṇa mahatāntareṇa ete viparīte anyonyavyāvṛttarūpe vivekāvivekātmakatvāt tamaḥprakāśāviva viṣūcī viṣūcyau nānāgatī bhinnaphale saṃsāramokṣahetutvenetyetat | ke te iti, ucyate | yā ca avidyā preyoviṣayā vidyeti ca śreyoviṣayā jñātā nirjñātā avagatā paṇḍitaiḥ | tatra vidyābhīpsinaṃ vidyārthinaṃ naciketasaṃ tvāmahaṃ manye | kasmāt ? yasmādavidvadbuddhipralobhinaḥ kāmāḥ apsaraḥprabhṛtayaḥ bahavo'pi tvā tvāṃ na alolupanta na vicchedaṃ kṛtavantaḥ śreyomārgādātmopabhogābhivāñchāsaṃpādanena | ato vidyārthinaṃ śreyobhājanaṃ manye ityabhiprāyaḥ ||

2.5

ye tu saṃsārabhājo janāḥ, avidyāyām antare madhye ghanībhūta iva tamasi vartamānāḥ veṣṭyamānāḥ putrapaśvāditṛṣṇāpāśaśataiḥ, svayaṃ dhīrāḥ prajñāvantaḥ paṇḍitāḥ śāstrakuśalāśceti manyamānāḥ te dandramyamāṇāḥ atyarthaṃ kuṭilāmanekarūpāṃ gatiṃ gacchantaḥ jarāmaraṇarogādiduḥkhaiḥ pariyanti parigacchanti mūḍhāḥ avivekinaḥ andhenaiva dṛṣṭivikalenaiva nīyamānāḥ viṣame pathi yathā bahavaḥ andhāḥ mahāntamanarthamṛcchanti, tadvat ||

2.6

ata eva mūḍhatvān na sāṃparāyaḥ pratibhāti | saṃpareyata iti saṃkarāyaḥ paralokaḥ, tatprāptiprayojanaḥ sādhanaviśeṣaḥ śāstrīyaḥ sāṃparāyaḥ | sa ca bālam avivekinaṃ prati na pratibhāti na prakāśate nopatiṣṭhata ityetat | pramādyantaṃ pramādaṃ kurvantaṃ putrapaśvādiprayojaneṣvāsaktamanasaṃ tathā vittamohena vittanimittenāvivekena mūḍhaṃ tamasācchannam | sa tu ayameva lokaḥ yo'yaṃ dṛśyamānaḥ stryannapānādiviśiṣṭaḥ nāsti paraḥ adṛṣṭo lokaḥ ityevaṃ mananaśīlaḥ mānī punaḥ punaḥ janitvā vaśam adhīnatām āpadyate me mṛtyormama | jananamaraṇadilakṣaṇaduḥkhaprabandhārūḍha eva bhavatītyarthaḥ ||

2.7

prāyeṇa hyevaṃvidha eva lokaḥ | yastu śreyorthī sa sahasreṣu kaścidevātmavidbhavati tvadvidhaḥ yasmāt śravaṇāyāpi śravaṇārthaṃ śrotumapi yaḥ na labhyaḥ ātmā bahubhiḥ anekaiḥ, śṛṇvanto'pi bahavaḥ aneke anye yam ātmānaṃ na vidyuḥ na vidanti abhāginaḥ asaṃskṛtātmāno na vijānīyuḥ | kiṃca, asya vaktāpi āścaryaḥ adbhutavadeva, anekeṣu kaścideva bhavati | tathā śrutvāpi asya ātmanaḥ kuśalaḥ nipuṇa evānekeṣu labdhā kaścideva bhavati | yasmāt āścaryaḥ jñātā kaścideva kuśalānuśiṣṭaḥ kuśalena nipuṇenācāryeṇānuśiṣṭaḥ san ||

2.8

kasmāt ? na hi nareṇa manuṣyeṇa avareṇa proktaḥ avareṇa hīnena prākṛtabuddhinetyetat | uktaḥ eṣaḥ ātmā yaṃ tvaṃ māṃ pṛcchasi | na hi suṣṭhu samyak vijñeyaḥ vijñātuṃ śakyaḥ yasmāt bahudhā asti nāsti kartākartā śuddho'śuddha ityādyanekadhā cintyamānaḥ vādibhiḥ | kathaṃ punaḥ suvijñeya iti, ucyate—ananyaprokte ananyena apṛthagdarśinācāryeṇa pratipādyabrahmātmabhūtena prokte ukte ātmani gatiḥ, anekadhā astināstītyādilakṣaṇā cintā gatiḥ, atra asminnātmani nāsti na vidyate sarvavikalpagatipratyastamitarūpatvādātmanaḥ | athavā svātmabhūte ananyasmin ātmani prokte ananyaprokte gatiḥ atra anyāvagatirnāsti jñeyasyānyasyābhāvāt | jñānasya hyeṣā parā niṣṭhā yadātmaikatvavijñānam | ataḥ gantavyābhāvānna gatiratrāvaśiṣyate saṃsāragatirvātra nāstyananya ātmani prokte nāntarīyakatvāttadvijñānaphalasya mokṣasya | athavā procyamānabrahmātmabhūtenācāryeṇa ananyatayā prokte ātmani agatiḥ anavabodho'parijñānamatra nāsti | bhavatyevāvagatistadviṣayā śrotustadananyo'hamityācāryasyevetyarthaḥ | evaṃ suvijñeya ātmā āgamavatācāryeṇānanyatayā proktaḥ | itarathā aṇīyān aṇutaraḥ aṇupramāṇādapi saṃpadyata ātmā | atarkyam atarkyaḥ, aṇupramāṇo na tarkyaḥ svabuddhyabhyūhena kevalena tarkeṇa | tarkyamāṇe'ṇuparimāṇe kenacitsthāpite ātmani tato'ṇutaramanyo'bhyūhati tato'pyanyo'ṇutaramiti | na hi tarkasya niṣṭhā kvacidvidyate ||

2.9

ato'nanyaprokta ātmanyutpannā yeyamāgamaprabhavā matiḥ, naiṣā tarkeṇa svabuddhyabhyūhamātreṇa āpaneyā nāpanīyā na prāpaṇīyetyarthaḥ ; nāpanetavyā vā ; nopahantavyā | tārkiko hyanāgamajñaḥ svabuddhiparikalpitaṃ yatkiṃcideva kalpayati | ata eva ca yeyamāgamaprabhūtā matiḥ anyenaiva āgamābhijñenācāryeṇaiva tārkikāt, proktā satī sujñānāya bhavati he preṣṭha priyatama | kā punaḥ sā tarkāgamyā matiḥ iti, ucyate— yāṃ tvaṃ matiṃ madvarapradānena āpaḥ prāptavānasi | satyā avitathaviṣayā dhṛtiryasya tava sa tvaṃ satyadhṛtiḥ | batāsītyanukampayannāha mṛtyurnaciketasaṃ vakṣyamāṇavijñānastutaye | tvādṛk tvattulyaḥ naḥ asmabhyaṃ bhūyāt bhavatāt | bhavatvanyaḥ putraḥ śiṣyo vā praṣṭā | kīdṛk ? yādṛktvaṃ he naciketaḥ praṣṭā ||
punarapi tuṣṭa āha — jānāmyahaṃ śevadhiḥ nidhiḥ karmaphalalakṣaṇaḥ nidhiriva prārthyata iti | asau anityam anitya iti jānāmi | na hi yasmāt anityaiḥ adhruvaiḥ yat nityaṃ dhruvam, tat prāpyate paramātmākhyaḥ śevadhiḥ | yastvanityasukhātmakaḥ śevadhiḥ, sa evānityairdravyaiḥ prāpyate hi yataḥ, tataḥ tasmāt mayā jānatāpi nityamanityasādhanaiḥ prāpyata iti nāciketaḥ citaḥ agniḥ anityaiḥ dravyaiḥ paśvādibhiḥ svargasukhasādhanabhūto'gniḥ nirvartita ityarthaḥ | tenāhamadhikārāpanno nityaṃ yāmyaṃ sthānaṃ svargākhyaṃ nityamāpekṣikaṃ prāptavānasmi ||

2.11

tvaṃ tu kāmasya āptiṃ samāptim, atra hi sarve kāmāḥ parisamāptāḥ, jagataḥ sādhyātmadhibhūtādhidaivādeḥ pratiṣṭhām āśrayaṃ sarvātmakatvāt, kratoḥ upāsanāyāḥ phalaṃ hairaṇyagarbhaṃ padam, anantyam ānantyam, abhayasya ca pāraṃ parāṃ niṣṭhāṃ, stomaṃ stutyaṃ mahat aṇimādyaiśvaryādyanekaguṇasaṃhatam, stomaṃ ca tanmahacca niratiśayatvāt stomamahat, urugāyaṃ vistīrṇāṃ gatim, pratiṣṭhāṃ sthitimātmano'nuttamāmapi dṛṣṭvā dhṛtyā dhairyeṇa dhīraḥ naciketaḥ, dhīmān buddhimānsan atyastrākṣīḥ paramevākāṅkṣannatisṛṣṭavānasi sarvametatsaṃṃsārabhogajātam | aho batānuttamaguṇo'si ||

2.12

yaṃ tvaṃ jñātumicchasyātmānaṃ taṃ durdarśaṃ duḥkhena darśanamasyeti durdarśaḥ atisūkṣmatvāt tam, gūḍhaṃ gahanam, anupraviṣṭaṃ prākṛtaviṣayavijñānaiḥ pracchannamityetat | guhāhitaṃ guhāyāṃ buddhau hitaṃ nihitaṃ sthitaṃ tatropalabhyamānatvāt | gahvareṣṭhaṃ gahvare viṣame
anekānarthasaṃkaṭe tiṣṭhatīti gahvareṣṭham | yata evaṃ gūḍhamanupraviṣṭo guhāhitaśca, ato'sau gahvareṣṭhaḥ ; ataḥ durdarśaḥ | taṃ purāṇaṃ purātanam adhyātmayogādhigamena viṣayebhyaḥ pratisaṃhṛtya cetasa ātmani samādhānamadhyātmayogaḥ tasyādhigamaḥ prāptiḥ tena matvā devam ātmānaṃ dhīraḥ harṣaśokau ātmana utkarṣāpakarṣayorabhāvāt jahāti ||

2.13

kiṃca, etadātmatattvaṃ yadahaṃ vakṣyāmi, tacchrutvā ācāryasakāśāt samyagātmabhāvena parigṛhya upādāya martyaḥ maraṇadharmā dharmādanapetaṃ dharmyaṃ pravṛhya udyamya pṛthakkṛtya śarīrādeḥ aṇuṃ sūkṣmam etam ātmānam āpya prāpya saḥ martyaḥ vidvān modate modanīyaṃ hi harṣaṇīyamātmānaṃ labdhvā | tadetadevaṃvidhaṃ brahma sadma bhavanaṃ naciketasaṃ tvāṃ pratyapāvṛtadvāraṃ vivṛtam abhimukhībhūtaṃ manye, mokṣārhaṃ tvāṃ manye ityabhiprāyaḥ ||

2.14

etacchrutvā naciketāḥ punarāha— yadyahaṃ yogyaḥ, prasannaścāsi bhagavan, māṃ prati anyatra dharmāt śāstrīyāddharmānuṣṭhānāttatphalāttatkārakebhyaśca pṛthagbhūtamityarthaḥ | tathā anyatra adharmāt vihitākaraṇarūpāt pāpāt, tathā anyatrāsmātkṛtākṛtāt, kṛtaṃ kāryamakṛtaṃ kāraṇamasmādanyatra | kiṃca, anyatra bhūtācca atikrāntātkālāt bhavyācca bhaviṣyataśca tathā anyatra vartamānāt | kālatrayeṇa yanna paricchidyata ityarthaḥ | yadīdṛśaṃ vastu sarvavyavahāragocarātītaṃ paśyasi jānāsi tadvada mahyam ||
ityevaṃ pṛṣṭvate mṛtyuruvāca, pṛṣṭaṃ vastu viśeṣaṇāntaraṃ ca vivakṣan | sarve vedā yatpadaṃ padanīyaṃ gamanīyam avibhāgena avirodhena āmananti pratipādayanti, tapāṃsi sarvāṇi ca yadvadanti yatprāptyarthānītyarthaḥ | yadicchanto brahmacaryaṃ gurukulavāsalakṣaṇamanyadvā brahmaprāptyarthaṃ caranti, tat te tubhyaṃ padaṃ yajjñātumicchasi saṃgraheṇa saṃkṣepataḥ bravīmi oṃ ityetat | tadetatpadaṃ yadbubhutsitaṃ tvayā tadetadomiti oṃśabdavācyamoṃśabdapratīkaṃ ca ||

2.16

ataḥ etaddhyevākṣaraṃ brahma aparam etaddhyevākṣaraṃ paraṃ ca | tayorhi pratīkametadakṣaram | etaddhyevākṣaraṃ jñātvā upāsya brahmeti yo yadicchati paramaparaṃ vā tasya tat bhavati | paraṃ cet jñātavyam, aparaṃ cet prāptavyam ||

2.17

yata evam, ata eva etat brahmaprāptyālambanānāṃ śreṣṭhaṃ praśasyatamam | etadālambanaṃ param aparaṃ ca, parāparabrahmaviṣayatvāt | etadālambanaṃ jñātvā brahmaloke mahīyate | parasminbrahmaṇyaparasmiṃśca brahmabhūto brahmavadupāsyo bhavatītyarthaḥ ||

2.18

anyatra dharmādityādinā pṛṣṭasyātmano'śeṣaviśeṣarahitasyālambanatvena pratīkatvena coṃkāro nirdiṣṭaḥ, aparasya ca brahmaṇo mandamadhyamapratipattṝnprati | athedānīṃ tasyoṃkārālambanasyātmanaḥ sākṣātsvarūpanirdidhārayiṣayedamucyate | na jāyate notpadyate mriyate vā na mriyate ca utpattimato vastuno'nityasyānekā vikriyāḥ, tāsāmādyante janmavināśalakṣaṇe vikriye ihātmani pratiṣidhyete prathamaṃ sarvavikriyāpratiṣedhārthaṃ na jāyate mriyate veti | vipaścit medhāvī aparalupracaitanyasvabhāvatvāt | kiṃca, nāyamātmā kutaścit kāraṇāntarāt babhūva na prabhūtaḥ | asmāccātmano na babhūva kaścidarthāntarabhūtaḥ | ato'yamātmā ajo nityaḥ śāśvataḥ apakṣayavivarjitaḥ | yo hyaśāśvataḥ, so'pakṣīyate ; ayaṃ tu śāśvataḥ ata eva purāṇaḥ purāpi nava eveti | yo hyavayavopacayadvāreṇābhinirvartyate, sa idānīṃ navaḥ, yathā kuḍyādiḥ; tadviparītastvātmā purāṇo vṛddhivivarjita ityarthaḥ | yata evam, ataḥ na hanyate na hiṃsyate hanyamāne śastrādibhiḥ śarīre ; tatstho'pyākāśavadeva ||

2.19

evaṃbhūtamapyātmānaṃ śarīramātrātmadṛṣṭiḥ hantā cet yadi manyate cintayati icchati hantuṃ haniṣyāmyenamiti yo'pyanyo hataḥ so'pi cenmanyate hatamātmānaṃ hato'hamiti ubhāvapi tau na vijānītaḥ svamātmānam ; yataḥ nāyaṃ hanti avikriyatvādātmanaḥ, tathā na hanyate ākāśavadavikriyatvādeva | ato'nātmajñaviṣaya eva dharmādharmādilakṣaṇaḥ saṃsāraḥ nātmajñasya, śrutiprāmāṇyānyāyācca dharmādharmādyanupapatteḥ ||

2.20

kathaṃ punarātmānaṃ jānātīti, ucyate— aṇoḥ sūkṣmāt aṇīyān śyāmākāderaṇutaraḥ | mahato mahatparimāṇāt mahīyān mahattaraḥ pṛthivyādeḥ; aṇu mahadvā yadasti loke vastu, tattenaivātmanā nityenātmavatsaṃbhavati | tadātmanā vinirmuktamasatsaṃpadyate | tasmādasāvevātmā aṇoraṇīyānmahato mahīyān, sarvanāmarūpavastūpadhikatvāt | sa ca ātmā asya jantoḥ brahmādistambaparyantasya prāṇijātasya guhāyāṃ hṛdaye nihitaḥ ātmabhūtaḥ sthita ityarthaḥ | tam ātmānaṃ darśanaśravaṇamananavijñānaliṅgam akratuḥ akāmaḥ, dṛṣṭādṛṣṭabāhyaviṣayebhya uparatabuddhirityarthaḥ | yadā caivaṃ tadā manaādīni karaṇāni dhātavaḥ śarīrasya dhāraṇātprasīdantītyeṣāṃ dhātūnāṃ prasādādātmano mahimānaṃ karmanimittavṛddhikṣayarahitaṃ paśyati ayamahamasmīti sākṣādvijānāti; tato vigataśoko bhavati ||

2.21

anyathā durvijñeyo'yamātmā kāmibhiḥ prākṛtapuruṣairyasmāt āsīnaḥ avasthito'cala eva san dūraṃ vrajati śayānaḥ yāti sarvataḥ, evamasāvātmā devo madāmadaḥ samado'madaśca saharṣo'harṣaśca viruddhadharmavānato'śakyatvājjñātuṃ kaḥ taṃ madāmadaṃ devaṃ madanyo jñātumarhati | asmadādereva sūkṣmabuddheḥ paṇḍitasya vijñeyo'yamātmā sthitagatinityānityādiviruddhānekadharmopādhikatvādviruddhadharmavān viśvarūpa iva cintāmaṇivatkasyacidavabhāsate | ato durvijñeyatvaṃ darśayati— kastaṃ madanyo jñātumarhatīti | karaṇānāmupaśamaḥ śayanaṃ karaṇajanitasyaikadeśavijñānasyopaśamaḥ śayānasya bhavati | yadā caivaṃ kevalasāmānyavijñānatvātsarvato yātīva yadā viśeṣavijñānasthaḥ svena rūpeṇa sthita eva san manaādigatiṣu tadupādhikatvādūraṃ vrajatīva | sa cehaiva vartate ||

2.22

tadvijñānācca śokātyaya ityapi darśayati—aśarīraḥ svena rūpeṇākāśakalpa ātmā tam aśarīraṃ śarīreṣu devapitṛmanuṣyādiśarīreṣu anavastheṣu avasthitirahiteṣvanityeṣu avasthitaṃ nityam avikṛtamityetat | mahāntam | mahattvasyāpekṣikatvaśaṅkāyāmāha— vibhuṃ vyāpinam ātmānam ; ātmagrahaṇaṃ svatò'nanyatvapradarśanārtham | ātmaśabdaḥ pratyagātmaviṣaya eva mukhyaḥ tamīdṛśamātmānaṃ matvā ayamahamiti, dhīraḥ dhīmāna na śocati | na hyevaṃvidhasvātmavidaḥ śokopapattiḥ ||
yadyapi durvijñeyo'yamātmā tathāpyupāyena suvijñeya evetyāha— nāyamātmā pravacanena anekavedasvīkaraṇena labhyaḥ jñeyaḥ ; nāpi medhayā granthārthadhāraṇaśaktyā ; na bahunā śrutena na bāhuśrutyena kevalena | kena tarhi labhya iti, ucyate— yameva svamātmānam eṣa sādhako vṛṇute prārthayate, tenaivātmanā varitrā svayamātmā labhyaḥ jñāyata ityetat | niṣkāmaścātmānameva prārthayate | ātmanaivātmā labhyata ityarthaḥ | kathaṃ labhyata iti, ucyate— tasyātmakāmasya eṣa ātmā vivṛṇute prakāśayati pāramārthikīṃ svāṃ tanūṃ svakīyaṃ yāthātmyamityarthaḥ ||

2.24

kiṃcānyat | na duścaritāt pratiṣiddhācchrutismṛtyavihitātpāpakarmaṇaḥ avirataḥ anupasrataḥ | nāpi indriyalaulyāt aśāntaḥ anuparataḥ | nāpi asamāhitaḥ anekāgramanāḥ vikṣiptacittaḥ | samāhitacitto'pi sansamādhānaphalārthitvāt nāpi aśāntamānasaḥ vyāpṛtacitto vā | prajñānena brahmavijñānena enaṃ prakṛtamātmānam āpnuyāt , yastu duścaritādvirata indriyalaulyācca, samāhitacittaḥ samādhānaphalādapyupaśāntamānasaścācāryavān prajñānena enaṃ yathoktamātmānaṃ prāpnotītyarthaḥ ||

2.25

yastvenevaṃbhūtaḥ yasya ātmanaḥ brahma ca kṣatraṃ ca brahmakṣatre sarvadharmavidhārake api sarvaprāṇabhūte ubhe odanaḥ aśanaṃ bhavataḥ syātām, sarvaharo'pi mṛtyuḥ yasya upasecanamivaudanasya, aśanatve'pyaparyāptaḥ, taṃ prākṛtabuddhiryathoktasādhanānabhiyuktaḥ san kaḥ itthā itthamevaṃ yathoktasādhanavānivetyarthaḥ, veda vijānāti yatra saḥ ātmeti || iti dvitīyavallībhāṣyam ||

Linked texts (1)

Kaṭhopaniṣad — Sanskrit