Katha Upanishad

The word Upanishad means sitting near a teacher to receive sacred teaching for destroying the fetters of ignorance. 

There are 108 Upanishads and Katha Upanishad is one among 12 prominent Upanishads.

Katha Upanishad presents a dialogue between an aspiring disciple Nachiketa and Yama -the Ruler of Death, as teacher. 

The reference of Katha Upanishad is found in Rig Veda, the oldest of all the Vedas, belonging to the period before 3000 BCE, and all other Vedas of later dates.

Upanishads are:

Ø  Records of what sages perceived in thought and vision on the truth of human existence.

Ø  Texts found mostly at the end portion of all the four Vedas and for this reason Upanishads are called Vedenta -meaning at the end of the Vedas.

Ø  Essence and culmination of knowledge contained in Vedas, which were created between 1500 and 1000 BCE.

Ø  Vedanta which constitutes one of the six main schools of philosophy of Hindu Dharma.

Upanishads contain revealed truth about true nature of man -the individual being and God -the ultimate reality.

Upanishads shows man the way of Moktsa -Nirvana. 

Upanishads establish:

Ø  Oneness of Atman -the embodied Soul and Brahman -the Param Atman -the universal Soul -the God.

Ø  The unreality of phenomenal world.  The world of names and forms -the phenomenal world, is unreal.

Ø  Brahman is the only unchanging eternal truth and it is the unchanging  substratum of the entire phenomenal existence.

Ø  There is no difference between Atman -the embodied individual Soul or Self, and Brahman -the Parma Atman, the Universal Soul.

Ø  One who knows Atman, knows Param Atman, and becomes one with Param Atman.

Ø  When Maya -the ignorance, is destroyed, the desires disappear; the selfishness ends and the suffering disappear.

Part One

I

King Vahasrava performed Viswajt sacrifice in which he had to give away all his possessions freely for the joy of giving, without wishing anything in return. 

By the norm of Viswajit sacrifice king Vahasrava was required to be tranquil, uplifted and free from ego; and give all his possessions for welfare of others and not for satisfying his ego.

King Vahasrava was not suppose to entertain even the least thought of name, fame or individual benefit or else the whole purpose and merit of the sacrifice would be lost.

King Vahasrava had a son whose name was Nachiketa.  He was a young lad about twelve years of age.

II

While the offerings were made, Nachiketa's heart was at once filled with Shraddha -faith, love, compassion, and loyalty.

III

There arose in Nachiketa a sense of self-reliance and an independent sense of right and wrong, and the courage for one's own conviction. 

Impelled by the sudden awakening of his higher nature, Nachiketa contemplated on his thought: “By merely giving these cows, my father may not earn much merit.  If my father has vowed to give all his possessions, then he must also give me away to someone.  Otherwise his sacrifice will not be complete and fruitful.”  

Nachiketa had no right to question his father’s action; yet, anxious for his father’s welfare, he approached his father gently and reverently.

IV

Nachiketa asked his father: Dear father, to whom will you give me?  He said it a second time, then a third time.

His father, conscious of the true essence of sacrifice, tried to ignore Nachiketa; but irritated by Nachiketa's questions and his persistence, anger arose in his heart. 

In anger King Vahasrava said: “I give you to Yama -the Ruler of Death.”

V

Nachiketa weighed his value as a son and pupil, and said to himself as what will be accomplished for my father by my going to Yama?

Although Nachiketa knew that his father’s harsh reply was only the expression of a momentary outburst of anger; yet he believed that greater harm would befall his father, if his word was not kept.  

Nachiketa sought to strengthen his father’s resolution by reminding him of the transitory condition of life.

VI

Nachiketa spoke to his father: Father! Look back to those who lived before and look to those who live now.

Like grains, the mortal decays and like grain springs up again.

All worldly things perish.  Truth alone remains.  Why then fear to sacrifice me.  

Nachiketa convinced his father that he should remain true to his word. 

King Vahasrava, convinced of his son's words, sends his son Nachiketa to Yama.

Nachiketa went to the abode of Yama, but Yama was absent. 

Nachiketa waited Yama for three days without food or drink.

VII

A guest should be received with due reverence and honor.

Anyone who fails to give due respect particularly venerable guests brings misfortune.

VIII

Washing the feet of arriving guest had been the first service ever since and accordingly Yama, when he returned home paid due respect to Nachiketa.

IX

Yama said to Nachiketa: O Brahmana!  My salutation to you!  Since you remained three days waiting for me without food, ask for three boons from me.

X

Nachiketa said: May my father be free from anxious thought about me.  

May he lose all anger towards me and be pacified in heart.  

May he know and welcome me when I am sent back by you.  

This, O Death, is the first of the three boons I choose.

XI

Yama said: Through my will, Auddalaka Aruni -another name of king Vahasrava, the lineage holder of divine teaching, will know you, and be kind again towards you as before.  

He will be in peace and free from wrath when he sees you released from the mouth of death.

XII

Nachiketa said: In the realm of heaven there is no fear, death is not there; nor is there fear of old age.  

Being beyond both hunger and thirst and being above grief, everyone rejoice in heaven.

XIII

O Death!  You know the fire sacrifice leads to heaven.  

Those who live in the realm of heaven enjoy freedom from death. 

Tell this to me.  

This I beg as my second boon.

XIV

Yama said: Fire is a symbol of purity.  It is the pervasive energy and the foundation of all creations.  

Fire is a purest symbol of the divinity in the external world of forms.  It also dwells in subtle form in the heart of every living being as the vital energy.  It is the life force, the cause of existence.

Fire sacrifice leads to the realm of heaven. 

Know that purification of one's being enable man to attain the realms of heavens. 

The fire for purification is hidden in the heart of all beings.

XV

By performing fire sacrifice with the threefold knowledge man transcend grief and death, and reach heaven

Yama explained about fire sacrifice from the beginning to end. 

Nachiketa grasped it and repeated for confirmation to Yama.

XVI

Yama was pleased with Nachiketa and said hereafter fire sacrifice shall be named after you and called Nachiketa fire sacrifice.  

XVII

He who performs three fold Nachiketa fire sacrifice three times, being united with the three: -mother, father and teacher, and who fulfills the threefold duty: -study of the Vedas, sacrifice and alms giving, shall cross over birth and death.  

Knowing the worshipful fire, born of Brahman, and realizing Him, he attains eternal peace.

The Brahman is the Universal Spirit, the Ultimate Reality, the Pure Consciousness, the One Existence, the Absolute, -the unchanging reality amidst and beyond the world of existence. 

XVIII

He who knows threefold Nachiketa fire sacrifice with threefold knowledge of birth, death and spiritual world; and body, mind and spirit; and three fold Vedas: Rig, Sam and Yajur Vedas, and the eternal sound AUM, having cast off the fetters of death and being beyond grief, rejoices in the realms of heaven.

XIX

Nachiketa!  It is your fire -your energy that leads you to heaven.

Fire is the acceptor of sacrifices for onward conveyance to other deities, who as Agni is deity himself. 

Fire sacrifice -the energy within, enables man to purify and energize with spiritual energy. 

XX

Ask the third boon. 

Nachiketa said:  There is doubt regarding life after death.  What becomes of a man after death?

Some say he exists, others say he does not exist.  This knowledge I desire, being instructed by you.  

Of the boons this is the third boon I want.

XXI

Yama said: Even the Devas -the enlightened beings, doubted regarding this.  It is not easy to know; subtle indeed is this subject.

O Nachiketa!  Ask not this boon from me.  Choose another boon.  Do not press me for this boon.  

XXII

Nachiketa said: O Death!  You said that even the Devas had doubt about this, and that it is not easy to know.

Another teacher like you is not to be found.  Therefore no other boon can be equal to this one.

XXIII

Yama said: Ask for sons and grandsons, many cattle, elephants, horses and gold.

Ask for land of vast extent and live yourself as long as you desire.

XXIV

Ask for wealth and long life, and be ruler over the wide earth.

I shall make you enjoyer of all desires.

XXV

The objects of desire are difficult to obtain in the realm of mortals, ask them all as you desire. 

O Nachiketas!  Do not ask regarding death.

The boon you have asked is granted only to those who are freed from all mortal desires and limitations and ready to receive such knowledge.

You are a mere lad.  So take whatever will give you happiness on the mortal plane.  Do not press me regarding this secret. 

But Nachiketa proved his strength and worthiness by remaining firm in his resolution to know the great secret of life and death.

XXVI

Nachiketa said: O Death, all these are fleeting.  They weaken the vigor of all the senses in man.  

Even the longest life is short.  

XXVII

Man cannot be satisfied by wealth.  

Shall we possess wealth when we see you -the Death?  

Shall we continue to live as long as you rule?  

Therefore that boon -the knowledge of life after death, alone is to be chosen by me.

XXVIII

Dwelling on the decaying mortal plane, having approached the un-decaying immortal one, and having reflected upon the nature of beauty and sense pleasure, a wise man would not delight in momentary pleasure which will be followed by pain again.

XXIX

O Death!  I have judged your offers at their real value and refused them all.  I have cast them aside and I remain firm in my desire for Truth.  No other boon than this hidden secret is dearer to me.

I have come from the mortal realm.  Why should I ask for what is mortal?  I desire only that which is immortal. 

Finally, Yama said: O Nachiketa!  You are a sincere desirer of Truth.  You have proved your worthiness for the secret desire.  I am convinced with you to be one who longs for wisdom.

Thus Yama gave the teaching to Nachiketa.

Part Two

I

The good is one thing and the pleasant another.  These two, having different ends, bind a man.  

It is well with him who chooses the good.  But he who chooses the pleasant misses the true end.

II

The good and the pleasant approach man: the wise examines both and discriminates between them.  The wise prefers the good to the pleasant, but the foolish man chooses the pleasant through love of bodily pleasure.

III

O Nachiketas!  After wise reflection you have renounced the pleasant and all pleasing forms.  You have not accepted the garland of pleasure, for which the mortals perish.

IV

Wide apart are these two: the ignorance and the wisdom, leading man in two opposite directions.  

There are two paths: one leading to godliness, the other leading to worldly pleasure.  

He who follows one inevitably goes away from the other.

One leads to the imperishable spiritual realm and the other to the perishable physical realm.

Both confront a man at every step of life.  

The discerning man distinguishing between the two chooses the Real and Eternal, and he alone attains the highest -the eternal bliss.

But the ignorant man, preferring that which brings him immediate and tangible results, misses the true purpose of his life.

V

Fools dwelling in ignorance, yet imagining themselves wise and learned, go round and round in crooked ways, like the blind led by the blind.

VI

The ignorant, like a thoughtless child, deluded by the glamour of worldly pleasure do not ever rise.  

Thinking that this world alone is and there is none other; the ignorant undergoes death again and again.

As children are tempted by toys, the ignorant are tempted by pleasure, power, name and fame. To them these seem the only realities.  Being attached to perishable things, they continue to come under the dominion of death.

O Nachiketas!  There is one part of us which must die and there is another part which never dies.

When a man identifies himself with his undying nature, which is one with God, he overcomes death.

VII

Wonderful is the teacher, whom many are not able to hear, and many cannot comprehend even after hearing. 

Wonderful is the hearer who receives rightly when taught by an able teacher.

Teacher and taught, both must be wonderful.

Often the best teachers have no learning but their character is so shining that every one learns merely by coming in contact with them.

The knowledge of divinity is gained by direct perception with unbiased open heart. 

There sat a youthful teacher and beside him an aged disciple.  The mind of the disciple was full of doubts and questions.  The teacher continued to be silent but gradually every doubt of the disciple vanished.  This signifies that conveying of spiritual teaching does not depend upon words only.  It is the life and the illumination of the teacher which counts.

Such Godly teacher cannot easily be found.  But even with such a teacher, the knowledge of Atman -the individual Soul or Self, cannot be gained unless the heart of the disciple is open and ready to acknowledge the Truth.

VIII

Knowledge of the Atman cannot be attained when taught by those who themselves lack real understanding of Atman.  They having no definite conviction of their own, differ among themselves on nature and existence of Atman.

Only he who has been able to perceive Atman directly, through the unfolding of his higher nature, can proclaim what Atman actually is.  His words alone carry weight and bring illumination.  

The understanding of Atman is too subtle to be reached by argument.  It is beyond argument.

This secret cannot be known through reasoning or mere intellectual gymnastics.

The understanding of Atman is attained only with a state of consciousness which transcends the boundary line of reasons.

When taught by an enlightened teacher, he knows Atman whose mind is pure and heart is open.

IX

O Nachiketas!  You are fixed in Truth.  You have attained enlightenment.  May we ever find a questioner like you.

X

Earthly treasure is transitory.  The eternal can never be attained by things which are not eternal.  

I have propitiated fire sacrifice with perishable none-eternal things and attained this position which is only relatively eternal.

XI

The imperishable cannot be attained by the perishable. 

No amount of observance of rituals and ceremonies can earn the imperishable and eternal, the other shore of life where there is no fear.

The Nachiketa fire sacrifice may bring results which seem eternal to mortals because of their long duration, but they too come to an end.  Therefore sacrifice cannot lead to the final goal.

XII

Meditating on Atman the wise knows Supreme Being -the Param Atman.

Atman is difficult to perceive but it is seated in the innermost recess, hidden in the cave of the heart, dwelling in the depth of inner being. 

He who knows the non-material Atman -the inner Self, the Soul, dwelling in the heart of every being, is liberated from the fetters of joy and sorrow.

XIII

A mortal, having heard and fully grasped, when realizes his Atman; he rejoices, because he has found Param Atma, the God, which is the source of eternal bliss. 

An aspirant of spiritual attainment must go through three sequential stages: (1) first hear about the Truth from an enlightened teacher, (2) reflect upon what is heard; and (3) pursue constant practice of discrimination and Yoga.

With realization comes the fulfillment of every desire, because it unites with the source of all.  

He, who beheld Atman, learns that all sense pleasures are the fragmentary reflections of supreme joy, which is fleeting and not real. 

XIV

With highest discrimination and fixity of purpose, Nachiketa said: That which you see, which is neither virtue nor vice, neither cause nor effect, neither past nor future but beyond all these, tell me That.

XV

Yama said: That desiring which people practice a life of continence and service that I tell you.

That is AUM.  AUM is supreme.  AUM is the His name.

What name can man give to Supreme Being -the God?

What language can express is finite.  

How can the Infinite Supreme Being be bound by finite words?

It is difficult for man to think or speak of the Ultimate without calling it by a definite name.

Knowing this, the Sages gave the name A–U–M to the Supreme; the primary and natural name to God.

The first letter “A” is the mother of all sounds.  It is the natural sound uttered by man when the throat is opened.  No sound can be made without opening the throat.

The last letter “M,” represents the sound that comes out upon closing the lips that terminates all articulation.

As one carries the sound from the throat to the lip, it passes through the sound “U.”

So, the sound AUM covers the whole possible articulate sound.  Imperishable is the sound AUM and it rightly designates the absolute, the Supreme, the Brahman, the God. 

XVI

AUM is Brahman.  

AUM is Supreme.

He alone, whose name is AUM, who is immortal, is worthy of adoration.

He who knows AUM obtains what he desires.

XVII

He who knows AUM is glorified in the world of Brahman.

The sacred word AUM is the highest symbol and designation of the Absolute.

He, who by practicing Yoga on AUM grasps its full significance and realizes the glory of God, at once all his desires are satisfied. 

XVIII

Atman is never born, nor does Atman dies.  

Atman did not spring from anything, nor did anything spring from It.  This Ancient One is unborn, eternal, and everlasting.

Atman is not slain even though the body is slain.

XIX

If the slayer thinks that he slays or if the slain thinks that he is slain, both are ignorant.  

Atman neither slays nor Atman is slain.

XX

Atman is subtler than the subtle, greater than the great. 

Atman dwells in the heart of every being.

He, who is free from desire, and free from grief, with mind and senses tranquil, beholds the glory of the Atman.

Atman dwells in the heart of every being but it is not perceived by ordinary mortals because of its subtlety.  

Atman cannot be perceived by the senses. 

A finer spiritual sight is required to perceive Atman.

To perceive Atman, the heart must be pure and free from desire. 

The thought must be indrawn from external objects, and mind and body must be calm and controlled. 

When the whole being becomes calm and serene, then it is possible to perceive that effulgent Atman.

Atman is the invisible essence of every being.

Atman is the boundless, sustaining power of the universe; that upon which all existence rests.

XXI

Though sitting, Atman travels far.  Though resting, Atman goes everywhere.

He, who is fixed on God and holds on to him, is fit to know that God, who is both joyful and joyless, and who is both within and outside.

Atman is all pervading.  It is that which sits still and that which travels, that which is active and that which is inactive.

It is both stationary and moving.

Atman is the basis of existence, the existence in form. 

Whether joyful or joylessness, pleasure or pain, Atman exists in all.

Who is better able to know God than 'I', since He resides in 'My' heart.

God is indeed the very essence of 'My' being?

Such should be the attitude of one who is seeking freedom from death.

XXII

The wise who knows Atman, the spiritual bodiless being, seated within perishable body, do not grieve.

Wise man through discrimination sees clearly the distinction between the body and the Soul. 

Wise man knows that his Atman - true Self is not his body, though his Atman dwells in his body.

Realizing the indestructible, all pervading nature of his real Self, the wise man surmounts the fear of death and he is not disturbed even by the greatest sorrow.

XXIII

One cannot attain the true knowledge of Atman nor find God by merely hearing about, or by studying and gaining intellectual comprehension about Atman. 

He who perceive, to him the Atman reveals Its true nature.

He who desires, him the Atman chooses and by him alone the Atman is realized. 

True knowledge Atman comes only through direct perception. 

One can find God only with direct perception of God. 

He can find God who is pure in heart and spiritually awakened.

God is alike to all beings and His mercy is on all.

The worldly minded impure man does not receive the blessing of God, because he does not know how to open his heart for God.

He who desires God, him the God chooses.  To him alone God reveals His true nature.

XXIV

He who has not turned away from evil conduct, whose senses are uncontrolled, who is not tranquil, whose mind is not still; he can never realize Atman.

To realize Atman, man must subdue his lower nature and gain control over the body and senses.

Man must conquer the impure selfish desires that disturb the serenity of mind.  When desires are renounced, mind becomes calm and peaceful.

Man must live the life and develop spiritual qualities to perceive Atman.

XXV

He who knows Atman, life and death are alike.

Part Three

I

There are two kinds of people: the seers of truth and householders.  Both enjoy the fruits of their good deeds. 

Both, seers of truth and householders, know Atman is seated in them, in their heart on the highest summit.

Both, seers of truth and householders, follow the path of sacrifice with the hope of enjoying the fruits of their good deeds.

Both, seers of truth and householders, proclaim that Param Atman -the Higher Self is like a light and Atman -the Lower Self like a shadow.

Both, Seers of truth and householders, know that both Param Atman and Atman dwell in the innermost cave of the heart.

When the truth shines clearly in the heart of the knower, then he surmounts the apparent duality of his nature and becomes convinced that there is but One. 

The knower of truth knows that all outer manifestations are nothing but projections of that One.

II

That One -that fusion -that union of Parmatma and Atman, is manifested as the Lord of sacrifice for those who follow the path of ritual.  

That One is the un-manifested, eternal, universal Supreme Being for those who follow the path of wisdom.  

May you acquire the knowledge of Brahman, the Supreme, in both manifested and un-manifested forms.

May you know that One, who is the highest imperishable Brahman, as we desire to cross over to the other shore which is beyond fear.

The other shore, being the realm of immortality, is beyond fear; where death and all from which mortals fear, cease to exist.

May you dedicate Nachiketa fire sacrifices -the sacrifice of lower existence to the divinity of higher existence at three planes: physical, mental and vital inner mental consciousness.

III

Know Atman as the lord of the chariot, and the body as the chariot.

Know the intellect as the driver and mind the rein -the governance.

IV

The senses are the horses and sense objects the roads. 

When Atman is united with body, senses and mind, then the wise call Him the enjoyer.

Atman, as enjoyer, is the lord of this chariot of body.

The intellect or discriminative faculty is the driver, who controls the wild horses of the senses by holding firmly the rein of the mind.

The path on which the horses -the senses, travel are made up of external objects which attract or repel the senses. 

Each sense, unless restrained by the discriminative faculty, seeks to go out following its path towards its objects.

The sense of smelling follows the path of sweet odors, the sense of seeing the way of beautiful sights and so on.

When Atman is joined with body, mind and senses, It is called the enjoyer; because Atman is the one who wills, feels, perceives and does everything.

V

He who is without discrimination and whose mind is always uncontrolled, his senses are unmanageable, like the vicious horses of a driver.

VI

But he who is able to discern and full of discriminate, and whose mind is always controlled, his senses are manageable, like the good horses of a driver.

A man whose intellect is not discriminative and who fails to distinguish right from wrong, the real from the unreal, is carried away by his sense passions and desires, just as a driver is carried away by vicious horses over which he has lost control.

But he who clearly distinguishes what is good from what is merely pleasant, and controls all his outgoing forces (desire, pride, passion, anger, aversion) from running after apparent momentary pleasures, his senses obey and serve him as good horses obey their driver.

VII

He who does not able to discern and discriminate, whose mind is uncontrolled and always impure; he does not reach that goal of life, but falls in Samsara -the realm of birth and death, again and again.

VIII

But he who is able to discern and rightly discriminate, whose mind is under control and always pure, he reaches that goal of life, from which he is not born again.

IX

The man, being the driver of the chariot, who has a discriminative intellect and a controlled mind reaches the end of the journey, all pervading and unchangeable abode of Vishnu -the Absolute Truth.

The driver -the intellect, must possess thorough knowledge of the road -sense objects.  He must have right understanding -skillfulness on how to handle the rein -governance, to control his horses -the senses.  Then only he will be able to drive safely to the destination of his life.

In this journey of life, our mind and senses must be wholly under the control of our higher discriminative faculty.  Then only all our forces work in unison and we reach our goal of being eternally blissful and happy. 

X

Beyond the senses are the objects, beyond the objects is the mind, beyond the mind is the intellect, and beyond the intellect is the Atman.

XI

Beyond Atman is the Parma Atman, the Brahman, the all pervading reality; the God.

Beyond the Parma Atman is the Purusha -the Cosmic Soul; the un-manifested reality.

Beyond Purusha there is Nothing.

That is the End; that is the final Goal.

That is Yoga. 

Yoga is the beginning and ending of everything.

Body and senses have infinite capacities but by turning the senses outward man dissipates his natural wealth.

Yoga enables to make the senses calm and steady, preserve energy, discard un-skillfulness and create mental condition conducive to inner growth and peace.

Yoga reestablishes mental and physical harmony by controlling the senses and thereby retaining the energy of the senses.

With Yoga man can replace karmic world with spiritual world of his own choice.

When the energies of the senses are directed inward, retentive power is nourished and intuitive insight strengthened.  It preserves energy and generates a long-lasting sense of peace, which becomes a source of courage, enthusiasm, and inner inspiration.

The senses are dependent on sense objects, because without these the senses have no utility.

Superior to sense objects is the mind.  Unless the sense objects affect the mind, they cannot influence the senses.

Over the mind, the determinative faculty exercises the power. 

That determinative faculty is governed by Atman.

Beyond Atman is Avyaktam -the undifferentiated creative energy -Sakti; and above it is the Purusha -the Supreme Self -the Shiva.

Nothing is there above Supreme Self. 

That -the Supreme Self, is the goal, the Highest Abode of Peace and Bliss.

XII

Atman, hidden in all beings, does not shine forth.  It is seen by subtle seers through keen and subtle understanding.

If Atman dwells in all living beings, why do we not see It?

The vision of ordinary man is distorted, distracted and illusioned, and hence cannot see Atman.

When Atman comes in contact with body at birth; illusion -Maya is created. 

Maya dictates man throughout his life.

Atman is visible to those who have purified their intellect by constant thought on Supreme Self and have refined and sharpened their sight. 

The keenness of vision comes when complete energy of body and mind are made one pointed through steadfast practice of Yoga.

XIII

Control all the senses by mind, mind by intellect, intellect by the Atman, and Atman by the Peaceful One -the Param Atman, the Supreme Self.

Control outgoing senses by the mind and bring mind under the control of the discriminative faculty. 

Withdraw senses and mind from sense objects and stop wasting energies on un-skillful nonessential actions. 

Control the intellect -the discriminative faculty by Atman -the higher individual intelligence and let Atman be governed by Param Atman -the Supreme Intelligence.

XIV

Arise! Awake!  Gain understanding from an illumined Teacher.

This is the eternal call of the wise: Awake from the slumber of ignorance!

Arise and seek out those who know the Truth, because only those who have direct vision of Truth are capable of teaching the Truth.

Invoke their blessing with a humble spirit and seek to be instructed by them.

One must be strong, wakeful and persevering for travelling the path of truth.

It is difficult for a thoughtless lethargic person.

XV

Man escapes death by knowing That Un-manifested Supreme Reality and beyond, which is formless, beginningless, endless, and immutable.

That innermost essence of man is the Supreme Reality.

By knowing and realizing that innermost essence, man escapes death and becomes immortal.

Immortality is a state of consciousness.  It is not a place where one can stay and become immortal.

Immortality is not gained so long as man clings to name and form, or to perishable objects.

What dies? Form dies.

The formful man dies; but not that formless which dwells within the form -the body.

The innermost essence of the being, the inner Self -the God within, is inconceivably subtle.  It is beyond mind and speech; too subtle for ordinary perception, but not beyond the range of purified vision.

XVI-XVII

He who with devotion instill this highest secret of immortality gains everlasting reward.

Part Four

The the self existent Supreme Being created outward directed and outgoing senses.  For this reason man sees the external, but not the Atman -the inner Self within.

Wise man, desiring immortality, with eyes turned away from the external sees the Atman within.

II

The ignorant pursue external pleasures; and falls into the widespread snare of death.

But the wise, knowing the nature of immortality, do not seek the permanent among fleeting things.

Those who do not discern and discriminate fail to distinguish between real and unreal, and fleeting and permanent. 

The ignorant set their hearts on the changeable things of this world.  They entangle themselves in the net of insatiable desire, which leads inevitably to disappointment and suffering.  To them, death seems a reality because they identify themselves with that which takes birth and dies.

But the wise, who see deeper into the nature of things, are no longer deluded by the charm of this phenomenal world and do not seek for permanent happiness in fleeting momentary sensual enjoyments.

III

That by which one knows form, taste, smell, sound, touch and sense enjoyments, by That one knows whatever remains to be known.

IV

A wise man grieves no more by perceiving all pervading Param Atman both in dream and in waking.

There can be no knowledge or perception independent of the Atman.

Wise man identifies him with his Higher Self and transcends the realm of grief and sorrow.

V

He who knows Atman, the perceiver and enjoyer of objects, inherently within, are ever near to the lord of the past and future, and fears no more.

VI

He who sees Param Atman seated in the five elements, who having entered the cave of the heart, abides therein greaves no more.

With Yoga man generates pure energy that purifies mind and body including astral body, and from that pure energy Param Atman is born. 

He, the Great Self, is the cause of all created objects.

The Supreme Self, existed before the evolution of the five elements– earth, water, fire, air and ether. 

The first manifestation Supreme Self was Brahma, the Creator, born out of the energy of wisdom.  

He -the Supreme Self dwell in the hearts of all creatures.

VII

Aditi -the primordial energy exists in elements and rises with Prana -the Life Principle. 

Aditi is the divine energy of Deva -divine being and inherently existent in all Devas; who, having entered into the heart, abides there. 

Aditi is the personification of universal, all-embracing Nature or Being, the Primeval Energy -the Goddess.

VIII

The fire -the energy, which exists in the two stick needs to be worshipped.

The wakeful seekers of wisdom, the devotees and the Yogis worship that fire that represents pure energy hence used to kindle the alter for making offering.

IX

From whence the sun rises, and whither it goes at setting, upon That all the Devas depend.

No one goes beyond That.

X

What is here in this visible world; that is there in the invisible world.

He who sees difference between visible and invisible goes from death to death.

XI

There is no difference whatever between visible and invisible.  By mind alone this is to be realized.  

In the sight of true wisdom, there is no difference between the creator and the created.

Cause and effect are but two aspects of one manifestation of energy.

He who fails to see this, being engrossed in the visible only, goes from death to death; because he clings to external forms which are perishable.

Only the essence which dwells within is unchangeable and imperishable.  This knowledge of the oneness of visible and invisible, however, cannot be acquired through sense perception.  It can only be attained by the purified mind.

XII

Purusha -the Supreme Self, resides in the middle of the body as the lord of the past and the future.

He who knows Him fears no more.

The seat of the Purusha is the heart from where life current flows everywhere in the body.

XIII

Purusha is like a light without smoke, the pure light, lord of the past and the future.

He is same today and tomorrow.

The Soul is ever the same.

No real change takes place with the effulgent nature of the Soul.

XIV

As rain water, falling on the mountain top runs down over the rocks on all sides; similarly, he who sees difference between visible forms runs after them in various directions.

XV

O Gautama! (another name for Nachiketa), as pure water poured into pure water becomes one, so also with the Atman of an illumined Knower, becomes one with the Parma Atman.

Part Five

I

Thinking on Supreme Being, man grieves no more; and being freed from ignorance, man attains liberation.

The human body is the city of the Unborn, whose knowledge is unchanging, where the eternal unborn spirit dwells and has eleven gates.

These eleven gates are the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, the mouth, the navel, the two lower apertures, and the imperceptible opening at the top of the head.

The Atman holds the position of ruler in this city.

Atman is above the modifications of birth, death and all human imperfections.

Atman is not affected by the changes of the physical organism.

The intelligent man through constant thought and Yoga realizes the splendor of Atman. 

He, who knows Atman, knows the Supreme Spirit and becomes one with it.

He who knows Supreme Spirit becomes free from that part of his nature which grieves and suffers.

II

The Supreme Being is the sun dwelling in the bright heaven. 

He is the air dwelling in space.

He is the fire burning on the altar.

He is the guest dwelling in the house.

He dwells in man.  

He dwells in those greater than man.  

He dwells in sacrifice.

He dwells in the ether.

He dwells in all that is born in water, all that is born in earth; all that is born in sacrifice, and all that is born on mountains.

He is the True and the Great.

III

It is the Supreme Being who sends the incoming Prana -life breath upward and throws the outgoing breath downward.

Him all the senses worship. 

The adorable Atman is seated in the centre the heart.

IV

When this Atman, which is seated in the body, goes out from the body, what remains then?

V

No mortal lives by the incoming breath -Prana or by the outgoing breath -Apana, but he lives by another on which these two depend.

VI

O Gautama!  I shall declare to you the secret of the eternal Brahman and what happens to the Atman after death.

VII

Some Jivas -individual Souls, enter wombs to be embodied; others go into immovable forms, according to their Karma -the merit of their action.

VIII

The Being who remains awake while all sleep, who grants all desires, That is pure, That is Brahman, That alone is immortal.

On That all the worlds rest.  None goes beyond That.

IX

The fire -the energy, though one, having entered the world, becomes various according to what it burns or activates.

So does the Atman within all living beings, though one, become various according to what it enters.

X

The air, though one, having entered the world, becomes various according to what it enters.

So does the Atman within all living beings, though one, become various according to what it enters.

The subtle quality of the Supreme Self, who, although one and formless like air and fire, yet assumes different shapes according to the form in which It dwells.

Being all pervading and unlimited, the Supreme Self cannot be confined to forms only. 

Supreme Self also exists outside all forms.

XI

As the sun is not defiled by impurities seen by the eyes, the Parma Atman -the One Inner Self is not defiled by the misery of the world.

The sun shines indiscriminately on all objects.  When it shines on the most impure object, it remains uncontaminated.

Similarly the Divine Self within is not touched by the suffering of the physical form in which it dwells but like sun the Parma Atman indiscriminately have compassion of all.

XII

There is one ruler -Param Atman who makes One into manifold.

The wise, who perceive Param Atman seated within their heart, to them belongs eternal bliss.

XIII

Param Atman is eternal among and within things that are ever changing. 

Parma Atman is consciousness of the conscious.  He is, though one, fulfils the desires of many.

The wise, who perceives Param Atman seated within his Atman, to him belongs the eternal peace, not to others.

XIV

The wise perceive that indescribable highest bliss and says: You are That.

XV

When He shines, everything shines with Him.  By His light all is lighted.

Part Six

I

The Samsara Vriksha -the tree of worldly existence is depicted as Aswattha Banyan tree growing upside down. 

The tree has its roots above in the higher world of cosmic existence, which is blissful, awake and eternally alive.

That higher world is pure.  That is Brahman -Absolute One.  That alone is called the Immortal.  All the worlds are founded in That.  Nothing is beyond That.

The branches of that tree of worldly existence are below extending to many lower worlds.

All the fleeting and shifting conditions of the mortal realm, the birth and death characterized by pleasure and pain are the branches of that tree of worldly existence. 

From the highest angelic form to the minutest atom and all created things have their origin in Him -the Absolute Supreme Being.

He -the Brahman, is the bedrock foundation of the universe.  

Nothing is beyond Him.

II

Whatever there is in the universe is evolved from Prana -primeval energy. 

Whatever there is in the universe vibrates with Prana, essential for worldly existential life.  

That primeval energy is indestructible like an upraised thunderbolt.

They who know That become immortal.

III

With His selfless desire the fire burns, the sun shines, the Indra, Vayu and Death, and the fifth, the rests and all others perform their duty. 

Just as the body cannot live or act without the Soul, nothing in the created world can exist independent of Brahman, who is the basis of all existence.

Because of impartial and inevitable nature of His Law, all powers, great or small, obey absolutely.

IV

If a man is not able to know Him before the dissolution of his body, he becomes embodied again in the created worlds.

As soon as a man acquires knowledge of the Supreme, he is liberated. 

If a man fails to attain the knowledge of the Supreme before his Soul is separated from the body, he takes another body and return again and again to this realm of birth and death, until he realizes the nature of the Supreme and his relation with Him.

V

As in a mirror, so is He seen within.

As in a dream, so is He seen in the world of ancestors -departed spirits.

As in water, so is He seen in the world of Gandharvas -the angelic realm.

As light and shadow, so is He seen in the world of Brahma -the Creator.

With purified understanding one beholds God within. 

The image is distinct as in a polished mirror.

By developing highest consciousness here in this life that perfect God vision can be attained.

In heaven one reaps the fruit of his good deeds.  Even being in heaven the clear vision of the Supreme is not guaranteed. 

VI

A wise man knows senses are distinct and separate from Atman.  Knowing this truth he grieves no more.

A wise man never confounds Atman, which is birthless and deathless, and has no beginning and no end.

When man sees his senses and his physical organism waxing and waning, he knows that his Atman -the real Self within can never be affected by these outer changes, so he remains unmoved.

VII

Higher than the senses is the mind. 

Higher than the mind is the intellect.

Higher than the intellect is the Atman.

Higher than the Atman is the Un-manifested Supreme Self.

VIII

Beyond the Un-manifested is the all pervading and imperceptible Being -Purusha.

By knowing Him, the mortal is liberated and attains immortality.  

Every sentient being is an aggregate of the physical body, the senses, the mind, the intellect, the Atman -self consciousness, the Param Atman -creative energy and the Bhraman -the Absolute Self.

IX

His form is not to be seen.  No one can see Him with the eye.  

He is perceived by the heart, by the intellect, and by the mind.  

He who knows this becomes immortal.

The Supreme Self, being formless, cannot be discerned by the senses.

All knowledge of Him must be acquired by the subtle faculties of heart, intellect and mind, which are developed only through the purifying practice of Yoga.

X

When the five organs of perception -the five sense organs become still, and the mind and intellect ceases to be active; that state of being is the highest state.

To attain the transcendental vision; the outgoing senses -seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, tasting; the restless mind and the intellect; all must be indrawn and quieted.

When all the forces of one’s being are at a state of equilibrium, united and focused; that state of being leads to super sensuous vision.

XI

Hold back all the senses firmly at a state of equilibrium with Yoga to attain the highest state of being.

Upon attaining the state of equilibrium one becomes aware and mindful -mindful of what comes and what goes. 

Uniting the Lower Self with Higher Self, the object with subject, the worshipper with God is what is called Yoga.

To gain this union, one must first disunite oneself from all that scatters the physical, mental and intellectual forces. 

The outgoing perceptions must be detached from the external world and indrawn.

XII

He cannot be attained by speech, by mind, or by the eye.

How can That be realized except by him who says “He is”?

XIII

He should be realized as “He is.”

He who knows Him as “He is,” to him alone His real nature is revealed.

That super sensuous vision is not attained by man’s ordinary faculties.

By mind, eye, or speech, the manifested attributes of the Divine can be comprehended.

But with super sensuous sight man can directly perceive God’s existence and declare definitely that “He is.”

He alone exists in both the visible and the invisible world.

XIV

When all desires dwelling in the heart disappear, then the mortal becomes immortal and attains Brahman.

XV

When all the ties of the heart are cut asunder, then the mortal becomes immortal.

XVI

Atman governs the mind and mind in turn influences Atman.

Mind travels through the channels of nervous systems of the body. 

The directions in which mind travels are determined by man's desires and tendencies.

There are a hundred and one nerves going out from the heart.  One of them takes upward course and penetrates the centre of the head.  

At the time of departing from body at death, Atman leaves the body passing out through one of the many outlets.

When the mind becomes pure and desireless, it takes the upward course.

Going upward and going out through imperceptible opening at the crown of the head, one attains immortality.

When Atman leaves the body going out through the other hundred nerves takes birth in different forms in different worlds of worldly existence.

As long as Atman remains full of desires, its course is downward towards the realms where those desires can be satisfied.

XVII

Param Atma is ever seated in the heart -the lotus bud, of all living beings.

With perseverance man should perceive Him within and outside his body.  

Man should know Him as pure and deathless.

With steadfast discrimination, man should differentiate his Atman from his body. 

XVIII

Nachiketas, having acquired the wisdom taught by Yama became free from death and attained Brahman.

May the Supreme Being protect us.

May He be pleased with us.

May we acquire knowledge, wisdom and conviction.

May our study bring us enlightenment.

May there be harmony among all."

OM SHANTI ! OM SHANTI ! OM SHANTI !

The End of Katha Upanishad.