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Brahmanyan
26 November 2011, 06:48 AM
"Arise, Awake and stop not till the Goal is reached" --
The clarion Call of Swami Vivekananda to the people of India. These words were taken by Swamiji from "Kathopanishad", to wake up the lethargic masses of our Country who were in the induced sleep of false comfort at that time.
"Razor's Edge". ---
This is the famous English Classic by W.Somerset Maugham, familiar to the readers of English Literature. Mr. Maugham was interested in Vedanta and even visited India and met Sri Ramana Mahrishi. He has also taken the name "Razer's Edge" for his Classic from "Kathopanishad". He opens the Novel with the quotation from this Upanishad " The Sharp Edge of a Razor is difficult to pass over, thus the wise say the path to salvation is hard". Interestingly both these lines are taken from the same verse given below:-
"Arise, Awake and Learn by approaching excellent Master. The sages describe that the path to be impassable as a Razor's Edge, which when sharpened, is difficult to tread on". (II. iii. 14).

"Kathopanishad " is one of the major Upanishads, considered important due to its detailed exposition on "Eternal Truth", beautifully given in the form of dialogue between Lord of Death Yama Dharma and the young Brahmin boy "Nachiketas".

"Kathopanishad" belongs to "Krishna Yajur Veda" and begins with a simple story, which is also found in "Rig Veda" (X.135) and "Thaitriya Brahmana,(III.1.8) with some variations, also in Anusasana Parva of Mahabharatha(106). The story goes like this: Young Nachiketas after watching his father Sage Vajasravas gifting away his possessions to propitiate the Gods by performing an Yagna (fire sacrifice) asks his father "father to whom will you give me?" The boy repeated the question second and third time. The irritated father replied "to death I will give you". The young Nachiketas had great love for his father, but greater love to uphold the truth. Thus he goes to the abode of Lord Yama and waits for him three nights with out food or sleep.

Lord Yama on his return feels guilty to see the Young Brahmin guest waiting for him without food or sleep for three days. To atone this lapse offers three boons to the boy and requests him to ask any three wishes of his choice. Accordingly Nachiketas asks the first, to bless peace of mind to his father when the son returns home. After getting assurance from Lord Yama, the youngster asks the Second boon. "Teach me that Yagna - fire sacrifice - that will take me to heaven, where I am told there is no fear of death, nor old age, thirst, hunger or sorrow". Lord of Death was pleased by the boldness of the boy gives in detail of performing the Yagna. Then comes the most important portion of the Upanishad in the form of the Third question in the following verse.
"When a man dies there is this doubt: some say that He exists' some (other) say He does not exist. this I like to know, being taught by you. of the boons this is (my) third boon." ( I-I-20)
This is the question "what is death and who am I" occurs to every person some time or other. This is followed by purpose of Creation, Creator and the cause of creation etc. As a Scientist puts it "Man is thus his own mystery!". By this question Young Nachiketas corners Lord of Death, who was really in a dilemma whether this young boy is mature enough to receive an answer. Thus Lord Yama tempts the boy to ask other things instead.
But Young Nachiketas was firm in getting the answer and says:
"You say Lord of Death that even the Gods have their doubts on this subject and that it is not easy to comprehend: but another teacher like you is not to be found and I consider no other boon equal to this" I i (22)
And the Young Nachiketas asks Lord Yama to stand by his words and enlighten him by imparting the highest wisdom.
Having tested and pleased with the undeterred determination of the youngster in getting the knowledge of Self, Lord of Death expounds the path in the verses in rest of the "Kathopanishad" in two chapters. The Sections in this Upanishad are called "vallis" - literally meaning "creepers". Thus the subject in each section is continuation of the previous one. "Upanishads" are to be learned under an eminent teacher (Guru or Acharya) at personal level. First and foremost condition is the person seeking this "Eternal knowledge of truth" should make himself fit to receive.
In the beginning itself, Lord of Death brings out the plight of false approach by the following verse:--
"Living in the midst of ignorance and considering themselves intelligent and enlightened, the senseless people go round and round, following crooked courses, just like the blind led by the blind". (I.ii.5)

Young Natchiketas puts the entire philosophical quest in precise words in the following verse:
"That which is other than Dharma (virtue) and Adharma (vice), other than effect and cause, other than time, past and future (also present), that you beholdest, please tell (me) that: (I ii 14)

Lord of Death proceeds to expound the great philosophical treatise in charming verses till the end of this Upanishad. Here, With utmost humility I admit my inadequacy of knowledge or wisdom to select or leave any one of the verses of this great Upanishad. But to maintain brevity I selected a few verses which I thought will bring out the greatness of "Kathopanishad" and whet the curiosity of the readers of this blog to evince more interest to study Upanishads in depth with the help of Learned teachers or Acharyas.

Interestingly Lord Yama begins his reply with the reply with the symbol and sound "OM" and says:-

"The goal which all Vedas with one voice proclaim, which all tapas (austerities) speak of and desiring for which people practice Brahmacharya, it is this OM" (I ii 15).

Lord of Death gives the sound and symbol of "Om" as a symbol to communicate the incommunicable TRUTH. Many Commentators from Samkara and other Acharyas and Mahatmas and Sages throughout the ages till the exponents of Vedanta of Modern age have dealt with the subject of "Om" elaborately in their writings.

Then the Lord of Death elaborates the subject more directly:
"The intelligent self is neither born nor does it die, it did not originate from any thing nor did anything originate from it. It is birth-less, eternal, undecaying and ancient. It is not injured even when the body is killed" (I ii 18)
"The Self (Atman) cannot be attained by study of scriptures, nor by sharp intellect, nor by much hearing. It can be known through the Self alone that the aspirant prays to him this Self reveals its own (true) form" (I ii 23).
Very difficult indeed to understand the meaning of the verse without proper guidance! As I told "Upanishads" cannot be read and understood by us without the guidance of an enlightened Acharya.

Young Natchiketas pursues the subject with razer sharp intellect and asks very pertinent question:
"(Then) How shall I know that supreme, unspeakable Bliss which they realize directly as "This"? Is it self-effulgent -- does it shine distinctly, or does it not?" (II ii 14).
Lord Yama answers by this famous verse which is being quoted by many Vedic scholars even this day:
"There the sun does not shine, neither do the moon and the stars; nor do these flashes of lightning shine. How can this fire? He shining all these shine; though his lustre all these are variously illuminated." (II ii 15)
"His form does not exist within the range of vision; nobody sees Him with the eye. When this Self is revealed through deliberation, it is realized by the ruler of mind, that resides in the heart. Those who knows this become immortal." (II iii 9)
How can the ruler in the heart be attained? For that purpose Lord of Death now introduces Yoga:
"When the five senses of knowledge come to rest togather with mind, and the intellect, too does not function, that state they call the highest." (II iii 10)
Concluding verses of this great "Upanishad' are very important. This is the State that which all the Realised souls talk of in every denomination of Religious philosophy.
"The Self is (first) to be realized as existing, and (then) as it really is. Of these two (aspects), the real nature of the Self that has been known as merely existing, favourably disposed (for self revalation)." (II iii 13) and
. " When all desires clinging to one's heart fall off, then a mortal becomes immortal (and he) Attains Brahman here." (II iii 14).

This great " Upanishad" concludes with the following verse which in fact sums up the purport of the story:
"Natchiketas , having first become free from virtue and vice, as also desire and ignorance, by acquiring this knowledge imparted by Lord of Death, as also the process of Yoga in its totality, attained Brahman. Anyone else, too, who becomes a knower thus (like Natchiketas) of the indwelling Self, (attains Brahman)." (II iii 18).

"Upanishads" are called "Vedanta", end of Vedas. They contain an impressive record of advanced metaphysical thinking in encrypted language which was passed on by word of mouth from generation to generation, they are called "Sruthi" ( from samskrit root "Srnu" to hear), just as the Vedas. Other Sacred Books like Mahabharata, Ramayana, Puranas and Law books like Manusmriti belong to the group called "Smriti"

Brahmanyan,
Bangalore

yajvan
26 November 2011, 12:10 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté brahmanyanji


"Kathopanishad " is one of the major Upanishads, considered important due to its detailed exposition on "Eternal Truth", beautifully given in the form of dialogue between Lord of Death Yama Dharma and the young Brahmin boy "Nachiketas".

Do you have an opinion or an insight of the meaning of naciketas ? That is, why was this name chosen to be used in this upaniṣad ? Is there significance?

praṇām
 

Brahmanyan
27 November 2011, 01:50 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté brahmanyanji



Do you have an opinion or an insight of the meaning of naciketas ? That is, why was this name chosen to be used in this upaniṣad ? Is there significance?

praṇām
 
Dear Sri "Yajvan"
Namaskaram,
I could not find any significant reason for certain, why this name has been selected in the Upanishad for the boy. Neither I found the meaning of the word "Nachiketas" in the bhashyas I had gone through. I found unsupported meanings like "fire" and "na chiketas, that which is unperceived" in some writings.
But, significantly Lord Yama gives the name of Nachiketas to the fire in Agnivdhya which he taught to the youngster in appreciation of his understanding. (Ch:Ii-16).

Warmd Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

yajvan
27 November 2011, 10:49 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté brahmanyanji



Namaskaram,
I could not find any significant reason for certain...


With your kind permission let me offer what I have been taught and studied on this matter. Any errors can only be attributed to a blemish in my understanding.

naciketas नचिकेतस् - we find is a 'name of a man'; yet we find it is rooted in cit to perceive , fix the mind upon , attend to , be attentive , observe , take notice of . And this 'na' is not , no , nor , neither.

Hence na + cit is to not take notice of, or be attentive or know.


keta केत is 'desire , wish , will , intention' ; is too is rooted in cit; Hence na + keta is without desire or wish - this applies to worldly attainments and is part of naciketas strength that is called out in this kaṭhopaniṣad.
It is naciketas who is without desire or wish for worldly things. We find this pointed out in the kaṭhopaniṣad when yama offers him various boons, yet naciketas responds what am I to do with these things ?


Now there is another view on this name naciketas which one can also entertain. That is na + cit is to not take notice of, or be attentive or know, can also meaning the following: That naciketas' is unaware of just how profound his questions are to yama. In his 3rd question yama asks naciketas ' do not to press me on this' ; even the gods of olden times have doubts'.
What are the doubts yama refers to ? Naciketas asked yama ' there is doubt when a man is dead - some say he is and some say he is not, this I should like to know from you ( yama).


There is one last idea I wish to share if I may. We note that naciketas also equals naciketa in meaning. We then have na+ci+keta. This na is 'not' + ci is to collect or gather + keta is desires.
So na+ci+keta is he that does not collect or gather desires. This can be looked at in two ways:
1. No desires for himself
2. No desires for himself and only wanted to do good by his father, nothing for himself.


praṇām

Brahmanyan
28 November 2011, 12:38 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté brahmanyanji



With your kind permission let me offer what I have been taught and studied on this matter. Any errors can only be attributed to a blemish in my understanding.

naciketas नचिकेतस् - we find is a 'name of a man'; yet we find it is rooted in cit to perceive , fix the mind upon , attend to , be attentive , observe , take notice of . And this 'na' is not , no , nor , neither.

Hence na + cit is to not take notice of, or be attentive or know.


keta केत is 'desire , wish , will , intention' ; is too is rooted in cit; Hence na + keta is without desire or wish - this applies to worldly attainments and is part of naciketas strength that is called out in this kaṭhopaniṣad.
It is naciketas who is without desire or wish for worldly things. We find this pointed out in the kaṭhopaniṣad when yama offers him various boons, yet naciketas responds what am I to do with these things ?


Now there is another view on this name naciketas which one can also entertain. That is na + cit is to not take notice of, or be attentive or know, can also meaning the following: That naciketas' is unaware of just how profound his questions are to yama. In his 3rd question yama asks naciketas ' do not to press me on this' ; even the gods of olden times have doubts'.
What are the doubts yama refers to ? Naciketas asked yama ' there is doubt when a man is dead - some say he is and some say he is not, this I should like to know from you ( yama).


There is one last idea I wish to share if I may. We note that naciketas also equals naciketa in meaning. We then have na+ci+keta. This na is 'not' + ci is to collect or gather + keta is desires.
So na+ci+keta is he that does not collect or gather desires. This can be looked at in two ways:
1. No desires for himself
2. No desires for himself and only wanted to do good by his father, nothing for himself.



praṇām



Dear Sri "Yajvan",

Namaskaram,

Good thinking and analysis. Indeed it is a pleasure to read your post. My knowledge of Samskrit is limited to ten years of study in School, just adequate to understand the texts. But your analytical study of the word gives a better understanding of the word. In my post I followed Sri Sankara Bhashya, where I could not find any mention by the Acharya on the meaning for the word Nachiketas, though there was mention about the name "Vaajasravas" father of Nachiketas.

Warm Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

yajvan
28 November 2011, 11:38 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté brahmanyanji


there was mention about the name "Vaajasravas" father of Nachiketas.
If I may, perhaps there is some value to consider nachiketas' father... Here is what I have studied and understood; others may vary in this view and I look forward to their insights.


The son of vājaśravā is vājaśravasḥ - this is naciketas' father or vājaśravasḥ. This name is worthy of review and part of the opening of the upaniṣad.

It can be a ~title~ and/or a proper name. We can look at it as vāja + śravā i.e. one's fame (śravḥ) comes from giving food (vāja). So we can see this can be a ~title~ of doing a pious act (putra karma) or it can be a proper name.

Next naciketa calls his father gautama - a proper name. Last, yama calls gautama by another name auddālaki aruṇi. Now some authors say it this way:
Through my favor (as yama is talking) auddālaki , the son of aruṇi will recognize you (naciketas) as before. Hence yama is calling out naciketas' father as the son of auddālaki. This, IMHO give some merit to the notion that when 'vājaśravasḥ' is used in the first śloka it is of a ~title~ vs. a proper name.

Now there too is another view - that naciketas returns to this earth as aruṇi son of auddālaki, and that his father gautama will still recognize him upon seeing him. For this view I cannot recall where I read this , but will continue to keep my eyes open if in fact I find its source.

But what of this name gautama. It relates to gotama. Yet we can also look at it like this go+tāma, and I will leave this conjecture for another post.

praṇām

Brahmanyan
30 November 2011, 06:19 AM
Shri "Yajvan",

Namaskaram,

Interesting exposition on "Vaajasravaas". Another thought passes when he is referred to as "Goutama". Could it be that he is referred to by his "Gotra" ?

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

yajvan
30 November 2011, 10:47 AM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté brahmanyanji



Another thought passes when he is referred to as "Goutama". Could it be that he is referred to by his "Gotra" ?


Here are my thoughts on this matter. In this kaṭhopaniṣad naciketas' father is addressed 3 ways:
1. the son of vājaśravā or vājaśravasḥ
2. gautama
3. aruṇi son of auddālaki or aruṇi auddālaki


Now the sacrifice ( yajña ) of naciketas' father is partaking of is the viśvajit ( all-conquering , all-subduing ) yajña . The father wanted a sacrifice that allowed him to be all-conquering in his endeavors.

And this is where naciketas sees a blemish in his father's actions. For the yajña , his father gave less then he could afford - cows that stopped yielding milk and that lost their vitality. This not in the spirit of yajña's , to give left-overs or less then vibrant offerings. This sets the stage for the next idea.

This name gautama. It relates to gotama. Yet we can also look at it like this go+tāma. My point (only I make this connection, I was not taught this ) is, if we can also consider gautama -> to gotama and infer -> go+tāma. This is then go = gau = cow + tama = darkess and tāma = anxiety , distress.
So, what is my point ? Naciketas' father offered go+tāma ( or go+tama) distressed cows as his offering. It is a very subtle way of say it by being called 'gautama' in the 10th śloka by his son, naciketas.

praṇām