द्वितीयाध्याये द्वितीया वल्ली
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chapter 2 part 2
Completion with the Unborn Self
पुरमेकादशद्वारमजस्यावक्रचेतसः । अनुष्ठाय न शोचति विमुक्तश्च विमुच्यते । एतद्वै तत् ॥ १॥
puram ekādāś-advāram ajasyāvakra-cetasaḥ । anuṣṭhāya na
śocati vimuktasca vimucyate । etad vai tat ॥ 1 ॥
❀ The city (or human body) of the Unborn Being [ajasya], whose light of consciousness is unflickering, has eleven gates. Meditating on It by the authentic acts of performing work onto It, one grieves and suffers no more; and being liberated from ignorance and incompletion, he attains completion (with the self). This Unborn Being truly is That Self, Consciousness.
verse 2.2.1
This human body is called a city with eleven gates, where the eternal unborn Self dwells. These gates are — 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 Self or Atman is the ruler in this city; and being beyond the modifications of birth, death and all human imperfections, It is not affected by the changes of the physical organism. The intelligent man, through constant completion and meditation by performing work as an offering to It, realizes the splendour of this Supreme Being. Thus, Completion with the Unborn Self is liberation from the birth and death cycle.
verse 2.2.1 puram: city; ekādāśa: eleven; dvāram: gates; ajasya: unborn; avakra: unflickering, uncrooked; cetasaḥ: light of consciousness; anuṣṭhāya: Meditating on It by the authentic acts of performing work for It; na: do not; śocati: grieve; vimuktaḥ: liberated; ca: and; vimucyate: becomes free from (birth and death cycle); etat: this; vai: truly is; tat: that (self)
The Self does not reside in city of the human body, alone. It resides in all the cities...so says the Upaniṣad
हँसः शुचिषद्वसुरन्तरिक्षसद्-होता वेदिषदतिथिर्दुरोणसत् । नृषद्वरसहतसद्व्योमस दब्जा गोजा ऋतजा अद्रिजा ऋतं बृहत् ॥ २ ॥
❀ haṁsaḥ śuciṣat vasur-antarikṣasad hotā vediṣad-atithir duroṇasat । nṛṣat varasat-dṛtasad vyomasadabjā gojā ṛtajā adrijā ṛtam bṛhat ॥ 2 ॥
verse 2.2.2
❀ As the moving sun, It is the dweller in the bright heaven; as Air, It pervades and fills all and dwells in the inter-space; As Fire, it dwells on earth in the burning sacrificial altar; As Soma juice, It dwells in a jar; As a Brāhmaṇa guest, It dwells in the house. It dwells and lives among men. It dwells in those greater than man, the Gods. It dwells in sacrifice and Truth. It dwells in the Ether. It is all that is born in water, all that is born from earth, all that is born in sacrifice, all that is born from the mountains. It is the Unchanging Eternal Truth and the Great cause of all causes. verse 2.2.2 haṁsaḥ: moving (sun); śuciṣat: pure dweller in heaven; vasuḥ: air that pervades; antarikṣasat: dwells in inter-space; hotā: fire; vediṣat: dwells on earth in fire sacrifice; atithiḥ: guest; duroṇasat: as the jar; nṛṣat: dweller among men; varasat: dweller among gods; dṛtasad: in truth, sacrifice; vyomasat: dweller in the space; abjā: born from water; gojā: born from earth; ṛtajā: born from sacrifices; adrijā: born from mountains; ṛtam: eternal truth; bṛhat: great (cause)
verse 2.2.2 This verse describes the Existentialism of the Self with Its many manifestations—Self is the infinite being, the all-pervading Consciousness filling, present, born and growing, dwelling in everything and as everything. In Reality, there is no duality or plurality in Existence, It is Pure Oneness, Living Advaita.
ऊर्ध्वं प्राणमुन्नयत्यपानं प्रत्यगस्यति । मध्ये वामनमासीनं विश्वे देवा उपाासते ॥३॥ ❀ ūrdhvam prāṇam-unnayaty-apānam pratyagasyati । madhye vāmanam-āsīnaṁ
viśve devā upāsate ॥ 3 ॥
verse 2.2.3 ❀ It is That Self, who sends the ⬤ (incoming) life-breath, prāṇa upward and throws the (outgoing) ⬤ breath, apāna downward. All the deities of the senses perform their actions while worshipping that adorable Ātman, seated in the centre (of the heart). verse 2.2.3 ūrdhvam: upward; prāṇam: life-breath energy; unnayati: leads higher up; apānam: incoming breath ; pratyag: send, push; asyati: inwards, downwards; madhye: in the middle, center; vāmanam: adorable; āsīnaṁ: seated; viśve: world, heart; devāḥ: gods; upāsate: worship
अस्य विस्रंसमानस्य शरीरस्थस्य देहिनः । देहाद्विमुच्यमानस्य किमल परिशिष्यते । एतद्वै तत् ॥ ४॥ ❀ asya visraṁsamānasya śarīrasthasya dehinaḥ । dehād-vimucyamānasya
verse
2. 2.4
kimatra pariśiṣyate । etad vai tat ॥ 4 ॥ ❀ When this embodied self, which is seated in the body, becomes loosened, detached, and gets liberated
from the body, what remains here of this (body) then? This truly is That Self, Consciousness. ❀
asya: of this; visraṁsamānasya: becomes loosened, detached; śarīrasthasya: seated in the body; dehinaḥ: the embodied self; dehād: from the body; vimucyamānasya: leaves, liberated the body; kim: what; atra: else; pariśiṣyate: remains; etat: this; vai: truly is; tat: that (self)
न प्राणेन नापानेन मर्त्यो जीवति कश्चन । इतरेण तु जीवन्ति यस्मिन्नेतावुपाश्रितौ ॥ ५ ॥ ❀ na prāṇena na apānena martyo jīvati kaścana । itareṇa tu jīvanti yasminn-etāv-upāśritau ॥ 5 ॥
❀ No mortal can live or sustain by the vital life-energies of either Prāṇa, the incoming life-breath or Apāna, the downward flowing life-breath. There is something else that sustains and enriches life into him. On this 'something', that is the Cosmic Self, both of these have taken refuge and depend upon.
verse 2.2.5 (The vital life-breath is of five kinds–prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna, samāna that perform different energy functions in the human organism. Yet, they are not independent of the Cosmic Self, which is the Master, the life-nourishing enricher of all of these vital life-energies. Self is the Life of the Life-energy itself. At Death, when the Self leaves the body or stops reflecting in the individual self, the whole mind-body system collapses, what remains? asks Death, to express that – nothing remains by itself in the body without the power of the Cosmic Self.) verse 2.2.5 na: no; prāṇena: by the incoming life-breath; na: either; āpānena; by apāna, the downward flowing life-energy; martyaḥ: mortal; jīvati: lives, sustains; kaḥ-cana: any, whatever; itareṇa: by something else; tu: but; jīvanti; lives, enriched; yasmin: of which; etāu: both of these; upāśritau: take refuge in, depends upon
I Shall Tell You the Secret Of Brahman And Death
हन्त त इदं प्रवक्ष्यामि गुह्यं ब्रह्म सनातनम् । यथा च मरणं प्राप्य आत्मा भवति गौतम ॥६॥
hanta ta idaṁ pravakṣyāmi ● guhyam brahma sanātanam । yathā ca maraṇam prāpya ● ātmā bhavati gautama ॥ 6 ॥
❀ O Gautama (Naciketā), now I shall declare unto you this secret of the eternal Brahman, Cosmic Consciousness, and what happens to the (individual) Self after the happening of Death.
Now, Death is going to enter into the sacred secrets of Death, revealing two subjects..
verse 2.2.6
- First, the nature of Brahman, Cosmic Consciousness and how to attain It.
- Second, what happens to individual soul on or after the happening of Death. verse 2.2.6 hanta: now ; te: to you ; idaṁ: this; pravakṣyāmi: I shall explain; guhyam: secret; brahma: brahman, cosmic consciousness; sanātanam: eternal; yathā: what, as it happens; ca: and; maraṇam: death; prāpya: attaining, happening; ātmā: individual self ; bhavati: happens; gautama: O gautama, naciketā.
The Trap Of Entering Many Wombs
योनिमन्ये प्रपद्यन्ते शरीरत्वाय देहिनः । स्थाणुमन्येऽनुसंयन्ति यथाकर्म यथाश्रुतम् ॥ ७॥
yonimanye prapadyante śarīratvāya dehinaḥ । sthāṇum anye'nusaṁyanti yathākarma yathāśrutam ॥ 7 ॥
Some individual souls enter into wombs to be embodied and assume different bodies; others go into immovable gross forms (like trees, stones, etc.), according to each one's karma, the unfulfilled desires, patterns and actions that have not yet reached completion (in the present life), and according to their internalized knowledge. By this verse, Death shows the law of cause and effect on all forms of life. Incomplete actions, thoughts, desires, patterns you created for you, and others created for you, is karma. The karma, unfulfilled desires, actions that have not yet reached perfection or completion in the present life determine and cause the future birth and environment.
verse 2.2.7 yonim: womb; anye: other, some; ● prapadyante: enter into; śarīratvāya: for assuming bodies; dehinaḥ: ● souls; sthāṇum: immovable, solid, gross; anye: others, some; anusaṁyanti: follow; yathā: according to; karma: unfulfilled desires, actions yet to reach completion; yathā: according to; śrutam: internalized knowledge
The Pure, Ever Awake Puruṣa Supports the Worlds
य एष सुप्तेषु जागर्ति कामं कामं पुरुषो Nirmāṇaḥ । तदेव शुक्रं तद्ब्रह्म तदेवामृतमुच्यते । तस्मिँल्लोकाः श्रिताः सर्वे तदु नात्येति कश्चन । एतद्वै तत् ॥ ८ ॥ ❀
ya eṣa supteṣu jāgarti kāmaṁ kāmaṁ puruṣo nirmimāṇaḥ । tadeva śukraṁ tadbrahma tadevāmṛtam ucyat । tasmin lokāḥ
śritāḥ sarve tadu nātyeti kaścana । etad vai tat ॥ 8 ॥
❀ The Cosmic Being [puruṣa] who remains awake while all are asleep, who goes on producing and fulfilling desires after desires; That is indeed pure, absolute radiant,
verse
That is Brahman, Pure Consciousness. That alone is said to be immortal, indestructible with eternal life [amṛtam]. On That all the worlds rest
2.2.8
upon and get supported. None goes beyond That at all. This truly is That Self, Consciousness.
verse 2.2.8 yaḥ: who ; eṣa: this, the; supteṣu: are asleep; jāgarti: remains awake; kāmam: desire; kāmam: (after) desire; puruṣaḥ: cosmic being; nirmimāṇaḥ: producing, creating; fulfilling; tat: that; eva: indeed; śukraṁ: pure, absolute radiant; tat: that; brahma: brahman; tat: that; eva: alone; amṛtam: immortal; ucyat: said to be; tasmin: on that; lokāḥ: all worlds; śritāḥ: rest upon and supported; sarve: all; tat: that; u: and; na: noone; atyeti: beyond; kaścana: at all; etat: this; vai: truly is; tat: that (self).
Oneness Becomes Many As Fire And Air Take Many Forms
अग्निर्यथैको भुवनं प्रविष्टो रूपं रूपं प्रतिरूपो बभूव । एकस्तथा सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा रूपं रूपं प्रतिरूपो बहिश्च ॥९॥ ꕤ
agnir yathaiko bhuvanam praviṣṭo rūpaṁ rūpaṁ pratirūpo babhūva । ekastathā sarva-bhūtāntar- ātmā rūpaṁ rūpam prati-rūpo
bahiśca ॥ 9 ॥
ꕤ Just As Fire, though of the same essence, having entered the world, assumes various forms and shapes according to the different forms that it burns and consumes,
so also does the Inner Soul [antarātmā] within all living beings, though of the essence of Oneness, becomes many (gross) forms and shapes according
to what (body) It enters and embodies. ● And yet, It is also the outer space in Its subtle, unmodified form. ●
वायैर्यथैको भुवनं प्रविष्टो रूपं रूपं प्रतिरूपो बभूव । एकस्तथा सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा रूपं रूपं प्रतिरूपो बहिश्च ॥१०॥ ❀ vāyur yathaiko bhuvanam praviṣṭo rūpaṁ rūpaṁ pratirūpo
babhūva । ekastathā sarva-bhūtāntar-ātmā rūpaṁ rūpaṁ pratirūpo bahiśca ॥ 10 ॥ ❀ Just As Air, though of the same essence,
having entered the world, assumes various forms and shapes according to the different forms in the form of the vital-air, so also does the Inner Soul
[antarātmā] within all living beings, though of the essence of Oneness, becomes many (gross) forms and shapes according to what (body) It enters
and embodies. And yet, It is also the outer space in Its subtle, unmodified form.
verse 2.2.10 Rūpa, Rasa, Gandha, Śabda, Sparśa are the 5 tanmātras which come after the 5 pañcabhūta. From the Fire, Rupa begins, or the form. Rasa is in the taste in the water. And Gandha is in the earth. Śabda means sound in ether; Sparśa means touch in the air. So five gross elements and five subtle elements. The gross elements are understood by the subtle elements. Yama shows Naciketā the subtle quality of the great Self, who, although is 'Oneness and Formless' like the air and fire, yet It assumes different shapes according to the form in which It dwells. But, being all–pervading and unlimited, It cannot be confined to these forms; therefore It also exists outside all forms.
verse 2.2.10 agniḥ: fire; vāyuḥ: vital-air; yathā: just as; ekaḥ: the same, one; bhuvanam: this world (where beings or 'bhu' come into being); praviṣṭaḥ: having entered; rūpaṁ: form; rūpam: forms; pratirūpaḥ: different life forms, multiformed (shapes, density, textures etc); babhūva: become; ekaḥ: the same, oneness; tathā: in the same way, similarly; sarva: all; bhūtā: all living beings; antarātmā (antaḥ-ātmā): the inner soul; rūpaṁ: form; rūpam: form, shapes; prati: different, many; rūpaḥ: forms; bahiḥ: is outside; ca: also.
सूर्यो यथा सर्वलोकस्य चक्षुः न लिप्यते चाक्षुषैर्बाह्यदोषैः । एकस्तथा सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा न लिप्यते लोकदुःखेन बाह्यः ॥११॥ ❀ sūryo yathā sarva-lokasya cakṣurna lipyate cākṣuṣair-
bāhya-doṣaih । ekastathā sarva-bhūtāntar-ātmā na lipyate loka-duḥkena bāhyaḥ ॥ 11 ॥
verse 2.2.11 ❀ Just as the Sun, the Eye of the whole world, is not tainted or clutched by the external impurities seen by the eyes; so also does the Inner Soul [antar-ātmā], of the essence of Oneness, existing in all living beings, is not tainted or clutched by the misery, sufferings, incompletions of the world; It being beyond all that is.
verse Sun is called the eye of the world because it is the source of light, which enlightens the eyes and reveals all objects. As the Sun may shine on the most impure object, 2.2.11 yet remain uncontaminated by it, so the Divine Self within is not touched by the impurity or suffering of the physical form in which it dwells, the Self being beyond all bodily limitations.
verse 2.2.11 sūryaḥ: sun; yathā: just as; sarva: all, whole; lokasya: of the world; cakṣuḥ: eyes; na: does not; lipyate: tainted, clutched, entangled; cākṣuṣaiḥ: of the eyes; bāhya: external; doṣaiḥ: impurities; ekaḥ: oneness; tathā: so also, in the same way; sarva: all; bhūtā: living beings; antar-ātmā: inner soul; na: does not; lipyate: tainted, clutched; loka: world; duḥkena: misery, sorrow, incompletions; bāhyaḥ: beyond all
The Unspeakable Bliss of Seeing the Self Within
एको वशी सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा एकं रूपं बहुधा यः करोति । तमात्मस्थं येऽनुपश्यन्ति धीरास्तेषां सुखं शाश्वतं नेतरेषाम् ॥ १२॥ ❀ eko vaśī sarva-bhūtāntar-ātmā ekam
bījam bahudhā yaḥ karoti । tam-ātmastham ye'nupaśyanti dhīrāsteṣāṁ sukhaṁ śāsvataṁ netareṣāṁ ॥ 12 ॥
❀ There is one ruler (of the whole Universe) – the Inner Soul of all living beings, who just by Its existence, causes the seed of Oneness to expand into many (bodies, verse names and forms); the wise, authentic beings [dhīraḥ] who consciously see and realize It seated within their Self, to them belongs the Eternal Bliss 2.2.12 [śāśvatam sukham], not to anyone else.
verse 2.2.12 ekaḥ: one; vaśī: ruler, controller; sarva: all; bhūtā: living beings; antar-ātmā: inner soul; ekam: oneness; bījam: seed; bahudhā: many, inifnite; yaḥ: who; karoti: causes; tam: him; ātmastham: situated within the self; ye: those; anupaśyanti: consciously see within; dhīrāḥ: wise, authentic beings; teṣāṁ: for them; sukhaṁ: happiness, bliss; śāsvataṁ: eternal; na: not; itareṣāṁ: anyone else, others
नित्योऽनित्यानां चेतनश्चेतनानाम् एको बहूनां यो विदधाति कामान् । तमात्मस्थं येऽनुपश्यन्ति धीरास्तेषां शान्तिः शाश्वती नेतरेषाम् ॥ १३ ॥ ❀
nityo-anityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān ।
tamātmasthaṁ ye'nupaśyanti dhīrās-teṣāṁ śāntiḥ śasvatī netareṣāṁ ॥ 13 ॥
❀ Eternal among the ephemeral, Consciousness among the conscious, who, though Oneness, ordains and fulfills the desires of many. The wise, authentic beings who consciously see the Cosmic Soul seated within as their own Inner Soul, to them belongs the eternal peace, not to anyone else. verse 2.2.13 nityaḥ: eternal; anityānāṁ: among the non-eternal, ephemeral; cetanaḥ: consciousness; cetanānām: of the conscious; ekaḥ: oneness; bahūnām: of the many; yaḥ: who; vidadhāti: ordains; kāmān: desires (fruits of actions); tam: him, it; ātmastham: situated within the self; ye: those; anupaśyanti: consciously see within; dhīrāḥ: wise, authentic beings; teṣāṁ: for them; śāntiḥ: peace; śasvatī: eternal; na: not; itareṣāṁ: to anyone else
तदेतदिति मन्यन्तेऽनिर्देश्यं परमं सुखम् । कथं नु तद्विजानीयां किमु भाति विभाति वा ॥ १४॥ ❀ tadetad iti manyante' nirdeśyaṁ paramaṁ sukham । kathaṁ nu tad
vijānīyām kimu bhāti vibhāti vā ॥ 14 ॥
verse 2.2.14 ❀ They (the wise) cognize and realize that indescribable, unspeakable Supreme Bliss [Brahman], saying — "This is That." How shall I know It? Does It shine (by Its own light) as self-effulgent and self-revealing or does It shine by reflected light (manifesting to be grasped through the mind and senses)?
verse 2.2.14 tat: that; etat: this is; iti: thus; manyante: they think, cognize; anirdeśyam: unspeakable, indescribable; paramam: ultimate, supreme; sukham: happiness; katham: how; nu: in-deed; tat: that; vijānīyām: shall I know; kim: does; u: it; bhāti: shine (by its own light); vibhāti: shine (as reflec- tion); vā: or
न तत्र सूर्यो भाति न चन्द्रतारकं नेमा विद्युतो भान्ति कुतोऽयमग्निः । तमेव भान्तमनुभाति सर्वं तस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति ॥१५॥ ꕤ
na tatra sūryo bhāti na candra-tārakam nemā vidyuto bhānti kuto'yam agniḥ । tamevatamevabhāntam anubhāti sarvaṁ tasyabhāsā sarvam idaṁ vibhāti ॥ 15 ॥
✽ There the Sun does not shine, nor the moon, nor the stars; nor do these lightning shine. How can this Fire then? Consciousness [Brahman] shining, all these shine; verse 2.2.15 through Its light and luster all these are illumined variously.
Now the Upaniṣad adds that Brahman is also the Light. We see light in the sun, moon, stars, etc., but they fade away in the presence of Brahman, Consciousness. Brahman alone is verse the source of all Light. 2.2.15
verse 2.2.15 na: not; tatra: there is; sūryaḥ: sun; bhāti: shine; na: not; candra: moon; tārakam: stars; na: not; imāḥ: all these; vidyutaḥ: like lightening; bhānti: appears, shines; kutaḥ: from where; ayam: this (soul); agniḥ: fire; tam: him; eva: indeed; bhāntam: shines; anubhāti: shine after another; sarvaṁ: all; tasya: his; bhāsā: by effulgence; sarvam: all; idaṁ: this; vibhāti: shine in many
॥ इति काठकोपनिषदि द्वितीयाध्याये द्वितीया वल्ली ॥
॥ iti kāṭhokapaniṣadi dvitīyādhyāye dvitīyā vallī ॥
Here ends the second part (vallī) of second chapter (ādhyāya) of Kaṭhopaniṣad