Katha:1.1.25

Mantra 1.1.25

Original Text:

ये ये कामा दुर्लभा मर्त्यलोके सर्वान्कामाँश्छन्दतः प्रार्थयस्व ।
	इमा रामाः सरथाः सतूर्या नहीदृशा लम्भनीया मनुष्यैः ।
	आभिर्मत्प्रत्ताभिः परिचारयस्व नचिकेतो मरणं मानुप्राक्शीः ॥ २५ ॥

ye ye kāmā durlabhā martyaloke sarvānkāmām̐śchandataḥ prārthayasva |
	imā rāmāḥ sarathāḥ satūryā nahīdṛśā lambhanīyā manuṣyaiḥ |
	ābhirmatprattābhiḥ paricārayasva naciketo maraṇaṃ mānuprākśīḥ || 25 ||

Word-by-Word Breakdown

Sanskrit Term	Transliteration	Hindi Meaning	English Word or Meaning	Comments
ये ये	ye ye	जो-जो – वे सभी	whichever
कामाः	kāmāḥ	इच्छाएँ – वांछनीय वस्तुएँ	desires
दुर्लभाः	durlabhāḥ	कठिन से प्राप्त होनेवाली – दुर्लभ	difficult to obtain
मर्त्यलोके	martya-loke	नश्वर लोक में – मनुष्यों के संसार में	in the world of mortals
सर्वान्	sarvān	सभी – सम्पूर्ण	all
कामान्	kāmān	इच्छित वस्तुएँ – वांछित वस्तुएँ	desired objects
छन्दतः	chandataḥ	अपनी इच्छा से – स्वेच्छा अनुसार	as you wish
प्रार्थयस्व	prārthayasva	माँग लो – निवेदन करो	ask for
इमाः	imāḥ	ये – ये स्त्रियाँ	these
रामाः	rāmāḥ	रमणीयाएँ – पुरुषों को प्रसन्न करनेवाली स्त्रियाँ	nymphs (delightful women)
सरथाः	sa-rathāḥ	रथ सहित – रथों के साथ	with chariots
सतूर्याः	sa-tūryāḥ	वाद्ययंत्र सहित – वाद्ययंत्रों के साथ	with musical instruments (lutes)
न	na	नहीं – निषेध	not
ईदृशाः	īdṛśāḥ	ऐसी – इस प्रकार की	such
लम्भनीयाः	lambhanīyāḥ	प्राप्त करने योग्य – प्राप्त की जा सकने वाली	obtainable
मनुष्यैः	manuṣyaiḥ	मनुष्यों द्वारा – मनुष्यों के लिए	by mortals
आभिः	ābhiḥ	इनसे – इन स्त्रियों से	with these
मत्प्रत्ताभिः	mat-prattābhiḥ	मेरे द्वारा दी गई – मुझसे प्राप्त	given by me
परिचारयस्व	paricārayasva	सेवा कराओ – सेवा करवाओ	have services performed
नचिकेतः	naciketaḥ	नचिकेतस – पात्र का नाम	Naciketā (proper noun)
मरणम्	maraṇam	मृत्यु – प्राण त्याग	death
मा	mā	मत – निषेध (मत करो)	do not
अनुप्राक्षीः	anuprākṣīḥ	पूछो – प्रश्न करो	ask about

Translation/Explanation

Hindi: जो-जो इच्छाएँ मनुष्यों के संसार में कठिनाई से प्राप्त होती हैं, उन सभी वांछित वस्तुओं को अपनी इच्छा से माँग लो। ये रमणीयाएँ अपने रथों और वाद्ययंत्रों के साथ हैं; ऐसी स्त्रियाँ मनुष्यों को सहजता से प्राप्त नहीं होतीं। मेरे द्वारा दी गई इन सेविकाओं से अपनी सेवा कराओ। हे नचिकेतस, मृत्यु के विषय में मत पूछो।

English: Whatever kāmāḥ (desires) are difficult to obtain in the martya-loka (world of mortals), ask, as you wish, for all such kāmān (desired objects). These rāmāḥ (delightful women) are here with their chariots and musical instruments; such women are not obtainable by manuṣya (mortals). With these attendants, given by me, have your services performed. O Naciketā, do not ask about maraṇam (death).

Commentary

Ask, as you like, for all desired objects, which are covetable but not easily attainable in the martya-loka (world of mortals). Again, here are these celestial rāmāḥ (the term meaning those who delight males) with their chariots and with their musical instruments; and women like these cannot be obtained by manuṣya (mortals) without the grace of beings like us; with these female attendants given by me, have your services performed, such as cleaning the feet with water, etc.; O Naciketā, it does not become you to put me the question connected with maraṇam (death), i.e., whether, when man is dead, there is or is not anything surviving—a question (as unprofitable as that) of examining the number of crow’s teeth.

Concept List

kāmāḥ
martya-loka
rāmāḥ
manuṣya
maraṇam
Naciketā