Katha:1.2.7
Mantra 1.2.7
Original Text:
श्रवणायापि बहुभिर्यो न लभ्यः शृण्वन्तोऽपि बहवो यं न विद्युः । आश्चर्यो वक्ता कुशलोऽस्य लब्धाश्चर्यो ज्ञाता कुशलानुशिष्टः ॥ ७ ॥
śravaṇāyāpi bahubhiryo na labhyaḥ śṛṇvanto’pi bahavo yaṃ na vidyuḥ | āścaryo vaktā kuśalo’sya labdhāścaryo jñātā kuśalānuśiṣṭaḥ || 7 ||
| Sanskrit Term | Transliteration | Hindi Meaning | English Word or Meaning | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| श्रवणायापि | śravaṇāya api | सुनने के लिए भी | even for hearing | |
| बहुभिः | bahubhiḥ | बहुतों द्वारा | by many | |
| यः | yaḥ | जो | who | |
| न | na | नहीं | not | |
| लभ्यः | labhyaḥ | प्राप्त किया जा सकता | can be attained | |
| शृण्वन्तः अपि | śṛṇvantaḥ api | सुनने वाले भी | even those who hear | |
| बहवः | bahavaḥ | बहुत लोग | many people | |
| यम् | yam | जिसे | whom | |
| न | na | नहीं | not | |
| विद्युः | vidyuḥ | जानते | know | |
| आश्चर्यः | āścaryaḥ | अद्भुत | a wonder | |
| वक्ता | vaktā | वक्ता, उपदेशक | expounder, teacher | |
| कुशलः | kuśalaḥ | सक्षम | able, competent | |
| अस्य | asya | इसका (उसका) | of him (of this) | |
| लब्धा | labdhā | प्राप्त करने वाला | attainer | |
| आश्चर्यः | āścaryaḥ | अद्भुत | a wonder | |
| ज्ञाता | jñātā | जानने वाला | knower | |
| कुशल-अनुशिष्टः | kuśala-anuśiṣṭaḥ | सक्षम द्वारा उपदेशित | instructed by the able |
Translation/Explanation
Hindi: जो आत्मा अनेक लोगों के लिए सुनने योग्य भी नहीं है, और जिसे अनेक लोग सुनकर भी नहीं जानते; उसके उपदेशक भी अद्भुत हैं, और जो उसे प्राप्त करता है वह भी अद्भुत है; तथा जो सक्षम गुरु द्वारा उपदेशित होकर उसे जानता है, वह भी अद्भुत है। यहाँ आत्मा के ज्ञान की दुर्लभता और उपदेशक तथा शिष्य की विशेषता को बताया गया है।
English: The ātman is such that it cannot even be heard of by many; and even among those who hear about it, many do not truly know it. The expounder (vaktā) of the ātman is a wonder, and so is the one who attains (labdhā) it. Likewise, the knower (jñātā) of the ātman, who has been instructed by a competent (kuśala) teacher, is also a wonder. This mantra highlights the rarity of true knowledge of the ātman, as well as the exceptional nature of both the teacher and the student in this pursuit.
Commentary
Of thousands who seek good, it is someone like you who becomes the knower of the ātman; for, even for hearing, the ātman is not attainable by many; many others, though they hear of him, do not know the ātman, not being entitled, because their minds are not purified; again, the expounder of the ātman is, like a wonder, someone among many. Similarly, even among many who have so heard, someone alone of many, that is able, attains the ātman; the knower of the ātman is a wonder—someone who is instructed by an able preceptor.