Katha:1.1.28

Mantra 1.1.28

Original Text:

अजीर्यताममृतानामुपेत्य जीर्यन्मर्त्यः क्वधःस्थः प्रजानन् ।
	अभिध्यायन्वर्णरतिप्रमोदानतिदीर्घे जीविते को रमेत ॥ २८ ॥

ajīryatāmamṛtānāmupetya jīryanmartyaḥ kvadhaḥsthaḥ prajānan |
	abhidhyāyanvarṇaratipramodānatidīrghe jīvite ko rameta || 28 ||

Word-by-Word Breakdown

Sanskrit Term	Transliteration	Hindi Meaning	English Word or Meaning	Comments
अजीर्यताम्	ajīryatām	जिनका क्षय या वृद्धावस्था नहीं होती	those who do not decay or age		अमृतानाम्	amṛtānām	अमर लोगों का	of the immortal ones		उपेत्य	upetya	समीप पहुँचकर	having approached		जीर्यन्	jīryan	जो क्षयशील है	decaying		मर्त्यः	martyaḥ	नश्वर मनुष्य	mortal being		क्व	kva	कहाँ	where		धःस्थः	dhaḥ-sthaḥ	पृथ्वी पर स्थित	situated on earth		प्रजानन्	prajānān	जानने वाला	knowing		अभिध्यायन्	abhidhyāyan	विचार करता हुआ	contemplating		वर्ण	varṇa	रूप-सौंदर्य	beauty (here: sensory pleasures)		रति	rati	आनंद	pleasure		प्रमोदात्	pramodāt	उल्लास से	from delight		अतिदीर्घे	atidīrghe	बहुत दीर्घ	excessively long		जीविते	jīvite	जीवन में	in life		कः	kaḥ	कौन	who		रमेत	rameta	आनंद लेगा	would delight

Translation/Explanation

Hindi

जो नश्वर मनुष्य, पृथ्वी पर स्थित होकर, अमर और अविनाशी लोगों के समीप पहुँचकर, और रूप-सौंदर्य तथा अन्य इंद्रिय सुखों के आनंद का वास्तविक स्वरूप जान चुका है, वह अत्यंत दीर्घ जीवन में कैसे आनंदित हो सकता है? अर्थात्, जो व्यक्ति इन क्षणिक सुखों की सीमितता और अमरत्व के श्रेष्ठ लाभ को समझ चुका है, वह दीर्घ जीवन या इंद्रिय सुखों में आकर्षण नहीं रखता।

English

Which decaying mortal, situated on earth, having approached the ajīryatām (those who do not decay) and amṛtānām (the immortal ones), and knowing the true nature of the delight arising from varṇa (sensory pleasures) and rati (pleasure), would delight in excessively long jīvite (life)? That is, one who understands the limitations of these fleeting pleasures and the higher benefit of immortality, does not find attraction in long life or sensory enjoyments.

Commentary

Again, having approached those whose age knows no decay and who are amṛta (immortal) and knowing of some other surpassing benefit to be had from them, how could a mortal, himself living on earth below (below, relatively the antarikṣa, i.e., region of the sky), pray for such transitory things, as sons, wealth, gold, etc., covetable only by the ignorant? Another reading has ‘kvatadasthaḥ’ for ‘kvadhasthaḥ’; the meaning according to this reading is this: tadasthaḥ, one who ardently covets them, i.e., sons and the rest; when will one, who seeks higher objects than these though difficult to attain, thirst for these? The meaning is that no one who knows them as valueless, will wish for them. Everybody in the world wishes to become something higher and higher than he is; therefore, I am not to be tempted by the prospect of sons, wealth, etc.; and what sensible man will delight in longevity who knows the transitory nature of nymphs and of the delights of music and sports?

Concept List

ajīryatām
amṛtānām
martyah
varṇa
rati
pramoda
jīvita
abhidhyāna