Katha:2.1.1

Mantra 2.1.1

Original Text:

पराञ्चि खानि व्यतृणत्स्वयम्भूस्तस्मात्पराङ्पश्यति नान्तरात्मन् ।
	कश्चिद्धीरः प्रत्यगात्मानमैक्षदावृत्तचक्शुरमृतत्वमिच्छन् ॥ १ ॥

parāñci khāni vyatṛṇatsvayambhūstasmātparāṅpaśyati nāntarātman |
	kaściddhīraḥ pratyagātmānamaikṣadāvṛttacakśuramṛtatvamicchan || 1 ||

Word-by-Word Breakdown

Sanskrit Term	Transliteration	Hindi Meaning	English Word or Meaning	Comments
पराञ्चि	parāñci	बाहर की ओर जाने वाले – जो बाहर की ओर प्रवृत्त होते हैं	outward-going		खानि	khāni	इन्द्रियाँ – ज्ञानेंद्रियाँ (श्रवण, चक्षु, आदि)	senses (organs of perception)		व्यतृणत्	vyatṛṇat	वितरित की – फैलाया, बाँटा	distributed, created		स्वयम्भूः	svayambhūḥ	स्वयंभू – स्वयं से उत्पन्न, परमेश्वर	self-existent (Svayambhū, the Lord)		तस्मात्	tasmāt	इसलिए – उस कारण से	therefore, hence		पराङ्	parāṅ	बाहर की ओर – बाह्य	outward		पश्यति	paśyati	देखता है – अनुभव करता है	sees, perceives		न	na	नहीं – अभाव सूचक	not		अन्तः	antaḥ	भीतर – अंदर	within, inner		आत्मन्	ātman	आत्मा – चैतन्य, स्वभाव	ātman (Self, inner consciousness)		कश्चित्	kaścit	कोई – कोई एक व्यक्ति	someone, some person		धीः	dhīraḥ	धीर – विवेकी, बुद्धिमान	wise, intelligent		प्रत्यक्	pratyak	भीतर की ओर – अंतर्मुख	inward, turned within		आत्मानम्	ātmānam	आत्मा को – अपने स्वरूप को	the ātman (Self)		ऐक्षत्	aikṣata	देखा – अनुभव किया	saw, perceived		आवृत्तचक्षुः	āvṛttacakṣuḥ	लौटाई हुई दृष्टि – इन्द्रियाँ हटाकर	with senses turned away, withdrawn		अमृतत्वम्	amṛtatvam	अमरता – मृत्यु रहित अवस्था	immortality		इच्छन्	icchan	चाहने वाला – इच्छुक	desiring, seeking

Translation/Explanation

Hindi: स्वयंभू (परमेश्वर) ने इन्द्रियों को बाहर की ओर प्रवृत्त किया है, इसलिए मनुष्य बाहर की वस्तुओं को देखता है, अपने भीतर स्थित आत्मा को नहीं देखता। परंतु कोई विवेकी पुरुष, जिसने अपनी इन्द्रियों को विषयों से हटा लिया है, अमरता की इच्छा से, उस अंतर्मुख आत्मा का साक्षात्कार करता है।

English: The Svayambhū (self-existent Lord) created the senses as outward-going; therefore, one perceives the external and does not see the ātman within. However, some dhīraḥ (wise person), with senses withdrawn and turned inward, seeking amṛtatvam (immortality), perceives the pratyag-ātman (inner Self).

Commentary

It was stated that this ātman, concealed in all living beings, does not shine forth but is seen by the subtle intellect. The obstacle to perceiving the ātman with the subtle intellect is now discussed: the senses (khāni) were created by Svayambhū (the self-existent Lord) to move outward, perceiving external objects such as sound, form, etc., and thus not perceiving the inner ātman. Only a dhīraḥ (discerning person), by turning the senses inward—like reversing the flow of a river—perceives the pratyag-ātman (inner Self). The word ātman is technically used to denote the pratyak (inner spirit), not anything else. According to its etymology and scriptural declarations, ātman is that which pervades, absorbs, enjoys, and sustains the universe. The verb aikṣata (“saw”) here means “sees,” as Vedic usage does not always follow strict tense. The wise person, with all senses withdrawn from external objects, perceives the pratyag-ātman, motivated by the desire for amṛtatvam (immortality).

Concept List

Svayambhū
khāni (senses)
parāñci (outward-going)
ātman
pratyag-ātman (inner Self)
dhīraḥ (wise person)
amṛtatvam (immortality)
indriya-nirodha (withdrawal of senses)