Katha:2.1.15

Mantra 2.1.15

Original Text:

यथोदकं शुद्धे शुद्धमासिक्तं तादृगेव भवति ।
	एवं मुनेर्विजानत आत्मा भवति गौतम ॥ १५ ॥

yathodakaṃ śuddhe śuddhamāsiktaṃ tādṛgeva bhavati ।
	evaṃ munervijānata ātmā bhavati gautama ॥ 15 ॥

Word-by-Word Breakdown

Sanskrit Term	Transliteration	Hindi Meaning	English Word or Meaning	Comments
यथा	yathā	जैसे – तुलना या उपमा का संकेत	as – indicates comparison or simile		उदकं	udakaṃ	जल – तरल द्रव्य, पानी	water – liquid substance, water		शुद्धे	śuddhe	शुद्ध – निर्मल, दोषरहित	pure – free from impurities		शुद्धम्	śuddham	शुद्ध – निर्मल, दोषरहित	pure – uncontaminated		आसिक्तं	āsiktaṃ	डाला गया – मिलाया गया	poured – that which is poured		तादृक् एव	tādṛg eva	वैसा ही – उसी प्रकार	of the same kind – exactly similar		भवति	bhavati	बन जाता है – हो जाता है	becomes – comes to be		एवं	evaṃ	इसी प्रकार – उपरोक्त के समान	thus – in this manner		मुनिः	muniḥ	मुनि – विचारशील, ज्ञानी व्यक्ति	thinker – contemplative, wise person		विजानत	vijānata	जानने वाले – सच्चिदानंद का अनुभव करने वाला	one who knows – the knower, perceiver		आत्मा	ātmā	आत्मा – परम तत्त्व, चेतन सत्ता	ātman – the Self, consciousness principle		भवति	bhavati	हो जाता है – एकरूप हो जाता है	becomes – comes to be, attains the state		गौतम	gautama	गौतम – संबोधन, शिष्य का नाम	Gautama – name of the disciple, vocative

Translation/Explanation

Hindi: जैसे शुद्ध जल में शुद्ध जल मिलाने पर वह भी वैसा ही शुद्ध रह जाता है, वैसे ही, हे गौतम! जो मुनि (विचारशील ज्ञानी) इस प्रकार जानता है, उसकी आत्मा भी वैसी ही (परमात्मा के साथ) एकरूप हो जाती है।

English: As pure udakaṃ poured into pure udakaṃ becomes of the same kind, so, O Gautama, the ātman of the muni who vijānata thus, becomes (one with the Supreme).

Commentary

How does the ātman of a muni who has attained vijñāna, whose perception of difference due to upādhis has been destroyed, and who knows the ātman as pure, dense with jñāna, and one without a second, become? This is explained: Just as pure udakaṃ poured into pure udakaṃ becomes of the same quality and not otherwise, so too the ātman of the muni becomes the same, O Gautama. Therefore, abandoning the perception of difference induced by faulty reasoning and the erroneous notion of non-existence after death, the perception of the oneness of ātman taught by the Vedas, which is a better well-wisher than thousands of mothers and fathers, should be earnestly respected by those whose pride has been subdued.

Concept List

yathā
udakaṃ
śuddha
muni
vijānata
ātman
upādhi
advaita
vedānta