Katha:2.3.4

Mantra 2.3.4

Original Text:

इह चेदशकद्बोद्धुं प्राक्शरीरस्य विस्रसः ।
	ततः सर्गेषु लोकेषु शरीरत्वाय कल्पते ॥ ४ ॥

iha cedaśakadboddhuṃ prākśarīrasya visrasaḥ |
	tataḥ sargeṣu lokeṣu śarīratvāya kalpate || 4 ||

Sanskrit Term	Transliteration	Hindi Meaning	English Word or Meaning	Comments
इह	iha	इस संसार में – इस जीवन में, इसी लोक में	here, in this world
चेत्	cet	यदि – अगर, यदि	if
अशकद्	aśakat	सक्षम – जो कर सकता है, समर्थ	able
बोध्दुं	boddhuṃ	जानना – समझना, बोध करना	to know, to realize
प्राक्	prāk	पहले – पूर्व में, पहले	before
शरीरस्य	śarīrasya	शरीर के – देह के, शरीर का	of the body
विस्रसः	visrasaḥ	पतन – गिरना, नष्ट होना	falling, dissolution
ततः	tataḥ	तब – उसके बाद, फिर	then
सर्गेषु	sargeṣu	सृष्टियों में – उत्पन्न लोकों में, रचनाओं में	in the worlds of created things
लोकेषु	lokeṣu	लोकों में – संसारों में, विभिन्न लोकों में	in the worlds
शरीरत्वाय	śarīratvāya	शरीरधारण के लिए – देह धारण करने के लिए	for embodiment, to become embodied
कल्पते	kalpate	योग्य होता है – सक्षम होता है, बनता है	becomes fit, is able, becomes

Translation/Explanation

Hindi

यदि यहाँ, इस जीवन में, वह (जीव) शरीर के पतन से पहले जानने में सक्षम हो जाता है, तो वह सृष्टि के लोकों में फिर से शरीर धारण करने के लिए योग्य नहीं होता।

English

If here (iha), he is able (aśakat) to know (boddhuṃ) before (prāk) the falling (visrasaḥ) of the body (śarīrasya), then (tataḥ) in the worlds of created things (sargeṣu lokeṣu), he does not become fit for embodiment (śarīratvāya kalpate) again.

Commentary

If he is able to know and realizes even during life, this Brahman—the cause of fear—before the falling of the body, then he becomes freed from the bond of saṃsāra. If he is not able to know, then, from want of that knowledge, he becomes able to take, i.e., he takes a body in earth and other worlds, where those who are fit to be created, are created. Therefore, before the falling of the body, attempt should be made to realize the ātman; for the realization of the ātman even here will be as clear as that of a face reflected in a mirror; not in other worlds except the Brahmaloka, and that is hard to reach.

Concept List

iha
boddhuṃ
śarīrasya visrasaḥ
saṃsāra
ātman
Brahman
śarīratva
sargeṣu lokeṣu
Brahmaloka