Katha:1.2.2
Mantra 1.2.2
Original Text:
श्रेयश्च प्रेयश्च मनुष्यमेतस्तौ संपरीत्य विविनक्ति धीरः । श्रेयो हि धीरोऽभिप्रेयसो वृणीते प्रेयो मन्दो योगक्शेमाद्वृणीते ॥ २ ॥
śreyaśca preyaśca manuṣyametastau saṃparītya vivinakti dhīraḥ | śreyo hi dhīro’bhipreyaso vṛṇīte preyo mando yogakśemādvṛṇīte || 2 ||
| Sanskrit Term | Transliteration | Hindi Meaning | English Word or Meaning | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| श्रेयः | śreyaḥ | उत्तम, कल्याणकारी – जो अंतिम कल्याण या मोक्ष की ओर ले जाता है | The good, that which leads to ultimate welfare or mokṣa | |
| च | ca | और – संयोजक शब्द | and (conjunction) | |
| प्रेयः | preyaḥ | प्रिय, सुखदायक – जो इन्द्रियों को प्रिय लगे, परंतु स्थायी लाभ न दे | The pleasant, that which is agreeable to the senses but not ultimately beneficial | |
| च | ca | और – संयोजक शब्द | and (conjunction) | |
| मनुष्यं | manuṣyam | मनुष्य को – मानव प्राणी | the mortal, human being | |
| एतौ | etau | ये दोनों – श्रेय और प्रेय | these two (referring to śreyaḥ and preyaḥ) | |
| सं-परित्य | saṃparītya | समीप आकर, पास आकर – दोनों विकल्प मनुष्य के पास आते हैं | having approached, coming near (to the human) | |
| विविनक्ति | vivinakti | भेद करता है, अलग करता है – विवेकपूर्वक अंतर करता है | distinguishes, discerns | |
| धीरः | dhīraḥ | विवेकी, बुद्धिमान – जो स्थिर बुद्धि वाला हो | the wise, the discriminating one | |
| श्रेयः | śreyaḥ | उत्तम, कल्याणकारी – मोक्ष या परम कल्याण | the good (repetition, see above) | |
| हि | hi | निश्चय ही, वास्तव में – बल देने के लिए | indeed, certainly (emphatic particle) | |
| धीरः | dhīraḥ | विवेकी, बुद्धिमान – स्थिर और विवेकशील व्यक्ति | the wise (see above) | |
| अभि-प्रेयसः | abhi-preyasaḥ | प्रेय की अपेक्षा – प्रेय (प्रिय) की तुलना में | over the preyaḥ, in preference to the pleasant | |
| वृणीते | vṛṇīte | चुनता है, ग्रहण करता है – चयन करता है | chooses, selects | |
| प्रेयः | preyaḥ | प्रिय, सुखदायक – इन्द्रियों को प्रिय लगने वाला | the pleasant (see above) | |
| मन्दः | mandaḥ | मंदबुद्धि, अविवेकी – जिसकी बुद्धि तीव्र न हो | the dull-witted, the unintelligent | |
| योग-क्षेमात् | yoga-kṣemāt | प्राप्ति और रक्षा के लिए – भौतिक सुख-सुविधाओं के लिए | for the sake of acquisition and preservation (of worldly goods) | |
| वृणीते | vṛṇīte | चुनता है, ग्रहण करता है – चयन करता है | chooses, selects |
Translation/Explanation
Hindi: श्रेय (अंतिम कल्याण) और प्रेय (इन्द्रियों को प्रिय लगने वाला सुख) दोनों ही मनुष्य के पास आते हैं। विवेकी व्यक्ति इन दोनों का विवेकपूर्वक परीक्षण करता है और भली-भांति अंतर करके श्रेय को प्रेय की अपेक्षा चुनता है। जबकि मंदबुद्धि व्यक्ति, जो विवेक नहीं कर सकता, वह केवल भौतिक सुख-सुविधाओं (योग-क्षेम) के लिए प्रेय को ही चुनता है।
English: Both śreyaḥ (the ultimately beneficial) and preyaḥ (the immediately pleasant) approach the mortal. The dhīraḥ (wise, discriminating person) examines and distinguishes them, and having discerned, chooses śreyaḥ over preyaḥ. The mandaḥ (unintelligent person), unable to discriminate, chooses preyaḥ for the sake of yoga-kṣema (acquisition and preservation of worldly enjoyments).
Commentary
If both the pleasant (preyaḥ) and the good (śreyaḥ) can be pursued at will, why do mankind, in general, pursue the pleasant (preyaḥ)? This is explained: it is true that both can be pursued; still, as they are not easily distinguishable by persons of poor intelligence, either in respect of the means to their attainment or in respect of their fruits, both the pleasant (preyaḥ) and the good (śreyaḥ) become, as it were, mingled, and approach man. Therefore, the dhīraḥ (intelligent person) examines both the pleasant (preyaḥ) and the good (śreyaḥ) as a flamingo separates milk and water, and having considered in his mind their relative value, divides them both and follows only the good (śreyaḥ), as preferable to the pleasant (preyaḥ). But the mandaḥ (person of poor intelligence), incapable of such discernment, pursues the pleasant (preyaḥ), such as cattle, sons, and the rest, for the purpose of fattening and preserving his body, etc.