Katha:1.1.15
Mantra 1.1.15
Original Text:
लोकादिमग्निं तमुवाच तस्मै या इष्टका यावतीर्वा यथा वा । स चापि तत्प्रत्यवदद्यथोक्तंअथास्य मृत्युः पुनरेवाह तुष्टः ॥ १५ ॥
lokādimagniṃ tamuvāca tasmai yā iṣṭakā yāvatīrvā yathā vā | sa cāpi tatpratyavadadyathoktaṃathāsya mṛtyuḥ punarevāha tuṣṭaḥ || 15 ||
| Sanskrit Term | Transliteration | Hindi Meaning | English Word or Meaning | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| लोकादिमग्निम् | lokādima-agnim | संसारों का आदि अग्नि – वह अग्नि जो समस्त लोकों की उत्पत्ति का कारण है | the primordial Agni – the fire that is the origin of all worlds | |
| तम् | tam | उसे – उस (अग्नि) को | him/that (fire) | |
| उवाच | uvāca | कहा – बतलाया | said/spoke | |
| तस्मै | tasmai | उसके लिए – नचिकेतस के लिए | to him (Nachiketas) | |
| या | yā | जो – जो (इष्टका) | which (bricks) | |
| इष्टका | iṣṭakā | वे ईंटें – वे विशेष यज्ञ की ईंटें | the ritual bricks | |
| यावतīः | yāvatīḥ | जितनी – जितनी (संख्या में) | as many (in number) | |
| वा | vā | या – अथवा | or | |
| यथा | yathā | जैसे – जिस प्रकार | how/in what manner | |
| वा | vā | या – अथवा | or | |
| सः | saḥ | वह – नचिकेतस | he (Nachiketas) | |
| च | ca | और – तथा | and | |
| अपि | api | भी – भी | also | |
| तत् | tat | वह – वह (ज्ञान) | that (knowledge) | |
| प्रत्यवदत् | pratyavadat | पुनः कहा – दोहराया | repeated/recited back | |
| यथोक्तम् | yathā-uktam | जैसा कहा गया – जैसा बताया गया था | as explained/as instructed | |
| अथ | atha | तब – इसके बाद | then | |
| अस्य | asya | उसका – नचिकेतस का | his (Nachiketas’s) | |
| मृत्युः | mṛtyuḥ | मृत्यु – यमराज | Mṛtyu (Yama, Death) | |
| पुनः | punaḥ | पुनः – फिर से | again | |
| एव | eva | ही – निश्चित ही | indeed | |
| आह | āha | कहा – बोला | said/spoke | |
| तुष्टः | tuṣṭaḥ | प्रसन्न – संतुष्ट | pleased/delighted |
Translation/Explanation
Hindi: मृत्यु ने नचिकेतस को वह अग्नि बताया, जो समस्त लोकों का आदि कारण है—किस प्रकार की ईंटें हों, कितनी हों और किस प्रकार यज्ञ करना चाहिए—यह सब विस्तार से समझाया। नचिकेतस ने भी वही सब वैसा ही दोहराया जैसा मृत्यु ने बताया था। तब मृत्यु, नचिकेतस की इस सही पुनरावृत्ति से प्रसन्न होकर, फिर से उससे बोले।
English: Mṛtyu (Yama) explained to Nachiketas about the primordial Agni, which is the origin of all worlds—what kind of iṣṭakā (ritual bricks) should be used, how many, and in what manner the ritual should be performed—he explained all this in detail. Nachiketas, in turn, repeated everything exactly as it was instructed by Mṛtyu. Then, being pleased with Nachiketas’s accurate repetition, Mṛtyu spoke to him again.
Commentary
This, the Śruti itself says. Mṛtyu explained to Nachiketas the Agni, which was the source of the worlds, being the first embodied existence, the same that was asked for by Nachiketas; again he told him of what form the iṣṭakā (sacrificial bricks) were to be, how many in number and in what manner the sacrificial fire was to be lit and all this; Nachiketas also faithfully repeated what was told him by Mṛtyu. Then delighted by his repetition, Mṛtyu said to him again, inclined to grant him a boon other than the three promised.