Katha:1.3.1

Mantra 1.3.1

Original Text:

ऋतं पिबन्तौ सुकृतस्य लोके गुहां प्रविष्टौ परमे परार्धे ।
	छायातपौ ब्रह्मविदो वदन्ति पञ्चाग्नयो ये च त्रिणाचिकेताः ॥ १ ॥

ṛtaṃ pibantau sukṛtasya loke guhāṃ praviṣṭau parame parārdhe |
	chāyātapau brahmavido vadanti pañcāgnayo ye ca triṇāciketāḥ || 1 ||

Sanskrit Term	Transliteration	Hindi Meaning	English Word or Meaning	Comments
ऋतम्	ṛtam	सत्य – जो शाश्वत और अपरिवर्तनीय है	truth – that which is eternal and unchanging
पिबन्तौ	pibantau	पीते हुए – जो अनुभव करते हैं या भोगते हैं	drinking – those who experience or enjoy
सुकृतस्य	sukṛtasya	पुण्यकर्मों के – अच्छे कर्मों के फल	of good deeds – fruits of virtuous actions
लोके	loke	इस संसार में – शरीर या जगत में	in the world – in this body or existence
गुहाम्	guhām	गुफा में – हृदय की गहराई या अन्तःकरण	in the cave – in the cavity of the heart (intellect)
प्रविष्टौ	praviṣṭau	प्रवेश किए हुए – स्थित हैं	entered – lodged or situated
परमे	parame	श्रेष्ठ – सर्वोच्च या परम	supreme – the highest
परार्धे	parārdhe	ब्रह्मलोक में – ब्रह्म का निवास स्थान	in the abode of Brahman – supreme realm
छायातपौ	chāyātapau	छाया और प्रकाश – विपरीत गुणों वाले	shadow and light – those with opposite qualities
ब्रह्मविदः	brahmavidaḥ	ब्रह्म को जानने वाले – ज्ञानीजन	knowers of Brahman – those who realize Brahman
वदन्ति	vadanti	कहते हैं – वर्णन करते हैं	say – declare or describe
पञ्चाग्नयः	pañcāgnayaḥ	पाँच अग्नियों का पालन करने वाले – विशेष कर्मकाण्डी	those who maintain five fires – ritualists of five fires
ये	ye	जो – वे लोग	those – who
च	ca	और – तथा	and – also
त्रिणाचिकेताः	triṇāciketāḥ	तीन बार नचिकेता अग्नि का अनुष्ठान करने वाले – विशेष यज्ञकर्ता	those who have thrice performed the Nachiketa fire – performers of the threefold Nachiketa ritual

Translation/Explanation

Hindi

दो आत्माएँ, जो अपने पुण्यकर्मों के फल का अनुभव करती हैं, वे परम स्थान की गुहा (हृदय) में स्थित हैं। ब्रह्म को जानने वाले ज्ञानीजन, उन्हें छाया और प्रकाश के रूप में बताते हैं, अर्थात् एक संसारी और दूसरी मुक्त। ऐसे ही वे लोग भी, जो पाँच अग्नियों का पालन करते हैं और जिन्होंने तीन बार नचिकेता अग्नि का अनुष्ठान किया है, यही कहते हैं।

English

The two ātman-s, who enjoy the fruits of their virtuous actions, are lodged in the cavity of the supreme abode (the heart). The brahmavid-s (knowers of Brahman) describe them as shadow and light, meaning one is bound in saṃsāra and the other is liberated. Likewise, those who maintain the pañcāgni (five fires) and those who have thrice performed the Nachiketa fire ritual also affirm this.

Commentary

The connection of the present valli is this. Knowledge and ignorance have already been described, as leading to many contrary results; but each of them has not been described, in its own nature, with its results. The imagining of the analogy of the chariot is for the purpose of determining them, as also for the easy understanding of the subject. Thus two ātman-s are here described for the purpose of distinguishing between the attainer and the attained and the goer and the goal. Drinking, i.e., enjoying; truth, i.e., the fruits of the enjoyer, on the analogy of using the expression ‘the umbrella-carriers go’ when not all of them carry umbrellas. Sukṛtasya means of deeds done by themselves and is connected with the previous word ‘fruits.’ Loke, means in this body. Guhām praviṣṭau, means lodged in intelligence. Parame, superior in relation to the space of the ākāśa of the external body. Parārdhe, in the abode of Brahman, for, there, can Brahman be realised. The meaning is that they are lodged in the ākāśa within the cavity of the heart; again they are dissimilar like shadow and light, being within the pale of saṃsāra and free from saṃsāra, respectively. So do the brahmavid-s tell; not those alone who do not perform karma say so; but also householders maintaining five sacrificial fires, and others by whom the sacrificial Nachiketa fire has been thrice lit.

Concept List

ātman
brahmavid
pañcāgni
Nachiketa fire
saṃsāra
guhā
parārdha
sukṛta
ṛta