Katha:2.1.1
Mantra 2.1.1
Original Text:
पराञ्चि खानि व्यतृणत्स्वयम्भूस्तस्मात्पराङ्पश्यति नान्तरात्मन् । कश्चिद्धीरः प्रत्यगात्मानमैक्षदावृत्तचक्शुरमृतत्वमिच्छन् ॥ १ ॥
parāñci khāni vyatṛṇatsvayambhūstasmātparāṅpaśyati nāntarātman | kaściddhīraḥ pratyagātmānamaikṣadāvṛttacakśuramṛtatvamicchan || 1 ||
| Sanskrit Term | Transliteration | Hindi Meaning | English Word or Meaning | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| पराञ्चि | parāñci | बाहर की ओर जाने वाले – जो बाहर की ओर प्रवृत्त होते हैं | outward-going | |
| खानि | khāni | इन्द्रियाँ – ज्ञानेंद्रियाँ (श्रवण, चक्षु, आदि) | senses (organs of perception) | |
| व्यतृणत् | vyatṛṇat | वितरित की – फैलाया, बाँटा | distributed, created | |
| स्वयम्भूः | svayambhūḥ | स्वयंभू – स्वयं से उत्पन्न, परमेश्वर | self-existent (Svayambhū, the Lord) | |
| तस्मात् | tasmāt | इसलिए – उस कारण से | therefore, hence | |
| पराङ् | parāṅ | बाहर की ओर – बाह्य | outward | |
| पश्यति | paśyati | देखता है – अनुभव करता है | sees, perceives | |
| न | na | नहीं – अभाव सूचक | not | |
| अन्तः | antaḥ | भीतर – अंदर | within, inner | |
| आत्मन् | ātman | आत्मा – चैतन्य, स्वभाव | ātman (Self, inner consciousness) | |
| कश्चित् | kaścit | कोई – कोई एक व्यक्ति | someone, some person | |
| धीः | dhīraḥ | धीर – विवेकी, बुद्धिमान | wise, intelligent | |
| प्रत्यक् | pratyak | भीतर की ओर – अंतर्मुख | inward, turned within | |
| आत्मानम् | ātmānam | आत्मा को – अपने स्वरूप को | the ātman (Self) | |
| ऐक्षत् | aikṣata | देखा – अनुभव किया | saw, perceived | |
| आवृत्तचक्षुः | āvṛttacakṣuḥ | लौटाई हुई दृष्टि – इन्द्रियाँ हटाकर | with senses turned away, withdrawn | |
| अमृतत्वम् | amṛtatvam | अमरता – मृत्यु रहित अवस्था | immortality | |
| इच्छन् | icchan | चाहने वाला – इच्छुक | desiring, seeking |
Translation/Explanation
Hindi: स्वयंभू (परमेश्वर) ने इन्द्रियों को बाहर की ओर प्रवृत्त किया है, इसलिए मनुष्य बाहर की वस्तुओं को देखता है, अपने भीतर स्थित आत्मा को नहीं देखता। परंतु कोई विवेकी पुरुष, जिसने अपनी इन्द्रियों को विषयों से हटा लिया है, अमरता की इच्छा से, उस अंतर्मुख आत्मा का साक्षात्कार करता है।
English: The Svayambhū (self-existent Lord) created the senses as outward-going; therefore, one perceives the external and does not see the ātman within. However, some dhīraḥ (wise person), with senses withdrawn and turned inward, seeking amṛtatvam (immortality), perceives the pratyag-ātman (inner Self).
Commentary
It was stated that this ātman, concealed in all living beings, does not shine forth but is seen by the subtle intellect. The obstacle to perceiving the ātman with the subtle intellect is now discussed: the senses (khāni) were created by Svayambhū (the self-existent Lord) to move outward, perceiving external objects such as sound, form, etc., and thus not perceiving the inner ātman. Only a dhīraḥ (discerning person), by turning the senses inward—like reversing the flow of a river—perceives the pratyag-ātman (inner Self). The word ātman is technically used to denote the pratyak (inner spirit), not anything else. According to its etymology and scriptural declarations, ātman is that which pervades, absorbs, enjoys, and sustains the universe. The verb aikṣata (“saw”) here means “sees,” as Vedic usage does not always follow strict tense. The wise person, with all senses withdrawn from external objects, perceives the pratyag-ātman, motivated by the desire for amṛtatvam (immortality).
Concept List
Svayambhū
khāni (senses)
parāñci (outward-going)
ātman
pratyag-ātman (inner Self)
dhīraḥ (wise person)
amṛtatvam (immortality)
indriya-nirodha (withdrawal of senses)