Verse 1
Part 1 – Canto 3ऋतं पिबन्तौ सुकृतस्य लोकेगुहां प्रविष्टौ परमे परार्धे ।छायातपौ ब्रह्मविदो वदन्तिपञ्चाग्नयो ये च त्रिणाचिकेताः ॥ १॥
ṛtaṃ pibantau sukṛtasya lokeguhāṃ praviṣṭau parame parārdhe .chāyātapau brahmavido vadantipañcāgnayo ye ca triṇāciketāḥ .. 1..
1 Two there are who dwell within the body, in the intellect, the supreme akasa of the heart, enjoying the sure rewards of their own actions. The knowers of Brahman describe them as light and shade, as do those householders who have offered oblations in the Five Fires and also those who have thrice performed the Nachiketa sacrifice.
Verse 2
यः सेतुरीजानानामक्षरं ब्रह्म यत् परम् ।अभयं तितीर्षतां पारं नाचिकेतँ शकेमहि ॥ २॥
yaḥ seturījānānāmakṣaraṃ brahma yat param .abhayaṃ titīrṣatāṃ pāraṃ nāciketam̐ śakemahi .. 2..
2 We know how to perform the Nachiketa sacrifice, which is the bridge for sacrificers; and we know also that supreme, imperishable Brahman, which is sought by those who wish to cross over to the shore where there is no fear.
Verse 3
आत्मानँ रथिनं विद्धि शरीरँ रथमेव तु ।बुद्धिं तु सारथिं विद्धि मनः प्रग्रहमेव च ॥ ३॥
ātmānam̐ rathinaṃ viddhi śarīram̐ rathameva tu .buddhiṃ tu sārathiṃ viddhi manaḥ pragrahameva ca .. 3..
3 Know the atman to be the master of the chariot; the body, chariot; the intellect, the charioteer; and the mind, the reins.
Verse 4
इन्द्रियाणि हयानाहुर्विषयाँ स्तेषु गोचरान् ।आत्मेन्द्रियमनोयुक्तं भोक्तेत्याहुर्मनीषिणः ॥ ४॥
indriyāṇi hayānāhurviṣayām̐ steṣu gocarān .ātmendriyamanoyuktaṃ bhoktetyāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ .. 4..
4 The senses, they say, are the horses; the objects, the roads. The wise call the atman-united with the body, the senses and the mind-the enjoyer.
Verse 5
यस्त्वविज्ञानवान्भवत्ययुक्तेन मनसा सदा ।तस्येन्द्रियाण्यवश्यानि दुष्टाश्वा इव सारथेः ॥ ५॥
yastvavijñānavānbhavatyayuktena manasā sadā .tasyendriyāṇyavaśyāni duṣṭāśvā iva sāratheḥ .. 5..
5 If the buddhi, being related to a mind that is always distracted, loses its discriminations, then the senses become uncontrolled, like the vicious horses of a charioteer.
Verse 6
यस्तु विज्ञानवान्भवति युक्तेन मनसा सदा ।तस्येन्द्रियाणि वश्यानि सदश्वा इव सारथेः ॥ ६॥
yastu vijñānavānbhavati yuktena manasā sadā .tasyendriyāṇi vaśyāni sadaśvā iva sāratheḥ .. 6..
6 But if the buddhi, being related to a mind that is always restrained, possesses discrimination, then the senses come under control, like the good horses of a charioteer.
Verse 7
यस्त्वविज्ञानवान्भवत्यमनस्कः सदाऽशुचिः ।न स तत्पदमाप्नोति संसारं चाधिगच्छति ॥ ७॥
yastvavijñānavānbhavatyamanaskaḥ sadā’śuciḥ .na sa tatpadamāpnoti saṃsāraṃ cādhigacchati .. 7..
7 If the buddhi, being related to a distracted mind, loses its discrimination and therefore always remains impure, then the embodied soul never attains the goal, but enters into the round of births.
Verse 8
यस्तु विज्ञानवान्भवति समनस्कः सदा शुचिः ।स तु तत्पदमाप्नोति यस्माद्भूयो न जायते ॥ ८॥
yastu vijñānavānbhavati samanaskaḥ sadā śuciḥ .sa tu tatpadamāpnoti yasmādbhūyo na jāyate .. 8..
8 But if the buddhi, being related to a mind that is restrained, possesses discrimination and therefore always remains pure, then the embodied soul attains that goal from which he is not born again.
Verse 9
विज्ञानसारथिर्यस्तु मनः प्रग्रहवान्नरः ।सोऽध्वनः पारमाप्नोति तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम् ॥ ९॥
vijñānasārathiryastu manaḥ pragrahavānnaraḥ .so’dhvanaḥ pāramāpnoti tadviṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam .. 9..
9 A man who has discrimination for his charioteer and holds the reins of the mind firmly, reaches the end of the road; and that is the supreme position of Vishnu.
Verse 10
इन्द्रियेभ्यः परा ह्यर्था अर्थेभ्यश्च परं मनः ।मनसस्तु परा बुद्धिर्बुद्धेरात्मा महान्परः ॥ १०॥
indriyebhyaḥ parā hyarthā arthebhyaśca paraṃ manaḥ .manasastu parā buddhirbuddherātmā mahānparaḥ .. 10..
10 Beyond the senses, are the rudiments of its objects; beyond these rudiments is the mind; beyond the mind is atman known as Mahat (great).
Verse 11
महतः परमव्यक्तमव्यक्तात्पुरुषः परः ।पुरुषान्न परं किंचित्सा काष्ठा सा परा गतिः ॥ ११॥
mahataḥ paramavyaktamavyaktātpuruṣaḥ paraḥ .puruṣānna paraṃ kiṃcitsā kāṣṭhā sā parā gatiḥ .. 11..
11 Beyond the great Ātman is the Unmanifested; beyond the Unmanifested is the Puruṣa (the Cosmic Soul); beyond the Puruṣa there is nothing. That is the end that is the final goal.
Verse 12
एष सर्वेषु भूतेषु गूढोऽऽत्मा न प्रकाशते ।दृश्यते त्वग्र्यया बुद्ध्या सूक्ष्मया सूक्ष्मदर्शिभिः ॥ १२॥
eṣa sarveṣu bhūteṣu gūḍho”tmā na prakāśate .dṛśyate tvagryayā buddhyā sūkṣmayā sūkṣmadarśibhiḥ .. 12..
12 That Self hidden in all beings does not shine forth; but It is seen by subtle seers through their one-pointed and subtle intellects.
Verse 13
यच्छेद्वाङ्मनसी प्राज्ञस्तद्यच्छेज्ज्ञान आत्मनि ।ज्ञानमात्मनि महति नियच्छेत्तद्यच्छेच्छान्त आत्मनि ॥ १३॥
yacchedvāṅmanasī prājñastadyacchejjñāna ātmani .jñānamātmani mahati niyacchettadyacchecchānta ātmani .. 13..
13 The wise man should merge his speech in his mind and his mind in his intellect. He should merge his intellect in the Cosmic Mind and the Cosmic Mind in the Tranquil Self.
Verse 14
उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रतप्राप्य वरान्निबोधत ।क्षुरस्य धारा निशिता दुरत्ययादुर्गं पथस्तत्कवयो वदन्ति ॥ १४॥
uttiṣṭhata jāgrataprāpya varānnibodhata .kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayādurgaṃ pathastatkavayo vadanti .. 14..
14 Arise! Awake! Approach the great and learn. Like the sharp edge of a razor is that path, so the wise say-hard to tread and difficult to cross.
Verse 15
अशब्दमस्पर्शमरूपमव्ययंतथाऽरसं नित्यमगन्धवच्च यत् ।अनाद्यनन्तं महतः परं ध्रुवंनिचाय्य तन्मृत्युमुखात् प्रमुच्यते ॥ १५॥
aśabdam asparśam arūpamavyayaṃtathā’rasaṃ nityamagandhavacca yat .anādyanantaṃ mahataḥ paraṃ dhruvaṃnicāyya tanmṛtyumukhāt pramucyate .. 15..
15 Having realised Atman, which is soundless, intangible, formless, undecaying and likewise tasteless, eternal and odourless; having realised That which is without beginning and end, beyond the Great and unchanging-one is freed from the jaws of death.
Verse 16
नाचिकेतमुपाख्यानं मृत्युप्रोक्तँ सनातनम् ।उक्त्वा श्रुत्वा च मेधावी ब्रह्मलोके महीयते ॥ १६॥
nāciketamupākhyānaṃ mṛtyuproktam̐ sanātanam .uktvā śrutvā ca medhāvī brahmaloke mahīyate .. 16..
16 The wise man who has heard and related the eternal story of Nachiketa, told by Death, is adored in the world of Brahman.
Verse 17
य इमं परमं गुह्यं श्रावयेद् ब्रह्मसंसदि ।प्रयतः श्राद्धकाले वा तदानन्त्याय कल्पते ।तदानन्त्याय कल्पत इति ॥ १७॥इति काठकोपनिषदि प्रथमाध्याये तृतीया वल्ली ॥
ya imaṃ paramaṃ guhyaṃ śrāvayed brahmasaṃsadi .prayataḥ śrāddhakāle vā tadānantyāya kalpate .tadānantyāya kalpata iti .. 17..iti kāṭhakopaniṣadi prathamādhyāye tṛtīyā vallī ..
17 And he who, practising self-control, recites the supreme secret in an assembly of Brahmins or at a after-death ceremony obtains thereby infinite rewards. Yea, he obtains infinite rewards.