KATHOPNISHAD CHAPTER 4 SHLOK 4

                                                          स्वप्नान्तं जागरितान्तं 

                                                          चोभौयेनानुपश्यति । 

                                                          महान्तं विभुमात्मानं 

                                                        मत्वा धीरोन शोचति ॥ ४

                                               SWAPNATAM JAGARITANTAM

                                        CHA UBHAU YENA ANUPASHYANTI |

                                          MAHANTAM VIBHUM ATMANAM

                                              MATVA DHIRO NA SOCHATI ||4

    BY WHICH- AT THE END OF DREAM AND AT THE END OF WAKING ,WE PERCEIVE

                           -THAT ATMAN IS GREAT AND OMNIPRESENT -

                      -HAVING KNOWN THIS THE WISE DO OT GRIEVE ||4

    In many and may be all the scriptures there is repetition. But we need that . It is like putting a nail in the wall Just one stroke of hammer is not enough but we need to strike it several times till the nail is deep enough and would not come out easily. The principle is same . When we are told the same thing in many different ways or by many different examples we will have the knowledge deep rooted such that it will or be displaced. So in this Shlok we are told that it not only when we are awake that we perceive due to the Atman but also in dream state we perceive due to Atman -the self. So in the Shlok before this one we were told that all that we perceive with our sense organs, is due to the Atman . That was about our waking state . When we are awake we see, touch , smell  taste hear - all the things that we do or think we DO with our senses, is due to Atman or the self . In this one Yama is stating that it is not limited to just related to when we are awake, but also when we are asleep and have dream, all the things that are perceived are due to Atman or self. This can be explained by taking an example of computer . The computer has all sorts of data  and information stored  and we als can access web and get more information. But without the electricity we can not run the computer  and we can not get anything out of it . So the web is like our sense organs . With the use of sense organs we get information of the out side world. With the help of web, we get information . But that will not be possible if the electricity that is required for running computer is not there . The same with the information that is stored in computer . We may have lots of information stored in our brain computer . But if we don't have Atman we can  not access it - same as we can not access the information stored in computer can not be accessed if we do not have electricity .   

   So in this Shlok Lord of Death is telling Nachiket that Atman is required to have experiences of wake and dream state . Once on realizes this truth then one does not grieve -of death of physical body  and along with that the sense organs as the the ATMAN or the SELF does not die .The wise or enlightened one will not grieve the death of physical body. 

KATHOPNISHAD CHAPTER 4 SHLOK 3

                                                               येन रूपं रसं गन्धं 

                                                         शब्दान् स्पर्शाꣳश्च मैथुनान् ।

                                                              एतेनैव विजानाति 

                                                     किमत्र परिशिष्यते। एतद्वैतत् ॥ ३

                                            YEN  ROOPAM  RASAM  GABDHAM

                                        SHABDAN  SPARSHASCHA  MAITHUNAT |

                                                      YETEN EV  VIJANATI 

                                      KIMATRA  PARISHISHYATE ||ETAD  VAI  TAT 3 

              

                    BY WHICH ONE KNOWS FORM,TASTE, SMELL SOUND ,TOUCH AND

 DUALISTIC JOY (?SEXUAL PLEASURE)-WHAT IS UNKNOWABLE TO THAT (ATMAN) 

                                                            THIS IS TRUELY THAT ||3

   The Lord of death is telling Nachiket as to what is Atman or SELF . This part has been discussed many times in various scriptures. When we teach a child as to what is the function of eye - the answer that we expect is EYE . and that type of questioning for all the sense organs is there -touch , smell, hear etc. But the eyes are just the instruments of transferring the external information to somewhere deeper . The retina in eyes can not see nor does the optic nerve which carries the information to brain The occipital lobe of the brain does not see it either as when some one is unconscious, the eyes are open  and certainly information is carried in the brain. But the unconscious person can not see. One may say it is MIND that sees. We are told that there is something beyond the Mind and even the Intellect that is the ultimate seer This SELF or Atman is the one that KNOWS ALL  and there is nothing beyond that . The word MAITHUN is used to explain the dualistic pleasure or need for 2 things to perceive any sensation. One needs external stimulus and internal mechanism to perceive. There must a rose for me to see rose. There must be external stimulus touching my skin for me to feel the touch etc. . So Maithuna does not necessarily mean sex pleasure. It simply denotes need for 2 things.

   As a foot note one could argue that the mind and intellect are enough for this perception by sense organs and there is no need for bringing in SELF. But when one looks at mind or intellect -both are changing . The mind is sometimes calm and sometimes agitated. Same with the intellect. Different persons have different intellect  and even in same person the intellect changes from time to time . So the SELF or Atman which does not change is the KNOWER of all. 

KATHOPNISHAD CHAPER 4 SHLOK 2

                                                   पराचः कामाननुयन्ति बालास्ते 

                                                    मृत्योर्यन्ति विततस्य पाशम् । 

                                                    अथ धीरा अमृतत्वं विदित्वा 

                                                    ध्रुवमध्रुवेष्विह न प्रार्थयन्ते॥ २

                                       PARACHAHA  KAMAN  ANUYANTI  BALASTE 

                                          MRUTYORYANTI  VITATASHY  PASHAM|

                                          ATHA  GHIRA  AMRUTATVAM  VIDITWA 

                              DHRUVAM  ADHRUVESHU IHA  NA PRARTHAYANTE ||2

(SOME) WITH CHILD LIKE BEHAVIOUR ENJOY EXTERNAL PLEASURES  AND FELL IN 

           THE WIDE-SPREAD  NET OFTHE  DEATH WHILE THOSE WHO ARE WISE

               HAVING KNOWN WHAT IS IMMORTAL AMONG MORTAL WORLD, 

                     DO NOT DESIRE (SUCH EXTERNAL PLEASURES)||2

     The Shlok is telling us the same thing that we knew and have been told in past or previous Shlok. The Lord of Death is calling adults children as their behavior is childlike . The child has to be told not to eat too much sweets  and he or she is more interested in what tastes good  and what gives him the pleasers  and not worried about long term effects of such behavior . The vegetables don.t taste as good as Donuts or ice cream  and so the children would indulge in eating what is not good  and succumb to the problems associated with such actions .But the actions of the grown up men is similar when they indulge in such actions which are directed by sense pleasers. When one looks at the source of the pleasers it is not external but it is internal. If the source of the happiness is external then all sorts of music  or all sorts of food should give equal happiness to everyone . But not everyone enjoys rap music or classical music or opera . Not all human beings enjoy beef. So the happiness is in mind  and not in external sources . If act of sex was producing happiness then rape would also be giving happiness but it does not . So the source of happiness is INTERNAL or is in MIND . But we tend to associate the happiness to external source. We are told that such a behavior is child like If you take a child to toy store, he will want everything  and the playing with a toy is transient as all parents have observed . After few days the same toy that child was playing all the time is left in some corner and now child wants different one. We adults are like KASIM in the old story of Alibaba and 40 thrives. Kasim - Alibaba's brother when he went in a cave and saw all the gold and diamonds, he forgot everything and got trapped - forgot the code word to get out . We have also forgotten the code word to get of this MORTAL WORLD. So we are told that the wise do not desire anything in this mortal world and so they keep their goal on immortality and do  not indulge in sense organ pleasures  and that is the way to not get trapped by the DEATH.  

KATHOPNISHAD ADHYAY 2 CHAPTER 4 SHLOK 1

                                                       पराञ्चि खानि व्यतृणत् स्वयम्भू

                                                   स्तस्मात्पराङ्पश्यति नान्तरात्मन् । 

                                                          कश्चिद्धीरः प्रत्यगात्मानमैक्ष

                                                        दावृत्तचक्षुरमृतत्वमिच्छन् ॥ १

                                   PARACHHHI  KHANI  VYATRUNAT  SWAYMBHU 

                                  TASMAT PARAN  PASHYANTI  NA ANTARATMAN |

                                 KASCHIT DHIRAH  PRATYAGATAMANM  AIKSHAD

                                   AVRUTTA CHAKSHUR AMRUTAVAM  ICHHAN ||1

THE ONE WHO IS SELF BORNE -(SWAYAMBHU) OR BRAMAN CREATED THE SENSES 

     WHICH  HAVE OUT GOING TENDENCIES AND SO SEES -PERCEIVES EXTERNAL 

UNIVERSE AND NOT THE INNER SELF .SOME WISE MEN TURN THEIR VISION 'INSIDE' 

                               DUE TO DESIRE FOR IMMORTALITY ||1

   It might sound as repetition, but the Lord of Death continues to tell Nachiket as to how one can get better or look at SELF . We have senses - 5 for perception and 5 for action . One might wonder as to why we have them or why the CREATER or Braham gave us these if with use of them we are 'involved' in External world or engage in sense organ pleasures only and get lost. But when we have physical body , we must have instrument to 'protect' it. So we are given these senses . If we can not see then we will succumb to injuries and predator's attacks . If I don't have hunger I  will  not eat and die  and if I can run I will be killed by lions or tigers etc . So each of the senses - both perception and action- have a purpose in our survival. The problem is not that they serve a purpose in our life . The problem is we misuse them . We use hands to not help but hurt  and we overeat  and so on. So there are impulses that arise in NERVES that take the message from out side world  and then it goes to the brain centers  and then we have perception and we ACT based on our previous experience . If we hear the music that we like . we ill pay attention and have pleasure , if it is food that we see and have liked it in past , we act to eat it. So we have information from outside  and we do action which affects outside world. The information from outside  and the action from inside out is at the level of BRAIN-MIND-INTELLECT  and not at any higher level. The SELF is not involved in the process  and we -whatever that we  means - is not self  and in this Shlok we are told to INVERT the attention to that SELF  and not allow it to be spent OURSIDE world . This does not mean that we should not eat or enjoy the beauty or not eat good food . But we need to avoid ATTACHMENET  and desires and lust that comes with it. For those who are Indians  and remember old song of Raj Kapoor called MOOD MOOD KE NA DEKH . Which means don't turn and see. If you enjoy good food don't indulge  and don't think about it or if a beautiful lady walks away from you don't turn and continue to look.  

KATHOPNISHAD SECTION 3 (VALLI)SHLOK 17

                                                              य इमं परमं गुह्यं

                                                             श्रावयेद् ब्रह्मसंसदि ।

                                                             प्रयतः श्राद्धकालेवा 

                                                             तदानन्त्याय कल्पते। 

                                                      तदानन्त्याय कल्पत इति ॥ १७

                                                YA  IMAMPARAMAM  GUHYAM 

                                               SHRAVAYED  BRAHM-SAUNSADI |

                                                  PRAYATAH  SHRADHAKALEVA

                                                       TAD ANANYAY  KALPTE |

                                                 TAD  ANANTYAY  KALPAT ITI ||17

WHOEVER WITH DEVOTION RECITES THIS BEFORE PEOPLE WHO HAVE UNDERSTOOD

       BRAMAM- BRAHMIN- OR AT THE TIME OF SHRADHA -THIS HIGHEST SECRET -

                            KNOWLEDGE-WILL ATTAIN IMMORTALITY || 17

This is the last of the Shloka of this chapter. There are some statements in this Shlok that may be misleading or not understood. One is that is is that easy to get immortality that one just has to listen or recite a scripture and do nothing else ? Or what is the importance of reciting it at the time of SHRADHA? The answer is in what the lord of DEATH has said in all the previous Shlokas. So the meaning of the word BRANHAN is not one born in particular family who are Brahman but one who has KNOWN BRAHMAM . So this is like Graduation day - one who have studied it and understood and followed it and then on the day of graduation , he or she will get the Diploma .So one who listens to this once at the time of Shradha is not going to get immortality .But one who has practiced the principles of knowing the SELF, and practiced that in the behavior , will get immortality. I think the day of SHRADH is important or is mentioned as it is the day when we celebrate the life of out parents and forefathers that have dies in past and the mind is ready to understand the real immortality. Like the saying goes Strike the Iron when it is hot . The mind and intellect and whole atmosphere is READY for the last strike that will change the life or understanding . 

SO ONE HAS TO PRACTICE IT EVERYDAY AND ONE HAS TO UNDERSTAND AND THEN ONLY HE WILL GET IMMORTALITY.