KATHOPNISHAD CHAPTER 4 SHLIK 14

                                                                 यथोदकं दुर्गे वृष्टं 

                                                                पर्वतेषुविधावति ।

                                                          कठोपनिषत् एवं धर्मान् पृथक्

                                                          पश्यंस्तानेवानुविधावति ॥ १4

                                            YATHODATAKAM DURGE VRUSHTAM

                                                    PARVATESHU VIDHAVATI|

                                   KATHOPNISHAT EVAM DHARMAN PRUTHAK

                                        PASHYAN TAN-EVA ANUVIDHAVATI ||14

   AS THE WATER FALLING ON MOUNTAIN TOP, RUNS DOWNWARD IN A SPATTERED

       FORM   (DUE TO ROCKS) IT RUNS ON DIFFERENT QUALITIES -OBJECTS ||14

   This shlok is telling us a fact that we all know but don't perceive all the time. We are tempted by many objects and by their DHARMA - Quality and then our mind is scattered. We want to do everything that we like  and avoid things that we do not like . Essentially we are looking at external qualities of the objects to decide what is good and what is bad . So we like sweets or spicy food and avoid bitter things. So we are going by the external qualities of the food. But then we want eat good food and then watch TV and also attend a party  and then may be read a book  and if the time permits , do meditation. So the energy that we are left to do the Meditation- which requires single focus - concentration, we have no energy and we fall asleep. So when our attention runs allover we don't achieve anything .This is compared to the rain water falling on tops of a mountain and flows downwards , but not in a single stream but divided by stones and forma multiple small streams each one too small for having much use. So if all the water is collected , we can use it for consumption like river water . But with tiny streams , we can not do much . The same is true of mind scattered mind .  

KATHOPNISHAD CHAPTER 4 SHLOK 13

                                                              अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषो

                                                               ज्योतिरिवाधूमकः ।

                                                               ईशानोभूतभव्यस्य 

                                                          स एवाद्य स उ श्वः । एतद्वैतत् ॥ १3

                                              ANGUSHTAMATRAH PURUSHO

                                                JYOTIR IVA ADHUMAKAHA |

                                                 ISHANO BHUTBHAVYASYA

                                          SA EV ADYA SA SA U SVAHA ||ETAD VIA TAD ||  13

HE (THE PURUSHA ) IS THE SIZE OF THUMB AND IS LIKE FLAME WITHOUT SMOKE  AND IS THE IN CHARGE OF THE PAST AND THE FUTURE-HE ALONE IS PRESENT TODAY AND                                  WILLALONE  BE EPRESENT TOMORROW THIS IS VERILY THAT ||13

  This Shlok is continuation of the preceding one . In these series of Shlokas, The Lord of death is describing the different characteristics of the Atman or SELF or the Purusha. Some of them may be repetition , but it shades the light on what HE wants to tell Nachiket. So we are again told that the Self or the Atman is the Lord of the past and the future. And he is like a flame without the smoke. When this Upanishad was written there was probably no electricity and smokeless fore did not not there, But we are not talking about the ordinary fire , we are talking about the SOURCE of Energy for the individual. If one is asked as to the source of energy for this computer that I am writing my blog on, one will answer that it is in the battery , but how is battery charged . It comes from the electricity outlet in the wall . But where doe it get the energy from ,then the answer is power plant and then where does it get from - we have to point to coal or wind or solar or nuclear etc. The same way we are told here that the source of energy - which is PURUSHA itself is - is like aflame that has no smoke  and it will not go away like ordinary flame does ,But it was there in past and it is in present and it will be there in future - even after the physical body is gone - dead - destroyed . So the source of energy for the physical body comes from this PURUSH - ATMAN- SELF - whatever one decides to call. 

(This is partly the answer to the original question from Nachiket as to what happens after death )

KATHOPNISHAD CHAPTER 4 SHLOK 12

                                                            अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषो

                                                           मध्य आत्मनि तिष्ठति । 

                                                             ईशानं भूतभव्यस्य 

                                                     न ततोविजुगुप्सते। एतद्वैतत् ॥ १2

                                               ANGUSTAMATRAH PURUSHO

                                                MADHYA ATMANI TISHTATI |

                                               ISHANAM BHUTBHAVYASYA

                                               NA TATAH NA VIJUGUPSYTE |

                                                        ETAD VIA TAT ||12

       THE THUMB SIZE PURUSH RESIDEDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BODY 

     AS LORD OF PAST AN FUTURE ,AFTER KNOWING HIM THERE IS NO FEAR 

                                            THIS IS INDEED THAT ||12

    In this Shlok there is a mention of PURUSH. The Hindu concept as I have mentioned in past there is PRAKRUTI and PURUSH. The Prakruti or Nature has the QUALITIES or what we call GUNAS. But has  no spirit or energy . So the PRAKRUTI CAN NOT DO ANYTHING. The PURUSH is energy but it has no GUNAS or QUALITIES  and in tern desire to do anything . So the PURUSH does not do anything . But when the 2 combine then the ACTION or Karma starts . So in this Shlok we are told that this PURUSH resides in the center of the physical body. Once we KNOW HIM , then there is no fear..The question comes in mind as to how can the Purush which omnipresent be in our body . How can the Purush which is infinite be limited by our body. I feel that the answer is it is not the  same PURUSH. So there are 2 things that are mentioned -one is ABHAS CHITANYA  and SAKSHI . The Sakshi is witness and the ABHAS means reflection. So if I have collection of water swimming pool ,a lake, a puddle of water  and so on. On a bright day light I will see the reflection of the Sun . The size of  the Sun is not same size the real size of Sun .So the ABHAS CHIATNYA is the reflection and not the REAL THING . The SAKSHI is the witness. The reflection is not the same size but if I know the reflection then I can understand the real Sun. The thumb size PURUSH is the reflection of the PURUSH. 

   So once we know this Purush, then there is no fear. This Purush which is Thumb size  and resides in the center of the body ,is bound by the limitation of past and future  and once we KNOW this then we are free.