KATHOPNISHAD CHAPTER 2- SHLOKA 6

                                                     न साम्परायः प्रतिभाति बालं 

                                                     प्रमाद्यन्तं वित्तमोहेन मूढम् । 

                                                   अयं लोकोनास्ति पर इति मानी

                             

                                                       पुनः पुनर्वशमापद्यतेमे ॥ ६

 

                                  NA SAMPARAYAH PRATIBHATI BALAM

                             PRAMADYANTAM VITTAMOHEN MOODHAM

                                      AYAM LOKONASTI PAR ITI MANI 

                                  PUNAH PUNRVASHAM APDHATEME ||6

THE  WAY TO HEREAFTER IS NOT APPARENT TO THE CHILDISH THINKER -DELUDED BY 

MONEY/WEALTH,WHO COMMITS A MISTAKE OF THINKING THAT THIS IS THE 'WORLD',  

                                        FALLS MY WAY AGAIN AND AGAIN ||6

    This Shloka is the continuation of all the previous ones . Many a times we feel tat there quite a bit of repetition in theses Shlokas. The same thing happens when one attends lectures by different Swamies or religious leaders.we feel that they all say the same thing over and over again , only with different examples or different language. But then when you realize that the repetition leads to more impact.It is like when we  want to put a nail in wall or a piece of wood. One stroke by hammer is not going to do the job . We need mant strikes to the nai ,so that it is firmly and deeply rooted in the wall or wood. So we ordinary people need  to listen same thing over and over again so we remember, think about it  and know and then BELIEVE IT. 

   So in this SHLOKA we are told that the ordinary men make a mistake of thinking that this is the only thing which is REAL  and there is nothing beyond this  and so why not try to get more  and more money or collect wealth  and enjoy it . This attitude is childish -we all know how all children want to eat more of sweet candies  and cookies and ice cream - and do not understand that it is unhealthy. But adults know that it is not good . So those men or adults who think that this world is real and nothing beyond , are acting as ignorant child . As a result of this they continue to have birth and death cycle. So since YAMA is the God of death ,he is saying that these people come my way.

KATHOPNISHAD CHAPTER 2 SHLOKA -5

                                                     अविद्यायामन्तरेवर्तमानाः

                                                     स्वयं धीराः पण्डितंमन्यमानाः ।

                                                     दन्द्रम्यमाणाः परियन्ति मूढा 

                                                    अन्धेनैव नीयमाना यथान्धाः ॥ ५

                                     AVIDYAYAM ANTARE VARTAMANAH

                           SWAYAM DHEERAH PANDITAM ANYAMANAH |

                             DANDRAMYAMANAH PARIYANTI MUDHAH

                             ANDHEN EV NIYAMANA YATHA ANDHAH ||5

THE IGNORANT WHO LIVE IN PRESENT AND CONSIDERED TO BE WISE , EDUCATED

ARE IGNORANT  AND ARE DELUDED BY CROOKED WAYS AND GO AROUND,

                                          ARE LIKE BLIND LEADING BLIND.||5

     This shloka is interesting as it criticizes the life and our reactions that is seen in our society. We have many GUSRUS  and religious leaders in India  and in every religion  and we also see them in every city. We tend to flock to their meetings  and listen to the advice and interpretation . There are learned human beings but may not be enlightened. We have been misguided by religious leaders in every religion. But more so in India. We have known many such leaders that after investigation are proved  to be crooks  and they were involved in sens organ satisfaction as many or all of us have done. So to learn or get guidance from them is  like blind leading another blind .They don't know where they are going or may be they know they are going on wrong path and will take us to wrong destination.
    We like to have guidance from learned people but before we follow a path , we need to be sure that the teacher is not at the same level as we are or more involved in mortal body pleasure goals or they will show how to reach the highest levels or NIRVANA.
     

KATHOPNISHADA CHAPTER 2 SHLOKA -4

                                                         दूरमेते विपरीतेविषूची

                                                     अविद्या या च विद्येति ज्ञाता ।

                                                     विद्याभीप्सिनं नचिकेतसं मन्ये
                         
                                                   न त्वा कामा बहवोऽलोलुपन्त ॥ ४

                                          DURAM ETE VIPARITE VISHUCHI

                                       AVIDHYA YA CH VIDYA ITI DNYATA |

                                VIDYABHIPSITAM NACHIKETASAM MANYE

                                    N TYA KAMA BAHAVO LOLUPANTA||4

THE IGNORANCE AND KNOWLEDGE ARE WIDE APART AND LEAD TO

DIFFERENT GOALS AND I BELIEVE NACHIKETA IS DESIROUS OF KNOWLEDGE  AND 

                                 MANY DESIRES HAVE NOT SHAKEN YOU||4

   This is the conclusion of the observations of the God Of Death. Yama is saying that there are 2 very different paths. Ignorance  and Knowledge . When one follows the path of fulfilling the desires related to sense organs, it is the path of Ignorance . This has been made clear in past the answers given by Nachiketa . The desires of sense organs never get completely fulfilled  and they continue to NEED more and more  and at certain age we may not be in position to fulfill them due to aging process or diseases. But the mental desires never end  and so we are left with unfulfilled desires  and that brings us back to next life.So this is the path of Ignorance .The path of knowledge is not to get trapped in sense organ pleasures. So these 2 paths take us to different goals . Many of us do not even realize that these 2 paths lead us to different destinations or goals. So the first step is to know that there is difference in the result of following these two paths . So Yama is saying that Nachiketa has known this  and was not tempted by all the things that Yama offered him as he knew that they will do nothing but give sense pleasures and they do not decrease but continue to get more intense. As I have mentioned in past the repeated action of one kind will lead to mote intense or deeper impressions and so that creates more intense desires . So Nachiketa was appearing for the ENTRANCE Examination  and Yama is giving the result of the examination and telling him that you did not go wrong way and you passed with distinction . 

KATHOPNISHAD CHAPTER 2 SHLOKA 3

                                               स त्वं प्रियान्प्रियरूपांश्च कामान्

                                             अभिध्यायन्नचिकेतोऽत्यस्राक्षीः ।

                                               नैतां सृङ्कां वित्तमयीमवाप्तो

                                             यस्यां मज्जन्ति बहवोमनुष्याः ॥ ३

                             SA TVAM PRIYAPRIYA RUPANCHYA KAMAN

                             ABHIDHYAYAN NACHIKETA TYASRAKSHIH|

                             NA ETAM SRUNKAM VITTAMYIMVAPTO

                            YASYAM MAJJANTI BAHAVOMANUSHYAH ||3

OH NACHIKETA , YOU HAVE RENOUNCED THE DESIRABLE  AND ATTRACTIVE

   LOOKING THINGS JUDGING THEM BY THEIR REAL MERITS,YOU HAVE NOT 

     ACCEPTED THE PATH OF MONEY IN WHICH MANY MORTALS DROWN ||3

     This Shloka is the first one where the Lord of Death - YAMA, has accepted Nachiketa as the student . He tempted him with various bodily pleasures and so far he had the examination. Now the examination is over  and the results are in. The examiner is telling what mistakes students who failed have made  and what Nachiketa did not do that the failing mortals do or did . He was offered the sons  and grandsons  and also money and kingdom and Nachiketa did not take the bait and he refused to accept what is temporary , changing and not ever lasting. So Yama is happy about that as this type of mortal student is not often seen by him.
    Think about this for a minute. Do you know anyone who is ready for dying or anybody who can resist wealth or great family life - good children, grand children? We always have excuses for not being ready for dying . We hoard things , we collect things ,if not for our own enjoyment then for for our children and next generations. One can look at the amount of wealth that is collected by politicians which they are not in position to enjoy. But the greed does not end -not even with death of physical body. We want life after death in heaven -so we can enjoy all the goodies that have been described from Sura - alcohol to Apsara beautiful girls dancing !So our bodily pleasure desires does not end even when we do not have physical body. But Nachiketa renounced all this  and so Yama is happy  and knows that the student is ready.

KATHOPNISHAD CHAPTER 2 SHLOKA 2

                                                         श्रेयश्च प्रेयश्च मनुष्यमेतः

                                                    तौसम्परीत्य विविनक्ति धीरः ।

                                                   श्रेयोहि धीरोऽभि प्रेयसोवृणीते

                                                  प्रेयोमन्दोयोगक्षेमाद्वृणीते ॥ २

                                   SHREYACHYA PREYACHYA MANUSHYM ETAH

                                        STAU SAMPARITYA VIVINAKTI DHIRAH |

                                          SHREYOHI DHIROPREYASO VRUNITE

                                     PREYO MANDO YOGAKSHEMAT VRUNITE ||2

GOOD AND PLEASANT ARE THE CHOICES FOR THE MAN. THE INTELLIGENT MAN

AFTER EXAMINING  AND DISTINGUISHING THEM CHOOSES THE GOOD , THE

        IGNORANT MAN CHOOSES PLEASURE FOR THE SAKE OF THE BODY||2

This is one of the Shlokas which is stressing the same principle. It may feel that we are repeating the same thing over and over again. But the reason is that the student of this scriptures must know the difference. There are 2 choices for everyone at every step of the life. All of us can tell an examples of theses situations where one has to select what is good. The examination is approaching and we have a choice of going for a party or study . The part gives sens pleasures  and studying is not pleasant for sense organs where one has to wake up early and do the study.It may be a diet control of not eating surgery, sweet or fried food and eat Satwik food , so that the health is better . But the bland vegetables may not give sense pleasure as the ice cream or fried pakodas do . The same can be said about waking up in the morning and doing meditation or sleeping late till 8 am
   The problem with all these situations is that most of us KNOW what is better but tend to select what is better for senses rather than what is GOOD. This is a constant fight between the physical body and the mind  and the intellect.Some one compared this to the strong big elephant  and the little Mahut  one who is suppose to control the Elephant. The elephant is strong and can go any place it wants  and the Mahut can not control it . The Mahut can control the elephant with training of the elephant  and not by strength.The physical body is like elephant and it has to be trained . We with out inelegance decide that we will wake up at 4 am and do meditation . But the body like elephant may not cooperate  and the mind or intellect can not do anything unless the mind is trained .
    So we are told that man must select what is GOOD  and not what is PLEASANT to body on short run as the pleasure is short lived and mortal while the good is everlasting and immortal.

KATHOPNISHADA CHAPTER 2 SHLOKA 1

                                                अन्यच्छ्रेयोऽन्यदुतैव प्रेयस्ते

                                                  उभे नानार्थे पुरुषँसिनीतः ।

                                              तयोः श्रेय आददानस्य साधु भवति

                                              हीयतेऽर्थाद्य उ प्रेयोवृणीते ॥ १॥

                                 ANYAT SREYO NYAD UTA EVA PREYASTE

                                 UBHE NANARTHE PURUSHAM SINITAH |

                         TAYOH SHREY ADADANASHYA SADHU BHAVATI

                              HIYATE ARTHATYAH  U PREYO VRUNITE  ||1

YAMA SAID , ONE IS GOOD OTHER IS PLEASANT. THESE TWO HAVE DIFFERENT OBJECTIVES  AND CHAIN MAN. ONE WHO SELECTS GOOD ALONE IS BLESSED ,BUT ONE WHO SELECTS PLEASANT ,LOSES FROM TRUE END |1

    The shloka is the starting of the teaching of the things that we face in life  and how we get trapped . In life we make decisions all the time . When we select things when we buy groceries or cook or eat . Did we buy things that are healthy and tasty or only tasty . Did we eat too much  and did we indulge . We know what is good  and what give pleasure but is not good . Certain actions will lead to attachments  and increase desires to have bodily pleasures . They appear to be more attractive but lead to attachments or chains . This is very easy to understand - the circle of mind - we do an action and that action leads to impression and that impression leads to desire  and that leads to an action again and this circle continues  and theses desires will lead to reincarnation. This si simple to understand .But how come what is good will also chain us ? The answer is not in the good or bad part ,but in WHY WE DID DO GOOD ACTION? Giving donation for good cause is good but if we did it with desire to be mentioned in the fund raiser or desire to have a plaque put on the wall then that Good action also will lead to attachment and that will bring us back for another life . So the intention with which we do the Good action is the cause of bondage or chains .
 

KATHOPNISHAD ADHYAK 1 CHAPTER 1 ,SHLOKA- 29

                                                 यस्मिन्निदं विचिकित्सन्ति मृत्यो

                                                यत्साम्परायेमहति ब्रूहि नस्तत् ।

                                                    योऽयं वरोगूढमनुप्रविष्टो
               
                                                 नान्यं तस्मान्नचिकेता वृणीते॥ २९

                             YASMIN IDAM VICHIKITSANTI MRYUTYO

                            YAT SAMPARAYE MAHATI BRUHI NASTAT|

                             O"YAM VARO GUDHAM ANUPRAVISHTO

                        NA ANYAM TASMAN NACHIKETA VRUNITE ||29

                    O DEATH -YAMA TELL ME IN WHICH MEN HAVE DOUBT AND

                  WHICH IS ABOUT GREAT PASSING -DEATH-WHICH IS MYSTERIOUS

                            ,NACHIKETA WANTS THAT BOON NOTHING ELSE  ||29

This is the last of the first chapter.So after the exchange between Yama  and Nachiket, Nachiket is telling that he wants only one boon and nothing else. This almost like when we bargain in stores or buying car, The sells man offers the price  and we offer different and he comes with different offer  and then after some exchange we give ultimatum. We offer so called Final price  and if not accepted , walk out. This is similar to that.
    Yam has offered different things to Nachiket instead of the Knowledge about Life after death. and now Nachiket is telling that he does not want anything else but the one that he asked for. The life after death is a topic of discussion in every religion. Many religion believe that we will see GOD after death only . Many have no idea of reincarnation. Many have ideas of ghosts  and heaven  and hell  and Saitan. So in short what happens after death is mysterious  and so all of us want to know  and who is better to tell us than the God of Death - YAMA.