Kathopanishad- Verse 18 - kathopanishad-2-3-18-mṛtyuproktāṃ

Kathopanishad – Part 2 – Canto 3 – Verse 18 « »

मृत्युप्रोक्तां नचिकेतोऽथ लब्ध्वा
विद्यामेतां योगविधिं च कृत्स्नम् ।
ब्रह्मप्राप्तो विरजोऽभूद्विमृत्यु-
रन्योऽप्येवं यो विदध्यात्ममेव ॥ १८॥

mṛtyuproktāṃ naciketo’tha labdhvā
vidyāmetāṃ yogavidhiṃ ca kṛtsnam .
brahmaprāpto virajo’bhūdvimṛtyu-
ranyo’pyevaṃ yo vidadhyātmameva .. 18..

18 Having received this wisdom taught by the King of Death and the entire process of yoga, Nachiketa became free from impurities and death and attained Brahman. Thus it will be also with any other who knows, in this manner, the inmost Self.

Table of Contents

Sri Shankara’s Commentary (Bhashya) translated by S. Sitarama Sastri

This conclusion of the story intended to eulogise knowledge is now stated. Nachikêtas having obtained from Death by the granting of boons, the knowledge of the Brahman imparted as above said and also all the instruction about yôga with its fruits, attained Brahman, i.e., became immortal. How? Being already freed from vice and virtue and from desire and ignorance. Not merely Nachikêtas alone but even another who like Nachikêtas, knows the âtman and realizes its true nature unconditioned and within all, and not its form which is not within all. Who knows the nature of the âtman, as thus stated, such knower also; ‘being untainted becomes deathless, by attaining Brahman’ should be supplied to complete the sentence.

Commentary by Swami Krishnananda of the great Divine Life Society

Mṛtyu-protāṁ naciketo’tha labdhvā vidyām etām yogavidhiṁ ca kṛtsnam, brahmaprāpto virajo ‘bhūd vimṛtyur anyopy evam yo vid adhyātmam eva (2.3.18): Blessed Nachiketas received this science of yoga in its entirety. This great knowledge of Brahman was imparted to him by Yama, the Lord of Death, and he attained to Brahman: brahmaprāpta. Nachiketas became free from the contamination of the body, and he was free from the trammels of death. Whoever takes recourse to this method which Nachiketas took will also attain immortality in a similar manner. Anyopy evam yo vid adhyātmam eva: It is not only Nachiketas who attained it; you and I also can attain it, provided we follow the same path which Nachiketas followed. That rejection of all values, that persistence in asking for Truth, that tenacity in knowing it somehow or other, concentrating the mind on the instruction that is given, and practising it assiduously until it is reached, these are the ways which Nachiketas adopted. He got it; and whoever follows this way of tenacious concentration on that Reality, rejecting all attachments, will also attain to the same goal.

This is the Kathopanishad—a great, grand scripture.

Links
Various resources on the Kathopanishad
Upanishad Series – Katopanishad Commentary by Swami Chinmayananda

Kathopanishad – Verse 18 – kathopanishad-2-3-18-mṛtyuproktāṃ – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Meaning and Commentary by Adi Shankaracharya (Sankara Bhashya) – Katha-2-3-18