Kathopanishad – Part 1 – Canto 1 – Verse 15   «   »

Kathopanishad – Part 1 – Canto 1 – Verse 15   «   »

लोकादिमग्निं तमुवाच तस्मै
या इष्टका यावतीर्वा यथा वा ।
स चापि तत्प्रत्यवदद्यथोक्तं
अथास्य मृत्युः पुनरेवाह तुष्टः ॥ १५॥
lokādimagniṃ tamuvāca tasmai
yā iṣṭakā yāvatīrvā yathā vā .
sa cāpi tatpratyavadadyathoktaṃ
athāsya mṛtyuḥ punarevāha tuṣṭaḥ .. 15..
15  Yama then told him about the Fire, which is the source of the worlds and what bricks were to be gathered for the altar and how many and how the sacrificial fire was to be lighted. Nachiketa, too, repeated all this as it had been told him. Then Yama, being pleased with him, spoke again. 

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Part 2 – Canto 3 – Verse 11
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Part 2 – Canto 3 – Verse 13
Part 2 – Canto 3 – Verse 14
Part 2 – Canto 3 – Verse 15
Part 2 – Canto 3 – Verse 16
Part 2 – Canto 3 – Verse 17
Part 2 – Canto 3 – Verse 18
Part 2 – Canto 3 – Verse 19

deity_Katha

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

This, the Sruti itself says. Death explained o Nachikêtas, the fire, which was the source of the worlds, being the first embodied existence, the same that was asked for by Nachikêtas; again he told him of what form the sacrificial bricks were to be, how many in number and in what manner the sacrificial fire was to be lit and all this; Nachikêtas also faithfully repeated what was told him by Death. Then delighted by his repetition, Death said to him again inclined to grant him a boon other than the three promised.

Commentary by Swami Krishnananda of the great Divine Life Society

Lokādim agniṁ tam uvāca tasmai, yā iṣṭakā, yāvatīr vā, yathā vā. sa cāpi tat pratyavadat yathoktam; athāsya mṛtyuḥ punar evāha tuṣṭaḥ (1.1.15). Now, having uttered these words, the great Master initiates the boy into the secret of this sacrifice. The origin of the universe, which is the supreme Vaishvanara fire, is told to Nachiketas. Lokādim agniṁ tam uvāca tasmai: The origin of all things, which is the fire of the sacrifice, is clearly told: how many bricks are to be there in the altar of this sacrifice, what types of bricks are to be used for this altar, and how one is to commence the actual oblations in the sacrifice. Yā iṣṭakā, yāvatīr vā, yathā vā: How, what kind, and how many—all these things were mentioned.

Actually, it will be very clear that these bricks cannot be made of earth. Though symbolically the word ‘brick’ is used here for the construction of the altar in the sacrifice, it cannot be a material brick because of the fact that the sacrifice, which is the subject of this verse, does not seem to be a material offering. The object of attainment is non-material because it is everywhere, and inside us also. These bricks are nothing but certain patterns of thinking. They are modes of thought, adjustments of consciousness, and processes of conditioning oneself. These are the bricks, and a tremendous type of initiation is necessary for this. To conceive a universal that is inside us, our consciousness has to be adjusted in such a way that is ordinarily a total impossibility. So these bricks are not material substances weighing some kilograms; they are bricks of consciousness.

When this instruction was given, every word was repeated by Nachiketas. “Do this, do this, this way, this way,” Lord Yama said; and Nachiketas repeated it: “Yes, yes, yes. I understand, I understand, I understand.” Sa cāpi tat pratyavadat yathoktam: As was told, so was repeated word for word by Nachiketas. Great thing! A tremendously earthshaking knowledge is described here very, very briefly—so briefly, so secretly that the ordinary, shackled mind cannot make any sense of this. Great purification is necessary even to grasp the import of what this vidya is. Nachiketas understood it, practised it, and conquered death. This is the Upanishad for conquering death.


Kathopanishad – Verse 15 – kathopanishad-1-1-15-lokādimagniṃ – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Meaning and Commentary by Adi Shankaracharya (Sankara Bhashya) – Katha-1-1-15