Kathopanishad- Verse 28 - kathopanishad-1-1-28-ajīryatāma

Kathopanishad – Part 1 – Canto 1 – Verse 28 « »

अजीर्यताममृतानामुपेत्य
जीर्यन्मर्त्यः क्वधःस्थः प्रजानन् ।
अभिध्यायन् वर्णरतिप्रमोदान्
अतिदीर्घे जीविते को रमेत ॥ २८॥

ajīryatāmamṛtānāmupetya
jīryanmartyaḥ kvadhaḥsthaḥ prajānan .
abhidhyāyan varṇaratipramodān
atidīrghe jīvite ko rameta .. 28..

28 Who among decaying mortals here below, having approached the undecaying immortals and coming to know that his higher needs may be fulfilled by them, would exult in a life over long,after he had pondered on the pleasures arising from beauty and song?

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

Again, having approached those whose age knows no decay and who are immortal and knowing of some other surpassing benefit to be had from them, how çould a mortal, himself living on earth below (below, relatively the Antariksha, i.e., region of the sky), pray for such transitory things, as sons, wealth, gold, etc., covetable only by the ignorant? Another reading has ‘Kvatadasthah’ for ‘Kvadhasthah’; the meaning according to this reading is this: Tadasthah, one who ardently covets them, i.e., sons and the rest; when will one, who seeks higher objects than these though difficult to attain, thirst for these? The meaning is that no one who knows them as valueless, will wish for them. Everybody in the world wishes to become something higher and higher than he is; therefore, I am not to be tempted by the prospect of sons, wealth, etc.; and what sensible man will delight in longevity who knows the transitory nature: of nymphs and of the delights of music and sports?

Commentary by Swami Krishnananda of the great Divine Life Society

Ajīryatām amṛtānām upetya jīryan martyaḥ kvadhasthaḥ prajānan, abhidhyāyan varṇaratipramodān, atidīrghe jīvite ko rameta (1.1.28): “Immortal thou art, O Master. Mortal am I. When a mortal is face-to-face with an immortal, what mortal things will he ask for? He will ask for immortal things only, and you are offering me all mortal things with all these glorious descriptions that you have placed before me just now. Would I ask for mortal things from an immortal teacher like you?” Abhidhyāyan varṇaratipramodān: “What is enjoyment? It is colour, sound and motion—colour, titillation of the sense organs, and imagined joy appearing to arise from objects which are falsely considered as the source of our joy. Considering all these defects of sense enjoyment, who will ask for long life in this world?” Atidīrghe jīvite ko rameta: “Who will be happy with a long life in this world which is infested with destruction of every kind and sorrows galore?”

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

Kathopanishad – Verse 28 – kathopanishad-1-1-28-ajīryatāma – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Meaning and Commentary by Adi Shankaracharya (Sankara Bhashya) – Katha-1-1-28