kathopanishad-2-3-15-yadā sarve

Commentary by Swami Krishnananda of the great Divine Life Society

Yadā sarve prabhidyante hṛdayasyeha granthayaḥ, atha martyo’mṛto bhavaty etāvad anuśāsanam (2.3.15): One becomes immortal when the knots of the heart are rent asunder. There are so many knots. We call them Brahma-granthi, Vishnu-granthi, Rudra-granthi, etc. They are something like the plexuses spoken of in the kundalini or the hatha yoga shastras. These granthis, or the knots of the heart, are the three cities which Lord Siva broke with one arrow. He is called Tripura Samhari, Tripurari. He destroyed the three cities of the demons, and these cities are also the granthis. Philosophically, these granthis are knots constituted of avidya, kama and karma. The inability to comprehend the nature of Reality is called avidya. This inability to contemplate Reality creates a compulsion to see the world outside, though it is really not there. This is called kama. The desire to perceive a world on account of the inability to perceive Reality creates effort in the direction of the fulfilment of these desires. That is called karma. So avidya, kama and karma are the threefold knot, which are the granthis spoken of here: Rudra–granthi, Vishnu–granthi, and Brahma–granthi. These knots are rent asunder; the Gordian knot is cut. There is a knot called the Gordian knot. Some Emperor called Gordian tied a knot which was not possible to untie. Everyone tried their best, and Alexander the Great said, “I will rend it.” He took a sword and cut it into pieces. If we cannot untie it, we cut it.

It is a question of philosophical and practical sadhana whether we will cut our attachments or untie our attachments. Both these processes are prescribed. Sometimes the untying of the knot will take a long, long time. It may take years, or even some births, to untie one knot and then another knot. Because of the endless ramifications of it, a lot of time is taken. But if we cut it in one stroke, sometimes danger is there. There will be a reaction produced by the mind which may end in untoward psychological experiences, and it may compel the jiva to take birth in a very unfamiliar and unhappy circumstance. The untying of the knot or the cutting of the knot cannot be done independently by oneself, as no one can study the advanced stages of any subject by themselves. It requires proper instruction from a teacher. Anyway, the point is that these granthis have to be removed. We untie them or cut them, as the case may be.

Atha martyo’mṛto bhavaty etāvad anuśāsanam: Here the mortal becomes immortal. This is the instruction. Nothing more is to be said. Etāvad anuśāsanam: Yama speaks to Nachiketas, “Are you satisfied? All things that you need to know, I have imparted to you. Here is the final word.”