Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1have doubted formerly ; it is not easy to understand. That subject is subtle. Choose another boon, O NaZiketas, do not press me, and let me off that boon.’ 22, Nakiketas said: ‘On this point even the gods have doubted indeed, and thou, Death, hast declared it to be not easy to understand, and another teacher like thee is not to be found:—surely no other boon is like unto this.’ 23. Death said: ‘Choose sons and grandsons who shall live a hundred years, herds of cattle, elephants, gold, and horses. Choose the wide abode of the earth, and live thyself as many harvests as thou desirest.’ 24. ‘If you can think of any boon equal to that, choose wealth and long life. Be (king), Naéiketas, on the wide earth’. I make thee the enjoyer of all desires.’ 25.‘ Whatever desires are difficult to attain among mortals, ask for them according to thy wish ;—these fair maidens-with their chariots and musical instruments,—such are indeed not to be obtained by men,—be waited on by them whom I give to thee, but do not ask me about dying.’ 26. Nafiketas said: ‘These things last till tomorrow, O Death, for they wear out this vigour of all the senses. Even the whole of life is short. Keep thou thy horses, keep dance and song for thyself.’ 27. ‘No man can be made happy by wealth. Shall we possess wealth, when we see thee? Shall we live, * Mahabhimau, on the great earth, has been explained also by maha bhfimau, be great on the earth. It is doubtful, however, whether maha for mah4n could be admitted in the Upanishads, and whether it would not be easier to write mahan bhfimau. I ADHYAYA, I VALLI, 29. 7
2as long as thou rulest? Only that boon (which I have chosen) is to be chosen by me.’ 28.‘ What mortal, slowly decaying here below, and knowing, after having approached them, the freedom from decay enjoyed by the immortals, would delight in a long life, after he has pondered on the pleasures which arise from beauty and love! ?’ 29. ‘No, that on which there is this doubt, O Death, tell us what there is in that great Hereafter. Nahiketas does not choose another boon but that which enters into the hidden world.’ 1 A very obscure verse. Sankara gives a various reading kva tadastha’ for kvadhaAstha4, in the sense of ‘given to these pleasures,’ which looks like an emendation. I have changed agiryatam into agaryatém, and take it for an acc. sing., instead of a gen, plur., which could hardly be governed by upetya. 8 KATHA-UPANISHAD. SEcoND VALLI.
31. Death said : ‘The good is one thing, the pleasant another; these two, having different objects, chain aman. It is well with him who clings to the good ; he who chooses the pleasant, misses his end.’ 2. ‘The good and the pleasant approach man: the wise goes round about them and distinguishes them. Yea, the wise prefers the good to the pleasant, but the fool chooses the pleasant through greed and avarice.’ 3. ‘Thou, O Nadiketas, after pondering all pleasures that are or seem delightful, hast dismissed them all. Thou hast not gone into the road? that leadeth to wealth, in which many men perish.’ 4. ‘ Wide apart and leading to different points are these two, ignorance, and what is known as wisdom. I believe Nagiketas to be one who desires knowledge, for even many pleasures did not tear thee away ®.’ 5. ‘Fools dwelling in darkness, wise in their own conceit, and puffed up with vain knowledge, go round and round, staggering to and fro, like blind men led by the blind * 6. ‘The Hereafter never rises before the eyes of the careless child, deluded by the delusion of wealth. “ This is the world,” he thinks, “ there is no other ;’— thus he falls again and again under my sway.’ 7. ‘He (the Self) of whom many are not even able hind. 10. * The commentator explains lolupanta’ by vikkhedam kritavantak, Some MSS. read lolupante and lolupanti, but one expects either lolupyante or lolupati. * Cf. Mund. Up. II, 8.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1have doubted formerly ; it is not easy to understand. That subject is subtle. Choose another boon, O NaZiketas, do not press me, and let me off that boon.’ 22, Nakiketas said: ‘On this point even the gods have doubted indeed, and thou, Death, hast declared it to be not easy to understand, and another teacher like thee is not to be found:—surely no other boon is like unto this.’ 23. Death said: ‘Choose sons and grandsons who shall live a hundred years, herds of cattle, elephants, gold, and horses. Choose the wide abode of the earth, and live thyself as many harvests as thou desirest.’ 24. ‘If you can think of any boon equal to that, choose wealth and long life. Be (king), Naéiketas, on the wide earth’. I make thee the enjoyer of all desires.’ 25.‘ Whatever desires are difficult to attain among mortals, ask for them according to thy wish ;—these fair maidens-with their chariots and musical instruments,—such are indeed not to be obtained by men,—be waited on by them whom I give to thee, but do not ask me about dying.’ 26. Nafiketas said: ‘These things last till tomorrow, O Death, for they wear out this vigour of all the senses. Even the whole of life is short. Keep thou thy horses, keep dance and song for thyself.’ 27. ‘No man can be made happy by wealth. Shall we possess wealth, when we see thee? Shall we live, * Mahabhimau, on the great earth, has been explained also by maha bhfimau, be great on the earth. It is doubtful, however, whether maha for mah4n could be admitted in the Upanishads, and whether it would not be easier to write mahan bhfimau. I ADHYAYA, I VALLI, 29. 7
2as long as thou rulest? Only that boon (which I have chosen) is to be chosen by me.’ 28.‘ What mortal, slowly decaying here below, and knowing, after having approached them, the freedom from decay enjoyed by the immortals, would delight in a long life, after he has pondered on the pleasures which arise from beauty and love! ?’ 29. ‘No, that on which there is this doubt, O Death, tell us what there is in that great Hereafter. Nahiketas does not choose another boon but that which enters into the hidden world.’ 1 A very obscure verse. Sankara gives a various reading kva tadastha’ for kvadhaAstha4, in the sense of ‘given to these pleasures,’ which looks like an emendation. I have changed agiryatam into agaryatém, and take it for an acc. sing., instead of a gen, plur., which could hardly be governed by upetya. 8 KATHA-UPANISHAD. SEcoND VALLI.
31. Death said : ‘The good is one thing, the pleasant another; these two, having different objects, chain aman. It is well with him who clings to the good ; he who chooses the pleasant, misses his end.’ 2. ‘The good and the pleasant approach man: the wise goes round about them and distinguishes them. Yea, the wise prefers the good to the pleasant, but the fool chooses the pleasant through greed and avarice.’ 3. ‘Thou, O Nadiketas, after pondering all pleasures that are or seem delightful, hast dismissed them all. Thou hast not gone into the road? that leadeth to wealth, in which many men perish.’ 4. ‘ Wide apart and leading to different points are these two, ignorance, and what is known as wisdom. I believe Nagiketas to be one who desires knowledge, for even many pleasures did not tear thee away ®.’ 5. ‘Fools dwelling in darkness, wise in their own conceit, and puffed up with vain knowledge, go round and round, staggering to and fro, like blind men led by the blind * 6. ‘The Hereafter never rises before the eyes of the careless child, deluded by the delusion of wealth. “ This is the world,” he thinks, “ there is no other ;’— thus he falls again and again under my sway.’ 7. ‘He (the Self) of whom many are not even able hind. 10. * The commentator explains lolupanta’ by vikkhedam kritavantak, Some MSS. read lolupante and lolupanti, but one expects either lolupyante or lolupati. * Cf. Mund. Up. II, 8.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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