KATHOUPANISHAD - 84. Swami Advayananda.

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Thursday 24, April 2025, 11:00.
KATHA UPANISHAD  
Part 2 – Total 49 Mantras 
Chapters 2.1, 2.2 & 2.3 
Chapter 2.2: (15 Mantras) 
THE SEARCH FOR BRAHMAN 
Mantram - 2.2.6: When the Body Departs, What Remains?
Post - 84.

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1 Hanta te idam pravakshyaami = Well, now, I will explain to thee this 

2 guhyam brahma sanaatanam; = mysterious and ancient truth about Brahman. 

3 yathaa cha maranam praapya = You wished to know, when death takes place, what = 

4 aatmaa bhavati Gautama. = becomes of the Soul?  O Gautama, (this I now answer): 

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One may be wondering why there is so much reference to death in so many of these 

verses. What else can we expect from the Lord of Death! Besides, the verse has the scent of 

an answer for Boon 3 all over it! We ought never to forget that all this mystery is unfolding 

due to Nachiketas’s desire to experience the state of Godhood, to know the secret behind 

life and death. That is his question. 

1-2

 Lord Yama has built up our appetite for the answer. We are hot on the trail of 

Boon Three, asked four chapters ago: “Does He exist, or does He not?” If He does not exist, 

then the question of what happens after death does not arise. We are left with the sterile 

answer – we become a pile of ashes! If He does exist, then do we go to Him when we die? If 

not, why not? What would prevent us from reaching Him when we die?  

Guhyam Brahma: “Mystery or secret of Brahman”. To digress from the main theme, 

there is a misunderstanding among people that ‘secret’ here means that the knowledge 

should not be divulged. Acharyaji said that it meant ‘subtle’, not ‘secret’. The subtlety itself 

would ensure that it cannot go into the wrong hands and be misused. An impure intellect 

with impure intentions will not be able to grasp the knowledge in the first place. Hence, 

there is no fear of divulging it to the wrong person. It may be freely propagated. 

Pujya Gurudev used to say, “The Knowledge itself will protect itself. Those who come 

for the wrong reason will fall asleep when the knowledge is spoken – because they will not 

even understand it!” He thus maintained a fiery spirit to spread this knowledge throughout 

the world without imposing any pre-conditions. He watered the whole garden, knowing that 

the seeds that were not ready to sprout will remain seeds, till the next rains come – or the 

rains after that! 

After that digression, we return to the immediate theme on hand. 

3-4

 Lord Yama is about to answer the question posed to him by Nachiketas as the 

Third Boon. But that answer still remains in suspense. Surely there has to be some very good 

reason for this build up of suspense. Like a skilled bridge player, Lord Yama is holding on to 

his trump card and keeping us in suspense. 

However, in the next verse Lord Yama is finally ready with his answer.  Are we ready  to receive it?  

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Next

Mantram - 2.2.7: Answer 1: While in Ignorance 

Continued

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