KATHA UPANISHAD - 34. Swami Advayananda.

PM ineracting with Nari Sakti Puraskar Awardees 

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Tuesday, 08 Aug 2023 06:35.

Chapter 1. Section - 2: (25 Mantras): THE CHOICE:

(“A Leap Into the Beyond”):  Bhashyam by Sri Swami Adi Sankaracharya ji.

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Chapter-1. 

Section-2.

THE CHOICE:

Mantram - 1.2.5: Preyas: Blind Leading the Blind

Post-34.

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Mantram - 1.2.5: Preyas: Blind Leading the Blind

1 

Avidyaayaam antare  =  In the midst of Ignorance –

vartamaanaah  =  those people who live in this way,

2 

svayam dheeraah   =  think themselves to be very intelligent

panditam manya-maanaah;  =  and fancy themselves to be highly learned.

3 

dandramya-maanaah   =  Deluded in many crooked ways,

pariyanti moodhaah  =  the ignorant go round and round, 

4 

andhena eva neeyamaanaah  =  even as those who are blind are led 

yathaa andhaah.  =  by others who are equally blind!

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Now in two mantras, Yama shares with his disciple, Nachiketas, some of his observations of the irony that exists among those who live the path of Preyas, which is the majority of mankind. This is the life that Nachiketas has just saved himself from.

1 

The entire standard of judgement is lop-sided. Everything in the world of Preyas is 

seen through the jaundiced eye of personal pleasure.

2 

Yes, there are “wise” ones among them, too. Their wisdom consists in giving advice 

to people on how they can also become successful like themselves. They advise others to 

pursue pleasure, study for the sake of earning more, and enjoy as much as they can.

They utterly detest the spiritual path. Those who get high positions because of their 

wealth are regarded as the “Gurus” in society. They are given honour and respect for their 

material achievement just as a disciple would honour and respect his spiritual guide or Guru. 

The whole standard of assessing values is turned head-over-heels.

3-4 

They go round in circles, following the crooked path of cheating and lying. And 

those that follow them join them in this merry-go-round! The blind lead the blind!

If such people somehow stray into the spiritual field, what would they do but turn it 

into a business. The Divine becomes a means for them to ask for more wealth. Their prayers 

are only for greater and greater wealth. They pray for long life so that they can enjoy all the 

more. All the blessings they seek are only for furthering their pursuit of pleasure.

This mantra may also be taken as a warning for those who wish to follow the path of 

Sreyas. It has to be “God for God’s sake, not for any other selfish reason.” Otherwise desire 

will enter on the sly even on the Sreyas path, and snatch people onto the side of Preyas if 

they are not alert. The syndicate of “wise men” among the Preyas clan simply waits for 

opportunities to snatch away intelligent ones wishing to lead a life of Sreyas.

*****

Next

Mantram - 1.2.6: Preyas: A False Vision

To be continued

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