KATHOUPANISHAD - 65. Swami Advayananda.

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Friday 20, September 2024, 06:40.
KATHOPANISHAD
Chapter 1.3:   
17 Mantras:  THE JOURNEY AHEAD
THE GLORY OF THIS JOURNEY
Mantram - 1.3.16:Glory of the “Nachiketas” Knowledge 
Post - 65.

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Mantram - 1.3.16:Glory of the “Nachiketas” Knowledge 

 1 

Naachiketam upaakhyaanam =  This (Vedic) knowledge as received by Nachiketas, 

2 

mrityu proktam sanaatanam; = and as told by the Lord of Death, is eternal; 

3 

uktvaa shrutvaa cha medhaavee =relating it or hearing it, the intelligent one  

4 

brahma loke maheeyate. =  becomes worthy of glorification in the world of  Brahman (or in Brahma Loka). 

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1

 The Pada could be interpreted in two ways: 

 

i) Upaakhyaanam: “story”.  In this case, ‘Nachiketas’ becomes an adjective to ‘story’, 

giving “The Nachiketas Story”, identifying which story. This is in keeping with the earlier 

usage of “The Nachiketas Fire” where the entire sacrificial fire was named after him. 


ii) Upaakhyaanam: the alternative meaning is “knowledge”. In this case, the Pada 

could mean either the specific knowledge as taught to Nachiketas by Lord Yama; or that the 

knowledge is named after him, as “The Nachiketas Knowledge”. 


2

 The knowledge (or the story) is “eternal” because it is from the Vedas, which are 

eternal. The glorification of either is ultimately the glorification of the Vedas itself. 


3

 The knowledge (or the story) is also glorified by associating it with an intelligent 

young seeker of exceptional qualities and a pure intellect. As a slight variant, the intelligent 

student who understands this knowledge is equally glorified in the process. 


Acharyaji expressed it with another metaphor: “A good book is a good meal.” 

Knowledge was always greatly respected in Vedic culture. 

4

 By stating that the fruit of this knowledge is twofold:

  

i) It can be Brahman, he highest Goal of human life, if by knowledge is meant 

Brahma Vidya, the Knowledge of the Self. 


ii) It can be Brahmaloka, the highest heavenly region, if the knowledge is taken to 

mean knowledge of the “Nachiketas Fire Sacrifice”.  

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Next

Mantram - 1.3.17: Auspicious Recitation of this Knowledge 

Continued

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know the self, know the self in Nature, know the self in Jiva, Further Oneness.

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