Katha Upanishad with Shankara’s Commentary
by S. Sitarama Sastri | 1928 | 23,822 words
The Katha Upanishad is a collection of philosophical poems representing a conversation between the sage Naciketas and Yama (god of death). They discuss the nature of Atman, Brahman and Moksha (liberation). The book is made up of six sections (Valli). This commentary by Shankara focuses on ‘Advaita Vedanta’, or non-dualism: one of the classical ort...
Verse 1.2.11
कामस्याप्तिं जगतः प्रतिष्ठां क्रतोरानन्त्यमभयस्य पारं ।
स्तोममहदुरुगायं प्रतिष्ठां दृष्ट्वा धृत्या धीरो नचिकेतोऽत्यस्राक्शीः ॥ ११ ॥kāmasyāptiṃ jagataḥ pratiṣṭhāṃ kratorānantyamabhayasya pāraṃ ।
stomamahadurugāyaṃ pratiṣṭhāṃ dṛṣṭvā dhṛtyā dhīro naciketo'tyasrākśīḥ ॥ 11 ॥11. The end of all desires, the stay of all the universe, the endless fruit of worship, the other shore of fearlessness, the praiseworthy, the great and boundless goal, all these hast thou beheld, and being intelligent, Oh Nachiketas, hast boldly rejected all.
Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—But you having beheld the end of all desires (for, here, i.e., in Hiranyagarbha, all desires are fulfilled), the support of all the worlds comprising the Adhyatma, the Adhibhuta and the Adhidaiva, i.e., (the bodies, elements and gods), the immortal goal of worship, the place of Hiranyagarbha, the extreme state of fearlessness, praiseworthy, great as combining many desirable powers such as anima (praiseworthy and great because it is unsurpassable) the boundless and unsurpassable goal of the atman, have boldly, being intelligent, rejected, wishing only for the highest, all this host of enjoyments within the pale of Samsara. Oh, what unsurpassable qualities you possess!