Śivadyuti (शिवद्युति)

"How can one know thus as to where It (the Self) is, for which both the brāhmaṇa and the kṣatriya become food, and for which Death takes the place of a curry?" Namaste 🙏 So this is the close of the second chapter, the second Canto of this Upaniṣad, which has six Cantos in two parts. The first Canto was about setting the scene, creating a context where this wonderful conversation between death and Naciketā could take place. Naciketā is not going to take anything other than the highest knowledge. He doesn't want any material benediction. So in the beginning of the second Canto, Death accepts Naciketā as his student and begins to teach him about Brahman. Because really, what Naciketā wants is to know Death's secret.

“This Self cannot be known through much study, nor through the intellect, nor through much hearing. It can be known through the Self alone that the aspirant prays to; this Self of that seeker reveals Its true nature. One who has not desisted from bad conduct, whose senses are not under control, whose mind is not concentrated, whose mind is not free from anxiety about the result of concentration, cannot attain this Self through knowledge.“

“While sitting, It travels far away; while sleeping, It goes everywhere. Who but I can know that Deity who is both joyful and joyless? Having meditated on the Self as bodiless in the midst of bodies, as permanent in the midst of the impermanent, and as great and pervasive, the wise man does not grieve.“

“If the killer thinks (of It) in terms of killing, and if the killed thinks (of It) as killed, both of them do not know. It does not kill, nor is it killed. The Self that is subtler than the subtle and greater than the great is lodged in the heart of (every) creature. A desireless man sees that glory of the Self through the serenity of the organs, and (thereby he becomes) free from sorrow.“

“This medium is the best; this medium is the supreme and the inferior Brahman. Meditating on this medium, one becomes adorable in the world of Brahman. The intelligent Self is neither born nor does It die. It did not originate from anything, nor did anything originate from It. It is birthless, eternal, undecaying and ancient. It is not injured even when the body is killed.“

“I tell you briefly of that goal which all the Vedas propound with one voice, which all the austerities speak of, and wishing for which, people practise brahmācārya. It is this: ĀŪṀ. This letter ĀŪṀ, indeed, is the inferior Brahman Hiraṇyagarbha; and this letter is, indeed, the Supreme Brahman. Anybody, who, while meditating on this letter, wants any of the two, to him comes that.“

Death continued: “After hearing this, grasping it fully, separating this righteous thing from the body etc., and attaining this subtle thing, that mortal rejoices, for he has obtained that which is the cause of delight. I consider that the mansion of Brahman is wide open to Naciketā.“ Naciketā: “Tell me of that thing which you see as different from virtue, different from vice, different from this cause and effect, and different from the past and the future.“

Namaste 🙏 So I wanted to follow up on the previous video, which is about meditation. What do you do when you get to the point where you're seeing the light of Brahman? (This is advanced, okay?) We covered in the previous video what to do if you don't see any light in meditation. Well, you should go back and do bhakti-yoga and even karma-yoga, to increase your puñyā and to develop love of God. Because meditation is based on the foundation of karma and bhakti; and if you don't have these spiritual assets, you will find it very difficult, if not impossible, to reach the stage of actual meditation.

Namaste 🙏 We've been talking in these videos on Kaṭhopaniṣad about the background, the context for meditation and self-realization. And this is very important. But we also want to talk about the practice. How do you realize what's being talked about in the text? “He who covets the desirable things while brooding on their virtues, is born amidst those very surroundings along with the desires. But for one whose wishes are fulfilled and whose self is Self-established, all the longings vanish, even here.“ —Maṇḍukya Upaniṣad 3.2.2

“O Naciketā, you, on becoming enlightened, have rejected them all by examining patiently the highest reach of desire, the support of the universe, the infinite results of meditation, the other shore of fearlessness, the extensive course of Hiraṇyagarbha that is praiseworthy and great, as also your own state. The intelligent man gives up happiness and sorrow by developing concentration of mind on the Self, and thereby meditating on the old Deity who is inscrutable, lodged inaccessibly, located in the intellect, and seated in the midst of misery.“

“The wisdom that you have, O dearest one, which leads to sound knowledge when imparted only by someone other than a logician, is not to be attained through argument. O compassionable one, you are endowed with true resolution. May our questioner be like you, O Naciketā. Since I know that this treasure is impermanent—for that permanent entity cannot be attained through impermanent things—therefore knowingly did I pile up the Naciketā fire with impermanent things, and have thereby attained relative permanence.“

“Of that Self—which is not available for the mere hearing to many, and which many do not understand even while hearing—the expounder is wonderful and the receiver is wonderful; wonderful is he who knows, under the instruction of an adept. The Self is certainly not adequately known when spoken of by an inferior person; for It is thought of variously. When taught by one who has become identified with It, there is no further cogitation with regard to It. For It is beyond argumentation, being subtler even than the atoms.“

“Living in the midst of ignorance and considering themselves intelligent and enlightened, the senseless people go round and round, following crooked courses, just like the blind led by the blind. The means for the attainment of the other world does not become revealed to the non-discriminating man who blunders, being befooled by the lure of wealth. One that constantly thinks that ‘There is only this world, and none hereafter,’ comes under my sway again and again.”

Death: "O Naciketā, you, such as you are, have discarded, after consideration, all the desirable things that are themselves delightful or are the producers of delight. You have not accepted this path of wealth in which many a man comes to grief. That known as knowledge and that known as ignorance are widely contradictory, and they follow divergent courses. I consider Naciketā to be an aspirant for knowledge, because the enjoyable things, multifarious though they be, did not tempt you."

Namaste. So beginning the second Adhyāya of the Kaṭhopaniṣad, Death has accepted Naciketā as a student after testing him to see whether he still has material desires or if he is actually fit to receive the absolute knowledge. Naciketā has passed Death's test and now Death is going to explain how and why he accepts him as a student.

Namaste. So now I want to introduce the second Adhyāya or chapter of the Kaṭha Upaniṣad. And in this chapter, Death begins his exposition of the Supreme Truth. And the supreme truth is defined in Bhagavad-gītā as: “this knowledge, both intellectual and experiential, knowing which there shall be nothing further to know.” So the term Adhyātma-yoga appears in verse 12 of the second chapter where he says, adhyātma-yogādi-gamena. And Shankaracharya defines it as, “Concentration of the mind on the Self after withdrawing it from the outer objects is Adhyātma-yoga.”

Naciketā: “This doubt that arises, consequent on the death of a man—some saying, ‘It exists,’ and others saying, ‘It does not exist.’ I would know this, under your instruction. This is the third of all the boons.” Death: “With regard to this, even the gods entertained doubts in days of yore; for being subtle, this substance—the Self—is not easily comprehended. O Naciketā, ask for some other boon; do not press me; give up this boon that is demanded of me.” Naciketā: “Even the gods entertained doubt with regard to this; and O Death, since you too say that It is not well comprehended; and since another instructor of this like you is not to be had, therefore there is no other boon comparable to this one.” Death: “Ask for sons and grandsons that will be centenarians. Ask for many animals, elephants and gold, and horses, and a vast expanse of the earth. And you yourself live for as many years as you like. “If you think some other boon to be equal to this, ask for that. Ask for wealth and long life. You become ruler over a vast region. I make you fit for the enjoyment of all delectable things. “Whatever things there be that are desirable but difficult to get—pray for all those cherished things according to your choice. Here are these women with chariots and musical instruments—such are not surely to be had by mortals. With these, who are offered by me, you get yourself served. O Naciketā, do not inquire about death.” Naciketā: “O Death: ephemeral are these, and they waste away the vigor of all the senses that a man has. All life, without exception, is short indeed. Let the vehicles be yours alone; let the dances and songs remain yours. “Man is not to be satisfied with wealth. Now that we have met you, we shall get wealth. We shall live as long as you will rule it. But the boon that is worth praying for by me is that alone. “Having reached the proximity of the undecaying immortals, what decaying mortal who dwells on this lower region, the earth, but knows of higher goals, will take delight in a long life while conscious of the worthlessness of music, disport, and the joy thereof? “O Death, tell us of that thing about which people entertain doubt in the context of the next world, and whose knowledge leads to a great result. Apart from this boon, which relates to the inscrutable thing, Naciketā does not pray for any other. ”

"How can one know thus as to where It (the Self) is, for which both the brāhmaṇa and the kṣatriya become food, and for which Death takes the place of a curry?" Namaste 🙏 So this is the close of the second chapter, the second Canto of this Upaniṣad, which has six Cantos in two parts. The first Canto was about setting the scene, creating a context where this wonderful conversation between death and Naciketā could take place. Naciketā is not going to take anything other than the highest knowledge. He doesn't want any material benediction. So in the beginning of the second Canto, Death accepts Naciketā as his student and begins to teach him about Brahman. Because really, what Naciketā wants is to know Death's secret.

Death: “O Naciketā, this is for you the boon about the Fire that leads to heaven, for which you prayed through the second boon. People will speak of this Fire as yours indeed. O Naciketā, ask for the third boon." Naciketā: “This doubt that arises, consequent on the death of a man—some saying, ‘It exists,’ and others saying, ‘It does not exist.’ I would know this, under your instruction. This is the third of all the boons.”

“One who, getting connection with the three, piles up the Nāciketa fire thrice, and undertakes the three kinds of work, crosses over death. Getting knowledge of that Omniscient One who is born of Brahmā (Virāṭ), and realising Him, he attains this peace fully. One who performs the Nāciketa sacrifice thrice after having known these three factors, and he who having known thus, accomplishes the Nāciketa sacrifice, casts off the snares of Death even earlier, and crossing over sorrow, rejoices in heaven.”