The Upaniṣads / Kaṭha / 2.10 The treasure
2.10
जानाम्यहं शेवधिरित्यनित्यं न ह्यध्रुवैः प्राप्यते हि ध्रुवं तत् ।
ततो मया नाचिकेतश् चितोऽग्निरनित्यैर् द्रव्यैः प्राप्तवानस्मि नित्यम् jānāmy ahaṃ śevadhir ity anityaṃ na hy adhruvaiḥ prāpyate hi dhruvaṃ tat |
tato mayā nāciketaś cito 'gnir anityair dravyaiḥ prāptavān asmi nityam
The line
I know that what is called a treasure is not lasting. The steady is not obtained by things that are not steady. Therefore, by me, the Nāciketa (नाचिकेत) fire was piled, and by unlasting things I have obtained the lasting.
नेपालीमा
खजाना भनिने कुरा टिक्दैन भनी म जान्छु। अस्थिर कुराबाट स्थिर पाइँदैन, त्यसैले मैले नाचिकेत अग्नि चुनें, र नटिक्ने कुराबाट टिक्ने प्राप्त गरें।
Where it sits
The fire of the second boon is put to work inside the answer to the third. The next mantra lists what the boy has seen past.
Split: jānāmi aham (जानामि अहम्) + śevadhiḥ (शेवधिः) + iti (इति) + anityam (अनित्यम्) + na hi (न हि) + adhruvaiḥ (अध्रुवैः) + prāpyate (प्राप्यते) + hi (हि) + dhruvam (ध्रुवम्) + tat (तत्) + tataḥ (ततः) + mayā (मया) + nāciketaḥ (नाचिकेतः) + citaḥ (चितः) + agniḥ (अग्निः) + anityaiḥ dravyaiḥ (अनित्यैः द्रव्यैः) + prāptavān asmi (प्राप्तवानस्मि) + nityam (नित्यम्)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| jānāmi aham (जानामि अहम्) | I know | Heard jānāmy aham (जानाम्यहम्). |
| śevadhiḥ (शेवधिः) | nominative | A treasure. Heard śevadhir (शेवधिर्). |
| iti (इति) | quotes | As called a treasure. |
| anityam (अनित्यम्) | nominative | Not lasting. Heard anityaṃ (अनित्यं). |
| na hi (न हि) | not, for | For not. |
| adhruvaiḥ (अध्रुवैः) | instrumental plural | By things that are not steady. |
| prāpyate (प्राप्यते) | present, passive | It is obtained. |
| hi (हि) | for | For. |
| dhruvam (ध्रुवम्) | nominative | The steady. Heard dhruvaṃ (ध्रुवं). |
| tat (तत्) | nominative | That. |
| tataḥ (ततः) | therefore | Heard tato (ततो). |
| mayā (मया) | instrumental | By me. |
| nāciketaḥ (नाचिकेतः) | nominative | The Nāciketa (नाचिकेत) fire. Heard nāciketaś (नाचिकेतश्). |
| citaḥ (चितः) | nominative | Piled. Heard cito (चितो). |
| agniḥ (अग्निः) | nominative | Fire. Heard 'gnir (ऽग्निर्). |
| anityaiḥ dravyaiḥ (अनित्यैः द्रव्यैः) | by unlasting things | Heard anityair dravyaiḥ (अनित्यैर् द्रव्यैः). |
| prāptavān asmi (प्राप्तवानस्मि) | I have obtained | Periphrastic, I am one who has reached. |
| nityam (नित्यम्) | accusative | The lasting. Heard nityam (नित्यम्). |
The phrases
Death says the treasure is not lasting, and the steady is not got by the unsteady. By piling the boy's fire with unlasting things, he has reached the lasting.
Sanskrit in this line
Jānāmi aham (जानामि अहम्) is jānāmy aham (जानाम्यहम्). Citaḥ agniḥ (चितः अग्निः) is cito 'gniḥ (चितोऽग्निः).
Say it back
Say what cannot obtain the steady.