The Upaniṣads / Kaṭha / 2.4 Far apart
2.4
दूरमेते विपरीते विषूची अविद्या या च विद्येति ज्ञाता ।
विद्याभीप्सिनं नचिकेतसं मन्ये न त्वा कामा बहवोऽलोलुपन्त dūram ete viparīte viṣūcī avidyā yā ca vidyeti jñātā |
vidyābhīpsinaṃ naciketasaṃ manye na tvā kāmā bahavo 'lolupanta
The line
Far apart, opposite, going different ways, are these two, unknowing and what is known as knowing. I think you one who longs for knowing, Naciketas (नचिकेत). The many desires did not make you covetous.
नेपालीमा
टाढा, विपरीत, फरक बाटो जाने यी दुई हुन्, अज्ञान र ज्ञान भनेर चिनिने। म तिमीलाई ज्ञान चाहने ठान्छु, नचिकेत, र धेरै इच्छाले तिमीलाई लोभी बनाएनन्।
Where it sits
The Īśā (ईशा) pair of vidyā (विद्या) and avidyā (अविद्या) is a different book. Here the two are the far-apart roads, and the boy is placed on the side of vidyā (विद्या).
Split: dūram (दूरम्) + ete (एते) + viparīte (विपरीते) + viṣūcī (विषूची) + avidyā (अविद्या) + yā ca (या च) + vidyā (विद्या) + iti (इति) + jñātā (ज्ञाता) + vidyā-abhīpsinam (विद्या-अभीप्सिनम्) + naciketasam (नचिकेतसम्) + manye (मन्ये) + na (न) + tvā (त्वा) + kāmāḥ bahavaḥ (कामाः बहवः) + alolupanta (अलोलुपन्त)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| dūram (दूरम्) | indeclinable | Far. Heard dūram (दूरम्). |
| ete (एते) | nominative dual | These two. |
| viparīte (विपरीते) | nominative dual | Opposite. |
| viṣūcī (विषूची) | nominative dual | Going different ways. |
| avidyā (अविद्या) | nominative singular, feminine | Unknowing. |
| yā ca (या च) | and which | And the one which. |
| vidyā (विद्या) | nominative singular, feminine | Knowing. Heard vidyeti (विद्येति): vidyā iti (विद्या इति). |
| iti (इति) | indeclinable | Quotes the pair as named. |
| jñātā (ज्ञाता) | nominative dual, or singular | Known. The two are known as such. |
| vidyā-abhīpsinam (विद्या-अभीप्सिनम्) | accusative singular, masculine | One who longs for knowing. Heard vidyābhīpsinaṃ (विद्याभीप्सिनं). |
| naciketasam (नचिकेतसम्) | accusative singular | Naciketas (नचिकेत). |
| manye (मन्ये) | present, first person singular | I think. |
| na (न) | not | Not. |
| tvā (त्वा) | accusative | You. |
| kāmāḥ bahavaḥ (कामाः बहवः) | desires, many | Heard kāmā bahavo (कामा बहवो). |
| alolupanta (अलोलुपन्त) | perfect, or aorist, third plural | They did not shake you, they did not covet through you. The a (अ) drops: 'lolupanta (ऽलोलुपन्त). |
The phrases
Avidyā (अविद्या) and vidyā (विद्या) are far, opposite, heading apart. Yama (यम) thinks the boy is one who wants knowing, and that the many desires did not shake him.
Sanskrit in this line
Vidyā iti (विद्या इति) is vidyeti (विद्येति). Bahavaḥ (बहवः) plus alolupanta (अलोलुपन्त) is bahavo 'lolupanta (बहवोऽलोलुपन्त).
Say it back
Say how far apart the two are, and what Yama (यम) thinks the boy wants.