The Upaniṣads / Kaṭha / 2.7 Hard to hear
2.7
श्रवणायापि बहुभिर् यो न लभ्यः शृण्वन्तोऽपि बहवो यं न विद्युः ।
आश्चर्यो वक्ता कुशलोऽस्य लब्धा आश्चर्यो ज्ञाता कुशलानुशिष्टः śravaṇāyāpi bahubhir yo na labhyaḥ śṛṇvanto 'pi bahavo yaṃ na vidyuḥ |
āścaryo vaktā kuśalo 'sya labdhā āścaryo jñātā kuśalānuśiṣṭaḥ
The line
He is not obtained by many even for hearing. Many, though hearing, do not know him. Wondrous is a speaker of this, skilled. Wondrous the one who obtains him. Wondrous a knower taught by the skilled.
नेपालीमा
धेरैले सुन्नका लागि पनि उसलाई पाउँदैनन्, र सुनेर पनि धेरैले उसलाई जान्दैनन्। यसको निपुण वक्ता आश्चर्य हो, उसलाई पाउने आश्चर्य हो, र निपुणले सिकाएको ज्ञाता आश्चर्य हो।
Where it sits
The boy has found the speaker. That is why the third boon could be asked. The next mantra says an inferior man cannot proclaim it.
Split: śravaṇāya api (श्रवणाय अपि) + bahubhiḥ (बहुभिः) + yaḥ (यः) + na labhyaḥ (न लभ्यः) + śṛṇvantaḥ api (शृण्वन्तः अपि) + bahavaḥ (बहवः) + yam (यम्) + na vidyuḥ (न विद्युः) + āścaryaḥ (आश्चर्यः) + vaktā (वक्ता) + kuśalaḥ (कुशलः) + asya (अस्य) + labdhā (लब्धा) + jñātā (ज्ञाता) + kuśala-anuśiṣṭaḥ (कुशल-अनुशिष्टः)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| śravaṇāya api (श्रवणाय अपि) | even for hearing | Heard śravaṇāyāpi (श्रवणायापि). |
| bahubhiḥ (बहुभिः) | instrumental plural | By many. Heard bahubhir (बहुभिर्). |
| yaḥ (यः) | nominative | Who. Which. Heard yo (यो). |
| na labhyaḥ (न लभ्यः) | not to be obtained | Heard na labhyaḥ (न लभ्यः). |
| śṛṇvantaḥ api (शृण्वन्तः अपि) | even hearing | Heard śṛṇvanto 'pi (शृण्वन्तोऽपि). |
| bahavaḥ (बहवः) | nominative plural | Many. Heard bahavo (बहवो). |
| yam (यम्) | accusative | Whom. Heard yaṃ (यं). |
| na vidyuḥ (न विद्युः) | they do not know | Optative, they would not know. |
| āścaryaḥ (आश्चर्यः) | nominative | A wonder. Heard āścaryo (आश्चर्यो). |
| vaktā (वक्ता) | nominative | A speaker. |
| kuśalaḥ (कुशलः) | nominative | Skilled. Heard kuśalo (कुशलो). |
| asya (अस्य) | genitive | Of this. |
| labdhā (लब्धा) | nominative | An obtainer. One who gets it. |
| jñātā (ज्ञाता) | nominative | A knower. |
| kuśala-anuśiṣṭaḥ (कुशल-अनुशिष्टः) | nominative | Taught by one who is skilled. Heard kuśalānuśiṣṭaḥ (कुशलानुशिष्टः). |
The phrases
Many do not get it even to hear. Many, hearing, do not know. Speaker, obtainer, and knower are each a wonder.
Sanskrit in this line
Śravaṇāya (श्रवणाय) plus api (अपि) is śravaṇāyāpi (श्रवणायापि). Kuśala (कुशल) plus anuśiṣṭaḥ (अनुशिष्टः) is kuśalānuśiṣṭaḥ (कुशलानुशिष्टः).
Say it back
Name the three wonders.