The Upaniṣads / Kaṭha / 2.9 Not by reasoning
2.9
नैषा तर्केण मतिरापनेया प्रोक्तान्येनैव सुज्ञानाय प्रेष्ठ ।
यां त्वमापः सत्यधृतिर् बतासि त्वादृङ् नो भूयान् नचिकेतः प्रेष्टा naiṣā tarkeṇa matir āpaneyā proktānyenaiva sujñānāya preṣṭha |
yāṃ tvam āpaḥ satyadhṛtir batāsi tvādṛṅ no bhūyān naciketaḥ preṣṭā
The line
This understanding is not to be reached by reasoning. Proclaimed by another, it is for right knowing, dear one. The understanding you have obtained: you are of true resolve. May there be more of us like you, Naciketas (नचिकेत), dear one.
नेपालीमा
यो बुझाइ तर्कले पुगिँदैन, अर्काले भनेपछि यो सही जान्नका लागि हुन्छ, हे प्रिय। तिमीले पाएको बुझाइले तिमी साँचो निश्चयका हौ, र हाम्रामा तिमीजस्ता अझै होऊन्, नचिकेत, हे प्रिय।
Where it sits
Reasoning is not refused as a human activity. It is refused as the road to this mati (मति). The next mantra is Death saying he himself knows that wealth is not the steady thing.
Split: na eṣā (न एषा) + tarkeṇa (तर्केण) + matiḥ (मतिः) + āpaneyā (आपनेया) + proktā (प्रोक्ता) + anyena eva (अन्येन एव) + sujñānāya (सुज्ञानाय) + preṣṭha (प्रेष्ठ) + yām (याम्) + tvam (त्वम्) + āpaḥ (आपः) + satya-dhṛtiḥ (सत्य-धृतिः) + bata (बत) + asi (असि) + tvādṛk (त्वादृक्) + naḥ (नः) + bhūyān (भूयान्) + naciketaḥ (नचिकेतः) + preṣṭha (प्रेष्ठ)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| na eṣā (न एषा) | not this | Heard naiṣā (नैषा). |
| tarkeṇa (तर्केण) | instrumental singular, masculine | By reasoning. |
| matiḥ (मतिः) | nominative singular, feminine | Understanding. Heard matir (मतिर्). |
| āpaneyā (आपनेया) | nominative singular, feminine | To be reached, to be got at. |
| proktā (प्रोक्ता) | nominative singular, feminine | Proclaimed. Heard proktā (प्रोक्ता). |
| anyena eva (अन्येन एव) | by another alone | Heard anyenaiva (अन्येनैव). |
| sujñānāya (सुज्ञानाय) | dative singular | For right knowing. |
| preṣṭha (प्रेष्ठ) | vocative | O dear one. |
| yām (याम्) | accusative singular, feminine | Which. Heard yāṃ (यां). |
| tvam (त्वम्) | nominative | You. |
| āpaḥ (आपः) | perfect, or aorist, second person | You have obtained. From āp (आप्). |
| satya-dhṛtiḥ (सत्य-धृतिः) | nominative | Of true resolve. Heard satyadhṛtir (सत्यधृतिर्). |
| bata (बत) | indeclinable | Indeed. Joins asi (असि): batāsi (बतासि). |
| asi (असि) | present, second person | You are. |
| tvādṛk (त्वादृक्) | nominative | One like you. Heard tvādṛṅ (त्वादृङ्) before naḥ (नः). |
| naḥ (नः) | genitive | Of us. For us. Heard no (नो). |
| bhūyān (भूयान्) | nominative | May there be more. A comparative, let there be another such. |
| naciketaḥ (नचिकेतः) | vocative | Naciketas (नचिकेत). |
| preṣṭha (प्रेष्ठ) | vocative | O dear. This pāṭha (पाठ) prints preṣṭā (प्रेष्टा) at the close. |
The phrases
The understanding is not reached by reasoning. Proclaimed by another, it is for knowing. Death then blesses the boy: you are of true resolve; may there be more like you.
Sanskrit in this line
Na eṣā (न एषा) is naiṣā (नैषा). Bata asi (बत असि) is batāsi (बतासि). Proktā anyena eva (प्रोक्ता अन्येन एव) is proktānyenaiva (प्रोक्तान्येनैव).
Say it back
Say what does not reach this understanding.