The Upaniṣads / Kaṭha / 3.2 The bridge
3.2
यः सेतुरीजानानामक्षरं ब्रह्म यत् परम् ।
अभयं तितीर्षतां पारं नाचिकेतं शकेमहि yaḥ setur ījānānām akṣaraṃ brahma yat param |
abhayaṃ titīrṣatāṃ pāraṃ nāciketaṃ śakemahi
The line
May we be able for the Nāciketa (नाचिकेत), the bridge of those who have sacrificed, the highest imperishable brahman (ब्रह्मन्), the fearless far shore of those who wish to cross.
नेपालीमा
यज्ञ गरेकाहरूको पुल, सर्वोच्च अविनाशी ब्रह्मन्, पार गर्न चाहनेहरूको निर्भय परकिनारा, त्यो नाचिकेतका लागि हामी सक्षम होऔं।
Where it sits
The figure of the chariot is the next mantra.
Split: yaḥ setuḥ (यः सेतुः) + ījānānām (ईजानानाम्) + akṣaram brahma (अक्षरम् ब्रह्म) + yat param (यत् परम्) + abhayam (अभयम्) + titīrṣatām (तितीर्षताम्) + pāram (पारम्) + nāciketam (नाचिकेतम्) + śakemahi (शकेमहि)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| yaḥ setuḥ (यः सेतुः) | nominative singular, masculine | Which bridge. Heard yaḥ setur (यः सेतुर्). |
| ījānānām (ईजानानाम्) | genitive plural, masculine | Of those who have sacrificed. |
| akṣaram brahma (अक्षरम् ब्रह्म) | nominative singular, neuter | The imperishable brahman (ब्रह्मन्). Heard akṣaraṃ brahma (अक्षरं ब्रह्म). |
| yat param (यत् परम्) | nominative singular, neuter | Which is highest. |
| abhayam (अभयम्) | accusative singular, neuter | The fearless. Heard abhayaṃ (अभयं). |
| titīrṣatām (तितीर्षताम्) | genitive plural, masculine | Of those who wish to cross. Heard titīrṣatāṃ (तितीर्षतां). |
| pāram (पारम्) | accusative singular, neuter | The far shore. Heard pāraṃ (पारं). |
| nāciketam (नाचिकेतम्) | accusative singular, masculine | The Nāciketa (नाचिकेत). Heard nāciketaṃ (नाचिकेतं). |
| śakemahi (शकेमहि) | optative, first person plural | May we be able. From śak (शक्). |
The phrases
A wish, between the two drinkers and the chariot.
Sanskrit in this line
Setuḥ (सेतुः) before ījānānām (ईजानानाम्) is setur (सेतुर्). A visarga before a vowel becomes r (र्).
Say it back
Say the optative.