The Upaniṣads / Kaṭha / 5.15 There the sun does not shine
5.15
न तत्र सूर्यो भाति न चन्द्रतारकं नेमा विद्युतो भान्ति कुतोऽयमग्निः ।
तमेव भान्तमनु भाति सर्वं तस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति na tatra sūryo bhāti na candratārakaṃ nemā vidyuto bhānti kuto 'yam agniḥ |
tam eva bhāntam anu bhāti sarvaṃ tasya bhāsā sarvam idaṃ vibhāti
The line
The sun does not shine there, nor the moon and stars, nor these lightnings. How then this fire? After him, as he shines, everything shines. By his light all this shines forth.
नेपालीमा
त्यहाँ सूर्य चम्कदैन, न चन्द्र र तारा, न यी बिजुली, अनि यो आगो कसरी? ऊ चम्केपछि सब थोक चम्कन्छ, र उसको उज्यालोले यो सब चम्किन्छ।
Where it sits
This answers 5.14. The fifth vallī (वल्ली) ends. Vallī (वल्ली) 6 opens on the tree whose roots are above.
Split: na tatra sūryaḥ bhāti (न तत्र सूर्यः भाति) + na candra-tārakam (न चन्द्र-तारकम्) + na imāḥ vidyutaḥ bhānti (न इमाः विद्युतः भान्ति) + kutaḥ ayam agniḥ (कुतः अयमग्निः) + tam eva bhāntam anu (तमेव भान्तमनु) + bhāti sarvam (भाति सर्वम्) + tasya bhāsā (तस्य भासा) + sarvam idam vibhāti (सर्वमिदम् विभाति)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| na tatra sūryaḥ bhāti (न तत्र सूर्यः भाति) | there the sun does not shine | Heard sūryo bhāti (सूर्यो भाति). |
| na candra-tārakam (न चन्द्र-तारकम्) | nor the moon and stars | Heard candratārakam (चन्द्रतारकम्). |
| na imāḥ vidyutaḥ bhānti (न इमाः विद्युतः भान्ति) | nor these lightnings | Heard nemā vidyuto bhānti (नेमा विद्युतो भान्ति). |
| kutaḥ ayam agniḥ (कुतः अयमग्निः) | how then this fire | Heard kuto 'yam agniḥ (कुतोऽयमग्निः). |
| tam eva bhāntam anu (तमेव भान्तमनु) | after him, as he shines | Heard tam eva bhāntam anu (तमेव भान्तमनु). |
| bhāti sarvam (भाति सर्वम्) | everything shines | Present. |
| tasya bhāsā (तस्य भासा) | by his light | Instrumental. |
| sarvam idam vibhāti (सर्वमिदम् विभाति) | all this shines out | Present. |
The phrases
Sun, moon, stars, lightning, and fire do not shine there. Everything shines after him. By his light all this shines.
Sanskrit in this line
Na imāḥ (न इमाः) is nemāḥ (नेमाः). Kutaḥ ayam (कुतः अयम्) is kuto 'yam (कुतोऽयम्).
Say it back
Say what does the shining, and what shines after it.