yad akṣaraṃ veda-vido vadanti viśanti yad yatayo vīta-rāgāḥ
yad icchanto brahma-caryaṃ caranti tat te padaṃ saṃgraheṇa pravakṣye
yat | – | yat sn. 2n.1 n. – that which; |
akṣaram | – | a-kṣara 2n.1 n. – imperishable, a syllable (from: √kṣar – to flow, to perish, kṣara – perishable); |
veda-vidaḥ | – | veda-vit 1n.3 m.; ye vedān viduḥ te – knowers of the Vedas (from: √vid – to know, to understand, veda – the Vedas; √vid – to know, to understand, -vit – suffix: who knows); |
vadanti | – | √vad (to speak) Praes. P 1v.3 – they call; |
viśanti | – | √viś (to enter) Praes. P 1v.3 – they enter; |
yat | – | yat sn. 2n.1 n. – that which; |
yatayaḥ | – | yati 1n.3 m. – endeavouring, ascetics (from: √yat – to place in order, to endeavour); |
vīta-rāgāḥ | – | vīta-rāga 1n.3 m.; BV: yeṣāṁ rāgo vito ‘sti te – those whose passion is gone (from: vi-√i – to go away, PP vīta – gone; √rañj – to be dyed, be excited, be delighted, rāga – colour, passion, affection, love, beauty); |
yat | – | yat sn. 2n.1 n. – that which; |
icchantaḥ | – | icchant (√iṣ – to desire) PPr 1n.3 m. – desiring; |
brahma-caryam | – | brahma-carya 2n.1 n. – celibacy practised by a student of the Vedas (from: √bṛh – to increase, brahman – spirit, the Vedas; √car – to move, to go, PF carya – to be practised, to be performed); |
caranti | – | √car (to move, to go) Praes. P 1v.3 m. – they practise; |
tat | – | tat sn. 2n.1 n. – that; |
te | – | yuṣmat sn. 4n.1 – to you (shortened form of: tubhyam); |
padam | – | pada 2n.1 n. – step, pace, footmark, site, part, portion, word (from: √pad – to fall, to go, to apply to); |
saṁgraheṇa | – | av. (3n.1) – in summary, shortly (from: sam-√grah – to hold together, to support, saṁ-graha – holding together, collection, protection); |
pravakṣye | – | pra-√vac (to declare, to speak) Fut. Ā 3v.1 – I will declare; |
The third and the fourth pada of verse 8.11 are the same as the third and the fourth pada of verse: Kaṭhopaniṣad 2.15;
… → verse, not found in critical edition, after verse 8.11:
sarve vedā yat padam āmananti tapāṁsi sarvāṇi ca yad vadanti
yad icchanto brahmacaryaṁ caranti tat te padaṁ saṁgraheṇa bravīmi
That site which all the Vedas long for and which all austerities speak about,
for which desiring they practice celibacy, to you about this site I shortly speak.
yad akṣaraṃ na kṣaratīty akṣaram avināśi vedavido vedārthajñāḥ vadanti | tad vā etad akṣaraṃ gārgi brāhmaṇā abhivadanti [bhāvātmauttaṃ 3.8.8] iti śruteḥ | sarva-viśeṣa-nivartakatvenābhivadanty asthūlam aṇv ity ādi | kiṃ ca—viśanti praviśanti samyag-darśana-prāptau satyāṃ yad yatayo yatana-śīlāḥ saṃnyāsino vīta-rāgāḥ vīto vigataḥ rāgo yebhyas te vīta-rāgāḥ | yac cākṣaram icchanto jñātum iti vākya-śeṣaḥ brahmacaryaṃ gurau caranti ācaranti, tat te padaṃ tad akṣarākhyaṃ padaṃ padanīyaṃ te tava saṃgraheṇa, saṃgrahaḥ saṃkṣepas tena, saṃkṣepeṇa pravakṣye kathayiṣyāmi
yad akṣaram asthūlatvādiguṇakaṃ vedavido vadanti, vītarāgāś ca yatayo yad akṣaraṃ viśanti, yad akṣaraṃ prāptum icchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti, tat padaṃ saṃgraheṇa te pravakṣye / padyate gamyate cetaseti padam; tan nikhilavedāntavedyaṃ matsvarūpam akṣaraṃ yathā upāsyam, tathā saṃkṣepeṇa pravakṣyāmītyarthaḥ
sarve vedā yatpadamāmananti
tapāṃsi sarvāṇi ca yadvadanti |
yadicchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti
tatte padaṃ saṃgraheṇa bravīmy om ity etat || (KaṭhaU 1.2.15)
ity ādi-śruti-pratipāditatvena praṇavenaivābhidhānena tad-anusmaraṇaṃ kartavyaṃ nānyena mantrādineti niyantum upakramate yad akṣaram iti | yad akṣaram avināśi oṅkārākhyaṃ brahma veda-vido vadanti etad vai tad akṣaraṃ gārgi brāhmaṇā abhivadanty asthūlam aṇv ahrasvam adīrgham ity ādi-vacanaiḥ sarva-viśeṣa-nivartanena pratipādayanti | pramāṇa-kuśalair eva pratipannaṃ kiṃ tu muktopasṛpyatayā tair apy anubhūtam ity āha-viśanti svarūpatayā samyag-darśanena yad akṣaraṃ yatayo yatna-śīlāḥ saṃnyāsino vīta-rāgā niḥspṛhāḥ | na kevalaṃ siddhair anubhūtaṃ sādhakānām api sarvo ‚pi prayāsas tad-artha ity āha yad-icchanto jñātuṃ naiṣṭhikā brahmacāriṇo brahmacaryaṃ gurukula-vāsādi-tapaś caranti yāvaj-jīvaṃ tad akṣarākhyaṃ padaṃ padanīyaṃ te tubhyaṃ saṅgraheṇa saṅkṣepeṇāhaṃ pravakṣye prakarṣeṇa kathayiṣyāmi yathā tava bodho bhavati tathā | atas tad akṣaraṃ kathaṃ mayā jñeyam ity ākulo mā bhūr ity abhiprāyaḥ |
atra ca parasya brahmaṇo vācaka-rūpeṇa pratimāvat-pratīka-rūpeṇa ca yaḥ punar etaṃ trimātreṇom ity aneaivākṣareṇa paraṃ puruṣam abhidhyāyīta sa tam adhigacchati ity ādi-vacanair manda-madhyama-buddhīnāṃ krama-mukti-phalakam upāsanam uktaṃ tad evehāpi vivakṣitaṃ bhagavatā | ato yoga-dhāraṇā-sahitam oṅkāropāsanaṃ tat phalaṃ sva-svarūpaṃ tato ‚punar-āvṛttis tan-mārgaś cety artha-jātam ucyate yāvad adhyāya-samāpti