The son questions his father - First Valli The Upanishad opens with the story of Vajasravasa, also called
Aruni Auddalaki Gautama, who gives away all of his worldly possessions. However, his son
Nachiketa (Sanskrit: नचिकेत) sees the charitable sacrifice as a farce, because all those worldly things have already been used to exhaustion, and are of no value to the recipients. The cows that were given away, for example, were so old that they had "drunk-their-last-water" (पीतोदकाः), "eaten-their-last-grass" (जग्धतृणाः), "don't give milk" (दुग्धदोहाः) and "who are barren" (निरिन्द्रियाः). Concerned, the son asks his father, {{blockquote| "Dear father, to whom will you give me away?" He said it a second, and then a third time. The father, seized by anger, replied: "To Death, I give you away." Nachiketa does not die, but accepts his father's gifting him to Death by visiting the abode of
Yama - the deity of death in the Indian pantheon of deities. Nachiketa arrives, but Yama is not in his abode. Nachiketa as guest goes hungry for three nights, states verse 9 of the first Valli of Katha Upanishad. Yama arrives and is apologetic for this dishonor to the guest, so he offers Nachiketa three wishes. Nachiketa's first wish is that Yama discharge him from the abode of death, back to his family, and that his father be calm, well-disposed, not resentful and the same as he was before when he returns. Yama grants the first wish immediately, states verse 1.1.11 of Katha Upanishad. In his third wish Nachiketa then asks Yama, in verse 1.1.20, about the doubt that human beings have about "what happens after a person dies? Does he continue to exist in another form? or not?" Nachiketa says that if gods doubt that, then he "Yama" as deity of death ought to be the only one who knows the answer. Yama offers him all sorts of worldly wealth and pleasures instead, but Nachiketa says human life is short, asks Yama to keep the worldly wealth and pleasures to himself, declares that pompous wealth, lust and pleasures are fleeting and vain, then insists on knowing the nature of Atman (Self) and sticks to his question, "what happens after death?"
The theory of good versus dear - Second Valli teaches
Atma vidya to
Nachiketa Yama begins his teaching by distinguishing between
preya (प्रेय, प्रिय, dear, pleasant, gratifying), and
shreya (श्रेय, good, beneficial excellence). The pursuit of knowledge and the good, can be taught, learnt and thus realized. A similar discussion and distinction between the pleasant and the beneficial is found in ancient Greek philosophy, such as in
Phaedrus by
Plato.
Atman exists, the theory of Yoga and the essence of Vedas - Second Valli The Katha Upanishad, in verses 1.2.12, asserts that the
Atman – Self – exists, though it is invisible and full of mystery. It also states that it is ancient and recognizable by
Yoga (meditation on one's self). This is one of the earliest mentions of Yoga in ancient Sanskrit literature, in the context of Self-development and meditation. In verses 1.2.14 through 1.2.22, the Katha Upanishad asserts that the essence of Vedas is to liberate, look past what has happened and what has not happened, free from the past and the future, refocus attention from ignorance to knowledge, leading to the means of blissful existence beyond joy and sorrow. This is achievable through the realization of Atman-
Brahman, asserts Katha Upanishad, and this essence is reminded in the Vedas through the word
Om (, Aum), as stated in verses 1.2.15-1.2.16. That syllable,
Aum, is in Brahman, means Brahman, means the Highest, means the Blissful within. In final verses of the second Valli, the Katha Upanishad asserts that the knowledge of the Atman cannot be attained through intellectual effort, reason, or scriptural study alone. Instead, it is revealed by the Self (Atman) to those whom it selects, but only if they meet certain moral preconditions. Similar ideas are repeated in the
Mundaka Upanishad in chapter 3.2, another classic ancient scripture of
Hinduism. {{blockquote| Know that the Atman is the rider in the chariot, and the body is the chariot, Know that the Buddhi (intelligence, ability to reason) is the charioteer, and Manas (mind) is the reins. The senses are called the horses, the objects of the senses are their paths, Formed out of the union of the Atman, the senses and the mind, him they call the "enjoyer". The Katha Upanishad asserts that one who does not use his powers of reasoning, whose senses are unruly and mind unbridled, his life drifts in chaos and confusion, his existence entangled in
samsara. Those who use their intelligence, have their senses calm and under reason, they live a life of bliss and liberation, which is the highest place of
Vishnu.
Madhvacharya, the Dvaita Vedanta scholar interprets this term differently, and bases his theistic interpretation of Katha Upanishad by stating that the term refers to the deity
Vishnu. This metaphorical parable of chariot is found in multiple ancient Indian texts, and is called the
Ratha Kalpana. A similar
simile is found in ancient Greek literature, such as the
Parmenides,
Xenophon's prologue of Prodikos, and in the Platonic dialogue
Phaedrus. In verse 1.3.13, Katha Upanishad states that
Prajna (conscious man) should heed to the ethical precept of self-examination and
self-restraint, restraining his speech and mind by the application of his
Buddhi (power to reason). Man should, asserts Katha Upanishad, holistically unify his tempered senses and mind with his intellect, all these with his
Atman (Self), and unify his "great Self" with the Self of the rest, the tranquility of Oneness with the
Avyaktam and "cosmic Self".
The theory of Atman, Oneness and Plurality - Fourth Valli The fourth Valli starts by asserting that inner knowledge is that of unity, eternal calmness and spiritual Oneness, while the external knowledge is that of plurality, perishable "running around" and sensory objects. The Katha Upanishad in fifteen verses of the fourth Valli, as well as those the fifth Valli, explains what is Atman, how it can be known, the nature of Atman, and why it ought to be known. For definition, it deploys an
epistemic combination of "positive assertions" as well as "exposition by elimination", the latter repeated with, {{Blockquote| What is left here? Truly, this is that (Atman). Atman, asserts Katha Upanishad, is the subject of Self-knowledge, the bearer of spiritual reality, that which is all-pervading, inside every being, which unifies all human beings as well as all creatures, the concealed, eternal, immortal, pure bliss. It exists and active when man is in awake-state, it exists and active when man is in dream-state. To understand the eternal nature of one's Self is to feel calmness, inner peace, patience and freedom regardless of the circumstances one is in, affections or threats one faces, praises or insults one is subjected to. Anyone who runs after sensory-impressions, gets lost among them just like water flows randomly after rainfall on mountains, state verses 2.4.14 and 2.4.15 of the Katha Upanishad; and those who know their Self and act according to its
Dharma remain pure like pure water remains pure when poured into pure water. There is no plurality and separateness between the essence (Atman) of I and others, between the essence of nature and spirit, asserts Katha Upanishad in verses 2.4.10 and 2.4.11.
Shankara agrees with this interpretation.
Ramanuja does not and offers a theistic dualism based interpretation instead.
Life is highest joy, and what happens after death - Fifth Valli The fifth Valli of the Katha Upanishad is an
eschatological treatise. It begins by stating that human body is like a
Pura (Sanskrit: पुर, town, city) with eleven gates that connect it to the universe. The Katha Upanishad asserts that an individual who understands and reveres this town of eternal, non-changing spirit, is never crooked-minded and is always free. The Self dwells in swan, in the atmosphere, in man, in wide spaces (
Varasad), in eternal law, and everywhere in the universe. It is born of water, it is born of kine, it is born of
Ṛta (right, truth, ethics, morals, eternal law), and it is born of stone (mountains) as the great
Ṛta, as it ought to be. This Self is worshipped by all the gods. Body dies, Self doesn't. {{Blockquote| Some of these Selfs enter into the womb, in order to embody again into organic beings, others assemble unto what is
Sthānu (immovable things), according to their
karma, according to their
shrutam (श्रुतम्, knowledge, learning). The Self is always awake and active, while one is asleep, shaping wishful dreams. It is one with
Brahman. It is everywhere, within and without, it is immortal. This universal, oneness theme is explained by the Katha Upanishad by three
similes, which Paul Deussen calls as excellent. Life is spirit, full of joy. Meaning is Atman, full of perennial peace. "Truly, this is that", once deeply felt and understood by man, is inexpressible highest joy. It is he who realizes this who shines, his splendour shines everything with and by (
Anu), the whole world shines by such joy unleashed, such splendour manifested.
The theory of Yoga - Sixth Valli The sixth Valli continues the discussion of
Karma and rebirth theory, sections of which Max Muller states is possibly interpolated and inserted in a later period. The first five verses of the last section of the Upanishad assert that those who do not know or do not understand Atman return to the world of creation, and those who do are free, liberated. Some unaware of Brahman's essence are naturally inclined to fear God and its manifestation such as nature (fire, lightning, sun), state verses 2.6.2 and 2.6.3 of Katha Upanishad. The Katha Upanishad, in verses 2.6.6 through 2.6.13 recommends a path to Self-knowledge, and this path it calls
Yoga.
Realize you are perfect now and here - Sixth Valli The Katha Upanishad concludes its philosophical presentation in verses 14-15 of the sixth Valli. The state of perfection, according to the last section of the Upanishad, explains Paul Deussen, consists "not in the attainment of a future or yonder world, but it is already just now and here for one who is Self-realized, who knows his Self as Brahman (Cosmic Self)". This teaching is also presented in the other ancient scriptures of Hinduism, such as Brihadaranyaka Upanishad's Chapter 4.4.6. The verse 15 of the sixth Valli declares that the Upanishad concludes its teaching therein. that these remaining verses 2.6.16 – 2.6.18 are possibly modern additions as appendix and have been interpolated. This is due to the declaration of Upanishad's end in verse 15, and the additional three verses that are structured in prose-like manner, rather than the poetic, metric-perfection that Katha Upanishad is largely written in. ==Reception==