// iti prathamā vallī // anyac chreyo 'nyad utaiva preyas te ubhe nānārthe puruṣaṃ sinītaḥ / tayoḥ śreya ādadānasya sādhu bhavati hīyate 'rthād ya u preyo vṛṇīte
Yama said: The good is one thing and the pleasant another. These two, having different ends, bind a man. It is well with him who chooses the good. He who chooses the pleasant misses the true end.
śreyaś ca preyaś ca manuṣyam etas tau saṃparītya vivinakti dhīraḥ / śreyo hi dhīro 'bhi preyaso vṛṇīte preyo mando yogakṣemād vṛṇīte
The good and the pleasant approach man; the wise examines both and discriminates between them; the wise prefers the good to the pleasant, but the foolish man chooses the pleasant through love of bodily pleasure.
sa tvaṃ priyān priyarūpāṃś ca kāmān abhidhyāyan naciketo 'tyasrākṣīḥ / naitāṃ sṛṅkāṃ vittamayīm avāpto yasyāṃ majjanti bahavo manuṣyāḥ
O Nachiketas after wise reflection thou hast renounced the pleasant and all pleasing forms. Thou hast not accepted this garland of great value for which many mortals perish.
दूरमेते विपरीते विषूची
अविद्या या च विद्येति ज्ञाता ।
विद्याभीप्सिनं नचिकेतसं मन्ये
न त्वा कामा बहवोऽलोलुपन्त
dūram ete viparīte viṣūcī avidyā yā ca vidyeti jñātā / vidyābhīpsinaṃ naciketasaṃ manye na tvā kāmā bahavo 'lolupanta
Wide apart are these two,--ignorance and what is known as wisdom, leading in opposite directions. I believe Nachiketas to be one who longs for wisdom, since many tempting objects have not turned thee aside.
न साम्परायः प्रतिभाति बालं
प्रमाद्यन्तं वित्तमोहेन मूढम् ।
अयं लोको नास्ति पर इति मानी
पुनः पुनर्वशमापद्यते मे
na sāmparāyaḥ pratibhāti bālaṃ pramādyantaṃ vittamohena mūḍham / ayaṃ loko nāsti para iti mānī punaḥ punar vaśam āpadyate me
The Hereafter never rises before the thoughtless child (the ignorant), deluded by the glamour of wealth. "This world alone is, there is none other": thinking thus, he falls under my sway again and again.
श्रवणायापि बहुभिर्यो न लभ्यः
शृण्वन्तोऽपि बहवो यं न विद्युः ।
आश्चर्यो वक्ता कुशलोऽस्य लब्धा
आश्चर्यो ज्ञाता कुशलानुशिष्टः
śravaṇāyāpi bahubhir yo na labhyaḥ śṛṇvanto 'pi bahavo yaṃ na vidyuḥ / āścaryo vaktā kuśalo 'sya labdhā āścaryo jñātā kuśalānuśiṣṭaḥ
He about whom many are not even able to hear, whom many cannot comprehend even after hearing: wonderful is the teacher, wonderful is he who can receive when taught by an able teacher.
na nareṇāvareṇa prokta eṣa suvijñeyo bahudhā cintyamānaḥ / ananyaprokte gatir atra nāsty aṇīyān hy atarkyam aṇupramāṇāt
When taught by a man of inferior understanding, this Atman cannot be truly known, even though frequently thought upon. There is no way (to know It) unless it is taught by another (an illumined teacher), for it is subtler than the subtle and beyond argument.
O Dearest, this Atman cannot be attained by argument; It is truly known only when taught by another (a wise teacher). O Nachiketas, thou hast attained It. Thou art fixed in Truth. May we ever, find a questioner like thee.
जानाम्यहं शेवधिरित्यनित्यं
न ह्यध्रुवैः प्राप्यते हि ध्रुवं तत् ।
ततो मया नाचिकेतश्चितोऽग्निः
अनित्यैर्द्रव्यैः प्राप्तवानस्मि नित्यम्
jānāmy ahaṃ śevadhir ity anityaṃ na hy adhruvaiḥ prāpyate hi dhruvaṃ tat / tato mayā nāciketaś cito 'gnir anityair dravyaiḥ prāptavān asmi nityam
I know that (earthly) treasure is transitory, for the eternal can never be attained by things which are non-eternal. Hence the Nachiketa fire (sacrifice) has been performed by me with perishable things and yet I have attained the eternal.
O Nachiketas, thou hast seen the fulfillment of all desires, the basis of the universe, the endless fruit of sacrificial rites, the other shore where there is no fear, that which is praiseworthy, the great and wide support; yet, being wise, thou hast rejected all with firm resolve.
The wise, who by means of the highest meditation on the Self knows the Ancient One, difficult to perceive, seated in the innermost recess, hidden in the cave of the heart, dwelling in the depth of inner being, (he who knows that One) as God, is liberated from the fetters of joy and sorrow.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा सम्परिगृह्य मर्त्यः
प्रवृह्य धर्म्यमणुमेतमाप्य ।
स मोदते मोदनीयँ हि लब्ध्वा
विवृतँ सद्म नचिकेतसं मन्ये
etac chrutvā saṃparigṛhya martyaḥ pravṛhya dharmyam aṇum etam āpya / sa modate modanīyaṃ hi labdhvā vivṛtaṃ sadma naciketasaṃ manye
A mortal, having heard and fully grasped this, and having realized through discrimination the subtle Self, rejoices, because he has obtained that which is the source of all joy. I think the abode (of Truth) is open to Nachiketas.
anyatra dharmād anyatrādharmād anyatrāsmāt kṛtākṛtāt / anyatra bhūtāc ca bhavyāc ca yat tat paśyasi tad vada
Nachiketas said: That which thou seest, which is neither virtue nor vice, neither cause nor effect, neither past nor future (but beyond these), tell me That.
sarve vedā yat padam āmananti tapāṃsi sarvāṇi ca yad vadanti / yad icchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti tat te padaṃ saṃgraheṇa bravīmi // om ity etat
Yama replied: That goal which all the Vedas glorify, which all austerities proclaim, desiring which (people) practice Brahmacharya (a life of continence and service), that goal I tell thee briefly--it is Aum.
न जायते म्रियते वा विपश्चिन्
नायं कुतश्चिन्न बभूव कश्चित् ।
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे
na jāyate mriyate vā vipaścin nāyaṃ kutaścin na babhūva kaścit / ajo nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṃ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre
This Self is never born, nor does It die. It did not spring from anything, nor did anything spring from It. This Ancient One is unborn, eternal, everlasting. It is not slain even though the body is slain.
The Self is subtler than the subtle, greater than the great; It dwells in the heart of each living being. He who is free from desire and free from grief, with mind and senses tranquil, beholds the glory of the Atman.
नायमात्मा प्रवचनेन लभ्यो
न मेधया न बहुना श्रुतेन ।
यमेवैष वृणुते तेन लभ्यः
तस्यैष आत्मा विवृणुते तनूँ स्वाम्
nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śrutena / yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanūṃ svām
This Self cannot be attained by study of the Scriptures, nor by intellectual perception, nor by frequent hearing (of It); He whom the Self chooses, by him alone is It attained. To him the Self reveals Its true nature.
He who has not turned away from evil conduct, whose senses are uncontrolled, who is not tranquil, whose mind is not at rest, he can never attain this Atman even by knowledge.