Katha Upanishad
ṛtaṃ pibantau sukṛtasya loke guhāṃ praviṣṭau parame parārdhe chāyātapau brahmavido vadanti pañcāgnayo ye ca triṇāciketāḥ
"There are the two, drinking their reward in the world of their own works, entered into the cave (of the heart), dwelling on the highest summit (the ether in the heart). Those who know Brahman call them shade and light; likewise, those householders who perform the Trinâkiketa sacrifice.
yaḥ setur ījānānām akṣaraṃ brahma yat param abhayaṃ titīrṣatāṃ pāraṃ nāciketaṃ śakemahi
May we be able to master that Nâkiketa rite which is a bridge for sacrificers; also that which is the highest, imperishable Brahman for those who wish to cross over to the fearless shore.
ātmānaṃ rathinaṃ viddhi śarīraṃ ratham eva tu buddhiṃ tu sārathiṃ viddhi manaḥ pragraham eva ca
Know the Self to be sitting in the chariot, the body to be the chariot, the intellect (buddhi) the charioteer, and the mind the reins.
indriyāṇi hayān āhur viṣayāṃsteṣu gocarān ātmendriyamanoyuktaṃ bhoktety āhur manīṣiṇaḥ
The senses they call the horses, the objects of the senses their roads. When he (the Highest Self) is in union with the body, the senses, and the mind, then wise people call him the Enjoyer.
yas tv avijñānavān bhavaty ayuktena manasā sadā tasyendriyāṇy avaśyāni duṣṭāśvā iva sāratheḥ
He who has no understanding and whose mind (the reins) is never firmly held, his senses (horses) are unmanageable, like vicious horses of a charioteer.
yas tu vijñānavān bhavati yuktena manasā sadā tasyendriyāṇi vaśyāni sadaśvā iva sāratheḥ
But he who has understanding and whose mind is always firmly held, his senses are under control, like good horses of a charioteer.
yas tv avijñānavān bhavaty amanaskaḥ sadāśuciḥ na sa tat padam āpnoti saṃsāraṃ cādhigacchati
He who has no understanding, who is unmindful and always impure, never reaches that place, but enters into the round of births.
yas tu vijñānavān bhavati samanaskaḥ sadā śuciḥ sa tu tat padam āpnoti yasmād bhūyo na jāyate
But he who has understanding, who is mindful and always pure, reaches indeed that place; from whence he is not born again.
vijñānasārathir yas tu manaḥpragrahavān naraḥ so 'dhvanaḥ pāram āpnoti tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam
But he who has understanding for his charioteer, and who holds the reins of the mind, he reaches the end of his journey, and that is the highest place of Vishnu.
indriyebhyaḥ parā hy arthā arthebhyaś ca paraṃ manaḥ manasas tu parā buddhir buddher ātmā mahān paraḥ
Beyond the senses there are the objects, beyond the objects there is the mind, beyond the mind there is the intellect, the Great Self is beyond the intellect.
mahataḥ param avyaktam avyaktāt puruṣaḥ paraḥ puruṣān na paraṃ kiṃcit sā kāṣṭhā sā parā gatiḥ
Beyond the Great there is the Undeveloped, beyond the Undeveloped there is the Person (purusha). Beyond the Person there is nothing — this is the goal, the highest road.
eṣa sarveṣu bhūteṣu gūḍho 'tmā na prakāśate dṛśyate tv agryayā buddhyā sūkṣmayā sūkṣmadarśibhiḥ
That Self is hidden in all beings and does not shine forth, but it is seen by subtle seers through their sharp and subtle intellect.
yacched vāṅmanasī prājñas tad yacchej jñāna ātmani jñānam ātmani mahati niyacchet tad yacchecchānta ātmani
A wise man should keep down speech and mind; he should keep them within the Self which is knowledge; he should keep knowledge within the Self which is the Great; and he should keep that (the Great) within the Self which is the Quiet.
uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā durgaṃ pathas tat kavayo vadanti
Rise, awake! having obtained your boons, understand them! The sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over; thus the wise say the path (to the Self) is hard.
aśabdam asparśam arūpam avyayaṃ tathārasaṃ nityam agandhavacca yat anādy anantaṃ mahataḥ paraṃ dhruvaṃ nicāyya tan mṛtyumukhāt pramucyate
He who has perceived that which is without sound, without touch, without form, without decay, without taste, eternal, without smell, without beginning, without end, beyond the Great, and unchangeable, is freed from the jaws of death.
nāciketam upākhyānaṃ mṛtyuproktaṃ sanātanam uktvā śrutvā ca medhāvī brahmaloke mahīyate
A wise man who has repeated or heard the ancient story of Nakiketas told by Death, is magnified in the world of Brahman.
ya imaṃ paramaṃ guhyaṃ śrāvayed brahmasaṃsadi prayataḥ śrāddhakāle vā tad ānantyāya kalpate tad ānantyāya kalpata iti
And he who repeats this greatest mystery in an assembly of Brâhmans, or full of devotion at the time of the Srâddha sacrifice, obtains thereby infinite rewards."