Katha Upanishad
ūrdhvamūlo avākśākha eṣo 'śvatthaḥ sanātanaḥ tad eva śukraṃ tad brahma tad evāmṛtam ucyate tasmiṃllokāḥ śritāḥ sarve tad u nātyeti kaścana etad vai tat
"There is that ancient tree, whose roots grow upward and whose branches grow downward; — that indeed is called the Bright that is called Brahman, that alone is called the Immortal. All worlds are contained in it, and no one goes beyond. This is that.
yad idaṃ kiṃca jagat sarvaṃ prāṇa ejati niḥsṛtam mahad bhayaṃ vajram udyataṃ ya etad vidur amṛtās te bhavanti
Whatever there is, the whole world, when gone forth (from the Brahman), trembles in its breath. That Brahman is a great terror, like a drawn sword. Those who know it become immortal.
bhayād asyāgnis tapati bhayāt tapati sūryaḥ bhayād indraś ca vāyuś ca mṛtyur dhāvati pañcamaḥ
From terror of Brahman fire burns, from terror the sun burns, from terror Indra and Vâyu, and Death, as the fifth, run away.
iha ced aśakad boddhuṃ prākśarīrasya visrasaḥ tataḥ sargeṣu lokeṣu śarīratvāya kalpate
If a man could not understand it before the falling asunder of his body, then he has to take body again in the worlds of creation.
yathādarśe tathātmani yathā svapne tathā pitṛloke yathāpsu parīva dadṛśe tathā gandharvaloke chāyātapayor iva brahmaloke
As in a mirror, so (Brahman may be seen clearly) here in this body; as in a dream, in the world of the Fathers; as in the water, he is seen about in the world of the Gandharvas; as in light and shade in the world of Brahmâ.
indriyāṇāṃ pṛthagbhāvam udayāstamayau ca yat pṛthag utpadyamānānāṃ matvā dhīro na śocati
Having understood that the senses are distinct (from the Âtman), and that their rising and setting (their waking and sleeping) belongs to them in their distinct existence (and not to the Âtman), a wise man grieves no more.
indriyebhyaḥ paraṃ mano manasaḥ sattvam uttamam sattvād adhi mahānātmā mahato 'vyaktam uttamam
Beyond the senses is the mind, beyond the mind is the highest (created) Being, higher than that Being is the Great Self, higher than the Great, the highest Undeveloped.
avyaktāt tu paraḥ puruṣo vyāpako 'liṅga eva ca yaṃ jñātvā mucyate jantur amṛtatvaṃ ca gacchati
Beyond the Undeveloped is the Person, the all-pervading and entirely imperceptible. Every creature that knows him is liberated, and obtains immortality.
na saṃdṛśe tiṣṭhati rūpam asya na cakṣuṣā paśyati kaścanainam hṛdā manīṣā manasābhikﾱpto ya etad vidur amṛtās te bhavanti
His form is not to be seen, no one beholds him with the eye. He is imagined by the heart, by wisdom, by the mind. Those who know this, are immortal.
yadā pañcāvatiṣṭhante jñānāni manasā saha buddhiś ca na viceṣṭati tām āhuḥ paramāṃ gatim
When the five instruments of knowledge stand still together with the mind, and when the intellect does not move, that is called the highest state.
tāṃ yogam iti manyante sthirām indriyadhāraṇām apramattas tadā bhavati yogo hi prabhavāpyayau
This, the firm holding back of the senses, is what is called Yoga. He must be free from thoughtlessness then, for Yoga comes and goes.
naiva vācā na manasā prāptuṃ śakyo na cakṣuṣā astīti bruvato 'nyatra kathaṃ tad upalabhyate
He (the Self) cannot be reached by speech, by mind, or by the eye. How can it be apprehended except by him who says: "He is?"
astīty evopalabdhavyas tattvabhāvena cobhayoḥ astīty evopalabdhasya tattvabhāvaḥ prasīdati
By the words "He is," is he to be apprehended, and by (admitting) the reality of both (the invisible Brahman and the visible world, as coming from Brahman). When he has been apprehended by the words "He is," then his reality reveals itself.
yadā sarve pramucyante kāmā ye 'sya hṛdi śritāḥ atha martyo 'mṛto bhavaty atra brahma samaśnute
When all desires that dwell in his heart cease, then the mortal becomes immortal, and obtains Brahman.
yadā sarve prabhidyante hṛdayasyeha granthayaḥ atha martyo 'mṛto bhavaty etāvaddhyanuśāsanam
When all the ties of the heart are severed here on earth, then the mortal becomes immortal — here ends the teaching.
śataṃ caikā ca hṛdayasya nāḍyas tāsāṃ mūrdhānam abhiniḥsṛtaikā tayordhvam āyann amṛtatvam eti viṣvaṅṅ anyā utkramaṇe bhavati
There are a hundred and one arteries of the heart, one of them penetrates the crown of the head. Moving upwards by it, a man (at his death) reaches the Immortal; the other arteries serve for departing in different directions.
aṅguṣṭhamātraḥ puruṣo 'ntarātmā sadā janānāṃ hṛdaye saṃniviṣṭaḥ taṃ svāccharīrāt pravṛhen muñjād iveṣīkāṃ dhairyeṇa taṃ vidyācchukram amṛtaṃ taṃ vidyācchukram amṛtam iti
The Person not larger than a thumb, the inner Self, is always settled in the heart of men. Let a man draw that Self forth from his body with steadiness, as one draws the pith from a reed. Let him know that Self as the Bright, as the Immortal; yes, as the Bright, as the Immortal.
mṛtyuproktāṃ naciketo 'tha labdhvā vidyām etāṃ yogavidhiṃ ca kṛtsnam brahmaprāpto virajo 'bhūd vimṛtyur anyo 'py evaṃ yo vid adhyātmam eva
Having received this knowledge taught by Death and the whole rule of Yoga (meditation), Nakiketa became free from passion and death, and obtained Brahman. Thus it will be with another also who knows thus what relates to the Self.