Introduction to kathopanishad

Below on this page is a very basic outline.  For detailed notes click here includes the bhashyam and mostly word for word translations of it.


Shankara's āvatārika Granthaḥ Prayer from 
introduction of commentary

This prayer is a gem.  The prayer salutes the teacher and the student who later becomes a teacher here in this loka once this Brahmavidya is taught to him.   It should be understood that there is nothing inauspicious about death in the Hindu Dharma as we begin saluting Lord Yama.  This prayer is said by the teacher and repeated by the students before studying kathopanishad.

ॐ नमो भगवते वैवस्वतय

मृत्यवे ब्रह्मविद्याचार्याय नचिकेतसे च

om namo bhagavate vaivasvataya

mṛtyave brahmavidyācāryāya naciketase ca

Meaning of the word Upanishad

The signifigance of the introduction is its great detailed explanation of the word upanishad.  I shall quote Shankara's Bhashya of  Taitryopanishad to introduce this material.

"Upanishat iti vidyA ucyate"

"The word Upanishad means knowledge (of Brahman/Self/I)"--Taitropanishad Bhashya 

And now we proceed with the commentary. I have added notes from all listed sources to try to make things really clear. The source notes and the commentary are entertwined and they are presented together to understand the content of the commentary fully.


Prefixes

Upa- means that which is not remote, that which is ever near, AtmA(I)

Ni -means Nischayena-Definiteness, that which is well ascertained.  Or a guarantee of efectiveness of the material to work for those who are qualified.

Root Verb meanings from Dhatupada are repeated by Shankara

Sad has 3 meanings(and really 4) --Those 3 for now are:

1)  viśaraṇa   -   Destroying Ignorance
2)  gati or gamanam  -    Going to knowledge
3)  avasādanam  -  Wearing out Samsara

Suffix 

Kvip-this suffix changes the verb sad into an agent noun, or a noun that does something.  When upani- is added to sad, sad becomes Shad by sandhi rules.  When the suffix kvip is added in addition to changing the verb into a noun the suffix disappears entirely.

At this point Shankara starts a dialog about how upanishad is only understood by applying the meaning of all three and does a signifigant breakdown of each meaning of the root verb.

viśaraṇa

The first meaning is that ignorance is destroyed  So this is one function of the root verb Sad.   When upanishad is used as means of knowledge, it can utterly destroy ignorance. One must be qualified for this and the commentary says that this destruction is possible for one who possesses Mumukshutva(desire for liberation) and Vairagya(dispassion)

gati

Translation from commentary:

"Since this knowledge guides or propels a seeker to knowledge of Brahman,this knowledge is called Upanishat."

avasādanam

Samsara is weakened by the knowledge in the upanishads.

 This is the 3rd meaning of sad

Objection from Bhashya

Doesn't upanishad just refer to the name of the book.  As in I read the upanishads etc?

Answer

The book too can be called  Upanishad in a secondary sense.  Just like we can say Ghee is life or plough is life.  This means that they are instruments of life.  The book is an instrument of self knowledge.  So the primary meaning is that it is for self knowledge.    secondary meaning is that it is a book.

Anubanda Catushtaya(4 preliminary questions to see if something should be studied) 

In ancient manuscripts, there was no printing press, so in order for something to survive it had to be copied by hand by an extremely difficult process.  Due to this process, in order for something to be copied it had to meet certain requirements that will be listed shortly.  The explanation of the word Upanishad clearly shows that each of the 4 requirements are included in the meaning of the word.   Shankara explains it thusly:

Adhikari(Who is qualified?)- Earlier in the introduction, Shankara writes that for the ones possessing vairagya and mumukukshutvam the upanisads function to loosen, bring to knowledge, and destroy ignorance.

Vishaya(subject Matter)-Brahman or I is there in the word Upa(see explanation earlier).

Prayojanam or Phala- Loosening, etc. and Moksha.  Shankara says that the upanishad will help you to know yourself just like you can see a piece of fruit in your hand.

Sambandha(relationship between subject matter and its fruit is now obvious. Self-knowledge removes ignorance and gives moksha.)

Notes not from Commentary but applicable to the word upanishad

* a 4th meaning of the root verb sad,especially when paired with Ni  is to sit.  Here the implication is sitting at the feet of the teacher.  Ni can also mean under.   So the connection becomes obvious.

"Self knowledge is something that can be gained and to do so requires a means of knowledge(pramANa).  This means of knowledge is Vedanta, the end part of the vedas, whose subject matter is Upanishad, self-knowledge"-Sw. Dayananda