Muni's PlaySummary
The Sixth and final Valli of the Katha Upanishad provides a comprehensive summary of the spiritual path and its ultimate goal. It introduces the metaphor of the eternal Ashvattha tree with its roots in the Supreme (Brahman) and its branches as the manifested universe. Yama explains that the entire universe vibrates in Brahman, driven by the “mighty terror” of Its law. This Valli contains the classic definition of Yoga as the “firm holding back of the senses” and emphasizes that the Atman is realized not through logic or speech, but through the deep conviction that “He is.” The teaching concludes with the psychological and physiological aspects of liberation—the sundering of the “knots of the heart” and the ascent of the soul through the crown of the head.
Selected Verses
The World-Tree and the Law
The universe is compared to an inverted tree, the Ashvattha, whose roots are in the pure, immortal Brahman. All life and movement in the cosmos are governed by the power of Brahman, often described as Prana or a “mighty terror,” because even the most powerful cosmic forces perform their duties out of respect for this supreme Law.
Clarity of Vision
The clarity of vision regarding the Atman varies according to the state of existence. Within the human self, it can be seen as clearly as in a mirror if the mind is purified. Only in the “Brahma-loka” is the distinction as clear as light and shade.
Hierarchy of Consciousness
Yama reiterates the ladder of consciousness to guide the seeker toward the absolute Purusha. One must understand that the senses are distinct from the Self. The ultimate goal is the all-pervading Purusha, who is beyond all marks and through whom immortality is attained.
The Definition of Yoga
The technique for realizing this subtle Truth is defined as “Yoga.” When the five senses, the mind, and the intellect all become still and cease their activity, that state of “firm holding back of the senses” is Yoga.
The Conviction “He Is”
The Atman is beyond the reach of speech, mind, or eye. The essential prerequisite for its realization is the deep, fundamental conviction that “He is.”
Sundering the Knots of the Heart
Liberation is a state attained even while living. When all the desires and attachments that cling to the heart fall away, and when the psychological “knots” (ignorance, ego, and desire) are sundered, the mortal becomes immortal.
The Path of the Soul
The Upanishad describes the exit of the soul at the time of death. Among the hundred and one nerves (nadis) radiating from the heart, one (the Sushumna) leads directly to the crown of the head toward immortality.
Conclusion of the Teaching
Recognizing this Self as pure and immortal is the goal of human life. Nachiketas, by following this teaching of Death, attained Brahman and became free from taint and death.