Katha Upanishad Verse 1.3.14

A dramatic and eternal call to action: “Arise! Awake!“. Yama urges the seeker to seek out illumined teachers (Great Ones) and gain understanding. He warns that the spiritual path is as perilous and difficult to tread as the sharp edge of a razor, requiring unwavering wakefulness and perseverance.

Sanskrit Verse

उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत प्राप्य वरान्निबोधत ।
क्शुरस्य धारा निशिता दुरत्यया दुर्गं पथस्तत्कवयो वदन्ति ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varānnibodhata |
kśurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā durgaṃ pathastatkavayo vadanti || 14 ||

Translation

Arise, awake; having reached the great, learn; the edge of a razor is sharp and impassable; that path, the intelligent say, is hard to go by.