~ KATHA UPANISHAD

1. Yama said: The self-existent Supreme Lord inflicted an injury upon the sense-organs in creating them with outgoing tendencies; therefore a man perceives only outer objects with them and not the inner Self. But a calm person, wishing for Immortality, beholds the inner Self with his eyes closed.

2. Children pursue outer pleasures and fall into the net of widespread death; but calm souls, having known what is unshakable Immortality, do not covet any uncertain thing in this world.

3. It is through the Self that one knows form, taste, smell, sounds, touches and carnal pleasures. Is there anything that remains unknown to the Self? This, verily, is That.

4. It is through the Self that one perceives all objects in sleep or in the waking state. Having realised the vast, all-pervading Self, the calm soul does not grieve.

5. He who knows the individual soul, the experiencer of the fruits of action, as Self, always near and the Lord of the past and the future, will not conceal himself from others. This, verily, is That.

6. He verily knows Reality who knows the First-born, the offspring of austerity, created prior to the waters and dwelling, with the elements, in the cave of the heart. This, verily, is That.

7. He verily knows Reality who knows Aditi, the soul of all deities, who was born in the form of prana [the life force], who was created with the elements and who, entering into the heart, abides therein. This, verily, is That.

8. Agni, the God of Fire, hidden in the two fire-sticks and well guarded – like a child in the womb by its mother – is worshipped day after day by men who are awake and by those who offer oblations in the sacrifices. This, verily, is That.

9. Whence the sun rises and whither it goes to set, in whom all the devas are contained and whom none can ever pass beyond – This, verily, is That.

10. What is here, the same is there and what is there, the same is here. He goes from death to death who sees any difference here.

11. By the mind alone is Reality to be realised; then one does not see in It any multiplicity whatsoever. He goes from death to death who sees multiplicity in It. This, verily, is That.

12. The Supreme Self, of the size of a thumb, dwells in the body. He is the Lord of the past and the future. After knowing Him, one does not conceal oneself any more. This, verily, is That.

13. The Supreme Self, of the size of a thumb, is like a flame without smoke. The Lord of the past and the future, He is the same today and tomorrow. This, verily, is That.

14. As rainwater falling on a mountain peak runs down the rocks in all directions, even so he who sees the attributes as different from Reality verily runs after them in all directions.

15. As pure water poured into pure water becomes one with it, so also, O Gautama, does the Self of the sage who knows.