Muni's PlayVerses Mentioning Dhira
This note compiles all verses from the Katha Upanishad that explicitly mention the word Dhira (धीर - wise, intelligent, steady seeker).
Valli 2
Katha Upanishad Verse 1.2.2
Sanskrit Verse
श्रेयश्च प्रेयश्च मनुष्यमेतस्तौ संपरीत्य विविविनक्ति धीरः ।
श्रेय्रो हि धीरोऽभिप्रेयसो वृणीते प्रेयो मन्दो योगक्शेमाद्वृणीते ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration
śreyaśca preyaśca manuṣyametastau saṃparītya vivinakti dhīraḥ |
śreyo hi dhīro’bhipreyaso vṛṇīte preyo mando yogakśemādvṛṇīte || 2 ||
Translation
Both the good and the pleasant approach the mortal; the intelligent man examines and distinguishes them; for, the intelligent man prefers the good to the pleasant; the ignorant man chooses the pleasant for the sake of his body.
Katha Upanishad Verse 1.2.5
Sanskrit Verse
अविद्यायामन्तरे वर्तमानाः स्वयं धीराः पण्डितं मन्यमानाः । दन्द्रम्यमाणाः परियन्ति मूढा अन्धेनैव नीयमाना यथान्धाः ॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration
avidyāyāmantare vartamānāḥ svayaṃ dhīrāḥ paṇḍitaṃ manyamānāḥ | dandramyamāṇāḥ pariyanti mūḍhā andhenaiva nīyamānā yathāndhāḥ || 5 ||
Translation
Living in the middle of ignorance and regarding themselves as intelligent and learned, the ignorant go round and round, in many crooked ways, like the blind led by the blind.
Katha Upanishad Verse 1.2.11
Sanskrit Verse
कामस्याप्तिं जगतः प्रतिष्ठां क्रतोरानन्त्यमभयस्य पारं । स्तोममहदुरुगायं प्रतिष्ठां दृष्ट्वा धृत्या धीरो नचिकेतोऽत्यस्राक्शीः ॥ ११ ॥
Transliteration
kāmasyāptiṃ jagataḥ pratiṣṭhāṃ kratorānantyamabhayasya pāraṃ । stomamahadurugāyaṃ pratiṣṭhāṃ dṛṣṭvā dhṛtyā dhīro naciketo’tyasrākśīḥ ॥ 11 ॥
Translation
The end of all desires, the stay of all the universe, the endless fruit of worship, the other shore of fearlessness, the praiseworthy, the great and boundless goal, all these hast thou beheld, and being intelligent, Oh Nachiketas, hast boldly rejected all.
Katha Upanishad Verse 1.2.12
Sanskrit Verse
तं दुर्दर्शं गूढमनुप्रविष्टं गुहाहितं गह्वरेष्ठं पुराणम् । अध्यात्मयोगाधिगमेन देवं मत्वा धीरो हर्षशोकौ जहाति ॥ १२ ॥
Transliteration
taṃ durdarśaṃ gūḍhamanupraviṣṭaṃ guhāhitaṃ gahvareṣṭhaṃ purāṇam | adhyātmayogādhigamena devaṃ matvā dhīro harṣaśokau jahāti || 12 ||
Translation
The wise, who by means of the highest meditation on the Self knows the Ancient One, difficult to perceive, seated in the innermost recess, hidden in the cave of the heart, dwelling in the depth of inner being, (he who knows that One) as God, is liberated from the fetters of joy and sorrow.
Katha Upanishad Verse 1.2.22
Sanskrit Verse
अशरीरँ शरीरेष्वनवस्थेष्ववस्थितं । महान्तं विभुमात्मानं मत्वा धीरो न शोचति ॥ २२ ॥
Transliteration
aśarīram̐ śarīreṣvanavastheṣvavasthitaṃ | mahāntaṃ vibhumātmānaṃ matvā dhīro na śocati || 22 ||
Translation
The intelligent man knowing the atman, bodiless, seated firmly in perishable bodies, great and all-pervading, does not grieve.
Valli 4
Katha Upanishad Verse 2.1.1
Sanskrit Verse
पराञ्चि खानि व्यतृणत्स्वयम्भूस्तस्मात्पराङ्पश्यति नान्तरात्मन् ।
कश्चिद्धीरः प्रत्यगात्मानमैक्षदावृत्तचक्शुरमृतत्वमिच्छन् ॥ १ ॥
Transliteration
parāñci khāni vyatṛṇatsvayambhūstasmātparāṅpaśyati nāntarātman |
kaściddhīraḥ pratyagātmānamaikṣadāvṛttacakśuramṛtatvamicchan || 1 ||
Translation
The self-existent created the senses out-going: therefore, one sees outside and not the atman within. Some intelligent man, with his senses turned away, (from their object), desirous of immortality, sees the atman within.
Katha Upanishad Verse 2.1.2
Sanskrit Verse
पराचः कामाननुयन्ति बालास्ते मृत्योर्यन्ति विततस्य पाशं ।
अथ धीरा अमृतत्वं विदित्वा ध्रुवमध्रुवेष्विह न प्रार्थयन्ते ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration
parācaḥ kāmānanuyanti bālāste mṛtyoryanti vitatasya pāśaṃ |
atha dhīrā amṛtatvaṃ viditvā dhruvamadhruveṣviha na prārthayante || 2 ||
Translation
The ignorant pursue external objects of desire; they get into the meshes of widespread death: but the intelligent, knowing sure immortality, do not covet the uncertain things here.
Katha Upanishad Verse 2.1.4
Sanskrit Verse
स्वप्नान्तं जागरितान्तं चोभौ येनानुपश्यति । महान्तं विभुमात्मानं मत्वा धीरो न शोचति ॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration
svapnāntaṃ jāgaritāntaṃ cobhau yenānupaśyati । mahāntaṃ vibhumātmānaṃ matvā dhīro na śocati ॥ ४ ॥
Translation
That by which a mortal perceives, both in dream and in waking, by knowing that great all-pervading Ātman the wise man grieves no more.
Valli 5
Katha Upanishad Verse 2.2.12
Sanskrit Verse
एको वशी सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा एकं रूपं बहुधा यः करोति ।
तमात्मस्थं ये’नुपश्यन्ति धीरास्तेषां सुखं शाश्वतं नेतरेषाम् ॥ १२ ॥
Transliteration
eko vaśī sarvebhūtāntarātmā ekaṃ rūpaṃ bahudhā yaḥ karoti |
tamātmasthaṃ ye’nupaśyanti dhīrāsteṣāṃ sukhaṃ śāśvataṃ netareṣām || 12 ||
Translation
Sole, controller, the internal atman of all living things who makes his own form diverse to the intelligent who realizes him as seated in the self, eternal bliss is theirs, not others.
Katha Upanishad Verse 2.2.13
Sanskrit Verse
नित्योऽनित्यानां चेतनश्चेतनानामेको बहूनां यो विदधाति कामान् ।
तमात्मस्थं येऽनुपश्यन्ति धीरास्तेषां शान्तिः शाश्वतीनेतरेषाम् ॥ १३ ॥
Transliteration
nityo’nityānāṃ cetanaścetanānāmeko bahūnāṃ yo vidadhāti kāmān |
tamātmasthaṃ ye’nupaśyanti dhīrāsteṣāṃ śāntiḥ śāśvatīnetareṣām || 13 ||
Translation
Eternal among the ephemeral, conscious among the conscious, who, being one, dispenses desired objects to many, the intelligent who see him seated in their selves, to them, eternal peace, not to others.
Valli 6
Katha Upanishad Verse 2.3.6
Sanskrit Verse
इन्द्रियाणां पृथग्भावमुदयास्तमयौ च यत् ।
पृथगुत्पद्यमानानां मत्वा धीरो न शोचति ॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration
indriyāṇāṃ pṛthagbhāvamudayāstamayau ca yat |
pṛthagutpadyamānānāṃ matvā dhīro na śocati || 6 ||
Translation
The intelligent man knowing that the senses separately produced are distinct (from the atman) and also their rising and setting, does not grieve.