VEDANTA SASHTRAM
Q.1. Kato Upanishad belongs to a)
Atharvaveda b) Sama Veda c) Yajurveda
A.1. Kato Upanishad belongs to c) Yajurveda, in specific, Krishna
Yajurveda
Q.2. Kato Upanishad mantras were discovered
by? a) Veda Vyasa b) Bhagwan Sri Krishna c) Kataka Maharishi
A.2.
Kato Upanishad mantras were discovered by c) Katak Maharishi
Q.3. The name of Nachiketas’s father is? a)
Dasaratha b) Vaajasravasa c) Yama A.3. The
name of Nachiketa’s father is b) Vaajasravas
Q.4. Yama Dharmaraja awarded how many boons
to Nachiketa? A) One b) three c) none A.4. Yama
Dharmaraja awarded b) three boons to Nachiketa
Q.5. Atma Gyanam is obtained by: a) by
studying under a sampradaya Guru b) through self- study c) through Upasana
A.5. Atma Gyanam is obtained by a) by studying under a sampradaya Guru
Q.6. What is the second boon Nachiketas
asked Yama Dharmaraja? Explain its benefits A.6. The second boon Nachiketas asked Yama
Dharmaraja was, knowledge of Agni or fire ritual. The Agni ritual allows one to attain the
heavenly world and immortality. This ritual also known as Nachiketa vidya,
involves performing sacrifices in accordance with sacred fire leading to a
state of bliss and freedom from cycle of birth and death, ie. Free from old
age, fear, sorrow, hunger & thirst.
Nachiketas, constantly persevered to ask about mysteries of life and
death, demonstrating deeper desires for spiritual understanding.
Q.7. What is the temptations Yama
Dharmaraja offers Nachiketas in place of his requested third boon? A.7.
Yama Dharmaraja offers numerous material rewards and earthly pleasures to
dissuade Nachiketas from asking about secret of death, for the 3rd boon.
Nachiketas remained steadfast in his quest for knowledge and refused all
temptations and ultimately seeking to understand only the mysteries of what
life after.
The temptations : 1) Wealth and
land – Vast amounts of wealth and land hoping to satisfy his desires with
material possessions 2) Pleasures – Yama Dharmaraja provided a life filled with
pleasure and freedom of desire, intending to lure him with the allude of
earthly delights.3) Kingship & Power – Yama Dharmaraja even offered the
ability to rule over lands and become powerful figure, suggesting that power
and worldly success could satisfy his desires 4) Divine gifts – Yama Dharmaraja
offered divine gifts & celestial realms
attempting to tempt him with promise of higher status in after life. 5) Elusive
rewards – Yama Dharmaraja also presented with the idea that the knowledge of
death was too profound and complex to be comprehended by a mortal, implying
that it was reward better left to Gods.
Q.8. Why did Nachiketas not
accept the temptations of Yama Dharmaraja in place of third boon? A.8. Nachiketas with steadfastness,
firmly rejected all the material & other temptations as they were all fleeting
and couldn’t provide true and lasting happiness. Nachiketas emphasized the
importance of seeking spiritual knowledge and understanding the nature of self
which transcends the limitations of the physical body.
Nachiketas’ unwavering commitment
to his pursuit of knowledge of the self, despite the alluring temptations of
worldly rewards, impressed Yama Dharmaraja and ultimately led Him to share the
secrets of death and the nature of Aatman.
Q.9. Write the Mantras 1.2.1 and
1.2.2 and define what is Shreyas and Preyas. Why Shreyas is superior to Preyas,
according to these two shlokas?
A.9. 1.2.1 Anyachayonyadhuthava preya ha the ubhe naanaarthe purusha………अन्यच्छ्रेयोऽन्यदुतैव प्रेयस्ते उभे नानार्थे पुरुषँ सिनीतः।तयोः श्रेय आददानस्य साधुर्भवति हीयतेऽर्थाद्य उ प्रेयो वृणीते ॥ १ ॥ श्रेयश्च प्रेयश्च मनुष्यमेतस्तौ संपरीत्य विविनक्ति धीरः ।श्रेयो हि धीरोऽभिप्रेयसो वृणीते प्रेयो मन्दो योगक्शेमाद्वृणीते ॥ २ ॥
Though Nachiketas was a child yet
his intellect was of an elderly person and not only that he was fit to take the
knowledge of the self or Aatman. Yama Dharmaraja after testing his interest and
capacity was all praise for Nachiketas and praised liberation and people
seeking liberation.
Preyas – is what is liked or
desired, BHAIRMUKHA PRAVRUTHI-I am happy with my material things
Shreyas – is to be understand by
the mind, ANTHARMUKHA PRAVRUTHI-I am happy being what I am
Shreyas refers to path of
ultimate benefit leading to lasting happiness or Moksha and spiritual growth,
while Preyas signifies the path of immediate pleasure and gratification.
Kathopanishad emphasizes choosing Shreyas over Preyas, is crucial for achieving
self-realization and liberation.
Both are two contrasting paths.
Shreyas (the good) focusses on Dharma (righteous conduct) truth,
self-realization, involving initial hardships or sacrifices but ultimately
leading to eternal bliss and understanding of the self.
Preyas (the pleasant) offers path
to immediate sensual pleasures and gratification but a path of temporary &
fleeting happiness. It focusses on worldly desires, material gains &
fleeting joys and could lead to suffering attachments and cycles of repeated
re-births, if pursued w/o discernment.
Q.10. Explain the mantras
starting “Na jayathe mriyathe va…….” न जायते मृयते वा विपश्चिन्नयं कुतश्चिन्न बभुव कश्चित् |अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे || १.२.१८ ||
A.10. The explanation of the
Manthram is that after the body goes or perishes, Aatma remains and never dies.
There is no birth or death for the Aatma. Aatma is not karya or karana. Aatma
doesn’t appear from anything and nothing appears from the Aatma. It remains as
it is by itself, eternal, everlasting and ancient. Highlighting - the atman's
permanence and transcendence of birth and death.
Atma is timeless and unaffected by the
cycle of birth and death with inherent qualities of timeless, birthless &
unchanging and independent of a creation.
In essence, the Atma or the Self is
eternal, indestructible in nature and is the underlying reality when the body
decays or undergoes change.
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