[Advaita-l] Katha Upanishad 1.3.1

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Fri, 14 Jan 2005, ramesh badisa wrote:

> Pranam,
>  Can anyone give their views on the following mantra from Katha
> Upanishad as per advaita philosophy:
>
> 1.3.1 (rtam pibantau ....)  Who these two persons are, implied as light
>       and shadow, in this mantra? Since both are present in the cavity
>       of heart, is one them divine and other is soul?
>

Rta is Dharma.  Compare the English words ritual and right (as in human
rights) which both have the same etymological root.  The drinkers of rta
are those who enjoy the fruits of dharma.  It is the unanimous opinion of
the Rshis, the knowers of Brahman (Brahman here means Veda) both those of
the karmakanda (those who know the 5 fires of the soma yajna) and the
jnanakanda (those who know the Nachiketa fire) that the two drinkers of
truth are not external but reside in the cave of the heart i.e. the atma.
However, one of the drinkers (karma) is like a shadow and the other
(jnana) is light.  Because karma is dependent while jnana is independent.



-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
It's a boy! See the pictures - http://www.braincells.com/nilagriva/