Upanishads · Kaṭha 3.17
॥
Devanāgarī
य इमं परमं गुह्यं श्रावयेद् ब्रह्मसंसदि ।
प्रयतः श्राद्धकाले वा तद् आनन्त्याय कल्पते ।
तद् आनन्त्याय कल्पत इति
Transliteration (IAST)
ya imaṃ paramaṃ guhyaṃ śrāvayed brahmasaṃsadi /
prayataḥ śrāddhakāle vā tad ānantyāya kalpate /
tad ānantyāya kalpata iti
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यःyaḥwho; the one who
इमम्imamthis; the present
परमम्paramamthe highest; the excellent
गुह्यम्guhyamthe secret (guhya — from guhā, 'the hidden place'); the hidden; the sacred trust
श्रावयेत्śrāvayethe shall proclaim, cause it to be heard (causative of √śru); he shall declare; he shall impart it to the ear
ब्रह्मसंसदिbrahmasaṃsadiin an assembly of brāhmaṇas (brahma-saṁsad); in the circle of knowers; in a spiritual assembly
प्रयतःprayataḥhaving purified himself (pra-√yat — 'collected'); gathered and pure; reverent
श्राद्धकालेśrāddhakāleat the hour of commemoration (śrāddha-kāla); at the time of the śrāddha; at the rite of remembrance of the fathers
वाvāor; surely
तत्tatthat; this
आनन्त्यायānantyāyato the infinite (ānantya); for infinity; to the unending [fruit]
कल्पतेkalpateprepares, equips (from √kḷp — 'to arrange'); serves; leads it
तत्tatthat; this
आनन्त्यायānantyāyato the infinite (ānantya); for infinity; to the unending [fruit]
कल्पतेkalpateprepares, equips (from √kḷp — 'to arrange'); serves; leads it
इतिitithus; thus it concludes
Translation
He who, having purified himself, shall proclaim this highest secret in an assembly of brāhmaṇas or at the hour of commemoration — for him it prepares the infinite. It prepares the infinite!
Version
a08994427a06 · published Jul 26, 2026, 9:13:03 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The second seal specifies the circumstances of transmission. paramaṁ guhyam — "the highest secret": guhya is from that same guhā, the cave of the heart: it is secret not because it is forbidden but because it lives in the depth and demands depth of the receiver. śrāvayet — a causative: "let him cause it to be heard": the merit belongs also to the one who has arranged the hearing. prayataḥ — "having purified and collected himself": what is hidden is not handed on in passing.
The two named hours of transmission are chosen for a reason: brahma-saṁsadi — "in an assembly of brāhmaṇas", where the word is tested by those who know; śrāddha-kāle — "at the hour of commemoration of the fathers", when a household stands face to face with death and hearts are open to Naciketas's question. A word about immortality is most in place where mortals are being remembered.
tad ānantyāya kalpate — "this prepares (kḷp — 'to arrange, to equip') one for infinity": not "it gives a reward" but it equips one for the infinite — the fruit is proportionate to the tidings. The doubling of the phrase is an ancient seal of a section's close: the first half of the Kaṭha is finished. Ahead lies the second — where Yama, testing nothing further, will speak of the inner City, of the Puruṣa of a thumb's size, and of the tree whose roots are above.