Uttishthata Jagrata
Arise, awake — the path is as narrow as a razor's edge. Katha Upanishad 1.3.14.
Katha Upanishad 1.3.14edition
Sanskrit · संस्कृत
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Meaning
Arise, awake; having reached the wise, learn. The sages say the path is hard to cross, sharp as the edge of a razor.
This rendering is by a DharmSetu editor, not a quotation from a published translation. Compare with the public-domain translation.
A Hindi meaning has not been written for this mantra yet. Hindi is authored by a named editor rather than machine-translated, so it arrives more slowly.
How to recite
- Repetitions
- 3 · 11
- Time
- brahma muhurta
Pronunciation key — sounds commonly got wrong
- ट ठ ड ढ ण · ṭ ṭh ḍ ḍh ṇ
- Retroflex — the tongue curls back and touches the roof of the mouth. Distinct from the dental त थ द ध न, where the tongue touches the teeth.
- श ष स · ś ṣ s
- Three different sounds: ś as in “shy”, ṣ retroflex and further back, s plain. Collapsing them changes words.
- ः · ḥ (visarga)
- A soft outward breath echoing the preceding vowel — not a hard “ha”.
- ं · ṃ (anusvara)
- Nasalises the vowel; the closing sound follows the consonant that comes next.
- Long vs short vowels — a / ā, i / ī, u / ū
- Vowel length is meaningful in Sanskrit. Hold the macron vowels roughly twice as long.
- Aspirated consonants — kh, gh, ch, th, dh, ph, bh
- A distinct puff of breath. ph is an aspirated p, never an English “f”.
Word by word
- उत्तिष्ठतuttiṣṭhata
- arise(2nd pl. imperative)MW1899-CDSL p.179
- जाग्रतjāgrata
- awake(2nd pl. imperative)MW1899-CDSL p.417
- प्राप्यprāpya
- having reached, having approached(gerund)MW1899-CDSL p.707
- वरान्varān
- the excellent ones; also read as 'the boons'(acc. pl. m.)MW1899-CDSL p.921
- निबोधतnibodhata
- learn, understand(2nd pl. imperative)MW1899-CDSL p.550
- क्षुरस्य धाराkṣurasya dhārā
- the edge of a razor
- निशिताniśitā
- whetted, sharpenedMW1899-CDSL p.561
- दुरत्ययाduratyayā
- hard to crossMW1899-CDSL p.484
- दुर्गं पथःdurgaṃ pathaḥ
- a difficult path
- कवयःkavayaḥ
- the seers, the wise(nom. pl.)MW1899-CDSL p.264
Glosses are confirmed against a Sanskrit–English dictionary; the reference after each entry names the edition consulted.
Context
Shadanga — the six limbs
The traditional analytic frame for a mantra. Blank limbs are simply not recorded for this text.
- devata
- Yama (as teacher)
Recited at / traditionally recited for
Classified as Vedic — From the Vedic corpus — Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka or Upanishad. Carries a rishi, a metre, and accent marking. Basis for this classification.
Related mantras
Purnamadah Purnamidam
The fullness verse — take fullness from fullness and fullness remains. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.1.1.
Agnim Ile — the first verse of the Rigveda
The opening verse of the Rigveda, and so the first line of the Vedic corpus — an invocation of Agni.
Sangachhadhvam Samvadadhvam
The closing hymn of the Rigveda, on moving together and speaking together — Rigveda 10.191.2.
Bhadram Karnebhih
A prayer to hear what is good and see what is good, with steady limbs — Rigveda 1.89.8.
Isha Vasyam Idam Sarvam
The opening verse of the Isha Upanishad — all this is pervaded by the Lord; enjoy what is left over.
Dyauh Shantih — the great peace invocation
Peace called down through sky, air, earth, waters, plants and all beings — Shukla Yajurveda 36.17.