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For Whom is Eternal Peace

नित्योऽनित्यानां चेतनश्चेतनाना-
मेको बहूनां यो विदधाति कामान् ।
तमात्मस्थं येऽनुपश्यन्ति धीरा-
स्तेषां शान्तिः शाश्वती नेतरेषाम् ।।
– कठोपनिषद् २.२.१३

nityo’nityānāṁ cetanaścetanānā-
mekobahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān |
tamātmasthaṁ ye’nupaśyanti dhīrā-
steṣāṁ śāntiḥ śāśvatī netareṣām ||
– Kaṭhopaniṣad 2.2.13

Translation:

The one Eternal among the ephemerals, the one Consciousness among all the conscious beings – remaining one, It fulfills various desires of many. The wise ones who perceive ‘That’ to be seated within their own Self, for them is the eternal peace and not for the others.

Points for Introspection:

Everybody wants to be eternally happy and peaceful. Nobody wants misery and affliction in life. In order to be happy man runs after various objects and situations in life. He desires to possess more, and expects to be happy when the desire is fulfilled. However, although on fulfillment of desire one becomes happy and peaceful, that peace is always short-lived. New desires crop up very soon making the mind agitated and unhappy again.

So, the question arises: How to attain eternal peace? And who attains ultimate fulfillment?

In order to attain eternal peace, one must stop looking for delight and peace from perishable objects, worldly gains. The joy that one has from worldly attainments is never permanent as the attainments themselves are changeful and perishable.

To attain eternal peace, one must look within and perceive the eternal Self. “That One” which is eternal among all ephemerals, is the Consciousness in all conscious beings. Remaining one, It fulfils the desires of many.

A seeker, who is wise, realizes that although everything in this world is ephemeral and perishable, there is but one substratum, which is eternal and imperishable, over which continues the play of this fleeting ever-changing world. The Wise, who realizes this eternal Consciousness within his own Self, transcends all misery and afflictions. He attains eternal peace (śāśvatī śāntiḥ). He gets freed of all desires, all agitations, because he becomes one with the Consciousness that fulfills the desires of many.

This śloka says emphatically that others, who have not perceived the Self in the above manner, will never be able to attain eternal peace.

When chanted with vigour, contemplating on the meaning, the śloka gives a glimpse of the eternal Self, which is all happiness and all peace. Repeated chanting generates a deep yearning for eternal peace and delight.

Word Meaning:

नित्यः (nityaḥ) = the eternal; अनित्यानाम् (anityānām) = among the transient/perishable items; चेतनः (cetanaḥ) = consciousness; चेतनानाम् (cetanānām) = among the conscious beings; एकः (ekaḥ) = one; बहूनाम् (bahūnām) = of the many; यः (yaḥ) = who; विदधाति (vidadhāti) = grants/fulfills liberally; कामान् (kāmān) = all desires; तम् (tam) = that; आत्मस्थम् (ātmastham) = seated in their own Self; ये (ye) = those who; अनुपश्यन्ति(anupaśyanti) = perceive/realize; धीराः (dhīrāḥ) = wise men; तेषाम् (teṣām) = for them; शान्तिः (śāntiḥ) = peace; शाश्वती(śāśvatī) = eternal, always; इतरेषां न (itareṣām na) = not for the others;

अन्वयः

अनित्यानां नित्यः, चेतनानां चेतनः, एकः (सन्) यः बहूनां कामान् विदधाति, ये धीराः तं आत्मस्थं अनुपश्यन्ति, तेषां शाश्वती शान्तिः (भवति); इतरेषां न (भवति) ।

anityānāṁ nityaḥ, cetanānāṁ cetanaḥ, ekaḥ (san) yaḥ bahūnāṁ kāmān vidadhāti, ye dhīrāḥ taṁ ātmasthaṁ anupaśyanti, teṣāṁ śāśvatī śāntiḥ (bhavati); itareṣāṁ na (bhavati).