Uttiṣṭhata Jāgrata — Arise! Awake! Learn!
उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत
Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.14 · NCERT Class 6 · Ruchira Part 1
Source: Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.14 (Yama to Nachiketa)
Key Points to Remember
- ▸उत्तिष्ठत = ut + √sthā — imperative plural; "all of you, stand up"
- ▸जाग्रत = √jāgṛ — imperative; same root as "jagriti" (awakening, consciousness)
- ▸निबोधत = ni + √budh — same root as "Buddha" (the awakened one)
- ▸The verse uses three imperatives in sequence: physical (rise), mental (wake), intellectual (understand)
The Verse
उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत प्राप्य वरान्निबोधत। क्षुरस्य धारा निशिता दुरत्यया दुर्गं पथस्तत्कवयो वदन्ति॥
uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata | kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā durgaṃ pathas tat kavayo vadanti ||
Arise! Awake! Having approached excellent teachers, understand! The wise say: the path is as sharp as a razor's edge, difficult to cross, hard to tread.
— Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.14 — spoken by Yama (Death) to Nachiketa
Word-by-Word Meaning
| Sanskrit | Transliteration | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| उत्तिष्ठत | uttiṣṭhata | arise! stand up! | ut (up) + √sthā (to stand) — imperative plural; "all of you, stand up" |
| जाग्रत | jāgrata | be awake! be alert! | √jāgṛ (to be awake, to be vigilant) — imperative plural |
| प्राप्य | prāpya | having approached, having reached | pra + √āp (to reach) — absolutive (ktvānta) — action done before the main verb |
| वरान् | varān | excellent ones, the best (teachers) | vara (best, chosen — from √vṛ, to choose) — Dvitīyā plural |
| निबोधत | nibodhata | understand! learn! know! | ni + √budh (to know, to awaken) — imperative plural; same root as "Buddha" |
| क्षुरस्य | kṣurasya | of the razor (blade) | kṣura (razor) — Ṣaṣṭhī (6th case): "of the razor" |
| धारा | dhārā | edge, stream, blade | √dhṛ (to hold) — "that which holds/carries the cut" |
| निशिता | niśitā | sharpened, keen | ni + √śi (to sharpen) — past passive participle |
| कवयः | kavayaḥ | poets, wise ones, seers | kavi (poet/seer — one who sees deeply) — Prathamā plural |
Swami Vivekananda quoted this verse constantly at the 1893 Chicago Parliament of Religions and after. The razor's edge image means: the path to knowledge is real but narrow — it requires precise attention, like a blade.
Exercises (3)
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the root of each verb
1. उत्तिष्ठत (uttiṣṭhata — arise) comes from ut + √_______.
Show answer
√sthā (to stand)
2. जाग्रत (jāgrata — be awake) comes from √_______.
Show answer
√jāgṛ (to be awake/vigilant)
3. निबोधत (nibodhata — understand) comes from ni + √_______. (Same root as the word "Buddha.")
Show answer
√budh (to know, to awaken)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct answer
1. This verse is from the Kaṭha Upaniṣad. Who speaks it?
Show answer
Yama (Death)
2. What does "varān" (excellent ones) refer to in this context?
Show answer
Teachers
3. "Uttiṣṭhata" and "jāgrata" are both in which grammatical mood?
Show answer
Imperative mood
Exercise 3: Short Answer
Answer in your own words
1. The shloka says "the path is as sharp as a razor's edge." What does this image tell you about learning?
Show answer
2. Three commands: uttiṣṭhata, jāgrata, nibodhata — arise, be awake, understand. In what order and why?
Show answer
More Sanskrit Worksheets
Related Guides
Are you a Sanskrit teacher?
These worksheets are free for classroom use. VedaLingo also has an interactive app — students learn Sanskrit through stories, audio, and games, not just memorisation.
Contact VedaLingo →