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INTRODUCON
chieve a very real end here and now " and the explanations he has given follow the occult literature all over the world. Thus we have every reasox to take this Upanisad seriously as a Vidya'. According to earlier seers and teachers a vidyखें or a knowledge is a path to be trodden or followed in a parti. cular manner and the fruits of such a path are indeed ultimate beatitude and realisation. Thus each Upanisad is a Vidya', a clear and definite instruction of a particular path, integral to the realisation of the Goalwhich of course could be reached by other vidyas also, Thus the Upanisads in all are said to give thirtytwo vidyas, of which the Katoparisad deals with the Naciketa-vidya or Irinaciketa or Naciketa Agri-vidya.
The Rethopanishad is a very important Upanisad in yet another senseIt contains a general survey of the Vedic ritual and philosophy and eschatology. It has had the good fortune of having been much studied and written about by scholars both occidental and oriental, and stands only next to id and the Gita from the point of view of popularity. Sri Sankara commented on his work as also Sri Madhva, and Sri Ramanuja has com mented in his Sri Bhayaon certain important points raised in this Upanisad, which have been taken into consideration by Bhagavan Badarayana for purposes of systhesis in his Vedanta Sutras. These points have been reproduced at the end of this work. Sri Raigaramanuja has commented on this work following closely the steps of Sri Ramanuja and his expounders like Sri Sudarshaja Siri or Srutapracasi. carya. Prof. Rawson, wh) is a careful scholar of this Upani. sad, has stated in his work that he made no use of the Bhasya by Raigarmठंunje because of its late date and since Sri Ramanuja had discussed all that is necessary on intricate or important points. He however considers that Sri Ramanuja's explanations are more in accord with the spirit of the Upani Bad than those of others.
The Rathopanised belongs to the Kathaka School of the K$n Yajur Veda, We do not possess & Kathaka-Brhna,
