uttishthata-jagratakatha-upanishadvedantavivekananda

Uttishthata Jagrata (Arise, Awake)

उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत in English · English

🕉️ upanishad·📿 11× repetitions·🕐 Early morning, to begin the day with resolve and alertness·📜 Katha Upanishad, Verse 1.3.14

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

Uttishthata Jagrata, 'Arise, Awake', is one of the most stirring calls of the Upanishads, from the Katha Upanishad. It urges the seeker to rouse himself from spiritual slumber, approach realized teachers, and strive to know the Self. It warns that the path is as hard to walk as the keen edge of a razor — demanding courage, alertness and perseverance. Swami Vivekananda made this verse famous as a clarion call: 'Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.'

Origin & Story

Katha Upanishad, Verse 1.3.14 · Traditional (Upanishadic); the teaching of Yama to Nachiketa · Vedic / Upanishadic

In the Katha Upanishad, the boy Nachiketa, sent to the abode of Death, wins from Yama himself the highest teaching about the Self. In the course of this instruction comes the rousing verse, 'Arise! Awake! Approach the worthy teachers and learn; the path is sharp as a razor's edge and hard to cross, so the wise declare.' It exhorts every seeker to leave the sleep of ignorance and strive, with the help of realized guides, toward knowledge of the immortal Self. In modern times Swami Vivekananda made it his famous call, 'Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.'

✦ As told in scripture

Yama assures Nachiketa that the wise one who, hearing this teaching, arises and realizes the subtle Self — the soundless, formless, undecaying, eternal Reality — is freed from the jaws of death; thus this call to 'arise and awake' opens the very path beyond mortality.

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The Mantra

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uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā durgaṁ pathas tat kavayo vadanti

Meaning:Arise! Awake! Approach the great teachers and learn (the Self). Sharp as the edge of a razor and hard to cross, difficult to tread is that path — so the wise declare.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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uttiṣṭhata🔊Arise! Stand up! (rise from inertia and ignorance)

jāgrata🔊Awake! Be alert! (awaken from the sleep of ignorance)

prāpya🔊Having approached, having reached (the great teachers)

varān🔊The excellent ones, the noble teachers (or the boons of a precious human birth)

nibodhata🔊Learn, understand, realize (the Self)

kṣurasya dhārā🔊The edge of a razor

niśitā🔊Sharpened, keen

duratyayā🔊Hard to cross, difficult to traverse

durgam🔊Difficult, arduous, hard to tread

pathaḥ🔊The path (to Self-realization)

tat kavayaḥ vadanti🔊So the wise seers declare

Benefits of Chanting उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत

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A powerful call to spiritual awakening and self-effort, dispelling laziness and complacency.

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Inspires courage and perseverance to walk the difficult path of Self-realization.

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Encourages the seeker to approach a qualified teacher (guru) and learn the truth of the Self.

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Made famous by Swami Vivekananda as a motto of fearlessness and relentless striving toward the goal.

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Reminds us that the precious human birth is an opportunity not to be wasted in ignorance.

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Recited to rouse determination at the start of a spiritual practice, study, or any worthy endeavour.

How to Chant उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत

Repetitions11times

Best TimeEarly morning, to begin the day with resolve and alertness

FaceEast or North

Recite 'Uttishthata Jagrata' with vigour, letting its three imperatives — arise, awake, learn — stir you out of inertia. Reflect that the path to the Self is subtle and demanding, like the razor's edge, and so calls for unwavering attention and effort. Use it as a morning resolve or before spiritual study and practice, recalling Swami Vivekananda's exhortation to 'stop not till the goal is reached.'

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It means 'Arise! Awake!' The full verse continues, 'approach the great teachers and learn the Self; sharp as a razor's edge and hard to cross is that path, so the wise declare.' It is a call to wake from spiritual ignorance and strive for Self-knowledge.

It is from the Katha Upanishad (1.3.14), which belongs to the Yajur Veda. The Katha Upanishad records the teaching given by Yama, the lord of death, to the young seeker Nachiketa.

Swami Vivekananda adopted 'Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached' (based on this verse) as a rallying cry to inspire people to throw off weakness and fear and strive boldly for the highest, both spiritually and in life.

The path to realizing the Self is compared to walking the sharp, narrow edge of a razor — it is subtle, demanding and easy to slip from. The image teaches that the spiritual journey requires keen alertness, discipline and steadfast effort.