by Basudeba Mishra
It is a special feature in Vedic literature that nothing is ever repeated. Whenever something appears as similar, it has a different meaning in a different context, which has to be derived from the subtle differences in both. Some point out to similarities in two Shlokas in Gita and Kathopanishad and some even used to argue that one has followed the other. From this, they tried to date the texts. This is a wrong concept. It is now generally agreed that Gita was written before 3100 BC. Upanishads are not independent books, but selected Chapters from Braahmanam or Aaranyakam, which together with Samhita forms Veda. The only exception is Ishopanishad, which is the last Chapter of Yajuh Samhita.
To explain the above point further, here the Shlokas from Gita and Kathopanishad are being explained. The Shloka in Kathopanishad 1-2-28 says:
न जायते म्रियते वा विपश्चिन्नायं कुतश्चिन्न बभूव कश्चित्।
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोsयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे।
Gita 2-20 says:
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः।
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे।
The next Shloka in Gita 2-21 talks about: य एनमजमव्ययम्। कथं स पुरुषः …. Similarly, the previous Shloka in Kathopanishad 1-2-27 says: एतदालम्वनं श्रेष्ठम् …. According to Mundaka Upanishad 3-2-7 and Aitareya Aaranyakam 2-3-8-20, they all become one in Avyaya – परेsव्यये सर्व एकीभवन्ति। This अव्ययपुरुष has four divisions according to Aitareya Aaranyakam. These are called: छन्दः अव्ययपुरुष, शरीरः अव्ययपुरुष, महा अव्ययपुरुष, and वेद अव्ययपुरुष. Of these, महा अव्ययपुरुष is also called ईश्वराव्यय and शरीरः अव्ययपुरुष is also called जीवाव्यय. None of these four are ever born. They are अज like the space inside a pitcher. The pitcher is created and destroyed. During its existence, we talk about the space inside it. When it is destroyed, the space remains as it was. The creation or destruction of the pitcher has no effect on the space. It is eternal – शाश्वत. The same space appears as new – पुराण in a different pitcher. Both the Shlokas talk about this nature of अव्ययपुरुष.
However, while the Gita talks only about ईश्वराव्यय, the Kathopanishad talks about the four categories. This is clear from the use of the word अयम् in Gita, which is a general statement, and कश्चित् in Kathopanishad, which refers to the different categories of अव्ययपुरुष. Thus, these are not repetitions, but said in different contexts.