Shreyas and Preyas (श्रेयः प्रेयः च)

Shreyas (Samskrit : श्रेयः) and Preyas (Samskrit : प्रेयः) are two-fold approaches optionally available to mankind in his journey of life as explained in Kathopanishad. Applicable to all beings, in the present day society, Kathopanishad highlights the requirement of discriminatory power between needs and wants or essentials and desires.

Yama and Nachiketa samvaada explicitly depicts the desirable qualities of a disciple seeking brahmavidya. For his exceptional courage to face death, Yama grants Nachiketa three boons and the dialogue between them forms the essence of brahmavidya as elucidated in Kathopanishad belonging to Krishna Yajurveda shaka of Taittriya Samhita.

In this context, Nachiketa asks Yama to grant him Atmajnana or brahmavidya as his third boon. Yama, in an attempt to dissuade him from seeking the knowledge of Self and secrets of death, allures him by offering pleasures of life, kingship, wealth, progeny and cattle. Nachiketa with steadfastness says "O Yama! I am not to be seduced by the lure of sons, wealth, cattle and kingdoms. What are these to a sensible man who realises that worldly pleasures are transient in nature?"

Greatly impressed by his non-attachment to worldly pleasures Yama imparts the secrets of death and the path of ascent of soul to higher planes to Nachiketa.

श्रेयस्साधुः ॥ Shreya is Preferable

The first adhyaya second valli (6 verses) of Kathopanishad teaches the concept of Shreyaha and Preyaha, where Yama talks about how the discriminatory power of the mind enables man to take either the path to worldly prosperity or to immortality.

अन्यच्छ्रेयोऽन्यदुतैव प्रेयस्ते उभे नानार्थे पुरुषँ् सिनीतः । तयोः श्रेय आददानस्य साधु भवति हीयतेऽर्थाद्य उ प्रेयो वृणीते ॥ १॥

श्रेयश्च प्रेयश्च मनुष्यमेतः तौ सम्परीत्य विविनक्ति धीरः । श्रेयो हि धीरोऽभि प्रेयसो वृणीते प्रेयो मन्दो योगक्षेमाद्वृणीते ॥ २॥

प्रेयो असाधुः ॥ Preya is Not Preferable

श्रेयो धीरः वृणीते ॥

प्रेयो मन्दः वृणीते ॥

स त्वं प्रियान्प्रियरूपांश्च कामान् अभिध्यायन्नचिकेतोऽत्यस्राक्षीः । नैताँ् सृङ्कां वित्तमयीमवाप्तो यस्यां मज्जन्ति बहवो मनुष्याः ॥ ३॥

दूरमेते विपरीते विषूची अविद्या या च विद्येति ज्ञाता । विद्याभीप्सिनं नचिकेतसं मन्ये न त्वा कामा बहवोऽलोलुपन्त ॥ ४॥

अविद्यायामन्तरे वर्तमानाः स्वयं धीराः पण्डितंमन्यमानाः । दन्द्रम्यमाणाः परियन्ति मूढा अन्धेनैव नीयमाना यथान्धाः ॥ ५॥

न साम्परायः प्रतिभाति बालं प्रमाद्यन्तं वित्तमोहेन मूढम् । अयं लोको नास्ति पर इति मानी पुनः पुनर्वशमापद्यते मे ॥ ६॥

Yama starts the

Preyas is that which attracts us even at the first sight because it can give us immediate pleasure.

Shreyas is that which does not attract us but is good for us.

Discrimination between Shreyas and Preyas

Shreyas and preyas are present in the life of human beings. Finally, the living entity is responsible for understanding the distinction between Shreyas and Preyas and working towards one’s liberation. And the choice of choosing between the two is based on sense of discrimination. The smriti & srutis claim that one who is dhira (steady) rejects preyas and chooses shreyas,

"||Dhiras Tatra Na Muhyati, Tasya Dhira Parijananti Yoni||"

And one who is slow and dull, chooses preyas.(1.2.2). This has been highlighted and glorified throughout the Upanishads. It is also said,

"||Yatadagre vishamiva  parinamo Amrutomapa||"

The process may be bitter, but the fruits are like nectar (अमृत  ||amruta).

A Manda (dull) person is one who does not understand his future. One who can recognize the past and remember everything that is called as Mati and that thing which utility friendly immediately or that knowledge is called as Buddhi. That integral knowledge that connects the past, present and the future such contemplation is called Pragya and to achieve this is the character of Pragya.  Manda or dull is the opposite of Pragya.  hat he desires of Yoga Kshema is about for him Yoga means to achieve those things which are not achieved and Kshema means after getting it trying to protect them and therefore in reality it becomes cause of unlimited anxiety and someone who is always has this assumption that he can protect himself that becomes cause of Ahamkara .

A wise man understands that both paths, Shreyas and Preyas are opposing paths and as one traverses the path, one realizes that the gap between the two progressively increases. It is also clear that the two paths can never meet.

The Gyanis say that the path of preyas the path of ignorance and that of sreyas is the path of Knowledge.

Pravritti marga (Preyas)

The path of worldly enjoyment, Preyas is also known as the Pravritti marga. It is very easy to get drawn into this path for seeking material gains are no doubt pleasurable. But our sense of discrimination will tell us that these gains are not only transient but also do not help us attain Moksha.

Nivritti marga (Shreyas)

The other path is that of Shreyas which leads to Self Realisation (Nivritti marga). Here the focus is on the welfare of the Atma and not the body. Realisation (Moksha) is reached through renunciation. Nachiketa symbolises discrimination who chooses Sreyas, that which is good and right and rejects Preyas though the latter appears very inviting and appealing.

While Preyas may be functionally useful it also becomes the cause of Bondage. One who chooses Shreyas as one’s life goal is benefitted and one who accepts Preyas would be bereft of the highest achievement (1.2.1).

Shreyas in Upanishads

What sounds to be nice,  it may not be very pleasing and whatever is pleasing may not be very nice.  This is because of the nature of the thing. Bhagavan has given us the Jiva (the active body) and the senses for our liberation.  Bhagawan gave them the power of understanding to execute and sent to this land of execution, the land of Sadhana (? karma), the material world.

Shreyas in Bhagavadgeeta

Sri Krishna in the Gita (18.32) says that sattvik happiness  has the nature to  liberate... But what appears as nectar by the interaction with senses and bewilders in the end is of rajo guna ().  One’s desires, sleep, laziness and the pursuit of sensual pleasure is in the nature of tamo guna (). There are several similarities in the Bhagvad Gita and the Katopanishad and this could be attributed to the fact that are from the same parampara (tradition).  Because Gita has similarity with Kathoupanishada some people raise their eyebrow saying upanishada is very recent.  We can understand this is false debate.