This Story Is About Nachiketa

This story is from ''KATHOPANISHAD''.
This Upanishad is one of the most popular

upanishads.
This story is a conversation between Nachiketa an young boy and Yama - the Lord of
death.The teacher is Yama - The Death Himself and the student is a young Nachiketa
in his teens.
In ancient India, there was Vajasrawas, a famous person .He was performing a
sacrifice named Viswajet Yajna. In this Yajna, the performer had to give away all his
wealth. It was a unique occasion. The place was beautifully decorated.Many rishis
attended and they were chanting the mantras while offering to the holy fire.Cows were
designated as valuable and special possessions in those very ancient days, and hence
Vajashrava decided to donate all his cows to Brahmins.
Nachiketa was in his teens, and he was observing the sacrificial ritual with innocent
interest. He was surprised to notice that his father was giving away only old and
disabled cows. Those cows , who had given their milk for along time and who were
not capable of bearing calves.
This 'worldly cleverness' of his father brought a lot of change in the heart of the young
boy.
Nachiketa, in order to dissuade his father from giving old cows, asked," O father,
whom have you decided to give me away?''.
The purpose of the boy was to stop his father to do such things.
At first his father did not take any notice of this 'childish' question, but Nachiketa was
insistent. He repeated the question thrice when the irritated father said," Nachiketa, I
give you to the God Death."
Vajasrawas did not mean what he said. He had uttered these words in anger. No father
would like to send their son away to the land of death. Nachiketa decided to obey the
words of his father by going to the abode of Yama. Vajasrawas asked his little son to
stay back. Nachiketa loved was very firm. Folding his hands he told his father that their
ancestors never went back on their words and he would like to follow the same. He
wanted his father to follow the same tradition. Nachiketa knew that all the things in this
world are temporary and he was not afraid of death. He understood that following the
path of truth is the gateway to heaven.
Vajasrawas was very sad but gave him permission as a follower of truth. Nachiketa
left for the abode of Yama.
On reaching there he found that Yama was not at home. For three days and night the
young boy waited without food , water and sleep at the doorstep of Yama’s abode.
Yama on his return, was deeply grieved to see that there was no welcome to
Nachiketa. Yama himself greeted him with due respect. For having kept Nachiketa
waiting for three days, Yama granted him three boons.
The first boon, Nachiketa said, “I seek the welfare of my father as my first boon.” Yama
granted him happily.
The second boon“Sir I desire to know how one could reach heaven where there is no
sorrow, old age or death”. Nachiketa did not ask this second boon for himself but for
the sake of the people. He wanted everyone to learn this secret knowledge and free
themselves from the sufferings.
Yama was pleased with the unselfishness of Nachiketa. Yama gave all the details of
a particular sacrifice, the performance of which would take one to heaven.
As Nachiketa was an intelligent and a sincere boy with a spiritual knowledge, he could
understand all that was taught. Yama was pleased with him and in appreciation,
named that particular sacrifice after Nachiketa himself.
The third boon ...
Nachiketa asked to learn the mystery of what comes after death.
Yama was reluctant on this question. He said that this had been a mystery even to the
gods. He asked Nachiketa to ask for some other boon, and offered many material
gains.
But Nachiketa argues that all worldly treasures and heavenly pleasures come to an
end sooner or later. If not day after, after hundred years. These are not permanent
means of enjoyment. He insists to get the ultimate knowledge of Self, '' O Lord of
Death, you have promised me the third boon''.
Yama was pleased with such a young truth-seeker who had rejected the path of
enjoyment and chose the path of goodness. Then Yama taught him the knowledge of
the Atman, realizing which man attains immortality. Know the Self as lord of the
chariot,The body as the chariot itself, The discriminating intellect as charioteer, And
the mind as reins.
The senses, say the wise, are the horses; Selfish desires are the roads they travel.
When the Self is confused with the body, Mind, and senses, they point out, he seems
to enjoy pleasure and suffer sorrow.
The all-knowing Self was never born,nor will it die. Beyond cause and effect, This Self
is eternal .
When the body dies, the Self does not die.
One must discriminate the Soul from the body, which is the seat of desire.After death,
it is the Soul that remains; the Soul is immortal.
Thus having learned the wisdom of the Brahman from Yama, Nachiketa was freed
from the cycle of births.
Nachiketa has been one of the most influential characters in Hinduism. Indian monk
swamy vivekananda said: "If I get ten or twelve boys with the faith of Nachiketa, I can
turn the thoughts and pursuits of this country in a new channel.''
This forms the subject matter of one of the Upanishads called Katha Upanishad.

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This Story Is About Nachiketa

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This story is from ''KATHOPANISHAD''.

This Upanishad is one of the most popular

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