Story of Nachiketa
Nachiketa was the son of King Vaajashravas. He was a boy endowed with super-intelligence, good virtues and a keen sense of discrimination.
When Nachiketa was seven years old, his father decided to perform a spiritual ritual (yagna). As a part of the yagna, the father had to give away cows as charity to learned wise men. Nachiketa saw that his father was giving away only very old cows—so old that they were of no use either to the donor or to the recipient. Little Nachiketa knew that this was not how an offering should be made. He knew that until his father was ready to make a sacrifice by giving something dear to him, the yagna would not be sanctified. An offering has to be useful, it has to be made to someone who deserves it, and it must be made with love. Nachiketa wanted to do something to protect his father from the impact of such a wrong action. He thought, “The yagna will be sanctified if my father offers something useful. Why don’t I suggest something within my reach? Why not offer myself?”
He approached his father and asked him softly, “To whom are you going to offer me in this yagna, my dear father?” Vaajashravas was very busy and did not answer, but Nachiketa kept asking the same question over and over. Finally, his father got furious and said, “I am planning to offer you to Yama, the Lord of death.” “That will be just fine,” replied young Nachiketa.
When the yagna was finally over, Nachiketa reminded his father of what he had said. Then the boy added that he could no longer stay in the palace because he had been offered to Yama. The father was very, very sad, but because of the words he had uttered in anger, reluctantly he had to agree with his son. Nachiketa traveled to the kingdom of Yama. When he got there, Yama was away and the boy had to wait for three days for his return.
When Yama came back, he was surprised to see a radiant young lad at his palace gate. When he was questioned, Nachiketa told Yama what had happened. Astonished, Yama said, “My dear Prince, I am sorry you have had to wait for me for three days and nights without proper hospitality. So that I may make amends, please ask for the three boons of your choice.” Nachiketa thanked the man for his kindness.
After Yama had fed Nachiketa, he once again instructed the boy to ask for three boons. Nachiketa thought for a few moments then said, “Oh Lord, as a first boon, I pray that my father’s yagna is sanctified and that he receives me with no anger in his heart when I return. As a second boon, I would like to know the secret of why there is no hunger, thirst, or fear of death in heaven so that I can teach people on earth the same secret. Last, Oh, Lord of Death, I pray that you reveal to me what happens after death.”
Yama granted the first two boons without any hesitation. But the third took him by surprise. The secret of death is deep and subtle. Was the young boy deserving of knowing it? Yama suggested that Nachiketa ask for something else instead. When the boy would not be dissuaded, Yama offered him all the riches and comforts of the world, sons and grandsons, beauty, and whatever else he fancied. But, Nachiketa refused it all. Seeing Nachiketa’s determination, Yama was pleased and taught him about the greatness of Pranava (the Aum) and imparted knowledge about Brahman. He told Nachiketa there are two kinds of experiences a human being faces, namely shreyas (that which is good) and preyas (that which is pleasant). While preyas seems pleasant for now, shreyas–though not pleasant—is the right thing to do in the long run. Knowledge leads you to shreyas and delusion to preyas. The first releases;
the second leashes. Yama then taught Nachiketa the ultimate knowledge of reality—the knowledge of atma (the soul). The eternal, timeless, limitless atma travels through different body and name forms. If you look at the reflection of the sun in a lake with quivering water, the image of the sun quivers. But the sun itself does not quiver. It is only a distant witness. So, also, is the atma the unchangeable part of our existence. It is only a witness to change, which is the substratum of all that is. Atma is the witness, while the being appears in different names and forms over different life cycles. It is also the inner motivating force behind everything. The delusion of multiplicity is caused only by ignorance. By being aware of atmic knowledge, you can shed that ignorance and realize the truth.
Finally Yama blessed Nachiketa by saying, “My dear Nachiketa, dwell not on the secret of death. Instead, dwell on the light that illumines the heart of all beings as the Divinity inherent therein.” With this, Lord Yama sent the enlightened Nachiketa back to his kingdom.
This conversation between Yama and Nachiketa is found in one of the most well—known Upanishads (Hindu scriptures)—the Kathopanishad.
~Latha Swuminathan
New Jersey, USA
