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Nachiketa (Sanskrit:नचिकेता,
IAST: Naciketā) was
a son of an ancient
Indian sage of the
name Vājashravasa.
He was taught
Self-knowledge, the
truth about the
human soul, by
Lord Yama. "In this
context (Vājashravasa)
refers to what may
be called exoteric
religion, the
tradition about the
sustaining power of
the Universe which
has been heard and
handed down through
generations. It is
as a symbol of such
exoteric religion
that the man
Vājashravasa speaks
and acts." Nachiketa,
who was offered to
Yama to find a place
in Heaven by his
father, "is derived
from 'na chiketas,'
that which is
unpercieved and
refers to the
quickening Spirit
that lies within all
things like fire,
latent in wood, the
spirit that giveth
as opposed to
Vājashravsa, the
letter which killeth."
[1] Nachiketa with
his wits learnt the
wisdom taught by
Yama (the god of
Death), found the
path of realising
Brahman / Moksha
i.e. emancipation of
the soul from
rebirth.Nachiketa and Yama The story of the conversation between Nachiketa and his teacher Yama is the teaching of the Kathopanishad. Vājashrava, desiring a gift from the gods, made offerings of all he owned. But the kind of cows that he had were old, yielding no milk and worthless; not such as might buy the worshiper a place in Heaven. Vājashravasa's son, Nachiketa would have his father make a worthier offering. To his sire he spoke: "To which god wilt thou offer me?" "To Death do I give thee". Nachiketa thought: "I shall be neither the first nor last that fares to Yama. Yet what will he do with me? It shall be with me as with others." So Nachiketa went his way to Death's wide home, and waited there three days; for Death was on a journey. When Death returned, his servants said: " A Brahman guest burns like a fire; Nachiketa waits three days unwelcomed; do thou soothe him with an offering of water, for all is lost to him in whose abode a Brahman waits unfed." Then Death spoke to Nachiketa: "Since thou, an honored guest, hast waited in my house three days unfed, ask of me three boons in return, I shall grant them". Then first he prayed: " Grant to my father peace and to know and welcome me when I return." Yama answered: "Be it so." Nachiketa asked again: " In the Heaven-world there is no fear; there is neither hunger, nor old age, nor fear of death. Reveal to me the sacred fire that leads to Heaven and immortality." Then Yama described the sacred fire- what stones for its altar, and how disposed; and Nachiketa said it over, learning the lesson taught by Yama. Yama spoke again: " I grant thee, furthermore, that this sacred fire be known for ever by thy name; thine is the fire that leads to Heaven, thy second boon." Nachiketa asked again: " The great mystery of what cometh after death; he is, some say; others say, he is no more. This great doubt I ask thee to resolve." Yama replied: " Even the gods of old knew not this; this is a matter hard to be learnt; ask me any other boon only ask not of death." But Nachiketa insisted to resolve mystery after death and no other boon. Yama explained that the goal of sacred wisdom, of goodly works and faith, is Om! This word is Brahman, the supreme. He who doth comprehend this word, whatever he desires is his. Thus having learnt the wisdom taught by Yama, and finding Brahman, Nachiketa was freed from death. The details of the story is narrated in Garuda Purana. |
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