Yama- Nachiketa anecdote ( story from Katha Upanishad)

In ancient India , there lived a sage named Bajasraba Gotama. Uddalaka, his son decided to perform one sacrifice which was famous by the name as " Biswajit Yajna". In a Biswajit Yajna, one has has to give away everything in his possession. One is called Biswajit, when he has conquered the world. There cannot be any better way to conquer the world than by renunciation.

Being desirous to perform the " Biswajit sacrifice " Uddalaka collected cows, bullocks and calves for distribution amongst Brahmins for the purpose of charity.

Nachiketa, a very little son of Uddalaka was roaming around the place of sacrifice to watch every performance of his father. Though not sufficiently matured, Nachiketa became extremely disheartened to see that his father was making charity with cows that already became old, incapable and for that reason completely useless. It pained him to think------ " what an act of piety will this be, if my father made a charity with these old bovine animals. In stead of piety, this sacrifice might bring him curse in life".

With this agony in mind, Nachiketa came straight to his father and asked politely an innocent question----- " Father, whom shall you offer me? Am I not your wealth, fit enough to be given away as charity in this sacrifice? "

The father looked at his son and did not reply anything. He remained engaged in performing the Holy sacrifice. Nachiketa was obstinate. He persistently asked the same question to his father . Finally, the father became extremely annoyed and in order to stop his son repeating the same question during his busy hours over again, he gave this vexed reply. ---- " I give you to Yama. "

Yama was the god of death. Nachiketa became perplexed and remained silent for some time as if he became a chunk of stone. He thought unto himself " Am I really so much worthless! Yama or death takes a man when the need of a man for this world is exhausted. Have I really attained such a state ?" Anyway, Nachiketa decided to to set out for Yama's kingdom. Fully determined and extremely undaunted, Nachiketa came to his father in order to obtain his permission and blessings.

Nachiketa' s father got startled at the proposal of his son. The father tried to remove all misconceptions of Nachiketa and told him that he never intended to send him to Yama from the core of his heart. He asked him to realise and accept all the words of his father for word's sake without attaching much value to them.

Nachiketa was obstinate as before. He persuaded his father to think that there could not be anything higher than 'Truth ' in this world. Nachiketa was determined to keep the truth of words of his father. He earnestly solicited the permission of his father. He had a strong logic as well. His logic was this : The perishable body never lasts eternally. It will end definitely oneday. Why then should we not direct our efforts for attainment of truth which remains eternally present and produces auspicious results. Truly wise and a real person of wisdom, Nachiketa's father came to senses and extended blessings with permission to Nachiketa for setting out his journey towards Yama's Kingdom.

Yama or the Lord of Death was the neutral Judge. He judges according to the merit and demerit of actions. Good actions yield good results. Bad actions yield bad ones. Yama uses this yardstick in judging actions of men without any partiality. For this reason, He is also named " Dharmaraj " Nachiketa had a very high impression about Yama

When Nachiketa reached Yama's kingdom, Dharmaraj was absent there. Nachiketa was so adamant that he preferred to wait for Yama's return in stead of coming back without seeing Him. He remained there for three days without any food.

Yama came back after three says and learnt that Nachiketa, a Brahmin boy remained in starvation for three days even though he was his guest. It was a sheer discredit and a matter of disgrace for Yama. At the same time, Yama was equally delighted to see Nachiketa's firmness of mind and determination. He decided to give him three boons which Yama thought , could mitigate the disgrace which He would face to suffer owing to the starvation of this little boy. In order to repair His own position as Darmaraj and also to prize Nachiketa for his determination Yama told Nachiketa :

" You took so much trouble for three nights in order to meet me. I am extremely delighted. I appreciate your strong determination. You can pray three boons from me. I shall grant your prayer. Tell me what are your wishes. "

Nachiketa told Yama:

" I have come to you from earth leaving my father there. Definitely his heart is tormented now in my absence. He is passing his days amidst great agony there. Kindly grant my first boon so that my father can recognise me when I go back to him and also accepts me cheerfully. I heard this several times that one who goes back from here can not be recognised by anyone.

Yama granted this first prayer of Nachiketa and told him " what is your next prayer Nachiketa?"

Nachiketa told Yama ------ " It is heard that persons reside in heaven with divine happiness. In heaven there is only unalloyed bliss with no disease or disablement. There is also no fear of death in heaven. Kindly tell me the way how one can enter the gate of heaven. "

Yama, an expert in this field and knowledge of extra-mundane affairs became exceedingly delighted at the inquisitiveness of a little boy. He taught Nachiketa all sacrifices in detail which might lead one to heaven.

Having granted the second boon ,Yama wanted to know the third prayer of Nachiketa. Nachiketa told Yama ----- " Some say that men exist even after their death . It is only the body which is perished but the soul is not. Some others dispute this. They say everything perishes with the death of a man. Nothing remains after his death. Kindly tell me the doctrine of soul. This is the third boon which I now pray from you. "

Yama became stunned considering gravity of Nachiketa's question which undoubtedly appeared incompatible with the level of maturity for a boy of Nachiketa's age.

Yama told Nachiketa ------ " Look my son, the doctrine of soul is very subtle and intricate Even the gods endowed with higher faculties of intellect have no confirmed knowledge in this subject. You better ask for any other boon in exchange of what you ask for.

Yama's words enhanced Nachiketa's enthusiasm. He used a very powerful logic to convince Yama by telling Him ------ " When the gods even have no confirmed knowledge in this subject, I cannot spare you before my prayer is fulfilled. Where can I get any worthier speaker than you on this topic of the doctrine of soul?It will become unwise on my part if I miss this opportunity of knowing about soul from an expert like you in this subject.

Yama was highly impressed by the words of Nachiketa. He nevertheless wanted to test Nachiketa's reactions by offering him some extra-ordinary allurements with following words:- " I shall make you an owner of enormous wealth. You can be a proprietor of riches and carriages with men in plenty at your disposal you shall enjoy all these for hundred years with your sons and grandsons if you so like. Look there at celestial nymphs. They are experts in singing and dancing. You can take these beautiful damsels with you. Leaving all these why you want to acquire only knowledge of the soul?"

Nachiketa heard all these with extreme reverence and thought that these objects of pleasure offered to him by Yama were only like lamps with dim light near the radiant rays of the Sun if compred to ' knowledge of the Soul '

He rejected all allurements. and insisted Yama on giving him ' self knowledge '

Defeated before the strong determination of little Nachiketa, Yama explained the doctrine of soul before Nachiketa in beautiful slokas like one as under:

" Na Jayate Mriyate ba vipaschin

nayam kutsechinna bobhuba koschit

Ajo nityoh saswatoyam purano

Na hanyte hanyamane sarire. "

The sloka meant ---- " this self which is no other than pure consciousness is never born out of anything, nor again does it have an end . It has no growth, nor does it have any decay. Even when old, it is ever-new. Even at the destruction of body the soul is never destroyed. "

Yama told him this also that the nature of soul is so much peculiar that one cannot acquire its knowledge either by keen intellect or even by very much learning of the scriptures. This inner soul can be known by him alone who conceives himself as identical with it and is favoured by the soul to acquire its true knowledge.

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