The Story
Nachiketa’s father, Vajashrava, was performing a ritual where one must give away all possessions. But he gave away only old, useless cows—not a true sacrifice.
Young Nachiketa, seeing his father’s hypocrisy, asked: “Father, to whom will you give me?”
Asked three times, the father, annoyed, replied: “I give you to Death!”
Nachiketa went to the abode of Yama (God of Death). Yama was away for three days. When he returned, he found the brahmin boy had waited without food or water.
To compensate, Yama offered three boons.
First Boon
Nachiketa: “Let my father’s anger cool. Let him receive me with love when I return.”
Yama: “Granted. Your father will sleep peacefully and welcome you with affection.”
Second Boon
Nachiketa: “In heaven, there is no fear—not of old age, not of death, not of hunger or thirst. Teach me the sacred fire that leads to heaven.”
Yama: “I will teach you this fire. Listen carefully.”
Yama explained the sacred fire ritual in detail—the arrangement of bricks, the mantras, the offerings. Nachiketa learned perfectly.
Yama, pleased, named this sacred fire “Nachiketa Agni” after the boy.
Third Boon - The Ultimate Question
Nachiketa: “There is this great doubt: Some say after death, a person continues to exist. Others say he does not exist. I want to know this truth. This is my third boon.”
Yama: “Even the gods of old had doubt about this! This is not easy to understand. Ask for another boon—long life, wealth, kingdoms, beautiful women, power. Ask for anything else!”
Nachiketa: “All these are fleeting, Lord of Death. They last only until tomorrow. They wear out the vigor of the senses. Even the longest life is short compared to eternity. Keep your wealth and kingdoms. I want to know THAT which remains when all else perishes.”
Yama (testing): “Choose pleasure or choose the good. Pleasure is one path, the good is another. Blessed is he who chooses the good. He who chooses pleasure misses the true goal.”
Nachiketa: “I have considered, O Death. I reject everything that perishes. I want only the knowledge of the Immortal.”
Yama (satisfied): “You have passed the test. Few seekers have such discrimination. Now I will teach you.”
Yama’s Teaching - The Two Selves
Know the Self as the lord of the chariot, the body as the chariot itself. Know the intellect as the charioteer, and the mind as the reins.
The senses are the horses, the sense objects are the paths they travel. The Self, when united with the body, mind, and senses, is the experiencer.
He who has no discrimination, whose mind is always uncontrolled—his senses are like wild horses beyond the charioteer’s control.
But he who has discrimination, whose mind is always controlled—his senses are like good horses, obedient to the charioteer.
The Goal:
- He who has no understanding, who is unmindful, never reaches that goal—he wanders in samsara (the cycle of birth and death)
- But he who has understanding, who is mindful, reaches the end of the journey—the supreme abode of Vishnu
The Two Paths
Yama:
There are two paths—the path of pleasure (preyas) and the path of the good (shreyas). Both present themselves to a person.
The wise person examines both and chooses the path of the good. The fool, driven by desire for pleasure, chooses the other.
Nachiketa, you have rejected wealth, pleasures, and long life. You have chosen the good. Few do this.
The Teaching of the Atman
The Self (Atman) is not born, nor does it die. It did not come from anywhere, nor did anything come from it. It is unborn, eternal, everlasting, ancient. It is not killed when the body is killed.
If the killer thinks he kills, and if the killed thinks he is killed—neither knows the truth. The Self neither kills nor is killed.
The Atman is subtler than the subtle, greater than the great. It dwells in the heart of every creature. One who is free from desire, free from sorrow, sees the glory of the Self through the grace of the Creator.
The Atman Cannot Be Known by Ordinary Means
This Atman cannot be attained by study of the Vedas, nor by intelligence, nor by much learning. It can be attained only by the one whom the Atman chooses. To such a person, the Atman reveals its own nature.
He who has not ceased from doing wrong, who is not tranquil, who is not concentrated, who is not peaceful—cannot attain the Self through mere cleverness.
Prerequisites:
- Cease from wrong action (ethical purity)
- Be tranquil (emotional stillness)
- Be concentrated (mental focus)
- Be peaceful (inner contentment)
Without these, the intellect alone cannot grasp the Self.
The Tree of Immortality
This is that ancient tree (Ashvattha) with roots above and branches below. That pure one is Brahman. That is called the Immortal. All worlds rest in That. None can transcend That.
From Brahman, the entire universe trembles. Everything that exists vibrates because of It. Those who know this become immortal.
The inverted tree:
- Roots (Brahman) are above (the source)
- Branches (manifestation) are below
- The whole universe hangs from the eternal
The Two Birds
Two birds, close companions, cling to the same tree. One eats the sweet fruit, the other looks on without eating.
On the same tree, the individual self (jiva), deluded and powerless, grieves. But when it sees the other—the Lord, worshipped by all, and His glory—it becomes free from sorrow.
The Teaching:
- One bird (ego) eats fruit (experiences pleasure and pain)
- The other bird (Self) simply witnesses
- When the eating bird realizes it IS the witnessing bird, suffering ends
The Inner Light
The sun does not shine there, nor the moon, nor the stars. Lightning does not flash there, much less fire. When He shines, everything shines after Him. By His light, all this is illumined.
Brahman is:
- The light of all lights
- Self-luminous consciousness
- That which illuminates the sun, moon, mind, and all experience
The Path of the Departed
Yama teaches two paths after death:
1. The Path of the Gods (Devayana)
- Leads to Brahmaloka
- For those who meditate on Brahman with devotion
- No return to rebirth
2. The Path of the Ancestors (Pitriyana)
- Leads to the moon, enjoyment, then rebirth
- For those who perform good deeds and rituals
- Temporary heaven, then return
But beyond both paths:
Those who know Brahman in this very life become immortal here and now. Those who do not know suffer greatly.
The Final Secret
When all the knots of the heart are loosened, when all doubts are resolved, when all karmas are exhausted—then the mortal becomes immortal. This is the teaching.
There are 101 nadis (subtle channels) in the heart. Of these, one goes upward to the crown. Going up through that, one attains immortality. The other channels lead in various directions at death.
The Atman:
- Size of a thumb (metaphorical—centered in the heart)
- Ruler of past and future
- Knowing it, one fears no more
Nachiketa’s Realization
After receiving this teaching, Nachiketa attained Brahman. He became free from passion, free from death.
And it is said: “Whoever knows this becomes likewise free.”
The Katha Upanishad Prayer
May He protect us both (teacher and student). May He nourish us both. May we work together with vigor. May our study be illuminating. May there be no discord between us.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti (Peace, peace, peace)
The Core Teaching
- Discrimination (Viveka): Choose the eternal over the pleasant
- Dispassion (Vairagya): Renounce attachment to perishable things
- Inner Purity: Calm mind, controlled senses, ethical living
- Self-Knowledge: The Atman is immortal, unborn, eternal
Yama’s final words:
This wisdom is the secret of secrets, the ancient path to immortality. Meditate on the Self as OM. Cross the ocean of death.
The mantra: OM TAT SAT (That alone is Real)