Chapter-6

Upanishads are the last part of the Vedas. “Katopanishad” is one of the Upanishads. This starts with the following story.

Gauthama Maharishi was born in the line of Uddhaalaka Aaruni. His wife’s name was Sumathi. His son whose name was Nachiketa was 12 years old. He was also well versed in Vedas. Gauthama Maharishi performed a Yagna by name “Vishwajit Yaaga”. As per this yaaga, he has to give away most of his wealth as charity to learned Brahmins. When he started the yagna, he was doing it properly, by giving as charity, most of his things. But as the Yagna progressed, his mind changed and miserly thoughts started coming.

Last was the ‘Go-dhaana’, or giving away of cows as charity. He had lined up a few cows, which were useless. The cows were lean, had not seen grass or water for several months together, and was past the age of conceiving or giving milk.

When Nachiketa saw these cows lined up for being given as charity, he was very upset. Since, he was well versed in Vedas, he thought, by doing so, his father will not get any benefits of the Yagna. He asked his father, “To whom are you going to give these cows. Gouthama snapped and said, please keep quite. Nachiketa repeated the question three times. All the while, Gauthama asked him to shut up. Then Nachiketa asked, “Who are you going to give me to.” Gauthama lost his temper and shouted, “To Mrithyu devatha” (Yama Dharma). A Maharishi’s words, never goes untrue, and so did it happen. Nachiketa said, “so it shall be” and started preparing himself to leave.

Everyone around them were shocked. Nachiketa’s mother started screaming, and tried to prevent him. Gauthama realised his mistake and was trying to persuade Nachiketa not to leave. But, Nachiketa was very adament to go.

Gauthama asked all the other learned Maharishis around him as to what can be done. They advised that a ‘Buffallo’ can be sacrified in place of Nachiketa, to please Yama Dharma. But Nachiketa said, “In the first place you were trying to make a mistake by giving worthless cows. And now you want to replace me with a buffallo, as gift to Yama. Saying so, with his Yogic powers, he started his journey towards, Yama Pattina-‘The Naraka’, the abode of Yama Dharma.

So with out death, Nachiketa reached Yama loka. Yama Dharma was not there, since he had gone to see his father-in-law, Surya deva. Nachiketa waited in Yama loka for three days. When Yama returned, he was shocked to see and hear that Nachiketa had been waiting for 3 days to see him. Making a Brahmin well versed in Vedas, to wait for 3 days at one’s gate is a sin. So Yama granted 3 boons to Nachiketa. Nachiketa asked for the three boons.

First boon was that, when he returns, his father Gauthama should accept him without being angry. Granted.

Second boon was, (he had heard that ‘Agni Vidhya’ can take one to heaven.) He wanted to learn ‘Agni vidhya’ from Yama. Yama teaches him ‘Agni vidhya’ capable of reaching the heavens, and also names the “Agni Vidya” given to him as “Naachiketaagni”.

Now comes the last and third boon. This is the most important, since the philosophy of Upanishad starts from here. Nachiketa, just asks a one line question to Yama.
येयम् प्रेतेविचिकित्सा मनुष्ये अस्तीति एके नायमस्तीतिचैके
Yeyam prethevichikitsa manushye, asthiithi eke nayamasthiithichaike

First, Yama tries to avoid answering this question, as much as possible. He says, leave this question and ask any other question. But Nachiketa is adament.

Then Yama attracts Nachiketa with many gifts. I will give you countless amount of land on earth, as much wealth as you want, many cows, horses, elephants, and most important of all hundreds of years to live.

Now Nachiketa asks a different question to Yama. “If I accept all that you give me, will it be the answer for my previous question?

Now Yama gets trapped.
If Yama says, Yes, then it would become a lie. Yama Dharma’s words can never be a lie. So he agrees to answer the first question. For the question Nachiketa asked in one line, Yama gives answer in four chapters. First of all, we have to understand the question before we go to the answer.

Yeyam prethevichikitsa manushye, asthiithi eke nayamasthiithichaike

This means, ‘after death, leaving this body, where does one go and what happens.