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Articles: Devotion | Nachiketa and Yama
- Mr. Venkata Ramanamurty Mallajosyula
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There was a cowherd of the name of Vajasrava, desiring a gift from the Gods, he made offerings of all he owned. But the kind he had were old, yielding no milk and worthless, not such as might buy the worshipper a place in heaven. Vajasrava had a son, he would have his father make a worthier offering. To his sire he spoke: To which God will thou offer me?”. “To death I give thee.”
Nachaketa 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: like grass decays. Like grass he springeth again, ”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 Brahmin guest burns like a fire; Nachiketa waits three days un welcomed, do thou sooth him with an offering of water, for all is last to him in whose abode a Brahmin waits unfed.”
Then Death spoke to Nachaketa: ”Since thou, an honored guest, hast waited in my house three days unfed, ask of me three boons in return, and I shall grant them. ”Then first he prayed: Grant to my father peace and to know and welcome me when I return.” Death answered: ”Be it so.”
Nachaketa asked again: ”In Heaven-world the folk are quit of thee: there is neither hunger. nor eld, nor fear, nor death, Reveal to me the sacred fire that leads to Heaven. ”Then Death described the sacred fire-what stones for its altar, and how disposed: and Nachiketa said it over, learning the lesson taught by Death. Death spoke again: ”I grant thee, further more that this sacred fire be known for ever by thy name: thine is the fire that leads to Heaven, thy second boon.”
Nachaketa asked again: ”The great mystery of what cometh after death: he is, some way; others say, he is no more. This great doubt I ask thee to resolve. ”Death replied: ”Even the god’s of old knew not this; this is a matter hard to be learnt; ask me, O Nachiketa, any other boon, though it be a hundred sons, or untold wealth, or broad lands, or length of days. All that a man can desire shall be thine, kingship, wealth, the fairest song stresses of Indra’s heaven; only ask not of death. ”Nachiketa answered: These be matters of a day and destroy the fiery energy of men; thine be the wealth, thine the dance and song. What avails wealth when as thou dost appear? How shall a man delight in life, however long when he has beheld the bliss of those who perish not? This doubt of the Great Hereafter I ask thee to resolve; no other boon I ask.”
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