AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

        'The spacious imagination, the majestic sweep of thought, and the almost reckless spirit of exploration with which, urged by the compelling thirst for truth, the Upanishad teachers and pupils dig into the 'open secret' of the universe, make this most ancient of the world's holy books still the most modern and most satisfying'.

        The Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas and constitute the basis for the Vedanta Philosophy, a system in which human speculation in 800 BC seems to have reached its very acme. The Upanishads have dominated Indian philosophy, religion and life for more than 3000 years. Though remote from time from us, they are not remote in thought. What was the ideal that haunted the bold thinkers of the Upanishads? What were the sacred idols and icons that they installed and consecrated in their minds and hearts? Those idols and icons were : The ideal of man's ultimate beatitude, the sublime perfection of knowledge, the lofty vision of the real in which the religious hunger of the mystic for the direct vision of the Almighty and the philosopher's ceaseless passion and quest for immortal truth were both satisfied.

Nachiketa questioning the conqueror of death.

The word 'Upanishad' is derived from Sanskrit word 'Upa' (Near), 'Ni' (Down), and 'Shad' (to sit). Groups of people sat neat the teacher in ancient India to learn from him the truth by which ignorance is destroyed. There are over 200 Upanishads, although the traditional number is 108. Of these the principal Upanishads are 10: Isa Upanishad, Kena Upanishad, Katha Upanishad, Prashna Upanishad, Mundaka Upanishad, Mandulya Upanishad, Taittiriya Upanishad, Aitereya Upnishad, Chandogya Upanishad and Brahadaranyaka Upanishad. Adi Shankara, the great Vedantic philosopher of the 8th century AD, wrote commentaries on 11 of the Upanishads, these 10 and the Svetasvatara Upanishad. He also made extensive references to the Kausitaki Upanishad and Mahanarayana Upanishad. These, together with Maitri Upanishad, constitute the 14 well-known principal Upanishads. The dates of these Upanishads are difficult to determine. One thing is very clear. All of them are very definitely pre-Buddistic — long before 500 BC. All of them are vehicles of spiritual elimination than of systematic reflection. Their main objective is practical rather than speculative. They give us knowledge as a means to spiritual freedom.

        To come to the inspiring story of Nachiketa from the Katha Upanishad. The Katha Upanishad gets its name from a school of the Krishna Yajur Veda. It is perhaps the most philosophical of the Upanishads. The most interesting feature in this Upanishad is the dialogue between Nachiketa and Yama, the God of Death on the question of immortality on the self, in which Nachiketa chooses knowledge above all worldly blessings. During the course of this dialogue between two mighty minds and spirits, the following truths are proclaimed: The theory of the superiority of the good (SREYAS) over the pleasant (PREYAS); the view that Atman cannot be known by the senses, by reason, or by much learning, but only by intuitive insight or direct realisation; and the doctrine of the human body as the chariot of the self. Yama, the God of Death gives his final and definite answers to the two major questions put by Nachiketa to him: 'What is that which, being known, everything else becomes known?' and 'Who is that Lord or Being for fear of whom fire burns, for fear of whom the sun shines, for fear of whom the winds, clouds, and Death perform their offices?'

        It has been the Hindu way through the ages to weave sublime truths into a story presented as a tapestry of eternal concepts unsurpassed in meaning and grandeur. In poetic language, grand philosophical truths are conveyed.

        The Nachiketa story can be summarised as follows. In the 135th Sukta of the tenth mandala of the Rig Veda mention is made of a boy about whom SAYANA, the Vedic commentator, says that he was no other than the NACHIKETA, who went to Yama, the God of Death under the command of his father, Sage Gautama Vajasravas. He was a poor Brahmin, well-versed in the sacred lore and he performed a fire sacrifice 'Viswajit'. As a part of this ritual, he had to offer gifts to the priests. As he was very poor, he offered a few old cows, decrepit, without teeth, without eyes and flesh, past the age of calving.

        His son Nachiketa who was observing the details of the sacrifice being made by his father could see that his father was feeling dejected on account of the fact that he was offering useless gifts to the priests. Nachiketas, dutiful son as he was, decided that he should bring happiness to his father at any cost. So he said to his father, 'To whom do you give me?' The father neglected the question once, twice but on the son repeating the question a third time, he lost his temper and said, 'Unto Yama I give thee.' Nachiketa replied with dignity, poise and understanding: 'Men die like corn, they are born like corn. What is the use of not acting up to what you say; for heaven's sake send me soon to Yama, the God of Death.' Seeing no way out, the Sage Gautama Vajasravas , gave his permission to Nachiketa to go to the God of Death (Yama). Accordingly, the boy went to the abode of Death; Yama was not there then. The boy stayed at Yama's place; Yama returned after three days. Yama offered the boy three boons. The first boon that Nachiketas chose was that his father should be pacified as he was having sleepless nights and sorrowful days, with no peace of mind and he wanted that all his anxieties should cease. Yama granted this boon most willingly.

        For the second boon Nachiketa wanted Yama to teach him the fire that led to heaven. He wanted to know the path by which man goes to heaven. Yama had become a God through fire sacrifice. He was thus the best fitted to teach him fire knowledge 'Agni Vidya'. Appreciating the earnestness of Nachiketa, Yama described the nature of fire, the altar, and the way the rite was to be performed. Nachiketa showed an uncommon power of understanding and Yama was so much pleased that he declared that thenceforward the fire would be known by the boy's name as - Nachiketa Agni.

        For the third boon, Nachiketa asked Yama to teach him the Atma Vidya -the Science of Self. He said to Yama, 'Some say that man survives Death, others that he does not. Which of these is true?' Yama had granted the first two boons, but was reluctant to grant the third. Yama said: 'The knowledge of the Self is not for all. The Self is most difficult to comprehend. Even the Gods are not clear about the nature of the self. So subtle is it that it cannot be easily comprehended.' Yama made it clear to Nachiketa that one had to qualify oneself before one can enter on Self-enquiry. One of the conditions for it is complete aversion to the pleasures of this world and of the next. Yama wished to know if the boy was so averse to the earthly pleasures as to make him fit for the boon of Self-knowledge. To test Nachiketa, Yama offered many enticing gifts in lieu of the boon asked for 'long life, long-lived sons and grandsons, sovereignty of the universe, the choicest plums of earthly existence, hundreds of heavenly nymphs and beautiful damsels in dance and music. He offered even the power of granting boons to others. Nachiketa was not tempted and he refused to change his mind. Said he, 'O Yama, ephemeral are these; they wear out the vigor that is in all the senses of man. Life is brief, however long it may seem to be. Let thy chariots, damsels, dances and songs be with thee alone. I find no use for them. Man does not become happy with pelf and progeny. One who knows that life is limited and fleeting cannot revel in pleasures of song and love. Hence teach me that knowledge which will lead to everlasting bliss. Naught else will Nachiketa choose'. Yama was very much pleased with the sincerity and strength shown by the boy. Then Yama instructed him in the supreme knowledge of the Self (Atma Vidya ).

        Nachiketa:

        'How can I know that blissful Self, supreme,

        Inexpressible, realised by the wise?

        Is he the light, or does he reflect light?'

        Yama:

        'There shines not the sun, neither moon nor star,

        No flash of lightening, nor fire lit on earth

        The self is the light reflected by all,

        He shining, everything shines after him'

        Nachiketa:

        'Teach me of THAT you see as beyond right

        And wrong, cause and effect, past and future

        Yama:

        'Abiding, I see the gates of joy

        Are opening for you Nachiketa!

        The self cannot be known through the study

        Of the scriptures, not through the intellect,
 
 

        The Self cannot be known by anyone

        Who desists not from unrighteous ways,

        Controls not the senses, stills not the mind,

        And practices not meditation
 
 

        None else can know the omnipresent Self,

        Whose glory sweeps away the rituals of

        The priest and the prowess of the warrior

        And puts death itself to death