Nachiketa Dialogues

Opening Scene from KaTopanishad

Was listening to Yama Nachiketa Samvaada by Swamy Ved Chaitanya of Chinmaya.

Over the years, two favorite lines from the backdrop story
श्रद्धा आविवेश [1].. The moment of shraddha strikes in.

सस्यमिव मर्त्यः पच्यते.. सस्यमिवाजायते पुनः [2] The corn cobs grow to be threshed year after year. There is much more to life than doing the bare normal.

Got tempted to jot down the dialogue of the back story. Wordsplit and anvaya from upanishads.org.in .. Read along.. maybe in a voice of your favorite orator.. and enjoy the story..

Salutations to the teacher and the student Yama Nachiketa!

Backdrop Scene at the Yagya.

Vaajashravasa was performing sarvajit yagya. Vaajashravasa meaning ‘he who becomes famous by anna-daana. He was from Gautama gotra. Vaajashravasa, Gautama, uddaliki, AruNi.. all refer to the father.

Nachiketa was his putra. Interestingly, derivation of putra is पुत्-त्र, ‘He who protects his parents from the naraka called Put’. And in the initial act, the story is about Nachiketa not wanting his father to be landing in the wrong place.

Desiring heavens.. Vaajashravasa was giving away all his posessions ..
उशन्‌ ह वै वाजश्रवसः सर्ववेदसं ददौ।

He had a son named Nachiketas..
तस्य ह नचिकेता नाम पुत्र आस [1]

In that young lad’s mind
तं ह कुमारं सन्तं..
when he saw all the posessions being given away as gifts
दक्षिणासु नीयमानासु..
a moment of truth strikes him!
श्रद्धा आविवेश

[At the backdoor, the father was silently stocking the healthy cattle, and donating the old and useless livestock in the yagya]

The boy ponders on his father’s act..
सः अमयन्त.. [2]

Ah.. Cattle that have drunk their life time of water and quite useless now..
Cattle that have eaten all the grass and quite useless now..
Cattle that have been fully milked..
Weak Cattle that have worn out their senses organs..
पीतोदकाः जग्धतृणाः दुग्धदोहाः निरिन्द्रियाः

He who gives this kind of petty charity.. he shall go to the netherworld devoid of any joy
अनन्दा नाम ते लोकास्तान्स गच्छति ता ददत्‌ [3]

[Nachiketa interjects his father who is busy with the ritual]

Father! Whom will you give me to?
Father! Whom will you give me to?
Father! Whom will you give me to?
स होवाच पितरं
तत! कस्मै मां दास्यसीति
द्वितीयं तृतीयं

Irritated by the boy’s nagging question, the father utters.. ‘To death I give you’
तं होवाच - मृत्यवे त्वा ददामीति [4]

[The young boy ponders at the harsh words of his father. Was there a reason?]

I was a top student many times..
I was mediocre on many occasions.
[I was never a bottom student]
बहूनां एमि प्रथमः
बहूनां एमि मध्यमः

I wonder.. What task of Yama is to be accomplished by means of me today? यमस्य किंस्वित् कर्तव्यं यत् मया अद्य करिष्यति ? [5]

[Perhaps his father is lamenting the words. Nachiketa tries to console him. Death is normal.. but the truth must be enquired]

Nachiketa to his Father:
As you see before.. and as you see now and later[in the trail of time]..
यथा अनुपश्य पूर्वे.. तथा प्रतिपश्य अपरे..

Mortals wither like the crop, and born again and again
सस्यं इव मर्त्यः पच्यते.. सस्यं इव अजायते पुनः [6]

Yama’s Residence..

[Nachiketa enters Yama’s residence and waits patiently for 3 nights. When Yama is back, Yama is apprised of the situation with the little boy perhaps by his wife..]

A brahman guest entering homes, is like Fire walking itself..
वैश्वानरः प्रविशति अतिथिः ब्राह्मणः गृहान्‌

And hence, people offer water to quench the thirst of Fire of their guests. तस्य एतां शान्तिं कुर्वन्ति..

O Vaivaswat Yama! Fetch him some water..
वैवस्वत उदकं हर [7]

For keeping a guest waiting without food, the fortunes of good company-wealth-progeny-cattle may diminish with his curse! Please appease him!

[Yama is advised to appease his little guest.. Fire encountering and quenching the thirst and Fire of knowledge !?]

Yama Grants 3 Boons

O worthy of reverence! O Brahman Guest!
My salutations to you!
ब्रह्मन् अतिथिः.. त्वं नमस्यः

As you have been waiting for 3 nights in my residence without touching any food..
यत् मे गृहे तिस्रः रात्रीः अनश्नन् अवात्सीः

May you choose 3 boons.. one for each night..
तस्मात् प्रति त्रीन् वरान् वृणीष्व

My salutations to you! May I be at peace!
ब्रह्मन् ते नमः अस्तु.. मे स्वस्ति अस्तु..[9]

[Notice the multiple occurances of वर, वृणे, वृणीष्व which derive from वॄ — accept]

1st Boon Act

[Nachiketa’s clever reply]

[N] My father गौतम will be traumatized right now by my loss. May he be pacified शान्तसंकल्पः सुमना..

May he get over his anger over me, O lord of Death!
वीतमन्युः मा अभि.. मृत्यो!

When I am released from you, may he recognise and speak with me again!
त्वत्प्रसृष्टं मा अभिवदेत् प्रतीतः

Of the 3 wishes, I choose this as my first wish..
एतत् त्रयाणां प्रथमं वरं वृणे [10]

[Y] Wish Granted! Your father shall sleep peacefully. He shall receive you and not anguished, when you are freed from my clutches!

2nd Boon Act

[Nachiketa enquires about the yagya procedure that his father and others aspire to perform. Yama is the perfect teacher as he visits both the Earth and the Heavens]

[N] In the heavens.. one does not get scared.. there is no fear, no death nor old age..
Having crossed the rivers of hunger and thirst, and the pangs of sorrow, one enjoys the heavens..

स्वर्गे लोके न भयं किञ्चनास्ति न तत्र त्वं न जरया बिभेति
उभे तीर्त्वा अशनायापिपासे शोकातिगो मोदते स्वर्गलोके [12]

That fire ritual by which the heavens are attained..
O Death! You expound and teach the knowledge..
to this devout student me..
स त्वमग्निं स्वर्ग्यमध्येषि
मृत्यो प्रब्रूहि त्वं
श्रद्दधानाय मह्यम्‌

Those who attain heavens enjoy immortality..
Teach me and this, I choose this as my second boon
स्वर्गलोकाः अमृतत्वं भजन्ते..
एतत् द्वितीयेन वरेण वृणे [13]

[Y] I shall expound ब्रवीमि..
this hidden knowledge निहितं गुहायाम्‌..
of स्वर्ग्यम् अग्निं ritual.

[Yama teaches Nachiketa about the ritual, the brick arrangement, and so on, and Nachiketa inturn reiterates his understanding of this knowledge, and teacher Yama is extremely pleased with his brilliant student, and further adds..]

[Y] I shall grant you another bonus boon today..
भूयः वरं ददामि..
I am very pleased with you.. This fire shall be known by your name..
अयम् अग्निः तव एव नाम्ना भविता [15]

3rd Boon Act..

[Y] Nachiketa! Ask for your 3rd boon!
नचिकेतः
अथ तॄतीयं वरम् वृणीस्व

[N] There has been this constant debate and divide over
इयं विचिकित्सा

what happens when man passes away..
मनुष्य प्रेते

One says ‘it is’ and one says ‘it is not’..
एके अयं अस्ति इति आहुः
एके अयं न सति इति च आहुः

I would like this knowledge to be taught by you
त्वया अनुशिष्टः एतत् अहं विद्याम्

Of my wishes, this is the 3rd wish..
एषः वराणाम् तॄतीयः वरः [20]

[Yama is startled by Nachiketa’s question]

[Y] Ah! Even the Gods have endless debates.
देवैः अपि अत्र पुरा विचिकित्सितं हि

This is not an easy topic. It is quite subtle..
इदं न सुज्ञेयम्
एषः धर्मः अणुः

Nachiketa! Ask for another boon!
नचिकेतः अन्यं वरं वृणिष्व।

Don’t Don’t prod me..
Leave aside [this question]..
मा मा उपरोत्सीः
मा एवम् अतिसृज [21]

[Nachiketa is even more determined to hear the answer.. His arguments..]

[N] I see.. As the Gods are also confused over this question
अत्र देवैः अपि विचिकित्सितं किल

As you just mentioned this is not an easy topic
मृत्यो यत् च त्वं न सुज्ञेयम्।

And I shall not find a more befitting teacher than you..
अथ त्वादृक् अन्यः अस्य वक्ता च न लम्यः

This indeed is my ask.. and nothing else can replace this boon..
अतः एतस्य तुल्यः अन्यः कश्चित् वरः न अस्ति [22]

[Yama tries to coax Nachiketa with alternatives.. wealth..luxury.. longlife]

Choose instead sons and grandsons who shall live a hundred years.. Choose as many cattle elephants and gold and horses..
Choose as much reach of the Earth..
And live for as many years you wish!
शतायुषः पुत्रपौत्रान् वृणीष्व
अहून् पशून् हस्तिहिरण्यम् अश्वान्
भूमेः महत् आयतनं वॄणिष्व
स्वयं च यावत् शरदः जीवितुम् इछसि तावत् जीव [23]

All those desires which are difficult to be fulfilled in the mortal world..
With pleasure you can outright demand!
ये ये कामाः मर्त्यलोके दुर्लभः तान् सर्वान् कामान्
छन्दतः प्रार्तयस्व

Ask for beautiful chariots and women such as these
इमा रामाः सरथाः सतूर्या
which are hard for the mankind to achieve
न हीदृशा लम्भनीया मनुष्यैः

Nachiketa.. But don’t raise the topic of Death
नचिकेतः मरणम् मा अनुप्राक्षिः [25]

[Nachiketa’s clever reply..]

O Terminator!
Long life and riches are ephemeral.
It shall only drain the senses.
Keep the chariots, the dancing and singing women to yourself!
अन्तक !
त्वदुक्ताः भोगः श्वोभाबाः किञ्च
मर्त्यस्य सर्वेन्द्रियाणां यत् तेजः एतत् जरयन्ति अपि सर्वम् जीवितम् अल्पम् एव
तव वाहाः नृत्यगीते तव एव तिष्ठन्तु [26]

Man is never satisfied by wealth as the rope of desire is endless
न वित्तेन तर्पणीयो मनुष्यो

Having seen you, I shall anyways be endowed with wealth.
वयं त्वा अद्राक्षाम चेत् वित्तं लप्स्यामहे

As long as your mercy is there, I shall live a long life.. Why should I waste a boon for it?
तथा यावत् त्वं ईशिष्यति जीविष्यामः

Therefor I insist on my choicest choice of the boon
सः तु वरः एव मे वरणीयः

Yama was very happy with the determination of his student. He says.. May we have students like Nachiketa. I was also swayed and tempted and landed in this position.

He then expounds the tenets of shreyas vs preyas, ratha kalpana, attributes of the atman and so on.. Some of the verses sound very close to Gita. I have it jotted somewhere. May be for another day.

Reference

https://upanishads.org.in/upanishads/3/
https://youtu.be/Pyb2odlinZw?si=VqGiwp2NRMZzoz1u Swami Vedji
https://youtu.be/FpkIuxe_X68?si=Z5fn8Pa5ZEfsGRlj Dr Vinay Sharma