The boy who went to Death

उशन्ह वै वाजश्रवसः सर्ववेदसं ददौ ।तस्य ह नचिकेता नाम पुत्र आस ॥१॥

uśanha vai vājaśravasaḥ sarvavedasaṃ dadau |tasya ha naciketā nāma putra āsa ||1||

Wanting the reward of heaven, Vajashravasa gave away everything he owned. He had a son named Nachiketas.

The story opens with a sacrifice in which a householder gives away all his possessions to the priests. Nachiketas means roughly "one who has not perceived" — a boy who does not yet know, and who will go to Death to find out.

तं ह कुमारं सन्तं दक्षिणासु नीयमानासु श्रद्धाविवेश ।सोऽमन्यत ॥२॥

taṃ ha kumāraṃ santaṃ dakṣiṇāsu nīyamānāsu śraddhāviveśa |so'manyata ||2||

Young as he was, as the gifts were being led away, faith entered him, and he thought:

पीतोदका जग्धतृणा दुग्धदोहा निरिन्द्रियाः ।अनन्दा नाम ते लोकास्तान्स गच्छति ता ददत् ॥३॥

pītodakā jagdhatṛṇā dugdhadohā nirindriyāḥ |anandā nāma te lokāstānsa gacchati tā dadat ||3||

"These cows have drunk their last water, eaten their last grass, given their last milk, and can no longer bear calves. Joyless are the worlds that a person reaches by giving gifts like these."

The father is going through the motions: he is giving away worn-out cows that cost him nothing. The boy sees that a gift with no sacrifice in it is empty, and that the father's hoped-for heaven will be equally empty.

स होवाच पितरं तत कस्मै मां दास्यसीति ।द्वितीयं तृतीयम् ।तं होवाच मृत्यवे त्वा ददामीति ॥४॥

sa hovāca pitaraṃ tata kasmai māṃ dāsyasīti |dvitīyaṃ tṛtīyam |taṃ hovāca mṛtyave tvā dadāmīti ||4||

He said to his father, "Father, to whom will you give me?" He asked a second time, and a third. His father said to him, "I give you to Death!"

If his father has truly given away everything, then the son must be given too. The father, irritated, snaps back in anger — but in this world, words spoken at a sacrifice are binding, so the boy goes to the house of Yama, the god of death.

बहूनामेमि प्रथमो बहूनामेमि मध्यमः ।किं स्विद्यमस्य कर्तव्यं यन्मयाद्य करिष्यति ॥५॥

bahūnāmemi prathamo bahūnāmemi madhyamaḥ |kiṃ svidyamasya kartavyaṃ yanmayādya kariṣyati ||5||

Nachiketas thought: "Of many, I go first; of many, I go in the middle. What does Yama have to do that he will do through me today?

अनुपश्य यथा पूर्वे प्रतिपश्य तथापरे ।सस्यमिव मर्त्यः पच्यते सस्यमिवाजायते पुनः ॥६॥

anupaśya yathā pūrve pratipaśya tathāpare |sasyamiva martyaḥ pacyate sasyamivājāyate punaḥ ||6||

Look how it was with those who came before; see how it is with those who come after. A mortal ripens like grain, and like grain is born again."

The text skips ahead here. Nachiketas reaches Yama's house while Yama is away, and waits three days at the door without food. In the next verses, Yama's household urges him to make amends to the neglected guest.

वैश्वानरः प्रविशति अतिथिर्ब्राह्मणो गृहान् ।तस्यैतां शान्तिं कुर्वन्ति हर वैवस्वतोदकम् ॥७॥

vaiśvānaraḥ praviśati atithirbrāhmaṇo gṛhān |tasyaitāṃ śāntiṃ kurvanti hara vaivasvatodakam ||7||

"A brahmin who comes as a guest enters a house like fire. People calm that fire with an offering. Bring water, son of Vivasvat.

आशाप्रतीक्षे संगतं सूनृतां च इष्टापूर्ते पुत्रपशूंश्च सर्वान् ।एतद्वृङ्क्ते पुरुषस्याल्पमेधसो यस्यानश्नन्वसति ब्राह्मणो गृहे ॥८॥

āśāpratīkṣe saṃgataṃ sūnṛtāṃ ca iṣṭāpūrte putrapaśūṃśca sarvān |etadvṛṅkte puruṣasyālpamedhaso yasyānaśnanvasati brāhmaṇo gṛhe ||8||

Hope and expectation, friendship and kindly speech, sacrifices and good works, sons and cattle — all of these a brahmin takes away from a foolish man in whose house he stays without eating."

Hospitality was a sacred duty, and a guest left unfed was believed to drain the host's good fortune. Even Death must honor this rule.

Yama said

तिस्रो रात्रीर्यदवत्सीर्गृहे मे अनश्नन्ब्रह्मन्नतिथिर्नमस्यः ।नमस्तेऽस्तु ब्रह्मन्स्वस्ति मेऽस्तु तस्मात्प्रति त्रीन्वरान्वृणीष्व ॥९॥

tisro rātrīryadavatsīrgṛhe me anaśnanbrahmannatithirnamasyaḥ |namaste'stu brahmansvasti me'stu tasmātprati trīnvarānvṛṇīṣva ||9||

"Brahmin, since you have stayed three nights in my house without eating, a guest deserving honor, I bow to you — may all be well with me. In return, choose three wishes."

Nachiketas said

शान्तसङ्कल्पः सुमना यथा स्याद्वीतमन्युर्गौतमो माभि मृत्यो ।त्वत्प्रसृष्टं माभिवदेत्प्रतीत एतत्त्रयाणां प्रथमं वरं वृणे ॥१०॥

śāntasaṅkalpaḥ sumanā yathā syādvītamanyurgautamo mābhi mṛtyo |tvatprasṛṣṭaṃ mābhivadetpratīta etattrayāṇāṃ prathamaṃ varaṃ vṛṇe ||10||

"That my father, Gautama, be calm in mind, kindhearted, and free of anger toward me, O Death; that he recognize me and greet me when you send me back — this is the first of the three wishes I choose."

Yama said

यथा पुरस्ताद्भविता प्रतीत औद्दालकिरारुणिर्मत्प्रसृष्टः ।सुखं रात्रीः शयिता वीतमन्युस्त्वां ददृशिवान्मृत्युमुखात्प्रमुक्तम् ॥११॥

yathā purastādbhavitā pratīta auddālakirāruṇirmatprasṛṣṭaḥ |sukhaṃ rātrīḥ śayitā vītamanyustvāṃ dadṛśivānmṛtyumukhātpramuktam ||11||

"Your father, Auddalaki Aruni, will know you as before, sent back by me. Seeing you freed from the jaws of death, he will sleep peacefully at night, his anger gone."

Nachiketas said

स्वर्गे लोके न भयं किंचनास्ति न तत्र त्वं न जरया बिभेति ।उभे तीर्त्वा अशनायापिपासे शोकातिगो मोदते स्वर्गलोके ॥१२॥

svarge loke na bhayaṃ kiṃcanāsti na tatra tvaṃ na jarayā bibheti |ubhe tīrtvā aśanāyāpipāse śokātigo modate svargaloke ||12||

"In the world of heaven there is no fear at all. You are not there, and no one fears old age. Having crossed beyond both hunger and thirst, beyond sorrow, one rejoices in heaven.

स त्वमग्निं स्वर्ग्यमध्येषि मृत्यो प्रब्रूहि तं श्रद्दधानाय मह्यम् ।स्वर्गलोका अमृतत्वं भजन्त एतद्द्वितीयेन वृणे वरेण ॥१३॥

sa tvamagniṃ svargyamadhyeṣi mṛtyo prabrūhi taṃ śraddadhānāya mahyam |svargalokā amṛtatvaṃ bhajanta etaddvitīyena vṛṇe vareṇa ||13||

You know, O Death, the fire-ritual that leads to heaven. Explain it to me, for I have faith. Those who live in heaven share in immortality. This I choose as my second wish."

Yama said

प्र ते ब्रवीमि तदु मे निबोध स्वर्ग्यमग्निं नचिकेतः प्रजानन् ।अनन्तलोकाप्तिमथो प्रतिष्ठां विद्धि त्वमेतं निहितं गुहायाम् ॥१४॥

pra te bravīmi tadu me nibodha svargyamagniṃ naciketaḥ prajānan |anantalokāptimatho pratiṣṭhāṃ viddhi tvametaṃ nihitaṃ guhāyām ||14||

"I will explain it to you — listen and understand me, Nachiketas. I know the fire that leads to heaven. Know that this fire is the way to reach endless worlds, the foundation, hidden in the secret place."

लोकादिमग्निं तमुवाच तस्मै या इष्टका यावतीर्वा यथा वा ।स चापि तत्प्रत्यवदद्यथोक्तमथास्य मृत्युः पुनराह तुष्टः ॥१५॥

lokādimagniṃ tamuvāca tasmai yā iṣṭakā yāvatīrvā yathā vā |sa cāpi tatpratyavadadyathoktamathāsya mṛtyuḥ punarāha tuṣṭaḥ ||15||

He told him about that fire, the beginning of the worlds: what bricks to use for the altar, how many, and how to lay them. And Nachiketas repeated it back just as it was told. Then Death, pleased, spoke again.

तमब्रवीत्प्रीयमाणो महात्मा वरं तवेहाद्य ददामि भूयः ।तवैव नाम्ना भवितायमग्निः सृङ्कां चेमामनेकरूपां गृहाण ॥१६॥

tamabravītprīyamāṇo mahātmā varaṃ tavehādya dadāmi bhūyaḥ |tavaiva nāmnā bhavitāyamagniḥ sṛṅkāṃ cemāmanekarūpāṃ gṛhāṇa ||16||

The great-souled one, delighted, said to him: "I give you another wish here and now. This fire will be known by your name. And take this many-colored chain."

The chain is a bonus gift — a token of wealth and honor. Later (2.3) Yama will praise the boy for refusing to be caught by "the chain made of wealth," using the same word.

त्रिणाचिकेतस्त्रिभिरेत्य सन्धिं त्रिकर्मकृत्तरति जन्ममृत्यू ।ब्रह्मजज्ञं देवमीड्यं विदित्वा निचाय्येमां शान्तिमत्यन्तमेति ॥१७॥

triṇāciketastribhiretya sandhiṃ trikarmakṛttarati janmamṛtyū |brahmajajñaṃ devamīḍyaṃ viditvā nicāyyemāṃ śāntimatyantameti ||17||

Whoever kindles the Nachiketas fire three times, joining with the three, and performs the three acts, crosses over birth and death. Knowing the radiant god born of Brahman, worthy of praise, and realizing him, one reaches endless peace.

The "three" are traditionally explained as three connections (mother, father, and teacher, or the three sources of knowledge) and three duties (sacrifice, study, and giving). The point is ritual life done completely and well.

त्रिणाचिकेतस्त्रयमेतद्विदित्वा य एवं विद्वांश्चिनुते नाचिकेतम् ।स मृत्युपाशान्पुरतः प्रणोद्य शोकातिगो मोदते स्वर्गलोके ॥१८॥

triṇāciketastrayametadviditvā ya evaṃ vidvāṃścinute nāciketam |sa mṛtyupāśānpurataḥ praṇodya śokātigo modate svargaloke ||18||

Whoever, having kindled the Nachiketas fire three times and knowing these three, builds the Nachiketas altar with this understanding throws off the snares of death beforehand and, beyond sorrow, rejoices in heaven.

एष तेऽग्निर्नचिकेतः स्वर्ग्यो यमवृणीथा द्वितीयेन वरेण ।एतमग्निं तवैव प्रवक्ष्यन्ति जनासस्तृतीयं वरं नचिकेतो वृणीष्व ॥१९॥

eṣa te'gnirnaciketaḥ svargyo yamavṛṇīthā dvitīyena vareṇa |etamagniṃ tavaiva pravakṣyanti janāsastṛtīyaṃ varaṃ naciketo vṛṇīṣva ||19||

"This is your fire, Nachiketas, which leads to heaven, which you chose as your second wish. People will call this fire by your name. Choose your third wish, Nachiketas."

Nachiketas said

येयं प्रेते विचिकित्सा मनुष्ये अस्तीत्येके नायमस्तीति चैके ।एतद्विद्यामनुशिष्टस्त्वयाहं वराणामेष वरस्तृतीयः ॥२०॥

yeyaṃ prete vicikitsā manuṣye astītyeke nāyamastīti caike |etadvidyāmanuśiṣṭastvayāhaṃ varāṇāmeṣa varastṛtīyaḥ ||20||

"When a person has died, there is this doubt. Some say, 'He exists,' and others say, 'He does not.' I want to know this, taught by you. This is the third of my wishes."

This is the question the whole Upanishad answers: what, if anything, survives death? Everything before this has been preparation; everything after is Death's answer.

Yama said

देवैरत्रापि विचिकित्सितं पुरा न हि सुज्ञेयमणुरेष धर्मः ।अन्यं वरं नचिकेतो वृणीष्व मा मोपरोत्सीरति मा सृजैनम् ॥२१॥

devairatrāpi vicikitsitaṃ purā na hi sujñeyamaṇureṣa dharmaḥ |anyaṃ varaṃ naciketo vṛṇīṣva mā moparotsīrati mā sṛjainam ||21||

"Even the gods had this doubt long ago. It is not easy to understand — this matter is subtle. Choose another wish, Nachiketas. Do not press me. Release me from this one."

Nachiketas said

देवैरत्रापि विचिकित्सितं किल त्वं च मृत्यो यन्न सुज्ञेयमात्थ ।वक्ता चास्य त्वादृगन्यो न लभ्यो नान्यो वरस्तुल्य एतस्य कश्चित् ॥२२॥

devairatrāpi vicikitsitaṃ kila tvaṃ ca mṛtyo yanna sujñeyamāttha |vaktā cāsya tvādṛganyo na labhyo nānyo varastulya etasya kaścit ||22||

"Even the gods had this doubt, you say, and you, O Death, say it is not easy to understand. But no other teacher like you can be found to explain it, and no other wish is equal to this one."

Yama said

शतायुषः पुत्रपौत्रान्वृणीष्व बहून्पशून्हस्तिहिरण्यमश्वान् ।भूमेर्महदायतनं वृणीष्व स्वयं च जीव शरदो यावदिच्छसि ॥२३॥

śatāyuṣaḥ putrapautrānvṛṇīṣva bahūnpaśūnhastihiraṇyamaśvān |bhūmermahadāyatanaṃ vṛṇīṣva svayaṃ ca jīva śarado yāvadicchasi ||23||

"Choose sons and grandsons who will live a hundred years. Choose herds of cattle, elephants, gold, and horses. Choose a great stretch of land, and live yourself for as many autumns as you wish.

एतत्तुल्यं यदि मन्यसे वरं वृणीष्व वित्तं चिरजीविकां च ।महाभूमौ नचिकेतस्त्वमेधि कामानां त्वा कामभाजं करोमि ॥२४॥

etattulyaṃ yadi manyase varaṃ vṛṇīṣva vittaṃ cirajīvikāṃ ca |mahābhūmau naciketastvamedhi kāmānāṃ tvā kāmabhājaṃ karomi ||24||

If you think there is any wish equal to this, choose it — wealth and a long life. Be great on the wide earth, Nachiketas. I will make you the enjoyer of all your desires.

ये ये कामा दुर्लभा मर्त्यलोके सर्वान्कामांश्छन्दतः प्रार्थयस्व ।इमा रामाः सरथाः सतूर्या न हीदृशा लम्भनीया मनुष्यैः ।आभिर्मत्प्रत्ताभिः परिचारयस्व नचिकेतो मरणं मानुप्राक्षीः ॥२५॥

ye ye kāmā durlabhā martyaloke sarvānkāmāṃśchandataḥ prārthayasva |imā rāmāḥ sarathāḥ satūryā na hīdṛśā lambhanīyā manuṣyaiḥ |ābhirmatprattābhiḥ paricārayasva naciketo maraṇaṃ mānuprākṣīḥ ||25||

Whatever desires are hard to fulfill in the world of mortals — ask for all of them as you please. Here are lovely women with chariots and musical instruments; such women cannot be won by mortals. Be waited on by them — I give them to you. But do not ask about death, Nachiketas."

Death tests the boy by offering everything people normally want. The test is whether the desire to know is stronger than every other desire.

Nachiketas said

श्वोभावा मर्त्यस्य यदन्तकैतत्सर्वेन्द्रियाणां जरयन्ति तेजः ।अपि सर्वं जीवितमल्पमेव तवैव वाहास्तव नृत्यगीते ॥२६॥

śvobhāvā martyasya yadantakaitatsarvendriyāṇāṃ jarayanti tejaḥ |api sarvaṃ jīvitamalpameva tavaiva vāhāstava nṛtyagīte ||26||

"These things last only until tomorrow, O Ender, and they wear out the vigor of all the senses. And even the whole of a life is short. Keep your horses; keep your dancing and singing.

न वित्तेन तर्पणीयो मनुष्यो लप्स्यामहे वित्तमद्राक्ष्म चेत्त्वा ।जीविष्यामो यावदीशिष्यसि त्वं वरस्तु मे वरणीयः स एव ॥२७॥

na vittena tarpaṇīyo manuṣyo lapsyāmahe vittamadrākṣma cettvā |jīviṣyāmo yāvadīśiṣyasi tvaṃ varastu me varaṇīyaḥ sa eva ||27||

A person cannot be satisfied by wealth. We will get wealth anyway, now that we have seen you. We will live as long as you rule. But the wish I choose is that one alone.

अजीर्यताममृतानामुपेत्य जीर्यन्मर्त्यः क्वधःस्थः प्रजानन् ।अभिध्यायन्वर्णरतिप्रमोदानतिदीर्घे जीविते को रमेत ॥२८॥

ajīryatāmamṛtānāmupetya jīryanmartyaḥ kvadhaḥsthaḥ prajānan |abhidhyāyanvarṇaratipramodānatidīrghe jīvite ko rameta ||28||

Having come near the undecaying immortals, what decaying mortal on this earth below, who understands, would delight in a very long life, dwelling on the pleasures of beauty and love?

यस्मिन्निदं विचिकित्सन्ति मृत्यो यत्साम्पराये महति ब्रूहि नस्तत् ।योऽयं वरो गूढमनुप्रविष्टो नान्यं तस्मान्नचिकेता वृणीते ॥२९॥

yasminnidaṃ vicikitsanti mṛtyo yatsāmparāye mahati brūhi nastat |yo'yaṃ varo gūḍhamanupraviṣṭo nānyaṃ tasmānnaciketā vṛṇīte ||29||

Tell us about that great passing-over, O Death, about which people have this doubt. This wish goes deep into what is hidden. Nachiketas chooses no other."