KATHA UPANISHAD - 18. Swami Advayananda.

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Sunday, January 22,  2023, 07:30.

Chapter 1.Section-1: (29 Mantras) : The story of Nachiketas in the House of Death

(“A Leap Into the Beyond”) :  Bhashyam by Sri Swami Adi Sankaracharya ji.

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Chapter-1, Section-1.

THE THIRD BOON :

Mantram - 1.1.19 : Yama Invites the Third Boon

Post-18.

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THE THIRD BOON :

The moment is most appropriate for Nachiketas to ask his third boon. Nachiketas has 

been waiting for this – the moment that promises to usher in the Knowledge that he seeks. 

There is palpable feeling of expectancy in his heart. He knows he is standing on the 

threshold of an immense change in his life.

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Mantram - 1.1.19 : Yama Invites the Third Boon

With Translation :

1 

Eshah te agnih nachiketah svargyah = Yama: “This then is the ‘Nachiketas Fire Sacrifice’,  which leads one to Heaven, (O Nachiketas);

2 

yam avrineethaah dviteeyena varena; = and which you had chosen  as your second boon.

3 

etam agnim tava eva pravakshyanti janaasah = Hereafter, people will call this Fire by your name  alone.

4 

triteeyam varam nachiketah vrineeshva. = Now your third boon, O Nachiketas, you may choose!"

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Bhashyam (Vyakyanam) :

1 Among men there exists a huge doubt about the existence of the Spirit in man, 

and, if so, a greater doubt arises whether this Spirit is the same as the supreme, universal 

Spirit or Brahman. Only death can prove whether such an entity exists, but the dead person 

cannot report his finding to the living! Thus it is taken on faith or not accepted at all.

2 Mankind is split sharply into two distinct camps: those who believe that God exists 

and those who don’t. Revolving around this uncertainty is the entire subject of religion 

among men. Believers and non-believers endlessly go on quarrelling with each other. 

They even come to hate or distrust each other on this point. In the extreme case, 

men will even kill each other in religious strife, if they feel that the other is a threat to them.

The Hindu-Muslim riots that partitioned India are a case in recent history. The Jews and the 

Muslims in Palestine/Israel is another case; Roman Catholics against Protestants is another. 

3 Vidyaam: “I seek to know”. The knowledge that is asked for in this boon is very 

special for this important reason. As we shall see, it appears so innocently asked, yet it is the 

knowledge that can solve all religious strife; and resolve the mystery of this whole universe. 

This is the doubt which Nachiketas wants to clear up, not out of curiosity but out of

his genuine search for the Truth, a search for which he is willing to stake his all. He considers 

himself to be the disciple of Yama, and has so far proved very worthy.

Anushishtah Tvayaa: “instructed directly by you”. There are many who may claim to 

know the secret about the existence of God. The majority teach it as a subject in school. 

They read up what has been said about God and then pass that “knowledge” on to others. 

Sadly, they themselves have no direct experience about what they teach to others.

4 Nachiketas is confident that Lord Yama must know about this secret from direct 

experience of it. Yama, more than anyone else, would be the most ideal teacher of this 

secret, for he deals with Death all the time, and is sure to know whether Spirit exists or not. 

Approaching the right person, Nachiketas has great hope of having his doubt cleared.

Lord Yama’s Response:

What remains to be seen is whether Lord Yama would be willing to part with this 

secret. If he is willing, what are the conditions the student has to fulfill to qualify to receive 

it? This is how the discussion proceeds from here onwards.

Lord Yama, who knows every thought that goes on in the minds of men, knows 

better than anyone that a sincere desire for God is rare on earth. As much as he would love 

to impart such knowledge to the seeker of Truth, he has to first check out the intensity of 

the demand made by Nachiketas. This is routine for Yama. Very few would pass the tests 

that Nachiketas now goes through to prove that he is worthy of receiving this knowledge.

*****

Next

Mantram - 1.1.20 : Boon 3: “Self-Knowledge for Me”

To be continued

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