Yama`s Revelation on Life & Death in Kathak (Katha) Upanishad

Yama`s Revelation on Life & Death in Kathak (Kath) Upanishad

The Kathak Upanishad (काठकोपनिषत्): Nachiketa asked the great question of Life and Death to Yama

PT-1 (प्रथमा वल्ली)

Ushan, the son of Vajasravas of Goutama Gotra, desiring unending divinity in Swarga, gave away all his possessions in the Sarvamedha Yajna. He had a young son named Naciketas, who had attained undimmed divine consciousness.

When his father was giving away his all, courage entered him, though he was still a boy, and Nachiketa thought thus: “These cows have drunk water, eaten grass, given milk, and are now old. If my father Ushan gives away these old cows, then he will go to the joyless, lesser divine worlds.”

He said to his father, Ushan (he who is just entering into divine consciousness), “Father, to whom will you donate me?” A second and a third time he asked, until the father, in irritation, said, “Unto Death I give you.”

Among many, I go as the first; among many, I go as the middle one. What task of Yama will be accomplished through me, since my father has donated me to Yama?

Look back to how it was with those (who died) before, and look forward to how it will be with those who will die later. Like grain a mortal ripens, like grain he is born again.

Nachiketa sacrificed himself in Vaisvanara Agni, and through the enlightening path of Agni, he arrived at the house of Yama, the regulator of death and birth. A divine command requested Yama peacefully: “Bring him water, O son of Vivasvat (the self-existent).”

Hope and expectation, companionship and sweet speech, sacrifice and good deeds, sons and cattle—all these he (a Grihastha) destroys who, without offering food, lodges a Brahmana (knower of Vedas) in his house.

Yama said to Nachiketa: “O venerable Brahmana guest, you have dwelt in my house for three nights without food. Salutation to you; may welfare be mine. Therefore, choose three boons, which I am offering to you.”

Nachiketa said: “May Gautama, my father, be calm, of good mind, free from anger toward me. When released by you, O Death, may he greet me and know me—this I choose as the first boon.”

Yama replied: “By my grace, as before, Auddalaka Aruni (Nachiketa), your father, shall be peaceful in mind, sleep happily at night, free from anger, having seen you released from the mouth of death.”

“In Swarga (heaven), there is no fear, and there exists no sickness, nor is there old age. Having crossed hunger and thirst, and gone beyond sorrow, one rejoices in Swarga Lok.”

“You know, O Death, the fire that leads to Swarga; teach it to me, I want to learn it faithfully. Those who dwell in heaven attain immortality by learning it—this I choose as the second boon.”

Yama said: “I will tell you, Naciketas, learn from me the fire that leads to heaven, that gains endless worlds and a firm foundation of stability. Know it as laid in the hidden place.”

He told him of the fire that is the beginning of the world, what kind of Istika-yagna it was, how many there were, and how they should be performed. Nachiketa memorised it all as instructed. Then Yama, well pleased, spoke again:

“Being pleased, I give you another boon. This fire shall be known by your name. Take this multi-formed garland.”

He who thrice performs the Naciketa fire and joins the three, doing the three sacred deeds, crosses over birth and death. Knowing the Daivatam born of Brahma yagna, the adorable, and realizing me (Yama), he attains eternal peace.

He who knows the three Naciketas and thus understands them, having chosen Naciketa as his guide, casts off the fetters of death and rejoices in heaven.

Yama said: “This, O Naciketas, is your fire leading to heaven, which you have chosen as your second boon. People shall call this fire yours. Now choose the third boon.”

Nachiketa said: “There is this doubt among men: when a man dies, some say he is, others say he is not. I wish to learn this from you—this is the third boon I ask.”

Yama replied: “Even the Devas doubted this old question; this is not easily understood, subtle indeed is this Dharma. Choose another boon, O Naciketas; do not press me on this; release me from this question.”

Nachiketa said: “Even the Devas doubted it, and you, O Death, say it is not easily known. Surely no other teacher like you can be found; no other boon is equal to this.”

Yama said: “Choose sons and grandsons who shall live a hundred years, herds of cattle, elephants, gold, and horses. Choose vast lands; live as many autumns as you wish.”

“If you think this boon is equal to that, choose wealth and long life. O Naciketas, be lord of the entire earth; I will make you the enjoyer of all desires.”

“Whatever desires are difficult to obtain in the mortal world, choose all those desires at your will. These fair maidens with chariots and lutes—such as are not to be gained by men—by them I give you service. Do not ask me about death, O Naciketa.”

Nachiketa argued: “Tomorrow’s things belong to mortality; they destroy the vigor of all senses. Even the whole life is short indeed. Keep your horses, your dance, and your song for yourself.”

“No man can be satisfied with wealth. Shall we have wealth when we have seen you? Shall we live as long as you rule? The boon that I have asked—that alone is the boon to be chosen.”

“Having approached the undecaying immortals like you, how can the decaying mortal, knowing this, and delighting in beauty and pleasure, rejoice in a long life?”

“That which they doubt about, O Death, that great mystery of the hereafter—tell us that. This is the boon that Naciketas has chosen; none other is his desire.”

Thus, Nachiketa requested Yama, the immortal divinity, the regulator of death and birth, to reveal the truth of life and death among mortals.

Tanmoy Bhattacharyya

24th October 2025

काठकोपनिषत् (प्रथमा वल्ली)

उशन्ह वै वाजश्रवसः सर्ववेदसं ददौ । तस्य ह नचिकेता नाम पुत्र आस ॥ १ ॥
तम ह कुमारम सन्तं दक्षिणासु नीयमानासु श्रद्धाविवेश सोऽमन्यत ॥ २ ॥
पीतोदका जग्धतृणादुग्धदोहा निरिन्द्रियाः । अनन्दा नाम ते लोकास्तान्स गच्छति ता ददत् ॥ ३ ॥
स होवाच पितरं तत कस्मै मां दास्यसीति द्वितीयं तृतीयं तं होवाच मृत्यवे त्वा ददामीति ॥ ४ ॥
बहूनामेमि प्रथमो बहूनामेमि मध्यमः । किं स्विद्यमस्य कर्तव्यं यन्मयाद्य करिष्यति ॥ ५ ॥
अनुपश्य यथा पूर्वे प्रतिपश्य तथा परे । सस्यमिव मर्त्यः पच्यते सस्यमिवाजायते पुनः ॥ ६ ॥
वैश्वानरः प्रविशति अतिथिर्ब्राह्मणो गृहान् । तस्यैतां शान्तिं कुर्वन्ति हर वैवस्वतोदकम् ॥ ७ ॥
आशाप्रतीक्षे सङ्गतं सूनृतां च इष्टापूर्ते पुत्रपशूंश्च सर्वान् । एतद्वृङ्क्ते पुरुषस्याल्पमेधसो यस्यानश्नन्वसति ब्राह्मणो गृहे ॥ ८ ॥
तिस्रो रात्रीर्यदवात्सीर्गृहे मे अनश्नन्ब्रह्मन्नतिथिर्नमस्यः । नमस्तेऽस्तु ब्रह्मन्स्वस्ति मेऽस्तु तस्मात्प्रति त्रीन्वरान्वृणीष्व ॥ ९ ॥
शान्तसङ्कल्पः सुमना यथा स्याद्वीतमन्युर्गौतमो माभिमृत्यो । त्वत्प्रसृष्टं माभिवदेत्प्रतीत एतत्त्रयाणां प्रथमं वरं वृणे ॥ १० ॥
यथा पुरस्ताद्भविता प्रतीत औद्दालकिरारुणिर्मत्प्रसृष्टः । सुखं रात्रीः शयिता वीतमन्युस्त्वां ददृशिवान्मृत्युमुखात्प्रमुक्तम् ॥ ११ ॥
स्वर्गे लोके न भयं किञ्चनास्ति न तत्र त्वं न जरया बिभेति । उभे तीर्त्वा अशनायापिपासे शोकातिगो मोदते स्वर्गलोके ॥ १२ ॥
स त्वमग्निं स्वर्ग्यमध्येषि मृत्यो प्रब्रूहि तं श्रद्दधानाय मह्यम् । स्वर्गलोका अमृतत्वं भजन्त एतद्द्वितीयेन वृणे वरेण ॥ १३ ॥
प्र ते ब्रवीमि तदु मे निबोध स्वर्ग्यमग्निं नचिकेतः प्रजानन् । अनन्तलोकाप्तिमथो प्रतिष्ठां विद्धि त्वमेतं निहितं गुहायाम् ॥ १४ ॥
लोकादिमग्निं तमुवाच तस्मै या इष्टका यावतीर्वा यथा वा । स चापि तत्प्रत्यवदद्यथोक्तमथास्य मृत्युः पुनरेवाह तुष्टः ॥ १५ ॥
तमब्रवीत्प्रीयमाणो महात्मा वरं तवेहाद्य ददामि भूयः । तवैव नाम्ना भवितायमग्निः सृङ्कां चेमामनेकरूपां गृहाण ॥ १६ ॥
त्रिणाचिकेतस्त्रिभिरेत्य सन्धिं त्रिकर्मकृत्तरति जन्ममृत्यू । ब्रह्मजज्ञं देवमीड्यं विदित्वा निचाय्य मां शान्तिमत्यन्तमेति ॥ १७ ॥
त्रिणाचिकेतस्त्रयमेतद्विदित्वा य एवं विद्वांश्चिनुते नाचिकेतम् । स मृत्युपाशान्पुरतः प्रणोद्य शोकातिगो मोदते स्वर्गलोके ॥ १८ ॥
एष तेऽग्निर्नचिकेतः स्वर्ग्यो यमवृणीथा द्वितीयेन वरेण । एतमग्निं तवैव प्रवक्ष्यन्ति जनासस्तृतीयं वरं नचिकेतो वृणीष्व ॥ १९ ॥
येयं प्रेते विचिकित्सा मनुष्ये अस्तीत्येके नायमस्तीति चैके । एतद्विद्यामनुशिष्टस्त्वयाहं वराणामेष वरस्तृतीयः ॥ २० ॥
देवैरत्रापि विचिकित्सितं पुरा न हि सुविज्ञेयमणुरेष धर्मः । अन्यं वरं नचिकेतो वृणीष्व मा मोपरोत्सीरति मा सृजैनम् ॥ २१ ॥
देवैरत्रापि विचिकित्सितं किल त्वं च मृत्यो यन्न सुज्ञेयमात्थ । वक्ता चास्य त्वादृगन्यो न लभ्यो नान्यो वरस्तुल्य एतस्य कश्चित् ॥ २२ ॥
शतायुषः पुत्रपौत्रान्वृणीष्व बहून्पशून्हस्तिहिरण्यमश्वान् । भूमेर्महदायतनं वृणीष्व स्वयं च जीव शरदो यावदिच्छसि ॥ २३ ॥
एतत्तुल्यं यदि मन्यसे वरं वृणीष्व वित्तं चिरजीविकां च । महाभूमौ नचिकेतस्त्वमेधि कामानां त्वा कामभाजं करोमि ॥ २४ ॥
ये ये कामा दुर्लभा मर्त्यलोके सर्वान्कामांश्छन्दतः प्रार्थयस्व । इमा रामाः सरथाः सतूर्या न हीदृशा लम्भनीया मनुष्यैः । आभिर्मत्प्रत्ताभिः परिचारयस्व नचिकेतो मरणं मानुप्राक्षीः ॥ २५ ॥
श्वोभावा मर्त्यस्य यदन्तकैतत्सर्वेन्द्रियाणां जरयन्ति तेजः । अपि सर्वं जीवितमल्पमेव तवैव वाहास्तव नृत्यगीते ॥ २६ ॥
न वित्तेन तर्पणीयो मनुष्यो लप्स्यामहे वित्तमद्राक्ष्म चेत्त्वा । जीविष्यामो यावदीशिष्यसि त्वं वरस्तु मे वरणीयः स एव ॥ २७ ॥
अजीर्यताममृतानामुपेत्य जीर्यन्मर्त्यः क्वधःस्थः प्रजानन् । अभिध्यायन्वर्णरतिप्रमोदानतिदीर्घे जीविते को रमेत ॥ २८ ॥
यस्मिन्निदं विचिकित्सन्ति मृत्यो यत्साम्पराये महति ब्रूहि नस्तत् । योऽयं वरो गूढमनुप्रविष्टो नान्यं तस्मान्नचिकेता वृणीते ॥ २९ ॥