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== Nachiketa Vidya and its Antiquity ==

Nachiketa (called variously in Samskrit : नचिकेता, नचिकेतः नसिकेत) is a young boy who travels to Yamapuri to know the secrets of Mrityu, whose legend is one of the oldest in Vedic literature.  

Nachiketa's episode is one of the oldest in Vedic literature. Sayanacharya has alluded to this in the Rik Samhita (10th mandala 35th sukta 10:35 as yasmin vrkshe) and it is also mentioned in the Kataka Brahman, which is now part of Taittriya Brahman. The Kathopanishad also describes its spiritual significance. However, self-styled Western Indologists have claimed that this episodes are recent inclusion, and claim they do not reflect the old thoughts of the Upanishadas.  Such claim of the westerners is very sad.

== Background of Upanishad ==

== Etymology ==

"Nachiketa", the son of a Rishi, is one of the names of Agni and symbolically represents Agni. This effulgent flame never goes off and remains radiant, hence he is called "Kumara." Like nachiketa, the sons of Brahma who are born of his mind are also ever youthful.and symbolically called so. Significantly, the Rik Samhita (10:135) does not even  address him as Nachiketa but only Kumara (adolescent). The Brahmanas are also addressed as ||agni (fire) in the Vedas. It does not matter whether agni is addressed as blazing fire or spark of the fire. Kalidasa in Raghuvamsha states,

Sayanacharya has alluded to this in the Rik Samhita (10th mandala 35th sukta 10:35 as yasmin vrkshe) and it is also mentioned in the Kataka Brahman, which is now part of Taittriya Brahman. The Kathopanishad also describes its spiritual significance.  

For one who is  enlightened, age does not matter! Nachiketa was like a spark, fully illuminated in knowledge.

His father’s name was Vajasravas. Vaj means grains and one who offers grain as  charity, which made him famous, in sanskrita it is called "shrava. Because he was very generous with grains, he was called "Vajasravah." In this way from very beginning the legacy of dana/ giving to the most qualified people our resources of all sorts, was flowing in their family. So it was not surprising that Nachiketa continued the tradition and eventually offered the adhyatma grain (Brahmavidya).

 

Vaajasravasa (Samskrit : वाजश्रवसः) was also called as औद्दालकिः || Auddalaki अरुणिः || Aruni गौतमः|| Goutama.

 

वाजम् अन्नं तद्दानादिनिमित्तं श्रवः - यशः, यस्य सः वाजश्रवाः || One who obtains fame by giving away Annam (grains or food) in charity is Vaajasravasa.  

 

Vaajasrava performed the Visvajit yaaga and give away all that he had in charity. Nachiketa his son, observed that the daana||charity and Vajasrava was giving dana(charity) as everyone was receiving dana. Nachiketa was watching entire yagna as his father perform the Yagna and offer  meaningless daana, Nachiketa was shocked and it gave rise a shraddha in the heart of Nachiketa. ||dakshinasu niyamanasu sraddha avivesha|| Shraddha, what was not there in elderly Vajshrava, was visibile in young lad, Nachiketa( ||tam ha Kumaram sangam).

 

Nachiketa : It can be assumed that Nachiketa must have had his उपनयन ||upanayana (thread ceremony) and was about to  be initiated into his formal education. Or it could be that he was ready for the उपनयन ||upanayan (thread ceremony). Notably even at a young age, he sounded bright, intelligent and with shraddha (implicit faith born out of experiencing satya)

   

   

3 What kind of दानं ||Daanam (charity) is approved by the Vedas?   

3 What kind of दानं ||Daanam (charity) is approved by the Vedas?   

For example, Rishi Trita Aptya had two brothers. Once they pushed the rishi into a well and ran away with his cows and money. RIshi Trita somehow saved himself by holding to a creeper.  Suddenly he felt that he was dying and had not done the soma yaga (not because he was dying, but because he wanted to do ) so decided to do the soma yaga immediately. He took hold of the creeper and considering it the Soma creeper, he invoked soma by power of mantra. Taking his resolve as fire, he offered it the juice from the creeper. Thus, despite insufficient resources, the rishi was still able to perform the Yagna. The Vedas reveal that all the devatas accepted the oblation offered. Rik Samhita's mentions the suktas (I-105, VIII-48, IX-33, 34, X-1 etc) which were revealed rishi Trita aptya.  Therefore to perform a Yagna, one does not need to spend beyond one's capacity. Even if one has fallen into a deep dark well, if one has Shraddha, one can successfully perform Yagna.

For example, Rishi Trita Aptya had two brothers. Once they pushed the rishi into a well and ran away with his cows and money. RIshi Trita somehow saved himself by holding to a creeper.  Suddenly he felt that he was dying and had not done the soma yaga (not because he was dying, but because he wanted to do ) so decided to do the soma yaga immediately. He took hold of the creeper and considering it the Soma creeper, he invoked soma by power of mantra. Taking his resolve as fire, he offered it the juice from the creeper. Thus, despite insufficient resources, the rishi was still able to perform the Yagna. The Vedas reveal that all the devatas accepted the oblation offered. Rik Samhita's mentions the suktas (I-105, VIII-48, IX-33, 34, X-1 etc) which were revealed rishi Trita aptya.  Therefore to perform a Yagna, one does not need to spend beyond one's capacity. Even if one has fallen into a deep dark well, if one has Shraddha, one can successfully perform Yagna.

== Nature of Nachiketa’s Shraddha ==

== Nature of Nachiketa’s Shraddha ==   

It appears that Vajasravas did not appreciated such yagnas, he did not had required shraddha.  After completion of the Yagna, it was time for giving daana||charity and Vajasrava was giving dana(charity) as everyone was receiving dana. Nachiketa was watching entire yagna as his father perform the Yagna and offer  meaningless daana, Nachiketa was shocked and it gave rise a shraddha in the heart of Nachiketa. ||dakshinasu niyamanasu sraddha avivesha|| Shraddha, what was not there in elderly Vajshrava, was visibile in young lad, Nachiketa( ||tam ha Kumaram sangam).